Hot Creek Report

Hot Creek - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Troutfitter

by The Trout Fitter Staff
3-20-2020
Website

Flow Rates and Water Conditions

Water Conditions: Fair to Good, showing 19 cfs as of 3/19

Flows are not accurate due to icing , OR , they just rebuilt the shed at the weir so it might be down for some time.

Fishing conditions and Hatches:  Good- very good

The weather is playing a major factor with good fishing on the mellower days and tougher on the nasty days. Mornings are getting better, besides the ever present midges, scuds and small streamers are working. Once the sun hits the water things pick up, mainly midges with scattered mayflies. The interpretive site has been consistently good and very technical. My rule of thumb is, you don't go to the interpretive site, but you check out the crowds on the way to somewhere else. Please respect the fisherman already there, there's plenty of uncrowded water to be found in the canyon and also the lower Owens right now. Fishing has been good and if you drive down into the canyon it will be less crowded. If you're looking for dry fly action the interpretive site is the most consistent. The canyon can have some excellent Mayfly surface activity mid-day in the shallower stretches but in the deeper spots they're feeding on caddis larva, otherwise nymphing with midges, mayflies and scuds are the best bet. There are some caddis showing up as well. The road is snow free and the trails have very little snow on them. I know this sounds like a broken record but if you made it this far one more hint, streamers. With the fish populations as high as they are and the water as low as it is the bigger fish are bound to be eating the smaller relatives.

Recommended Flies

DRIES:  Stimulators #16-18 | R.P. Emerger #22 | Real Midge #24 | Stillborn Midge #20-22 | Extended Body BWO #16-20 | CDC Baetis Dun #20-24

NYMPHS:  Bottom Roller Phsyco Rycho #10-14 | T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22 | Grey/Olive Scud #16-18 |  Medallion Midge  #22-24 | Harroups Surface Emerger Brown/Olive #16-18 | Tungsten Phsyco Baetis #18-20 | Tailwater Scud Tungsten #14-18

STREAMERS: BH Bopp Leech Olive & Brown #12-10 | Wooly Bugger Olive & Brown #12-10





More Reports

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, March 13th, 2020

East Walker River (CA): East Walker River Report
Owens River - Lower: Fishing is Good and We're Seeing A Lot More Fish
Pyramid Lake: Primetime Just Around The Corner
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Upper Owens River Fishing Report
Hot Creek: Hot Creek Report

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, March 6th, 2020

Hot Creek: Hot Creek Fishing Report
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Upper Owens River Fishing Report
Pyramid Lake: Perfect Shape For Action Packed Spring
Owens River - Lower: Lower Owens Fishing Report
East Walker River (CA): East Walker River Fishing Report