Fly fishing is getting more consistent here. Crowley is finally beginning to ice up and the migration of what I call the "Owens River Steelhead" has begun. These fish are the best the Sierra has to offer without question and average 19-23 inches. This fishery may not be for everyone as it can be very cold with limited opportunities this time of year. We like to nymph below an Under-cator "dredging" San Juan worms as an attractor with egg patterns as the point fly. This is a deadly combination especially in the colder periods when there are few or no emergences occurring. Unlike true steelhead, these fish will feed and I have observed them sipping midge clusters or small baetis in the larger eddies late afternoons. Flashback pheasant tails, midge patterns, and birds nest profiles #18-14 are also excellent choices depending on your current conditions. The flows are holding at 80 cfs with the water clarity being near crystal. These migrant fish are very spooky and need to be approached with a degree of stealth or you will never see them. On windy days here one can also fish streamers using light sinking tip lines casting down & across stream "swinging" the fly towards the under cut banks and into the gut of the deeper pools. The Upper Owens is open year around upstream from the Benton Crossing Bridge with a ZERO limit currently, and no bait or barbed hooks allowed.

Photos:
Above Photo:Two Bug Doug with an Owens steelhead. Note the "fat rolls" on this fish!
Photo #1:And another...
Photo #2:and another!
Photo #3:Strider checking out this one I caught on an Assassin dark #16
Photo #4:The Drifters "War Wagon" used to access the Upper Owens in the winter in style.