Doug Rodricks

Eastern Sierra Fishing Report 5/6/21

A fly fisherman reeling in a trout on a lake with mountains in the background.
  With warmer temperatures getting the fish actively feeding, the fishing switched gears from opening weekend slower bites to wide open at times. The high pressure mornings produced some fairly good sized midge hatches on Crowley Lake and the fish responded well. The lake has been the best game in town for fly fishing. Water

2021 Season Trout Opener Fishing Report 4/26/21

Looking out to the horizon from a boat on a lake in the eastern sierra with snowy mountains in the distance.
  Opening day arrived with a late winter storm accompanying it. After a week of warmer weather, the general trout season opener was greeted with high winds which left boats stranded and created dangerous situations for many boaters. The further north you fished in Mono County, the windier it was for the weekend. Bridgeport Reservoir

Fishing Report 4/5/21

Mountains at sunset in the eastern sierra nevada near Mammoth Lakes, CA.
  The countdown begins to opening day of the general trout season. April 24th is the long awaited day which will go on as scheduled for this year as compared to last. Temperatures have been very warm for the last week of March and start of April and some run-off has already begun. Most of

Fishing Report 3/22/21

A fly fisherman holding a rainbow trout in spawning colors from the Upper Owens River.
  Spring is finally here, and winter seemed to fly by for us who fish the eastern sierra daily. We had kind of a weak winter this year, but some spring storms may add to the snowpack in the higher elevations. We can use any additional water at this point and you never know what

Fishing Report 3/5/21

A fly fisherman looking at a rainbow trout he just caught and is releasing into the Upper Owens River in the winter.
  The evenings are getting longer now and the fish are starting to switch over to spring mode as the weather has been very mild for this time of year. Some of the larger fish from the Upper Owens River are making their way back to Crowley Lake. While some spring spawners will soon begin

Fishing Report 2/18/21

A drift boat resting on a river bank on the Lower Owens River.
  Another small snow storm has given us a little more snow on the Upper Owens River to still navigate around with the snowmobiles. It is starting to melt quickly and leaving mud puddles and soft ground behind. Most vehicles that have been driven to the river on the snow have had some type of

Fishing Report 2/3/21

The Upper Owens River in the winter with snow all around.
  Wow! What a storm to finally hit the eastern sierra. Better late than never I guess. We will need a few more of these to bring our snow level up to normal though. The weather pattern is going to return to dry again, and hopefully we will get some more snow down the line.

Fishing Report 1/20/21

A cold morning before sunrise on the Upper Owens River with a cattle fence in the foreground and snowcapped mountains in the background.
Some minor snow storms in the forecast for the coming days with the possibility of a light amount of snow coming with them. We dodged what was shaping up to be a major wind event in Long Valley where winds gusts on ridge tops were primed for 130 mph. Luckily, it never happened. Temperatures will

Fishing Report 1/15/21

A fly fisherman fishing the Upper Owens River from while standing on the bank and fighting a large rainbow trout.
Still looking pretty dry out there with no precipitation this month. Lodging is still unavailable in both Inyo and Mono Counties, but if you have an RV, condo or home in town, or are just a die hard angler who can drive up the same day and fish and then drive back, you can make

Fishing Report 1/5/21

A fly fisherman holding a rainbow trout in spawning colors from the Upper Owens River.
  Where’s our snow? It is winter now and it has been a dry one. With a few storms here and there that have not brought us much snow, we continue to wait patiently. Nothing is in the forecast for the next few weeks for any major storms. The mountain at Mammoth can sure use