Water Conditions: Good, showing 12 cfs as of 12/30

Remember, these are the flows just below Highway 395 on Mammoth Creek

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Good     

Legally there's nothing stopping you from wading in Hot Creek (unless you're a guide and your clients). But if you enjoy fishing Hot Creek, and if you're reading this you probably are, STAY OUT OF THE WATER THIS TIME OF YEAR. This is the time of year when all those wonderful browns are spawning and besides trampling the Redds you're over stressing them so stay up on the bank and have fun. If you're wondering where the Redds are, it's the ENTIRE stream, that's what makes the creek so good.

Another benefit of spring fed besides being a reliable source, the water temperature stays fairly consistent throughout the winter. Right now both the Interpretive and canyon sections are fishing well with the primary hatch being the midges but they will eat BWO imitations as well. One bit of advice, now that access is getting a lot more limited if you go to the Interpretive Site and find more than a few cars head on down to the Owens or call it a day. . With the colder water the weeds are starting to die off but I still tell my clients that a 4 second drift is average and finish with an aggressive pickup, you will hook fish you never knew existed.

Recommended Flies

DRIES:  R.P. Emerger #22 | Parachute Adams # 18-20  | Mother Shucker #24 | CDC Baetis Dun #18-24 | Grffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  | S&M nymph #18-20  | Medallion Midge #18-24 |  Buckskin #16-20  |  Barr's Emerger #16-22 | RS-2 Gray #18-22 | CDC Transition Midge #18-22

STREAMERS: BH Bopp SlumpBuster | Perfection Perch #4-8 | Punk Perch #10-16 | Hornburg #10-14   Mice