Lower Owens River Fishing Report

Owens River - CA


by Tom Loe
3-17-2010
Website

Flows are on the rise and I have been told they will go to 550 cfs soon. Despite the rising water we have had some good days in the upper sections of the LO nearest the PV rez dam. We are getting into some larger fish on streamers while drifting, but the numbers continue to be poor and inconsistent in the planted sections.

We are seeing strong caddis activity on the warmer upward trending barometric pressure days #16-18 for adults and nymphs, BWO's #18-20 after lunch-use a PT or birds nest pattern 18-20 for nymphing.

You can access real time release data from the link we have provided to the LADWP website at the top of the Fish'N conditions page. Look at the release flows just below PV Rez, and the outflows on the N. fork of Bishop Creek to get the entire picture.

Crowley Lake will be cycled twice this season. The lake is nearly full (heavy solid sheet ice all over) currently and the LADWP will lower the level through the opener and into early summer. It will begin filling rapidly during the warm months and be very high through early fall in which they will once again blow out the Lower Owens with unnatural flow increases through November. Crowley will have a bunch of water this summer with thick weed beds out to 17 feet, and significant spring and fall turnovers. We will have great periods of "catching" near the creek mouths and Upper Owens inlets this season at times. You LADWP customers should get a nice decrease in your water and power bills this summer due to all the water they have ehhh?

We are streamer fishing utilizing the "dip & strip method" in the mornings, followed by a combination of nymphing and dry fly fishing during the middle of the day to get clients on fish. This three pronged attack gives you a diverse guide program that covers all the essentials needed to fool trout from the comfort of a guided drift boat. The larger fish are taken on streamers-nymphing gives you more opportunities to rack up the numbers.





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