
Welcome from the staff of the Rancho White River Fly Shop.
Spring Eastern Sierra Report
The Eastern Sierra is in full time spring conditions. Warmer temperatures have the fish active and feeding consistently. With anticipated springtime rain, conditions may change, however right now many fly anglers are making plans to take advantage of the excellent fishing.
Bishop
Lower Owens River: The lower river has had a rise in the flow due to DWP releases from Pleasant Valley dam upstream. Still, the flows are below historical averages and fishing through out the “Wild Trout” section downstream from the dam is providing some outstanding opportunities. Guide Tom Loe owner of Sierra Drifters reports. “The first caddis flies are beginning to show in force on the warmer days, with the final hatches of Blue Wing Olive flies hatching after noon. Also anticipate strong midge activity with a rising or high barometer. At 225cfs the flows are near perfect. With the warmer conditions the wild fish will move into the riffles and runs, as opposed to holding in only the deepest pools. Crossing is a tad more difficult, but with some scouting & a stout wading staff one should have few problems finding quality water. We had some spotty days of catching as the water levels climbed, but with the flows slowly increased, the fish have already adjusted to the new releases. No word on if they will go up significantly in the near future, my guess is probably a little more within the month, but not the death blow we have seen in the past during early April.”
For the midge hatch use a two fly rig with a #18-20 Griffith Gnat dry, trailing a #20 midge pupa pattern. The mid morning the hatch will come off strong with an emergence of a # 14-16 tan caddis. Again use the dry dropper technique. Use a # 18 tan caddis dry such as an elk hair or poly wing caddis. For this hatch it is important to trail your dry fly with an emerging caddis pupa pattern. During most caddis hatches the rising trout will be primarily feeding on the emerging caddis, taking the dry caddis to a much lesser degree. A successful technique is to dead drift the two fly rig looking for a take. As the flies begin to swing below your position, anticipate a strike as this action will often stimulate the trout to take the emerging caddis pattern. During non hatch times, dead drifting midge larval patterns attached to an olive caddis larva will continue to provide steady action.
Mammoth
Hot Creek: A good consistent blue wing olive (bwo) may fly hatch is providing excellent dry fly action once the creek warms up a couple degrees. BWO patterns size #18-20 both parachute and emerger style will bring up fish to 18”. A micro nymphing small mayfly and midge pattern is a deadly technique on this water. Many large fish are landed on a regular basis using size #20-22 larva patterns such as brassies, olive and black zebra midges, and baetis nymphs.
Upper Owens: The upper river is in somewhat of a transition period. Many of the large fish have returned to Lake Crowley downstream. As we get farther into spring, the rainbows will return for their yearly spawning run. Many jumbo sized fish will fill the runs and bend pools. The most consistent technique will be nymphing egg and worm patterns for the large lake run fish. Dead drifting San Juan Worms weighted with a tungsten bead will fool the large rainbows holding in the deeper runs and pools. As the season progresses, nymphing orange or pink egg patterns typically is a very successful method.
Thanks from the Rancho White River Fly Shop. We invite you to contact us for any additional fly fishing needs and information.
