Hope all you dads had a great day! Summer vacation has officially started and it is time for the families to start traveling to their favorite summer destinations. Now that most kids have started their summer break, they will be meeting up with our guides on the lakes and rivers and be taught how to fly fish. This is a special time for the kids, their families, and the guides that look forward to patiently and effectively teaching these youngsters the joy of fly fishing. Warm weather has graced the eastern sierra at last, and when it gets a bit too warm, the afternoon thunderstorms are a welcomed relief. Most freestone creeks are swelling now and running high. Some of the spring creeks are still fishing well through this period. Hot Creek is still giving up fish in the slower sections. Nymphing with small patterns is the key. East Walker River still raging but has come down a bit. Upper Owens River fun in the slower water with caddis imitations in the mornings and afternoons. Bring the mosquito repellant here!!! Grant and Silver Lakes giving up some fish, but rising water levels have the fish going deeper. Bridgeport Reservoir nearing its peak fishing time as the bigs begin to stage up to enter the creek channels. Crowley Lake up and down and day to day. The period for the big fish to come in shallow into McGee Bay is coming fast and the first of the damselflies and callibaetis have are being eaten by some hungry trout. Not much of a midge hatch right now but the next generation is right around the corner.

Crowley Lake

Some days are diamonds and some days are rocks. The bite is picking up here and the fish are still hanging in the deep water. Best spots have been Green Banks, Alligator, North Landing, and Hilton. McGee Bay is primed for the influx of large fish which will appear soon. Varying depths has been the key to staying on the fish. The damselfly nymphs are already swimming to shore and to the anchor ropes on the boat. Some smaller fish are surface feeding on spent midges that have deposited their eggs. Bigger fish are being found deeper. Best flies for the week are damsel nymph light, #16 Copper Tiger, #16 Crystal Zebra Midge Long, #16 Assassin Light  and Assassin Dark, Parallel Assassin Dark and Light.

Middle Owens River/Wild Trout Section (Bishop Area)

Flows jumped up a few days ago but then returned to  400 cfs here. It’s been a little slower here lately. This level is still too high for wading in the wild trout section, but fishing the slower water and the edges can yield some takes. Smaller nymphs with some flash in them are a good call with plenty of weight to get your bugs down. Look for some afternoon hatches on all sections of the river.  When the mayfly hatch is happening, try switching to our #16 Punk Perch and Crystal Leech just prior to and after the peak of the hatch. Best flies for these area have been #10 Loebergs in all colors, #8 Spruce-a-bus in light and dark, #16 Punk Perch, #14 Crystal Leech, #18 Assassin Light, #16 San Juan Worm Red, #18 Blue Winged Olive, #22 Parachute Midge, #18 Broken Back Copper Tiger Midge, and #18 Crystal Caddis Larva Olive Dubbed-Black.

Upper Owens River

Water is coming through at a pretty good rate at 136 cfs. The edges can be good for rising fish on caddis and mayflies. Some fish are being caught going deeper in the tailouts and slower seams using lots of weight and small nymphs. # 18-20 Flashback Pheasant Tails, #16-18 Copper Tiger Midge, and SD Crawler and SJ Worm are best.
   
Hot Creek

Lots of water flowing through here but still fishable. Find the slower sections and the seams and you can get into fish. There are some smaller fish sipping midges in the mornings and a good caddis hatch has been taking place daily. Use lots of weight in the deeper sections to get your flies down to the fish. #16-20 Flashback PT or Tungsten Black Head PT, #16-18 Broken Back Copper Tiger Midge, Crystal Caddis Larva #18-20.

This is a year around fishery with special regs in place. We walk and wade guide here.*Doug Rodricks, Doug Dolan, Hans Grotewold, and Devin Preston are under permit from the Inyo National Forest Service to guide Hot Creek.