The Owens Valley (elevation: 4,000 feet) was formed by glaciers and eons of volcanic and seismic activity. It is flanked by the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the west and the Inyo and White mountains on the east. Just 12 miles from the river banks, the mountains soar from the valley floor to over 13,000 feet.

As the river flows from Pleasant Valley Dam, it turns eastward and meanders through the ancient floodplain before ending at the Tinemaha Reservoir, about 30 miles away. For more than 20 miles, the lower Owens is unlined and natural--a testament to the individuals, communities, and industries that have worked together to preserve its character. Few places can match its beauty, or its 7,000 trout per mile, most of which are wild browns.

The Wild-trout Fishery
The lower Owens wild-trout water extends from Pleasant Valley Dam downstream to Five Bridges Road. The catch-and-release section starts at the Pleasant Valley Campground footbridge and extends 4.4 river miles downstream to the Department of Fish and Game sign on Chalk Bluff Road. The regulations there allow only catch-and-release fishing with barbless, artificial flies or lures. The water is open year-round. The Owens regulations may change in March, so be sure to check them before fishing.

The upper end of the wild-trout, catch-and-release section is like a meadow stream, with little bank vegetation on the north side, making it a great place for novice casters. The stream is often no wider than 50 feet, and it has mostly large pools with deep runs. There are a few riffles, and the bottom is gravel and sand with a few big boulders that break the current. Some of the lower areas have overgrown banks that make it difficult to reach the fish.

As a tailwater, the river level fluctuates, depending on power generation, runoff, and the need for water in Los Angeles--for green lawns and other uses. Summer flows can be as high as 700 cubic feet per second (cfs), but they average from 400 to 500 cfs. The lowest flows of 100 to 300 cfs occur in winter, and are best for wading.

The great thing about the lower Owens wild-trout water is that with 7,000 fish per mile, there are plenty of fish. That's a trout about every nine inches. Deep undercut banks and considerable aquatic plants provide holding areas and cover for the trout, and challenging fishing for the anglers. The stream supports more than 4,000 trout over six inches long per mile, and many of these fish are over 16 inches and a few are over 19 inches. The average fish is in the 8- to 14-inch size range.

Techniques to Match the Flow
As the river level changes, the trout change their behavior, so you must adapt your fishing techniques. When the river flows are at 100 to 300 cfs, wading and upstream dry-fly fishing with curve-cast presentations work best [See "Curve Casts," on page 44. The Editors]. The trout are line- and leader-shy, so you need to position yourself downstream and to the side of rising trout. By overpowering the forward cast and stopping it suddenly, you can force the line to land in a curve that keeps the leader upstream of the fish and presents the fly first. In this low water, look for the trout in slow and shallow edgewaters, in eddies, under foam lines, beside deep undercut banks, and at the heads and tails of drop-offs.

When the river flows increase to about 400 cfs, wading becomes impossible, and it's best to walk the bank and fish downstream to feeding fish.

The most common mistake anglers make is standing on the edge of the bank and casting straight to the fish. This can spook the fish. Instead, when you spot a rising fish, make a downstream presentation. Position yourself 20 to 30 feet upstream of the fish. Make a cast that puts the fly well in front of the trout and in the center of its feeding lane. Then raise your rod tip and pull extra line from the reel. Quickly bring the rod tip back down and feed line through the guides by flipping the rod tip up and down while pointing at the fly. The fly should float into the fish's feeding zone.

The most difficult part of this technique occurs when the fish takes the fly. If you strike too soon, you'll pull the fly out of the trout's mouth. Wait until the fish has closed its mouth. Hold your breath and count to three, then gently move the rod tip to the side. If the fish doesn't take the fly, mend the line toward the main current to get it away from the fish and ready for your next pickup and presentation.

Angling pressure in the wild-trout section drops during spring and summer when the river level rises. Many believe the fishing is not as good during high flows, but angler surveys tell a different story. The average per-hour catch rate of 1.5 fish holds true during both high and low flows. What changes are the techniques and flies that work. When the river flows reach 500 cfs or more, it's time to put away the dry flies and grab the nymph box.

For nymph fishing, the classic high-stick, up-and-across presentation is the ticket. By holding the rod high, you can keep most of the line off the water so the current can't grab it and cause drag. You'll need lots of weight. Put three BB split-shot on your leader, the first six to eight inches above the fly, the other two at six-inch intervals. Place a strike indicator capable of supporting the rig on the leader, one and one-half times the depth of the water. Don't try to cast this rig; instead, lob it, and as soon as the fly enters the water, throw several upstream mends.

As the nymph floats downstream, follow it with the rod tip. Mend, when necessary, to maintain a drag-free drift. If the line or leader pauses or darts upstream, strike by flipping the rod tip down. This strike should hook the trout, but if it doesn't, the fly will stay in the water. Don't strike by flipping the rod tip up; you'll pull the fly away from the fish.

The best searching patterns on the Owens are Baetis nymphs and Emergent Caddis Pupa. The trick to high-water fishing is working the pattern in the entire water column. Sometimes you may have to fish one spot for an hour to cover it thoroughly. You can spend the whole day on just a couple of hundred feet of river. Take the time to fish each run systematically. If you find yourself miles away from your car, you're moving too fast.

Tackle and Flies
During high flows, the trout move toward the middle of the stream to hold along the main current and its seams. You'll need an 8 1/2- to 9-foot rod to help you mend and control the line on the water. Rods for 4-, 5-, or 6-weight lines can work well, but a 6-weight makes it easier to cut through the valley wind. Leaders should be 12 feet long, tapered to 6X for nymphs. For dry flies, tie on an extra three feet of 6X or 7X. For streamers, use 7- to 10-foot leaders, tapered to 3X or 4X.

The lower Owens has one of the most diverse insect populations of any Eastern Sierra river, and at 4,000 feet above sea level, it can have hatches throughout the year. Winter is one of the best times for challenging dry-fly fishing. Most hatches occur during midday, starting between 10 A.M. to 2 P.M., depending on the wind and water temperature.

Winter: The one insect that hatches year-round is the midge (Chironomid). Good nymph patterns include a #12-#22 Brassie and a #20-#22 Ascending Midge Pupa. For dry flies, go with a #18-#22 Griffiths Gnat or other midge dry. If the sun shines and warms the water temperature to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, little Blue-winged Olives (Baetis) and caddisflies (Trichoptera) may start to hatch. Good Olive nymph imitations include #12-#18 Gold-ribbed Hare's Ears and #12-#20 Pheasant Tails. Little Olive parachutes and Adams patterns in #16-#20 work well for drys. If Caddis start to hatch, use a #14-#16 Green Rock Worm or Emergent Sparkle Pupa. Elk- and deer-hair caddis patterns in #14-#18 can't be beat as dry caddis imitations. Winter is also the time to fish scud patterns in olive, cream, and brown, #12-#22.

Spring: Blue-winged Olives and caddis begin to hatch consistently. The Olives have several broods throughout the season, and they are the most abundant and one of the most important aquatic insects in the river's wild-trout section. Caddis are the next largest population of insects, with the Spotted Sedge (Hydropsyche) and Speckled Peter (Helicopsychidae) being the most abundant.

Summer: A smorgasbord of insects provides food for trout. The Pale Morning Dun (PMD) mayfly (Ephemerella inermis and E. infrequens) begin to hatch in June. Emerging PMD nymphs (#14-#18) and PMD Compara-duns (#14-#18) work well for drys. Stoneflies, including the Little Yellow Stonefly (isoperla), Golden (calineuria), Brown, and Little Green Stoneflies, also hatch at this time of year. Use a #12-#18 Bird Nest or #12-#16 Golden Stone Wet for nymphs. For drys, try Simulators and Little Yellow Stones in #12-#18.

The third most abundant insect is the Aquatic Beetle (Elmidae). It lives in weedbeds and must surface for air after foraging for food. Fish a #16 Little Black Beetle with a slow retrieve.

Don't worry if you miss a hatch, because the trout feed throughout the day on alderflies, dobsonflies, craneflies, and enormous numbers of hoppers and ants.

Fall: As cool weather starts to replace the hot summer days, other caddisflies begin to hatch. The Grannom Caddis (Brachycentrus) is common. Use a #12-#18 Bead-head Caddis Larva for the nymph and a #10-#18 Elk-wing caddis in olive, brown, and black for the dry. The October Caddis (Dicosmoecus) is one of the largest caddisflies on the river and produces the most explosive strikes. Both Peeking Caddis and Yellow Cased Caddis in #6-#10 are good nymph choices. A #4-#8 Orange Bucktail Caddis dry works well. The last mayflies to hatch are the Tricos (Tricorythodes). A #20-#24 Sparkle-wing Trico, Olive Spinner, or Trico Thorax can fool the fish.

Whether you're a beginner or an expert, the hatches on the lower Owens offer the opportunity to catch lots of wild trout year-round. It's a river with hatches and trout for all seasons.

Getting There
The lower Owens below Pleasant Valley Dam is located in the Eastern Sierras, seven miles north of Bishop, California, off Highway 395. Take the Pleasant Valley Dam turn-off and drive east for four miles. Cross over the bridge and follow the dirt road to the campground, or continue driving along Chalk Bluff Road. Parking is available at the campground or along roads that lead down to the river.

Planning Your Trip
Planning Your Trip In Bishop, California, Brock's Flyfishing Specialists and Tackle Experts, (760) 872-3581 can provide tackle and information on stream conditions.

The Matlick House, (800) 898-3133, is a fly-fishing bed-and-breakfast six miles from the lower Owens.

Pleasant Valley Campground, (760) 878-2411, has campsites and restrooms.

Maps of the lower Owens wild-trout section and other Eastern Sierra streams are available from Reel Maps, (310) 822-1877. Benchmark Maps, (510) 845-6277, sells a California Road & Recreation Atlas for $22.95, and the DeLorme Mapping Company, (800) 452-5931, sells a Northern California Atlas & Gazetteer for $16.95.