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 temps quickly warmed up as the cold fronts left the eastern sierra. Snow run-off has started in the late mornings and afternoons and is adding some discoloration to Hot Creek and the Upper Owens River. The East Walker River has plunged to very low flows as of this report, but fishing was decent just prior to the plunge in the deepest water. Lower Owens River is on the rise!

The East Walker is running at 35 cfs now, and only the deepest of pools are holding fish. Lots of anglers have been fishing here this past week, but waiting for higher flow rates is now recommended. These flows are still considered low for spring and once they increase, the fish will start to spread out and open up the river to more productive fishing areas. The deep pools are holding most of the fish for now, and drag free drifts with common mayfly, caddis nymphs, midges, and various worm patterns are working. If you are looking for some of the real bruisers in deep water, try throwing crawdad imitations in reddish colors.

Hot Creek can fish well in the first few hours of the morning. Late mornings and into the afternoon will now show some stained water and slow down the hatches some as Mammoth Creek brings in cold snow melt. Smaller caddis larva patterns, SJ Worms, and midges, assassins light, and Pheasant tails can get you into fish.

The Upper Owens River still no cutthroat signs yet in the river and stained conditions are persisting as long as the warm weather continues. It’s a coin toss on whether or not the cutties will show up this year, as the past few years have been a let down. Cooler mornings are the best fishing times currently and standard patterns like SJ Worms, Pheasant tails, midges, and assassins and leeches are working now.

Crowley Lake has turned around and given up some beautiful fish of all species. Fish are in shallower water (9′) than usual this year, which is not typical for high water years. Fish seem to be feeding over the mud bottoms and short weed growth bottoms. Midges like our #16 SD Chironomidge, #16 – 20 Copper Tiger Midge, #18 Gillie Dark, #16-20 Zebra Midge, #16 Assassin Dark and Light, #16 Parallel Assassin Dark and Light, #18 Mud Candy, #16 Blood Midge, and Broken Back Copper and Dark Tiger Midge have been very effective. A decent showing of Sacramento Perch have also been mixing it up with the trout. Winds have been coming up strong in the late mornings/afternoons, but the fish still seem to feed.

Lower Owens River flows continue to rise and fishing has slowed down here. We may look to fish here again if the flow stabilize this spring, but for now we are focusing our efforts on the more productive waters above.



A pair of fly fishermen with a double hookup on brown and cutthroat trout on Crowley Lake.

Jim and Allen fished with Doug Rodricks and scored this pair of beautiful cutthroat and brown trout on Crowley Lake.

A fly fisherman with a black hoodie holding a brown trout in a boat on a lake with storm clouds behind him.

Devin guided Mark to this nice brown trout on Crowley Lake.

A female fly fisher holding a giant cutthroat trout in a boat on Crowley Lake.

Jerry guided Yuriko to some real monsters like this cutthroat trout on Crowley Lake.

A female fly fisher holding a giant cutthroat trout in a boat on Crowley Lake.

Yuriko with another nice cutthroat trout from Crowley Lake.

A fly fisherman with a wide-brimmed hat holding a rainbow trout while kneeling on the bank of a river

Doug Rodricks guided Jim to a healthy rainbow trout on the East Walker.

Adult chironomids or midges crawling on a white sonar screen cover on a boat.

The midges are here and providing good food for the trout on Crowley Lake.

A fly fisherman with a purple hat holding a brown trout in a boat on a lake.

Doug R. guided Bill to a fun morning on Crowley lake to get some fish like this nice brown trout.

A fly fisherman with a wide-brim hat holding a massive cutthroat trout on a lake with snowy mountain tops behind him.

Jerry guided Ron to some nice ones like this large cutthroat trout on Crowley Lake.

A fly fisherman with a wide-brim hat holding a massive cutthroat trout on a lake with snowy mountain tops behind him.

Ron with another nice cutthroat trout on Crowley Lake.

A fly fisherman with a grey hat holding a large cutthroat trout in a boat on a lake.

Two Bug Doug got Mark on some good fish on Crowley Lake like this cutthroat trout.

A smiling angler holding a cutthroat trout from Crowley Lake.

Mark’s brother Leo was in on the action too with this cutthroat trout.

A smiling angler holding a cutthroat trout from Crowley Lake.

Doug R. got Mikey on this cutthroat trout from Crowley Lake.

A smiling angler with a lime green shirt holding a cutthroat trout from Crowley Lake.

Joe had an epic day with Doug Rodricks on Crowley Lake and got some nice ones like this cutthroat trout.

A smiling angler with a purple hat holding a rainbow trout from Crowley Lake.

Jerry guided Peter to some nice ones like this large rainbow trout on Crowley Lake.

A lady fly fisher holding a huge cutthroat trout on a lake with another angler fishing behind her.

Callie fished with Two Bug Doug and scored this sweet cutthroat trout on Crowley Lake.

A bearded angler with a ball cap holding a bronze colored fish in a boat on a glassy lake.

Doug R. got Justin on some solid fish like this brown trout from Crowley Lake.

A bearded angler with a ball cap holding a rainbow trout in a boat on a glassy lake.

Justin with another beefy rainbow trout.

A fly fisherman wearing an LA Dodgers hat while holding a large brown trout in a river.

Check out Nico’s awesome possum brown that Two Bug Doug guided him to on the East Walker River.

A female fly fisher holding a giant rainbow trout in a boat on Crowley Lake.

Lori fished with Devin and put the hurt to some major fish like this rainbow trout.

 A male and female fly fisher pair holding a pair of rainbow trout on a lake.

Lori and Bob scored multiple doubles like this pair of rainbows on Crowley Lake with Devin.

A fly fisherman with a wide-brim hat holding a massive rainbow trout on a lake with snowy mountain tops behind him.

Bob with another nice rainbow trout from Crowley Lake.

A female fly fisher holding a giant rainbow trout in a boat on Crowley Lake.

Lori again with another slug rainbow trout from Crowley Lake.



Here are our flies which are working on the Upper, Lower Owens River, Crowley Lake, Hot Creek, and East Walker in addition to the above patterns listed in our report:

SD Chironomidge #16, Para Midge #20, 22, Puff O’ Smoke #16, Broken Back Copper Tiger Midge #18, 20; Assassin Light #18; Assassin Dark #18; Crystal Hi-Vis Parachute Blue Wing Olive #18; Crystal Tiger Midge Long #18, 20; Crystal Midge Pupa Copper #18, 20; Gillie Chironomid Pupa Dark and Light #18, 20, 22,Otter Eggs in all colors, Bead Head San Juan Worm Red And Brown #14, 16; Parallel Assassin Light #14-16, Parallel Assassin Dark #16; Loeberg Mallard Silver Badger; Spuce a Bu Dark and Light

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