Hot Creek Fishing Report

Hot Creek - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
2-3-2023
Website

Flow Rates and Water Conditions

Water Conditions: Fair, showing 16 cfs as of 1/21

Remember, these are the flows just below Highway 395 on Mammoth Creek and ice can make this site unreliable.

The water has dirtied up and gotten colder.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: ?

Check out the pictures of the access into the canyon, and that was two weeks ago. If you're willing to do the trek now I'm pretty sure you'll have the stream to yourself. Due to the storm the parking for the canyon section is at the Hot Creek Ranch driveway, PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THEIR DRIVEWAY.  The parking for the Interpretive site is just about impossible, probably better to park down at the end. One of the guides was out there two days ago and there was somebody who had decided to walk into the canyon. After slogging a short distance he gave up, apparently the waist deep snow was a little more than he bargained for.

With the return of colder wet weather the Baetis are through and the surface action midday will be all midges. Still midges, nymphs, adults and spent patterns. Generally, they'll be hatching until early afternoon and then egg laying and spent adults in the afternoon. Scuds and egg patterns will work all day. Don't forget the streamers and leeches.

I still tell my clients that a 4 second drift is average and finish with an aggressive pickup, you will hook fish you never knew existed.

ALERT: Just like the Owens, if you are going to fish when the air temperatures are close or below 0 degrees do NOT take the fish out of the water! Their eyes and gills will freeze very quickly!

Recommended Flies

DRIES:  R.P. Emerger #22 | Mother Shucker #24 | Griffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22 | No Mercy Midge Camel #20-24

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  | Medallion Midge #18-24 |  Buckskin #16-20  |CDC Transition Midge #18-22 | Scuds grey #14-18 | Tailwater Sowbug Rainbow #16-18 |  Bling Midge Brown #24 | TB Millers+1LT #16-18 | Egg Patterns B/H Pheasant Tail #16-20 

STREAMERS: Mini Sculpin Orange #6 | Slumpbuster Natural #10 | Hornburg #10-14  





More Reports

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Thursday, January 12th, 2023

Hot Creek: Hot Creek Fishing Report
Owens River - Lower: High Flows and Low Visibility

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Thursday, December 29th, 2022

Hot Creek: Water Conditions Are Good
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): Flows are 80 cfs as of 12/29
Owens River - Lower: Lower Owens River Report