Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Fair-Good

Good news, it appears that the early season "slime weed migration" is over. Above the bridge the micro caddis(#26-28), midges and Trico female emergence starts around 7 with the Trico spinner fall starting around 9. Don't be afraid to fish spinner patterns until after 12, there will be spinners drifting far after they actually finish egg laying. Mid morning into the afternoon there's a sparse PMD emergence along with the Yellow Sallies. Caddis are out all day long. If you want technical now's the time, size 26 emerging caddis across 4-5 different current seams can test the best. It's one thing to pick off migratory fish with attractors, something else to con fish keying on specific food.

It's good to remember that there aren't a lot of "resident" fish in the Upper Owens, it's basically a nursery for Crowley Lake and as they get bigger most of them will move down to the lake. The fish that haven't gone to the lake yet tend to be pickier because it's their natural environment. Right now they are getting more active as their metabolism picks up with the water warming so look for insect activity, especially the Baetis and some caddis. Mayflies are the more dominate #16-20 and the PMDs are starting to emerge.  As the water warms up the resident fish are getting more active, they will not be as interested in the attractor flies and they definitely require better presentations than the migratory fish do.

So much for the temperature gage, it lost its funding and has been shut down. Scratch that, it may be shut down but it's still functional. There was a temperature gage on Hot Creek right above the Owens River Road bridge. Right now the water temperature ranges between the low 80s and high 90s.  If you're not familiar with it, to get to the upper most branch of Hot Creek, go through the first drive through gate on the main road and immediately turn left. The confluence is between the first and second walk-thru gates.

Recommended Flies