Jim Stimson Reports on 10.7.20

Get it while it lasts, the autumn colors that is. October is a magical time of year in the Eastern Sierra; the shadows are long, the mornings are crisp, and the mountains are speckled with the yellows, golds, and reds of autumn. The best fall foliage can be found along the S Fork of Bishop Creek, Rock Creek, and Conway Summit. Enjoy!

The Inyo National Forest has reopened, kind of….. Good luck finding some logic and continuity with the current regulations. The front country has reopened to dispersed camping, but the wilderness areas are closed until December 1st. There are no campfires allowed! None. Everything is tinder dry from a meager winter and hot, crispy summer. Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks with the pandemic. Please respect local businesses, each other, and be good stewards of the land. Thank you!

East Walker

The flows are at 19 cfs, extremely low and boney.The Bridgeport Reservoir is about as low as I have ever seen it. Personally, I am going to give the river a rest….. it was a great summer.

West Walker

I believe the West Walker has reopened (it flows thru a different National Forest). That said, having recently driven thru the canyon the conditions are low, boney, and clear. Seek out the deeper, longer runs and go into stealth mode as the water is gin clear. Walk quietly as you approach the river, maintain a low profile, use a longer rod, and wear some camo. Think invisible.

San Joaquin

Closed

Hot Creek

Closed ?

Upper Owens River

The flows sit at about 106 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 140 cfs. There are some big fish beginning their journey back into the river system from the reservoir. Be patient and persistent…..

Jim Stimson Reports on 9.30.20

Thank you firefighters! 

The Inyo National Forest remains closed until a revaluation of conditions occurs on October 8th, hence, any fishing on USFS land is prohibited. This goes for any activity: fishing, hiking, biking, sight seeing, etc….Until the extreme fire conditions (heat, wind, drought, not enough fire fighting personnel) disappear, expect and respect the temporary closures. This means no campfires, no campfires, no campfires! Each day is a nail biter with local residents poised and ready to evacuate as the Creek Fire burns out of control just 15 miles from Mammoth Lakes. Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks with the pandemic. Please respect local businesses, each other, and be good stewards of the land. Thank you!

East Walker

The flows are in the low sixties along with the water temperatures. The fishing now is tough. The Bridgeport Reservoir is very low from the drought winter and is kicking a lot of mud and algae into the river, meaning, the water is off color. The bigger fish are hunkered down and tight lipped. There are trout to be had but it is a grind-a-thon. Keep in mind it is fun being on the water and whiling away the hours. The fishing will eventually improve!

West Walker

I believe the West Walker has reopened (it flows thru a different National Forest). That said, having recently driven thru the canyon the conditions are low, boney, and clear. Seek out the deeper, longer runs and go into stealth mode as the water is gin clear. Walk quietly as you approach the river, maintain a low profile, use a longer rod, and wear some camo. Think invisible.

San Joaquin

Closed

Hot Creek

Closed

Upper Owens River

Well heh! Looky here! There is something that is actually open, flowing, and has trout. 

The flows sit at about 60 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 90 cfs. There are some big fish beginning their journey back into the river system from the reservoir. Be patient and persistent….. dredge those deeper, slower buckets and you may get rewarded with a bruiser. You can get some top water action with elk haired caddis and tricos, but generally for smaller trout. I have had the best success nymphing with small pheasant tail or a soft hackled flies. 

Lower Owens River

The river is raging along at roughly 438 cfs. Beware of the high water levels, do not even think about wading across the river unless you enjoy swimming down the Owens Valley.

Get out there! You cannot catch fish if your line isn’t in the water. Stay safe!

Jim Stimson Reports on 9.17.20

I feel I am about to write a new Cormac McCarthy style novel; something dark, hopeless, with endless amounts of despair. If COVID were not enough, we now have thick, heavy, acrid smoke coming over the Sierra from one of the many fires burning in the State. With the extreme fire conditions (heat, wind, drought, not enough fire fighting personnel), all National Forests and BLM land are closed, temporarily. The agencies will reevaluate on the 21st but for now, you cannot even set foot on USFS lands. There is the campground on the Upper Owens and a BLM campground near Crowley Lake that is still open but everywhere else is closed. No campfires, no campfires, no campfires! Each day is a nail biter with residents poised and ready to evacuate as the Creek Fire burns out of control just 15 miles from Mammoth Lakes. Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. Please respect local businesses, each other, and be good stewards of the land. 

Finally, thank you firefighters! 

East Walker : Closed

West Walker : Closed

San Joaquin : Closed

Hot Creek : Closed

Upper Owens River

Well heh! Looky here! There is something that is actually open, flowing, and has trout. 

The flows sit at about 60 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 90 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. You can get some top water action with elk haired caddis and tricos. I have had the best success nymphing with small pheasant tail or a soft hackled flies. 

Lower Owens River

The river is raging along at roughly 600 cfs. Beware of the high water levels, do not even think about wading across the river unless you enjoy swimming down the Owens Valley.

Get out there! You cannot catch fish if your line isn’t in the water. Stay safe!

Jim Stimson Reports on 9.2.2020

Wow, Labor Day weekend….. the mornings are starting to cool off and with the lower sun angle, the mountains are beginning to get that autumn hue. We are expecting record high temperatures for the next several days. It should be a fun weekend. Keep in mind there are NO campfires permitted now, even in developed campgrounds. And ad nauseam…. both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. COVID is running rampant. Please respect local businesses and be good stewards of the land. Take care of your trash, TP, sewage. That does not mean leave it for someone else to pick up. Leave no trace. NONE!

East Walker

The East Walker is very vulnerable to warm water conditions. The Bridgeport Reservoir is a heat collector and the water released into the East Walker in the summer months is tepid. Currently the flows are 95 cfs. Even first thing in the morning the water temps are in the low 70’s. Give the trout a break…. but if you insist on fishing up there, fish in the morning with heavier tippet so you can land fish quickly, then once it gets too warm, reel in, hop in your car, and head for the high country. West Walker The flows are 19 cfs, low and boney. The West Walker has gin clear water so use some stealth when approaching the water and fishing. A dry-dropper setup or Euro-style nymphing is deadly on this pocket water.

San Joaquin

The road to the Postpile and the San Joaquin River are open. Because of the pandemic, the shuttle busses will not operate this season. There will be some kind of quota system for driving your own vehicle down into the canyon. It is a zoo down there……. The flows are at 15 cfs

Hot Creek

The creek is flowing through the canyon at roughly 34 cfs. Target your casts to the feeding lanes between the weeds and rocks, plus the overhanging grasses along the margins. You may not see fish, but they are there. Try a dry-dropper setup with a caddis above and a midge or small mayfly below. Hot Creek is always a fun place to fish. If you enjoy technical fishing, this is the place to practice your laser-guided casts, mending, and good drifts. The canyon is home to not only some nice trout, but deer, osprey, and the occasional bald eagle. Enjoy!

Upper Owens River

The flows sit at about 61 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 90 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. When the afternoon breezes kick in, throw on a small hopper with a “drowned” hopper below. Aim your casts along the shoreline, tight to the banks and overhanging grasses. Money!

Lower Owens River

The river is raging along at roughly 546 cfs. Beware of the high water levels, do not even think about wading across the river unless you enjoy swimming with the fish.

Get out there! You cannot catch fish if your line isn’t in the water. Stay safe!

Jim Stimson Reports on 8.27.20

Ughh! California is an inferno. Other than smokey air quality that you could cut with a knife, the Eastern Sierra is one of the few places in the State not on fire. But, we all need to exercise caution. There are NO campfires permitted now, even in developed campgrounds. And ad nauseam…. both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. COVID is running rampant. Please respect local businesses and be good stewards of the land. Take care of your trash, TP, sewage. That does not mean leave it for someone else to pick up. Leave no trace. NONE!

Jim Stimson Reports on 8.13.20

Fishing is solid for the most part, depending on where you visit. The smaller creeks are low and boney but if you fish on the Owens River system, Hot Creek, or the high country lakes, you can have an enjoyable experience. Be advised, both Mono and Inyo Counties are requiring the use of face masks. In the past two weeks the number of positive COVID cases have tripled in Mono County. Beware! Please respect one another in these tenuous days. And, no fires allowed if you are outside a developed campground. Thank you.

East Walker

The East Walker in particular is vulnerable to warm water conditions. I am giving the river a break until the summer cools down……If you fish up there, again, watch the river temps. Fish in the morning with heavier tippet so you can land fish quickly, then once it gets too warm, reel in, hop in your car, and head around the Sweetwater Range to try the West Walker. The flows on the East Walker are at 95 cfs.. 

West Walker

The flows are 44 cfs and are perfect. The West Walker has gin clear water so use some stealth when approaching the water and fishing. A dry-dropper setup or Euro style nymphing is deadly on this pocket water. 

San Joaquin

The road to the Postpile and the San Joaquin River are open. Because of the pandemic, the shuttle busses will not operate this season. There will be some kind of quota system for driving your own vehicle down into the canyon. It is a zoo down there……. The flows are at 34 cfs

Hot Creek

The creek is flowing through the canyon at roughly 36 cfs. Target your casts to the feeding lanes between the weeds and rocks, plus the overhanging grasses along the margins. You may not see fish, but they are there. Try a dry-dropper setup with a caddis above and a midge or small mayfly below. Hot Creek is always a fun place to fish. The canyon is home to not only some nice trout, but deer, osprey, and the occasional bald eagle. Enjoy!

Upper Owens River

The flows sit at about 62 cfs high in the river system. Once Hot Creek dumps into the mid-section the flows are closer to 100 cfs. Most of the trophy trout have moved back into Crowley Lake but there are still some stragglers hanging around; nice browns and rainbows. When the afternoon breezes kick in, throw on a small hopper with a “drowned” hopper below. Money!

Lower Owens River

The river is cruising steady at roughly 500 cfs and is fishing well with all of the traditional patterns; PT’s, Hare’s Ears, midges, Frenchies…. The LADWP has been sending flushing flows through the Owens River Gorge and the Lower O, beware of the high water levels. If you enjoy hucking dry flies, this is the place. Around lunchtime, watch for BWO’s to start coming off the water. Be ready. The first thing you will notice is the bird activity along the river. You will see swallows, fly catchers, and sparrows flitting around the surrounding brush and diving at the river surface. Look for rises along the foam lines as fish snouts start poking up through the surface film. This BWO carnage only lasts about an hour. If you get finicky trout snubbing your dry flies, change your bug. Usually a sized 16-18 adams will get grabs, but often the trout are looking for a mayfly that is sitting lower in the surface film. An adams rides high so try a comparadun or a hackle stacker, they sit more within the film. Sometimes that is all you need to get back into the game.

Jim Stimson Reports On 7.10.2020

One of the most important tools in your summer fly fishing arsenal should be a thermometer. In these hot days of summer, I LOVE putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and heading outside. However, trout don’t feel the same…. they thrive in cold conditions. When the river starts feeling tepid, take the time to use your thermometer and get some readings throughout the course of a day. You might be surprised. It is amazing how much the temperature can fluctuate in just a few hours. If your morning reading is in the mid-60’s, raise a yellow flag because by afternoon there is a good chance that the temps may climb close to 70º, which is not good for the trout or the fishery. Trout love water that is in the 50’s. Once you climb into the upper 60’s and beyond, the fish get lethargic, they don’t feed as much, and their mortality rate goes up if they get hooked. If you must fish, tie on heavier tippet material so you can land the trout quickly. Because of the reduced dissolved levels of oxygen in warm water, trout can get stressed and die — basically by suffocation. This is only a recommendation, let your conscious be your guide. I tend to pull the plug once my thermometer reaches 68º. I will give the river a break and seek out the high country or water that is cooler. 

All of the mountain passes are open including Tioga Pass but check with the Park Service for details and restrictions. These are tenuous times with the pandemic. Enjoy the Eastern Sierra but please respect the fisheries and each other. Be prepared to wear a mask if you are grocery shopping or visit a retail store. And finally, please refrain from open campfires if you are camping outside of a developed campground. Fire season is already here. Thank you.

East Walker

Jim Stimson Reports on 7.1.20

One of the most important tools in your summer fly fishing arsenal should be a thermometer. In these hot days of summer, I LOVE putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and heading outside. However, trout don’t feel the same…. they thrive in cold conditions. When the river starts feeling tepid, take the time to use your thermometer and get some readings throughout the course of a day. You might be surprised. It is amazing how much the temperature can fluctuate in just a few hours. If your morning reading is in the mid-60’s, raise a yellow flag because by afternoon there is a good chance that the temps may climb close to 70º, which is not good for the trout or the fishery. Trout love water that is in the 50’s. Once you climb into the upper 60’s and beyond, the fish get lethargic, they don’t feed as much, and their mortality rate goes up if they get hooked. If you must fish, tie on heavier tippet material so you can land the trout quickly. Because of the reduced dissolved levels of oxygen in warm water, trout can get stressed and die — basically by suffocation. This is only a recommendation, let your conscious be your guide. I tend to pull the plug once my thermometer reaches 68º. I will give the river a break and seek out the high country or water that is cooler. 

All of the mountain passes are open including Tioga Pass but check with the Park Service for details and restrictions. These are tenuous times with the pandemic. Enjoy the Eastern Sierra but please respect the fisheries and each other. Be prepared to wear a mask if you are grocery shopping or visit a retail store. And finally, please refrain from open campfires if you are camping outside of a developed campground. Fire season is already here. Thank you.

East Walker