Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

First and foremost, my thoughts go out to friends in Baja reeling from hurricane Odile and to all those affected by the devastating fires in Northern California. Let’s be careful out there….

Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

Phish Report, September Ten, Fish Tales….

Lower Owens River
This part of the river system outside of Bishop is crankin’! The flows have been holding steady at 350 cfs, which for a lot of rivers in the West, doesn’t seem like much water, but keep in mind the Owens River flows down a fairly narrow river channel. 350 cfs is rippin’ fast when it is squeezed between...

Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

The Shoulder Season
Living in a tourist mecca, we look forward to Labor Day Weekend for a number of reasons. It’s a three day weekend filled with good weather, art festivals, parking lot sales, the County Fair, and the last opportunity for frenzied business from our vacationing “guests." On Mondayafternoon, there is a non-stop procession of cars, RV’s, and...

Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

Hot August Nights
As we turn the corner on August, there are signs that autumn is upon us. The sun is lower on the horizon, the shadows grow longer, and the aspens on the high slopes are starting to turn. This has been a tough summer for the local streams and rivers. With year three of a severe drought raging in California, we look forward with crossed fingers...

Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

Hot Creek: It is fishable, in spite of the skinny, weed choked water. A dry dropper combo worked well, placed in the lanes between the weed banks. Try a stimulator with a Hot Creek Caddis tied off the hook bend. And believe it or not, streamers were working well too. Look for the deeper buckets and let the streamer swing through the holes. Use floating line...

Jim Stimson, Jim Stimson Fly Fishing

So there we were, fishing the Upper Owens River…. I had a father-son beginner’s trip. We had spent the morning at the baseball field learning to cast, how to hook, play, and release trout, then we adjourned to the river. The day was warming nicely, my clients were getting the hang of casting to water (not grass), learning to mend, and getting the concept of a...

Jim Stinson Fly Fishing reports:

Hello Fish Fans,

My wife and I dashed out of town and headed north last week, living in the dirt and swatting mosquitos. Tent life was grand with evening campfires, great wine, and long hikes to distant lakes. Fly fishing? Yes, there was fishing….. AND catching. Specific locations? Dream on……

The Backcountry:Grab your daypack, snacks, plenty of water and...