Winter fly fishing on the Upper Owens River

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing : Mammoth Lakes CA – 1.25.18

January 25, 2018
Fishing Reports

 

So you want to go to the Upper Owens? You heard you can catch a very big fish there? Your Right !!  The Upper Owens River continues to produce some of the largest trout you can fish for in a small high meadow stream anywhere in the world! Access is good and flows are optimum. As in my last report the big guys are in the deepest and darkest parts of the River. They entire system is now full of fish, so whatever piece of water you choose to fish its up to you to read the water. Large attractor nymph patterns as well as  midge imitations will take fish here when sunk deep and presented in the correct parts of the river.  3x and 4x are the preferred tippet sizes here to have a chance of netting these battling bruisers! 

Large trout caught in the desert waters of the Lower Owens River

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing : Bishop, CA – 1.11.18

January 11, 2018
Fishing Reports
Large trout caught in the desert waters of the Lower Owens River

Big Fish on the Lower Owens!

The nutrient rich flowing waters of the infamous Lower Owens River have dropped to an amazing fishing level of 100cfs!! This is what anybody that has waited to to fish this awesome Brown Trout river have been waiting for! The entire river from the bridges in town up to the Wild Trout section and footbridge has been fishing great! Wading is very easy and managable… THE RIVER HAS CHANGED SOMEWHAT .. some holes you once know will not be there now, or may have changed completely. That being said the new river is every bit of what has made the Lower Owens many Fly Angler first choice! Mayflies, Caddis, and Midges can all be fished with success. Some top water activity has been noted and been picking up. Stay tuned for much more as this river is just starting to show us what she has been hiding the last year!

Angler holds up a large Brown trout in the water of the Lower Owens River

Average larger Brown Trout this year!

Angler hold up a large rainbow trout

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing : Mammoth Lakes, CA – 1.11.18

January 11, 2018
Fishing Reports

Angler hold up a large rainbow trout

The amazing flowing water that consists of the Upper Owens River has been steadily giving people exactly what they are after this winter of 2018… Big Trout!!! Flows have been hovering around 70cfs for quite some time now as we have received some precipitation recently up on the eastern slope of the Sierra.  As in my last post the fish are in the same areas and eating the same things! Access is still fine to most any vehicle. Some with small two wheel drive cars will have to possibly walk farther or risk staying out longer than planned. Choosing how much time to spend in a spot and what spots to fish in will maximize your success in the Upper Owens River winter fly fishing of 2018! Flies to try are ; SJ worms of all varieties and sizes (of course we have our favorites), Jig Headed Czech style nymphs, Green Caddis, Hot head patterns, Lightning Bugs, and many similar attractors. Streamers? Of course!! 

gentleman hold a large rainbow trout on the banks of the Upper Owens River Near Mammoth Lakes CA

Perfect Tail and Fins!

 

 

elated fly angler holds up very nice wild brown trout on the lower Owens River while fly fishing

Lower Owens Fly Fishing Report : Bishop CA – 12.13.17

December 13, 2017
, Fishing Reports
Gorgeous spotted with halos brown trout

Lower Owens Art

The Lower Owens river fly fishing has been intriguing! The river is flowing at a good flow of 300+ as the top of the site says here. Water is perfect colour and temperatures are hovering around 44-50 degrees.  Some dry fly activity is seen in the foamy areas throughout the day. Usually after mid morning the dry fly action can be seen if any. Of course, under the water a whole different story is happening. Caddis Worms, Midge Larvae, and May Fly nymphs are on the Trout of the Lower Owens diet right now!  Some voracious eating of aquatic insects is seriously happening under the surface! Even though water is high with some beginner water reading skills the Fly Angler can pick out the right pieces of river to fish. It seems after months of record flows the fish on the Lower Owens are coming back to show us what that volume of river allows them to become……

Beautiful wild brown trout head in a rubber net from the lower Owens River

Wild Trout art of the Lower Owens River

large rainbow trout in a net

Mammoth Lakes Fly Fishing : Upper Owens River – 12.7.17

December 7, 2017
, Fishing Reports

The fly fishing below Mammoth Lakes CA on the Upper Owens river in winter is a special place for any serious fly angler. Mainly because it becomes large trout hunters dream with the stream of over-sized trout swimming up from Crowley lake! Flows are low and water varies between very clear and slightly murky, both presenting different presentation situations. As forecasted the Trout are throughout the Upper Owens system, holding in the deepest pools and darkest runs, corners, and banks. Most part of the mighty Upper O’ are fishing well. It is up to each angler to choose the correct water to fish and take into account how much time to spend in each piece he chooses. All sorts of semi salmon/steelhead reminiscent flies are taking fish. Various midge variations, and Pheasant tails/ soft hackles are other ideas to sink down in the Upper. Streamers patterns fished deep ? of course! Fish these whenever you want in any size. Just get them deep! 

fishing guide helps client land a large trout on the Upper Owens River

STM guide S. Cline helps a client achieve his dream!

 

Upper Owens River Fly Fishing

Upper Owens Fly Fishing: Mammoth Lakes, CA-12.1.17

December 1, 2017
, , , , Fishing Reports

Temps have dropped yet a little more on the grassy banks of the Upper Owens River with the addition of more precipitation in the Mammoth Lakes area after some threatening storms. Some runoff flowed down Hot Creek making the water below the confluence cloudy for a couple of days. The water above the confluence area took on a tea stained red hue while remaining clear. This has now subsided and clearer flows have resumed. The river is now in perfect condition with flows as clear as any angler would desire. This, of course give the fish the advantage as they can see us coming a mile away on the treeless banks of the Upper Owens.  The BIG Trout are indeed moving in! They have moved up and are peppered throughout the system. A Fly Angler only needs to take some time explore the deeper parts of the Upper O too find these world class Trout. Right now we are seeing mostly Rainbows as normal, but there is are more Brown Trout and we can see some Rainbows with Cutthroat trout genes as well. Fish the normal suggested flies; Large attractor Nymphs, Small Midges , Eggs, Worms ect.. Streamers always will take fish here but need to be fished in a proper manner in this spring creek type stream . Stay tuned for much more to come from the awesome waters of the Upper Owens River while Fly Fishing this winter. 

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing guide, eastern Sierra Fly fishing, Mammoth Lakes Fly Fishing guide

Lower Owens River Fly Fishing Report : Bishop, CA – 11.20.17

November 20, 2017
Fishing Reports

The new news here on the fabulous Lower Owens River is that the flows are now on their way down! As you can see at the top of my website the levels are now down to 400 cfs instead of the whopping 550 cfs it had been maintaining. A little bit more and this place is going to be one of the next amazing fly fishing winter destinations you have to experience this winter of 2017/2018! Stay tuned for much more to come as we are fly fishing the Lower and Upper Owens daily! 

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