Water Conditions: Clearing up and improving

Flows are 131cfs as of 6/23

With the cooler weather the river has cleared up considerably but still very high, the conditions above Hot Creek are better, even with Deadman Creek flowing through to Big Springs.

Deadman and Glass creeks run over very porous ground so even in normal years by late fall large stretches above Big Springs are dry. With the water now flowing all the way through there's a lot of debris to be flushed out.

The stretch of river above Benton Crossing Road is artificial, barbless, catch and release only.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Poor-Fair

With all that's going on I kind of forgot that in most years the first couple of weeks in June is the WORST fishing of the season! Most of the spawners are back in the lake, the lake isn't choked with algae yet and the water is still cold.

The water is high but fairly clean and we're starting to get some better reports both below and above Benton Crossing.  The banks are snowfree but now that Deadman's Creek has  reached Big Springs who knows. Not much in the way of hatches and certainly nothing consistent so attractor nymphs including egg patterns are doing as well as anything else. We haven't seen any Cutthroat but there are still some big rainbows heading back to the lake. I have heard of a few reports below Benton Crossing with occasional big fish headed back to the lake.

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. So much for the temperature gage, it lost its funding and has been shut down. 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.

DRIES: 

NYMPHS:  Zebra Midge #16-22 | Copper John #14-16 | B/H Pheasant tail #14-18 | Bling Midge #22-24 | San Juan worms assorted colors | Birds Nest Natural #16-20 | Prince Nymph #12-18 | Egg Patterns #12-16 | Western Coachman #12-16 | Pheasant Tail #12-16 combo flash and or bead

STREAMERS: Shock Collar Leech #10 | Woolly Bugger White or Olive #6-14 | Punk Perch light or dark #10-16 | Baby Fat Minnow |

EURO Streamers: GD UV P/Jig White #12 | Kaslar M/G/S Olive #12