Bishop fly fishing guide - STM Fly Fishing Guide Service and Fly Shop in Bishop Ca

29Nov2025

Lower Owens River brown trout held by and angler

Lower Owens Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 11.29.25

November 29, 2025

Bishop Fly Fishing, Bishop fly fishing guide, Bishop fly guide, Eastern Sierra Report Tags, fishing, lower owens fly fishing, mammoth fly fishing, mammoth fly fishing guide, Owens, Sierra, sierratroutmagnet, STM Fishing Reports

The Lower Owens River outside Bishop, CA has shifted fully into its late-fall mode, with flows continuing to drop and now settling around 90 cubic feet per second. This is classic low-water season on the LO — the river is wide open, extremely wadable, and offering access to water that’s been unreachable for most of the year. With clear, cold flows and steady insect activity, the fishing has been nothing short of excellent.

Wild trout are spreading out across the system, taking advantage of softer edges, shallow riffles, and structure that was too fast or too deep earlier in the season. While nymphing remains the most consistent method — both indicator and tight-line setups are producing all day — anglers are now seeing the first reliable windows of dry-fly action, especially during calm mid-mornings when blue-winged olives begin to trickle off. Expect rising fish in softer seams, back-eddies, and the classic Lower Owens foam lanes.

With crisp late-fall air, and the river in prime shape for exploration, this is one of the most rewarding periods of the year to fish the LO. The combination of light pressure, hungry trout, and a variety of effective techniques makes this an ideal time to get out and cover water.

Plan your trip to take advantage of the Lower Owens and the Eastern Sierra during this late-fall – call or text 760-873-0010, visit sierratroutmagnet.com, or follow on Instagram @stm_fly_fishing

1May2024

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop CA – 5.1.24

May 1, 2024

Sierra Trout Magnet

Bishop Fly Fishing, Bishop fly fishing guide, fishing, fishing guide, lower owens fishing, Owens, sierratroutmagnet, STM Fishing Reports

The fly fishing report for the Bishop area including the Lower Owens River is experiencing its stage spring time runoff as of this last weekend. Flows have been pumped up rather quickly to a high stage of 471 feet per second. Water is running almost clear and fast! This is absolutely normal throughout the west as May and June can be typically considered high water months throughout the west and is considered very healthy for the Owens river system. Spots can still be found to fish for the experienced Lower Owens angler. Before that we were enjoying the fruits of the astronomical water year we experienced last year with healthy, wild, and very large trout! With the snow pack lower than an average year, we believe this amount of runoff should not last long. Of course, that could all change if storms continue to roll through dropping precipitation in the mountains of California.

Call or text the STM Fly Shop in Bishop California at 760-873-0010 for more information or to book a guided trip.

@stm_fly_fishing on instagram

www.sierratroutmagnet.com

7Feb2023

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 2.7.23

February 7, 2023

Sierra Trout Magnet

Bishop Fly Fishing, Bishop fly fishing guide, Eastern Sierra fishing report, fishing, lower owens fly fishing, mammoth fly fishing, Owens, Sierra, sierratroutmagnet, STM, upper Owens fly fishing guide Fishing Reports

The Lower Owens patiently flows right outside of Bishop, California with an abundance of bends, runs, riffles and drop offs, this river is the jewel of the Eastern Sierra for fly anglers and photographers alike. Water temps are roughly between 39-42 degrees depending of time of day and location tested. Flows have bumped since the last storms up to around 130cfs of cool sierra water even though the LADWP guage shows 3000+cfs. The colder, long period of weather has made it a little tougher to get out there and have those double-digit days. But the lovely picturesque trout of the Lower Owens can still be caught by the diligent and patient angler. Small pods of rising fish are noted throughout the system, eating midges and small beatis, these fish have been appearing without rhyme or reason in any section of the river. The only answer to this is to be out there on the banks of the river mid-day while keeping keeping an eye out for slower moving foam lined water. Smaller nymphs have been doing the trick, not too small as some people believe, sizes of flies in the #16 -20 range are as small as we need to go. Caddis on the bigger side and baetis and midges smaller. Some slightly warmer weather will definitely move some fish around and stir up the bug life as well as the appetites of the resident trout of the Lower Owens River.

Call the STM Fly Shop in Bishop CA at 760.873.0010 or text 661.364.6981 for more details or to book a guided tour.

Www.sierratroutmagnet.com

@stm_fly_fishing on Instagram