Upper Owens River Report

Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley) - Eastern Sierra, CA (Mono County)


by Doug Busey
11-3-2023
Website

Summer was not the best it could be but consistent especially considering there was essentially no hopper season. Most days saw us getting 8 to 12 Rainbows and/or Browns including one or two in the 18” to 22” range. Let’s use the last two trips there as a clue to the days ahead. Last Tuesday only a few fish caught including one 20” Brown but did see several big Browns while nymphing upstream. Yesterday, again only a few caught including one 22” Rainbow and saw about 10 big, mostly Rainbows. We’ll see if more big Browns show up and those Rainbows bode well for the anticipated yearly November migration up from Crowley. Typically, we start out in the morning chucking nymphs mostly in the deeper bends and working upstream. About noon we’ll either switch to Caddis flies or Wooly Buggers to fish back downstream especially if those Rainbows start moving into the straight, shallower runs or stick with the nymphing depending on what we saw while moving up. Nymph wise, our rigs are a single nymph under an indicator 6’ to 7’. Favorites are beaded Pheasant Tail patterns on a jig hook size 12 or 14. Zebra Midges, Tricos, and Hare’s Ears work well also.


Good luck on your next fishing adventure. If you have a question. a report in our local fishing area or have a photo of your catch, send it to [email protected]. Hope to see you on the waters. Good fishin' and tight lines.