Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report: Week of August 21, 2026

We finally got a break. A couple of days of rain rolled through the middle of last week with thunder, lightning, and even a power outage, and it put some badly needed water back into the country. Long Valley warmed back into the mid 80s right behind it, but a trough moving through the Pacific Northwest has today running cooler and breezy, and the ridge is breaking down over the weekend. That matters more than it sounds: cooler nights are what actually reset a river. Carry a thermometer, fish the first and last hours of light, and put the rod down when the water climbs toward 70 degrees. Here is where things stand. Every fly below is one we tie and stock, so tap any name to grab it.

Crowley Lake

Crowley is the standout right now and the fish are genuinely everywhere. The rule of thumb this week is simple: if you see weeds, there are fish around them. Surface activity has been very good stripping damsel nymphs and streamers, and guides are reporting takes in water as shallow as three and a half feet, so do not feel you have to be out over the channels. Under an indicator, midges, assassin style pupa, and perch fry imitations are all producing, and the takes from the rainbows have been aggressive. Numbers and size have both been there, with larger fish making up most of the catch and only the occasional small one in the mix. Land them quickly and keep them in the net, because the water is still warm.

Try: Black Buzzer (16 to 18), Chironomid Nymph, Red, Eastern Sierra Series (16 to 18), The Green Damsel Nymph (12 to 14), Foam Wing Callibaetis Parachute (14 to 16), BH Zonker, Olive, for perch fry (8 to 10).

Hot Creek

The creek is running on the low side, last measured around 8 CFS, and the weed beds are now thick enough to dictate where you can fish. Midges are dominating the morning bite with caddis picking off a few extra fish, so get there early and be rigged before you walk down. The canyon section has gotten heavy with weeds, which makes dry fly fishing the best play when the bugs are actually popping. The Interpretive Site is taking a lot of pressure, so evenings can be the smarter choice if you want water to yourself. Aim your casts at the clear lanes rather than the weeds, keep drifts short, and if nothing is showing, a scud or a terrestrial will still find fish.

Try: Midge, Brown (20 to 22), Thorax Trico (20), Sparkle Dun, Male Trico (20), Elk Hair Caddis, Brown (18 to 20), Bead Body Scud, Olive (16 to 18).

Upper Owens River

The Upper Owens is giving up a lot of hatchery fish at the moment, and mornings and evenings have both been good on dry flies. Plenty of fingerlings are feeding on the surface and on midges, which makes for fun fishing even if it is not the size you drove up for. The better fish are holding tight to the undercut banks and in the deeper slots, and anglers who have taken the time to fish every fishy looking spot have been getting hooked up. Flows were last running around 57 CFS with runoff long finished, and the water is clear except where the cattle are inside the fence. Note that irrigation has begun, so anything upstream of the first drive through gate can be hazardous.

Try: BH Pheasant Tail, Sparkle Back (18), Copper John, Black (18), TG BH Zebra Midge, Black (16 to 18), Elk Hair Caddis, Brown (16 to 18), Wooly Bugger, Brown (8).

Lower Owens River (Wild Trout near Bishop)

Flows are sitting around 500 CFS, which means wading is essentially off the table here. Bishop has been scorching with very little cooling in the near term, so this is a first light and last light river or nothing. If you go, fish the accessible banks and the seams you can reach from dry ground, get your work done in the early window, and be honest with yourself about when to stop. Plenty of anglers are simply seeking out more productive water this time of year, and that is a reasonable call. Bring bug spray, because the mosquitoes are in full force early and late.

Try: BH Pheasant Tail, Angel Hair (16 to 18), BH Olive Hares Ear (16), Czech Nymph, Natural (12 to 14), BH Krystal Bugger, Peacock (8), Muddler Minnow, Classic (8 to 10).

East Walker River

The East is running about 150 CFS, which is a good number for the fish this summer. During the cool spell and rain last week the fishing was pretty good, but the heat came right back and the word out of Bridgeport is that the river could use a few more weeks of rest. Fish are spread out but the quality is there, and with the warmer air and water there are more of them holding up toward the dam. Covering water is still the best attack plan when you do go. Carry a thermometer and check it often, especially below the bridge, and remember that the water cools as it runs downstream after a cold night rather than the other way around.

Try: Elk Hair Hopper, BL Bright Red Weighted Squirmy Wormy, Czech Nymph, Hares Ear Cream (14), Blakestone Buzzer, Black (20 to 22), Foam Ant, Black (16).

Bridgeport Reservoir and Twin Lakes

Bridgeport Reservoir is still fishing pretty well, but the fish are concentrated in the channels rather than the open water. The East Walker, Buckeye, and Robinson channels are where the reports are coming from, and the handful of fly anglers working them have done very well on damsel nymphs, mini leeches, zebra midges, and soft hackles. Twin Lakes has been a deep water game, with the best results coming to anglers trolling around 60 feet for rainbows and Kokanee. There has not been much brown trout news lately and not many fly reports either, but stripping streamers on a sinking line near the inlets or along the shoreline is a solid bet if you want to fish flies there.

Try: The Green Damsel Nymph (12 to 14), Leech, Black with Pink Egg, TG BH Zebra Midge, Black (16 to 18), Brown Hackle Peacock, soft hackle (12 to 14), Wooly Bugger, Cactus Chenille, Black (8).

Weather Outlook

Today is a little cooler and breezy as a trough pushes through the Pacific Northwest. Bishop is looking at a high near 98 with an overnight low around 58, and Mammoth Lakes sits much more comfortably at about 76 over 55. The best chances of isolated rain and thunderstorms stay to the north, though a few showers cannot be ruled out in the Owens Valley on Saturday. As that trough moves through, our ridge breaks down and cooler air filters in over the weekend and into early next week, which is the part that matters for the fishing. Watch the sky in the afternoons, get off exposed water if you hear thunder, and expect conditions to improve as the cooler nights start doing their work.

A note from the shop: every 395 Fly Co fly comes with a tutorial for the water it is tied for, so you will know exactly how to fish it before you are standing in the river. Questions on patterns, sizes, or where to start this week? Email us anytime at 395flyco@gmail.com, we are always happy to talk flies.