Water Conditions:GOOD Water is low and clear flowing at 58 c.f.s. below East Portal Gauging Station. Currently, minimal water is being diverted from Grant Lake (tunnel on Arc Ranch) into to Upper Owens so the river is lower than usual for August and is totally fed by the springs and the water that comes in from Hot Creek mid-way down.
Fishing Conditions and Hatches:GOOD Fishing has been pretty good most days with a lot of rainbow planters making up the bulk of the catch. Midges, tricos and caddis are the mainstays. Female trico emergence and trico spinnerfall has been a little weaker lately, but the fish are still on them and some days you can have decent numbers of spinners landing on the water around 9-10 am. Lots of small egg laying caddis in the late morning with good afternoon hatches too. Evening can be really good, especially after an afternoon thundershower. Look at all the little fish fry in the river! The bugs of late summer/fall are getting tiny!!!! If you are indicator nymphing, set on every hesitation, bump or twitch. Don't wait for the yarn to go under?Ķit mostly will not. These fish have been pressured into "sip-and-spit" mode.
Guide's Hint:Stealth is key on the Upper Owens. Walk softly and carry a big grin when you see that elusive large shallow feeding trout! Cover water until you find the deeper runs and pools, especially the ones deep enough that you can't see the bottom clearly?Ķall locations like that will be holding fish.
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