Lower Owens River Fishing Report

Owens River - Lower - Bishop, CA (Inyo County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
7-17-2023
Website

Water Conditions:  Fair-Good

Flows are 450 cfs as of 7/16

ATTENTION: PLEASANT VALLEY RESERVOIR IS OPEN, BUT ONLY FROM GORGE ROAD AT THE UPPER END. FLOWS BELOW PVR HAVE ACTUALLY DROPPED TO NORMAL LEVELS. 

Water quality has improved both below gate 9 and especially below PVR, There is Gorge access to the middle and upper power plants as well as the reservoir. Pleasant Valley Dam Road is once again blocked off at the turnoff for the Pit Campground with the campground expected to be flooded in the near future. There's virtually no access above the cement plant. LADWP is releasing water out onto the Owens Valley floor which in the future will be very beneficial but for right now be very careful where you drive. 

 

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Poor-????

I'll be doing some research on water conditions tomorrow, update by noon.

 The hatches have been weak, Midges and now Craneflies, Baetis, Tricos and Caddis. The river above Five Bridges Road has improved but still murky, the most likely culprit is Horton Creek which enters the river at gate 9. With the warming conditions a lot of the guides are switching over to bass on the ponds, canals and lower river. If you are coming up be very careful and respect the closures. With the dropping of the flows and the clearing of the water there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. The hatches are getting stronger and more diversified but the water needs to clean up before it will be really worth while. I'll be doing more explorations in the next couple of days but one possibility is skating Stimulators #10-14 in the evening on the back eddies and current seams. It's Cranefly egg laying time and the takes can be quite entertaining. I did see good surface activity in the slower bends above highway 6 this morning. Rise form indicated most likely Trico spinner fall. 

 

DRIES: Stillborn Midge #20-22  | Giffith's Gnat #22-24 |CDC Transition midge #20-22 | No Mercy Midge #18-24 | Boroff F/Homie #20, 24 | Para CDC Baetis #16-22 | Para Adams #14-22 | Stimulators #10-14

NYMPH:  Pheasant Tail #14-20 | Hares Ear #16-20 |Caddis Cased #12 | Zebra Midge #18-22 |Weiss BP light or dark #18-20 | Bottom Roller Phsyco Rhyco #10-14 | Pearl & Orange #16 |Chamois caddis #16-20 | TB Millers +1 Lt #16-18  | Lexi Girdle Bug Tan/Black #6 | HDA Fav. Variant #12-16

STREAMERS: Wooly Bugger Olive & Black #10-12 | Mini Sculpin Olive & Black #10-12





More Reports

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Monday, July 17th, 2023

Hot Creek: Hot Creek Fishing Report
Crowley Lake: Crowley Lake Fishing Report
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Upper Owens River Fishing Report