Here’s your Eastern Sierra Fishing Report for 3-15-26. Where did all the snow go? Our last storm dumped feet of snow in the high and lower elevations. It got extremely cold in the days following, and then suddenly, some rain came through and the temperatures climbed some 30 degrees and melted off most of the snow below 8,000′. The Upper Owens River went from 1-3 feet of snow along the banks and roads to sloppy mud and puddles in a matter of a day and a half. The water became stained and the river rose up over the banks for a couple of days which really slowed down the fishing. It has since receded back to normal and cleared up and the bite picked back up again. We are at mid-March and this is the time we start to see a lot of the large rainbow trout make their way back to the lake. There are still some really nice fish holding in the river, but you’ll have to cover some water to locate them. Hot Creek is also turning on as this warm spring-like weather has hit. Expect daytime temperatures in the mid to high 70’s in Long Valley next week, with Bishop temps reaching the high 80’s. This weather pattern will continue through until the last week of March, where a break up of the high pressure may occur and possibly let some wetter weather in. Hot Creek is really picking up now as the fish are transitioning into spring. You’ll find more fish in the shallows now, especially during the afternoon hatch windows. The Lower Owens has also kicked into full spring mode. A recent flow drop to 85 cfs, has the fish in riffles and deeper pools. Crowley Lake is on the rise and we can expect another good year of water levels. The fish are definitely on the feed with the lake fully thawed out, which should make for an excellent start again on April 25th. The Pacific Coast Sportfishing Show was a huge success and a lot of fun. It was an excellent turn out and it was great to see a lot of familiar faces and see some new ones. The show had everything from boats, to saltwater tackle and sportfishing operations to fly fishing and freshwater gear. A lot of professional anglers got to speak to the attendees on tactics, techniques, and to answer questions. If you missed the Orange County show, there’s another chance to go see the show at the Del Mar Fairground March 19-22. Come see us at Booth # 628 in the Exhibition Hall if you attend. Check it out here for more info.
Creeks: Sierra Fishing Report
Hot Creek The fish are transitioning into spring feeding mode now. They are really keying in on buggy patterns like midges, mayflies, scuds, etc. The hatch in the afternoon has really picked up in the last couple of weeks. The weather feels like spring and early summer rather than winter now. There is still run off coming from Mammoth Creek, so early morning fishing is good. It’s site fishing in the Interpretive Site and the canyon section is also producing well with less fishing pressure. Small midges and various nymphs are getting the fish’s attention now and #18 BWO’s are picking them off in the afternoon.
Rivers: Sierra Fishing Report
Upper Owens River flows have dropped to 89 cfs and the water has cleared up a lot since the big snow melt. Roads are mostly dry, but the ground is heavily saturated, so do not rule out getting stuck in the mud just yet. The fishing has picked back up and we are still getting some nice rainbows. A lot of fish are starting their trek back to the lake so covering water to find them is important now. With the clearer water, the fish are more prone to being spooked, so it is back to stealthy approaches. The BWO hatch is also picking up here, and this is the time of year you may get a chance at hooking a trophy trout on a dry fly.
Lower Owens River flows have dropped to 85 cfs. The bite has really turned the corner here recently. While the bite was decent over the last few weeks, with the warm weather change, the hatches abound, and perfect wading conditions, this is a good place to fish now. The window for dry fly fishing has been around 12-2pm but this may change slightly day to day. Smaller nymphs, like PT’s, Assassins, and Midges in #18-20 have been working well for browns and rainbows.
Mark fished with Two Bug Doug on the Upper Owens River and bested this healthy rainbow trout.
Jeff got into some nice rainbow trout like this one while fishing with Doug Dolan.
Jeff with another nice rainbow trout from the Upper Owens River.
Nathan visited all the way from down under and got a shot at some nice rainbow trout with Two Bug Doug.
Nathan with another great rainbow trout.
Mike is no stranger to big fish on the Upper Owens as he displays this awesome rainbow trout while fishing with Two Bug Doug.
Mike with another great rainbow trout.
And Mike with another.
And one more for Mike!
Scott got into some big rainbow trout while fishing with Doug R.
Patrick fished with Doug R. on the Lower Owens River and got this nice rainbow trout.
Clare got into some good brown trout while fishing with Doug R. on the Lower Owens River.