For years there has been a rumor amongst the most elite of the flyfishers that Hot Creek is VERY technical, only for pros and experienced fly fishers, 15 foot 7x leaders are necessary-size 28 flies are the only thing they will bite. If you don't dress like an Orvis fly fishing manikin & carry a Smithsonian endorsed cane rod while casting- NO TROUT FOR YOU... BS!!!

This is the easiest place other than Crowley to fish in the entire Sierra. I strongly recommend this area to novices. The more I guide it, the more it dawns on me... fly fishing is easy here. Even when conditions are poor and extended drifts are difficult you can catch fish here because there are so many of them! The midge and BWO hatches are great currently, nymph the deeper holes and pools if it is windy or cold. The rainbows are pretty "spawny" right now and you can see them chasing each other and battling for position in some locations. Really pretty coloring on them, even by Hot Creek standards. The NFS gate is open currently, but may close with significant snowfall even this time of year. I will update this after the storm.

Photos

Main Photo Above: Kerri Mohr shown shaking fins with a Hot Creek brown caught on a #18 BWO pattern.

Photo #1: "Big Game" James Mohr took all of about ten minutes to get his first fish on a dry fly at Hot Creek recently.