Here’s your Eastern Sierra Fishing Report 8-12-24. Most locations in the Eastern Sierra have been fishing very well for this time of year. With plenty of water in all locations, the fish are doing very well and are locked in to their summer feeding patterns. At the top of the list is Crowley Lake. The lake has made an amazing comeback from last year’s poor fishing. Solid numbers of fish are being caught daily, with mixed sizes from 10 – 24″ in length. The creek and river channels seem to be holding the bulk of the fish. The Upper Owens River is also fishing quite well. There is a mix of hatchery fish (rainbows), wild resident browns ( in the smaller range ) and some real standout migratory browns and rainbows that have moved into the river from Crowley Lake. Water has been fairly clear above the confluences and the hoppers are just starting to show. Hot Creek is also getting better each day as we get into summer. Hoppers and various smaller nymphs and dry flies are getting fish here. Dry dropper setups are a good way to go. The East Walker River flows have been fluctuating every few days. They go up slightly and come down slightly. Currently they are holding at 260 cfs. This is a decent summer flow, but water temperatures can get too warm mid-day, so fishing here is best for the fish early and into the late mornings. Fish are holding all over the river, so do not get fixated on one or two specific areas. Lower Owens River still at about at 300 cfs. There are fish being caught here, but wading will still be hard in some areas.
Upper Owens River access is great in all areas. There is flooding of the fields on some portions of the river, mainly above the Benton Crossing Bridge. The water is very clear above the Hot Creek confluences, but below is not too stained. The tiniest of hoppers, or baby hoppers are just starting to appear. This hatch will grow over the next few weeks, but hopper droppers are good combos to go with now, as the fish are recognizing them on the surface. Larger rainbows and browns are hiding under the banks and in deeper water. You can spot some of them in the shallows as well, but the deeper holding fish seem to be the ones that are willing to take flies. San Juan Worms, SD Crawlers, Squirmy Worms, midges, Copper John’s, Dark and Light Assassins, and Pheasant Tails are getting fish. Keep the nymphs in the #16 – 20 range. In the dry fly area, go with our Hi-Viz BWO’s #18 -20, Elk Caddis #16 -20, Stimulator #16 – 18, and Griffith’s Gnat #20.
Hot Creek is fishing very well in both sections. The lower section or canyon area will be a bit more weedy than the Interpretive Site. Look for fish in the shallow riffle water now. It is more oxygenated and they prefer this type of water to hold in. The softer flow areas will also have plenty of fish, especially when they are feeding on the surface. Basically, all areas of the creek are holding fish of different sizes. Observation will pay off here. If you notice the white of a trout’s mouth while he is subsurface, he is feeding on nymphs. If they are holding higher in the water column, they are probably looking up for adult aquatic insects. If you see a combination of both, a dry dropper rig can be deadly. Midges, mayflies, and caddis are the main hatches now, along with a few stoneflies. Hoppers are also getting looks on the creek. Hit the areas between the weeds where fish can take shelter but still have access to slip out and take a fly with little effort. SJ worms #14 – 16, #18 Blood Midge, #18 – 20 Tungsten Zebra, #20 Bead Prince Nymph Tungsten, Broken Black and Blue Midge, #18 -20 Crystal Caddis Larva Green Black, #18 – 20 Crystal Copper Zebra Midge, #18 Flashback Hare’s Ear, #22 -24 Griffith’s Gnat, #20 Serendipity Black.
Lower Owens River flows are up and running at 300 cfs. There are some wadable areas here and there, but crossing the river is still tougher at these flows. Decent hatches happening here throughout the day. Midges, mayflies, and caddis are all on the menu. Weather is still hot down here, so early fishing is best and most productive.
Bridgeport Reservoir is fishing very well in the channels, Walker, Buckeye, and Robinson. Fish are spread throughout all these areas. Perch fry, Assassins in both colors ( Parallel and Standard ), Flashback Pheasant Tails, and Midges are getting takes from some nice sized browns and rainbows. Sometimes the fish are in the trench, and other times they can be found on the slopes or even on the channel banks.
East Walker River is still fishing very well. Some large fish are making a showing as they have been all season. Keep an eye on the water temps here as the middle of the day starts to really heat the surface up. It is best to fish here early, as we do not want to stress the fish. Please take extra time to revive larger fish as they expend more energy and build up higher lactic acid levels during the fight. Crawdads, Copper John’s, Pheasant Tails, SJ Worms, Rock Worm Caddis, and Midges are all getting some nice fish on the line. The algae is getting thick on the river bottom in the slower sections, so if you are picking up gunk on each drift, lower your indicator to bring your flies up a bit. The Miracle Mile section gets crowded quickly, so explore or fish areas outside of here and downstream from the bridge for less angler traffic.
Crowley Lake is going full speed. Water levels are still up, but way below what they were at season start. The creek and river channels are getting the most attention from anglers. There are lots of fish of all 3 species in the inlets. Both inlet sides of the lake are holding fish. Standard or average depth for most anglers has been in the 8 – 14′ range. Punk Perch Light and Dark ( Parallel and Standard ), Assassins Dark ( Parallel and Standard ), Blood Midges, SD Chironomidge, Puff O’ Smoke, and Copper Tiger and Copper Zebra are good bets right now.
Thanks for reading our Eastern Sierra Fishing Report 8-12-24.
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Thanks for reading our Eastern Sierra Fishing Report 8-12-24.
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