Fly fishing the Lower Owens River California
This includes a Lower Owens River fishing report
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Two Tailwaters
Species
Rainbow Trout {Stocked)
Brown Trout (Wild with holdovers)
Size
Small to Medium
Location
Eastern Sierra California
Nearest Towns
Bishop
Season
General season is the Last Sat. of
April through Nov. 15. Some areas
are open year-round.
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of California
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Lower Owens River- Fishing Report – November 19, 2024
The stream is flow a little high and the water is lightly stained. Good hatches are taking place.
Rate: 245 cfs
Afternoon Water Temperature: 50
Weather:
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Light Green and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Pale Evening Duns, size 14, nymphs, emergers, duns and spinners
Spotted Sedge Caddis, size 14/16, larva, pupa and adults
October Caddis, size 6, pupa and adults
Perfect Flies are designed and tied to to imitate and behave like the natural foods the trout rely on to survive as much as possible. The more your fly looks like and moves through and on the surface of the water like the real things, the higher your odds of success.
Fly Fishing The Lower (Middle) Owens River California: The Lower Owens River, sometimes called the middle Owens) consist of two different tailwaters. The uppermost tailwater lies below Crowley Lake Dam. This section is known for its high steep walls that are a sight to see. It’s a narrow canyon and the Owens River flowing through the gorge is relatively small. The Owens has a huge population of brown trout that probably average about 10 to 12 inches that are known to take dry flies well. It consist of pocket water with lots of riffles and runs with only a few small pools. You can only get to the water by foot. Fly fishing the Owens River in this area takes some foot power. The lower tailwater (with trout) is below Pleasant Valley Reservoir. It has a designated “Wild Trout” section that has a huge number of trout and provides year-round fishing opportunities. It’s easy to wade and access.There are many areas to park and fish along the stream in the upper area. Due to the almost constant water temperatures it fishes best during the Fall, Winter and Spring seasons but Summertime fishing is also good. The Wild Trout area extends from the dam downstream to Five Bridges. Below the wild trout section, the river is difficult to access in many areas. The banks are lined with willow trees. This section is best fished from a drift boat. The lower section is heavily stocked with rainbow trout. The Lower Owens River gets larger the farther you travel downstream. The Lower Owens River is located at Bishop California. Highway #395 runs along the river the entire distance. Access roads extend off the highway to the river at several points. The river winds its way along through a valley with undercut banks and aquatic vegetation providing cover for its wild brown trout. A trip in a drift boat is usually short, or only about two or three miles because the flows are usually slow. There are several take out points. There are some special regulations at different months regarding gear restrictions. Some areas are barbless hooks only, so make sure you check on the current regulations.Remember, the flows can vary greatly. It’s based on the need for water in L. A. For safe wading the flows should be below 350 cfs.
Lower Owens River Hatches and Trout Flies: Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Owens River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726. The most consistent mayfly that hatches on the Owens River is the Blue-winged Olive. Of course, the little olives represent several different species of different genera. Most of the larger ones are Baetis species in a hook size 18. They start hatching in March and hatch off and on throughout the Spring, Summer and early Fall. Other hatches can occur during the winter months depending on the particular species. You should always have some imitations along with you. On cloudy, overcast days they likely to show up. Pale Morning Duns can hatch from May through June. Both the duns and spinners of this mayfly can be important. Little Black Caddisflies, Brachcentrus genus species, hatch from about the first of March on into the middle of May depending on the section of river and weather. Spotted Sedge caddisfly hatches occur from May through the middle of October. They represent the majority of the caddisflies and consist of several different species. Most of the heavy hatches occur during the Summer months. There are also plenty of Green Sedges. The different species hatch from the first of March until the middle of May. Imitations of their larvae, called Green Rock Worms, are effective all year. Golden Stoneflies hatch from the middle of March until the middle of May depending on the section of water you are fishing. Little Yellow Stoneflies are the most plentiful stonefly species. They hatch from April through June. Most anglers call these Yellow Sallies. You should have imitations of both the larva and the adults.October Caddis are very plentiful and are a fish producing hatch. It occurs according to its name, during October on the Lower Sacramento River. Terrestrial season on the river starts in warm months of the year. Beetles can become important anytime from the first of May until through the first of September. Grasshopper usually become large enough to become important in June and last through July and August.Although few anglers fish them, imitations of midge larvae and pupae will catch rainbows on this river throughout the year. They are most important when few other insects are hatching. Many anglers think the tiny flies are too little to catch the big rainbows on the Lower Sac but they are wrong. They can be very effective fished correctly. Streamers are very important. Imitations of sculpin, minnows and baitfish will catch trout all year. They are very important during low light situations or when the water is slightly off color.
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