Fly Fishing Report 1/22/2026
26’ Is Looking Real Good!
Welcome to my Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report for late January and early Feb. Happy new year to all my fishy friends out there, looking forward to making 2026 the best year yet. This winter has been some of the most quality fly fishing I’ve seen in years with great trophy trout fishing and wild brown trout on the Owens. We are blessed to have a fantastic winter fishery and we are in the heat of our winter season. Spring is just around the corner and we will be hosting our 2026 Spring Fly Fishing Clinic on the Lower Owens. It will be two full days of foundational learning with an emphasis on dry fly fishing, and presentation. Our clinics are perfect for beginner and intermediate anglers looking to expedite their learning curve and get ahead in their skill set. We have 4 spots left for the spring clinic. Reach out to chat about joining us or save a position for yourself!
2026 Spring Fly Fishing Clinic
We are also gearing up for our summer with our weeklong Golden Trout Excursion. This trip is a bucket list lifetime experience for any passionate angler. We are currently booking for this trip and there are only 5 positions left. Join us for an all inclusive week in the beautiful Golden Trout Wilderness fly fishing for some of the purest strain of Golden Trout on the planet. This is the full package deal where fishing is the priority while be well catered by our professional backcountry chef, fly fishing guides, and trail crew. This our 3rd year running this trip and it is truly one of the most unique and epic adventures around. Reach out for more info or to book a spot for yourself today.
2026 Golden Trout Excursion
Lastly we are fired up for this years 2026 New Zealand Hosted Trip. A group of 8 of us will be heading down south to meet with world renowned guides Simon Chu and Charles Smith to track down some of the worlds most beautiful brown and rainbow trout. When travelling to a new country it can be incredibly hard to find the right guides and people who really know what they are doing. Our hosted trips but the absolute best people and locations in your hands to make the most of your time and money. This years trip is sold out and we have an amazing roster of clients and guides. I can’t wait to get down there with you all! I’ll be opening the books for 2027 shortly standby.
Waitlist New Zealand 2027
I am currently booking for the 2026 season with opening week (April 25th-May 2nd) already filling up! I tend to book far in advance and would love to get out on the water with you. Give me a call and lets chat about lining up something excellent. My goal as a guide is to not only get you into the action but teach the fundamentals of how and why we are having success so you can go on your own and do well, while having fun!
Book Here
Luke Kinney, Owner and Guide (858) 750 9820
Email- goldentroutguiding@gmail.com
Fly FIshing Report
Lower Owens River- The Lower Owens is flowing around 100 CFS at the moment which is a fantastic flow rate for the Lower. At 100 CFS the river becomes highly accessible and great for getting into tight sections. Exploring the Lower Owens is one of my favorite things to do with the low flows during winter. The Lower Owens is incredibly pleasant to fish mid day, especially on those warmer sunnier days. The Lower Owens is located outside of Bishop CA, and while there may be snow up near mammoth and higher elevations the Lower Owens provides warmer temps and exceptional fly fishing. The shoulder seasons and the winter season is the time to fish the Lower Owens. Summer see’s air temps over 100 degrees, water breaking close to 70 degrees, and high dangerous flows. It’s not often that a river is better during the cold season which is why I confidently put the Lower Owens in the category of one of the most underrated rivers in the state. As far as fish sizes, trout tend to be medium to small sizes with the occasional bigger fish. Your typical trout on the Lower Owens will most likely be a brown from 8-11 inches, that being said there are plenty of em and it’s not uncommon to have double digit days of fish to the net with the right knowledge and presentation. I have guided this river full time for the last 7 years and have spend a serious amount of time getting to know it and getting it dialed, if you are looking to get a fastpass on the Lower Owens I recommend booking a trip. Right now nymphing is the best way to catch fish on the Lower Owens. Come winter time the water temps cool down ranging from 48-52 degrees meaning less bug life and more fish feeding closer/off the bottom. Nymphing in its most basic form is fishing flies sub-surface and putting them in the right part of the water column making it an easy target for fish to eat. When temps get cold trout move less and conserve energy just like when temps get too warm. The difference of colder water vs. warmer water, its less damaging to play them compared to the less oxygenated warm water. That being said, always keep your fish wet when netting and handling. There’s no rush to get on the Lower Owens too early during winter as trout are just waking up and feeding tends to pick up mid morning 9-11am. Bead head nymphs like the flashback pheasant tail (16), Duracell, purple or olive (16-18), Hares Ears (14-18), Copper John (16-18), and Perdigon (14-18) are all great options and when fished well will put fish in the net. I like to fish buggier flies as the day warms up and those thinner more general attractor patterns like slim midges or perdigons on those colder days and mornings, especially when they get picky. During winter the slightest change in water temps and air temps can really make a difference on the Lower Owens, one day you’ve put 8-10 fish in the net, next day you can’t buy a bite. Don’t be discouraged it’s the nature of fishing during the peak winter season. A bit of friendly advice… take more time fishing zones where you will typically move on quickly. If you are in a good spot with some riffles and depth change or those big slow pools fish are there but they aren’t moving around as much until it starts warming up. Give twitches to your fly line during those drifts on the bigger pools, sometimes that will get those wild browns to make a decision and go for an eat. We are approaching the best month of the year on the Lower Owens (March) I call it miracle march and have had some montana styled days on the Lower with swarms of caddis and mayfly hatching as we come out of our winter shell. If you like dry fly fishing and nymphing March is the best time to fish the Lower. Join us for our 2026 Spring Fly Fishing Clinic this march (14th-15th) on the Lower Owens where we will be spending quality time on the river fishing dry flies and learning how to fish effectively while having the most fun possible. Speaking of dry flies, right now its slim pickens on the Lower Owens as far as top water action, mini sparkle dun (18), parachute adams (18-20), elk hair caddis (18) are good for those mid day risers but you really got pound em to get an eat. Not impossible but not easy! Best tip for the month of february, get away from people and get lost in the cuts, fish thinner tippet and run a two fly nymph rig off the bottom. Not sure how to do those things? Well thats why Im here! haha and I’d love to show you all I know about getting it done on the Lower Owens. Give me a call and lets line up a trip. Have fun out there!
Book the Lower Owens
Angler Mary, getting tucked into a hard to reach spot while nymphing the Lower Owens. She bagged some good ones!
Angler Allen finding some nice pocket water!
Local angler and clinic goer Rachel with a wild brown on a winters day!
Central Gorge- The Central Gorge is fishing decent right now as we head into mid winter. If you are looking to fish with no crowds and little to no pressure I strongly recommend the central gorge during winter. Be wise in when you drop into the canyon though as fishing in the shade is COLD. I’m always waiting for the sun to be nice and high for a good couple hours session. The best time to drop fish the Central Gorge is from 10-2pm during winter. Shorter days down there during winter but well worth the hike. The Gorge runs from Crowley Lake Dam cutting all the way down to Pleasant Valley Reservoir. There are really only 3 main entrances into the gorge, Lower, MIddle, and Upper… but from those entrances you can branch out and get into plenty of water. The central gorge resembles a small stream with technical fly fishing, down logs, plenty of structure and pocket water for a lifetime worth of fly fishing. Fish sizes are small to medium but just like the Lower Owens it’s not uncommon to come across 16-20 inch browns and rainbows. Some of the prettiest fish in the area live down on the central gorge, no joke the browns are gorgeous! You might also be surprised to get into a solid 16-18 inch rainbow when covering water. The Gorge is not an easy stretch of river to just drop in and have a fish, it takes some scrambling, physical ability and at times a bit of sketchy approach to fish the gorge well. If you like that kind of thing, like myself, then the central gorge is buckets of fun and adventure. Best way to fish the Gorge is tightlining AKA Euro Nymphing, as most of the water is pocket water in close quarters. Trying to get a proper drift with an indicator can prove difficult, while tightlining gets you anywhere and everywhere you want. The beauty of tightlining is being able to have full control over depth, lifting flies over boulders and fishing between channels. I use my 10ft 2W (Loop Z1) rod down in the Gorge and its a real beauty of a rod. Fish don’t tend to be too picky down in the Central Gorge, but size is important (14-18). I like medium to small nymph sizes down there and you can’t go wrong with fishing those heavier Czech Nymphs, which get your flies deep quickly and in front of the fish. Perdigon’s, Midges, Copper John, MIni Prince Nymph, Olive CDC Soft Hackles, and Pheasant Tails are are good choices. On the warmer days fishing dry droppers or a single dry when the sun is centered above is a blast down in the Central Gorge. I like running a parachute adams (14) to a small prince nymph or perdigon. You can also fish Elk Hair Caddis (16-20) Para Hopper (14) and a variety of baetis patterns will work BWO… Sparkle Dun… (16-20) The Central Gorge is a real fun day and adventure, I know the canyon well and depending on your psyche and ability can help guide you into some incredible fly fishing down there.
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Cal with a beautiful wild brown! The Central Gorge has amazing fish.
A run all to myself!One of the best parts of the Central Gorge.. little to no pressure and beautiful landscape.
Buttery Buttery Browns! Central Gorge provides.
Upper Owens- The Upper Owens has healthy flows around 110 CFS+ with the fair amount of snow on the ground right now. The Upper Owens continues to fish well this year with plenty of beautiful trophy rainbow trout and the occasional brown.. been a while since I came across one. As far as access the road is covered in snow and Ice and although you can drive in going too far will put you in a bad spot. The snow and ice are firm in the morning and may tempt you to push up the road but once things start melting out you are playing with fire and getting stuck is a very real possibility. I see it every year, folks got a little too zealous and get themselves stuck. This is a great time to get some of the river to yourselves by hiking in nice and far away from people your only competition is guides on their snowmobiles, but its alot less pressured then when the road is fully accessible. Right now the snow is firm and boot packed down so snowshoeing would be more work then wanted. Follow the already boot packed trails and you will be fine. Looks we have nice enough weather for the next 10 days with a very slim chance of snow late next week. I recommend snow shoes after a recent storm when the snow is fresh. As far as fishing there are some nice big lake trout in the system coming up and staging for their spawn. We have had a solid run of these beautiful migratory fish starting this fall and continuing into winter, it’s a great sign of the health of the lake and the river as well. After guiding this river and season for the last 6 years I have gotten to know how and where to fish for these guys. When going in blind it can seem daunting and I get a fair amount of clients from folks who have attempted this river many times and came up empty handed. There are a few ways to get the upper dialed in, one is knowing what to feed them especially with all the flies they see and two is getting to know the river itself. Outside of the obvious big holes and runs, these trout will hold up in spots you might expect. Keeping a low profile and your shadow off the water is necessary for success and spending the right amount of time working a zone. I think there are a few methods to the Upper Owens, move quick and cover everything or slow down and work a shorter section incredibly well. I’m more of a fan of the 2nd approach and can often average from 5-7 fish within a 500 yard stretch. They are in there, being patient and getting the right depth is key. I often switch between Euro Nymphing and Indicator Nymphing while fishing and guiding the Upper Owens. Each one of those techniques has its bonuses and carrying two rods is a smart idea for working water well. Being a competitive river, I want to be tactful about how much information I give out these days as us guides spend years dialing all of this in. That being said if you fish with patience, change depth and flies often you will eventually get your shot on a real beauty of a trout. I joke with clients that hooking up with these fish is usually the easy part, getting them to the net is the real challenge as these trout fight like steelhead and are pound for pound solid fish. For example I had a trip a few days ago we hooked 7 and landed one, remind you it was a brand new angler, but the fight is for real. Trophy fishing on the Upper Owens is a quality game, its scenic, quiet and beautiful. Being out there in the snow with alone or with a few friends and hooking up with these gorgeous fish is a unique experience one that you don’t find often in California. Check the weather and conditions before hiking out, if you go out far and something goes wrong it will take a while for folks to reach you so be wise in your decision making! As far as flies go.. your buggier bigger nymphs this time of year are a good call. Pat’s Rubber Legs (10), Large Prince Nymph (12-14), Pheasant Tails (12-16) are all good choices. You can also fish really small nymphs if you enjoy the challenge but make sure you have 2X strong hooks or your gonna be kicking yourself when you lose the fish at the net and your hook is bent. You can also choose to fish streamers but I have noticed the bite on streamers has slowed down a fair amount. With these colder temps it takes more energy for these fish to chase a fly so opting to put nymph right in front of its face will find you more success. I fish streamers because it’s fun and I like swinging flies, again put your time and you will eventually get into one. To make the most of this river having a good guide with you will absolutely change your day, and give you the best chance for the most productive session possible. I live for the cold, the snow and the these days. Give me a call or email and lets get out there, my schedule is filling up so don’t miss a shot to get out with me on the Upper Owens. Have a blast out there!
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This buck put up an incredible fight. One of the prettier ones this season!
Scenic beauty of winter fly fishing on the Upper Owens is unmatched.
Angler Billy put the hammer down landing 5 trophy trout in a half day.
Angler Carl put this one in the bag came in at 23” 5lbs. One of the best this winter. He was over the moon, lifetime fish.
Angler Carl with an impressive Hen! Chromer.
Angler Barry with a personal best. Nope not Alaska.. California.
Another one for Barry releasing a female.. keeping them wet from start to finish!
One of my best friends from San Diego Lance came up for a few days and got into some serious action. Perfect fish.
Day after the storm, fresh snow and big mountains. Epic.
Such a blessing to experience these fish!
Staying low and keeping that shadow off the water. Angler Carter doing his thing.
Thanks for stopping by for my Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing Report. I appreciate all of my followers, support and everyone reading this! I hope it helps you into some incredible fish, and inspires you to get outside and into nature. Nature, fishing and fellowship is a gift from God. Lets not take any of it for granted. Reach out if you have any questions on the report or want to chat about it more in detail, I would love to connect.
-Luke Kinney
Psalm 17: 6-7
“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, who you save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.”
Make life an adventure, get lost, take a chance, and keep moving forward.
