Well it looks as if winter’s grip on the high sierra has been released for the time being. The forecast for the month of February for snowfall is not looking very impressive. In fact, it is looking like a ‘drought February’. This is not good news for all the winter sports enthusiasts, although Mammoth and June Mountain have been doing an incredible job keeping the runs groomed. With drought years, comes easy access to all locations for fishing that remain open for the winter season. The fishing has been downright excellent in specific locations, and we can count on some great weather for the following weeks. The morning and nighttime temperatures will still be cold, but the days should be very nice in the 50’s, give or take a few degrees in either direction. The Upper Owens River is on, BIG TIME! Watch out for the mud as you drive in as it becomes a bog out there by late morning. Big fish are everywhere currently. The Lower Owens River has been hot on some days and slow on others. With the stable weather in the forecast, things should pick up, especially with the BWO mayflies. Flows have been very consistent here. Hot Creek has easy access and some hungry trout. Small surface flies and nymphs have been getting bites here. The East Walker River is good with the light pressure in the few areas where the fish have been concentrating. We anticipate February to be even better than January as more fish come into the Upper Owens, so come on up and let our guides get you on the good stuff!

Lower Owens River/Wild Trout Section (Bishop Area)
Flows have remained steady here with a few more Blue Wing Olive mayflies showing up in the afternoons. The overcast days really bring on a better hatch and smaller streamers and nymphs drifted through the deep and slow areas have been working well. The fish here have been tending to move locations along the runs every few days, so figuring out where they are holding is the key to getting bites. Small nymphs have been working well in the Wild Trout section. Hit the slow water along the banks that runs deeper.

Best Flies: Spruce-a-Bu #8 Light and Dark, Loeberg #10 all colors, Agent Orange #8-10, Crystal Leech #8-10, Punk Park dark and light #8-12, Flashback PT #16-18, Copper Tiger Midge #18-20

Hot Creek
A great area to fish with the dry weather hanging around. Dry fly fishing is fantastic here now, and if this is your game, you need to fish here. Small midges and a larger population of mayflies are now showing. The trout here are eager to eat all day long, so no rush to get here early especially since the cold doesn’t subside until mid morning. Use smaller nymphs in the deeper sections to get to the larger trout.

Best Flies: Flashback PT’s #16-#20, Tricos Spinners #20-22, SD Crawlers in Red #14, Copper Tiger Midges #18-20, and #18 Assassin Dark, Tangerine Opaque, Kiwi Flash, and Apricot Flash Otter Eggs have been excellent.

Upper Owens River
Nothing but amazing fishing here. The fish are all over the river from top to bottom. If you aren’t connecting with the big rainbows here on a daily basis, you are doing something wrong. More fish will continue to move up river as the month of February comes in. It’s turning out to be a drought month ahead so the river banks are dry, well almost. All the snow is now melted and has puddled up all over the river. It becomes a mud bog out here by late morning and it is very slick and mucky. If you drive in without 4 wheel drive, choose your path carefully as you can get stuck in the mud. Take caution when driving through the big puddles too. The deep pools and undercut banks all have fish in them. Egg patterns, leeches, Pheasant Tails, Assassins, and SJ Worms have been hooking some great fish.

Best Flies: Stimulator – 12, 14, 16; Crystal Copper Tiger Midge – 16,18; B100FB – 14, 16, 18, 20; Spruce a bu dark and light; Loeberg Mallard Silver; Loeberg Guinea Silver, Crystal Midge Pupa Black – 18; Crystal Chironomid Emerger Copper – 16, 18; Broken Back Copper Tiger Midge – 14,16,18, Kiwi Flash and Flamingo Otter Eggs.

East Walker River
Still light on the fishing pressure here. The fishing is good if you can get into the right pools and throw the right bugs. The fish are definitely opportunistic this time of year, and as they lay corralled up in big numbers they remain very competitive. Work the main pools and you could be rewarded with some monster fish!

Best Flies: B100FB – 18, 20; Crystal Copper Tiger Midge -16; Crystal Zebra Midge – 16, 18; Punk Perch Light and Dark – 14, 16; Parallel Punk Perch Light and Dark; Crystal Leech – 12, 14, 16; Agent Orange 12, 14, 16; Parallel Agent Orange – 14, Spruce-a-bu Dark and Light, Eggs: Tangerine Red Flash, Dead Egg, Tangerine Opaque, Flamingo.