As long as Mammoth Creek stays relatively clear the creek should be worth fishing

Hot Creek - Mammoth Lakes, CA (Mono County)


by The Trout Fitter Staff
6-4-2023
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Flow Rates and Water Conditions

Water Conditions: Fair- good, showing 170 cfs as of 6/4

Remember, these are the flows just below Highway 395 on Mammoth Creek.

Mammoth Creek has actually cleared up in the last couple of days.This is common once the lower elevation snow melts and before the flows jump way up.

Fishing Conditions and Hatches: Fair-Good

As long as Mammoth Creek stays relatively clear the creek should be worth fishing. The road is open into the Hot Creek canyon parking lots.  Fishing has picked up, with the canyon fishing better than the interpretive site.  Midges in the morning and Baetis midday but they are getting smaller, #18-22 but still the most productive hatch. Unfortunately, with the increased flows the surface action is pretty much over.  It's the time of year to throw the proverbial kitchen sink, big, ugly, realistic, gaudy, besides the big flows there are a lot of terrestrials active this time of year. Ant and robber fly swarms with a promising  hopper season starting.   In the past, during runoff I have seen some very localized surface activity so make sure you have a selection of dry flies whenever you head down. One of the guides said there was a Mayfly hatch around 5 pm, he thinks they were Baetis but not sure.  Generally the midges will be hatching until early afternoon and then egg laying and spent adults in the afternoon.  Scuds, egg patterns and especially San Juan Worms will work all day.  With the increases in flows the streamer fishing has picked up.

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.

Recommended Flies

DRIES:  R.P. Emerger #22 | Mother Shucker #24 | Griffith's Gnat #20-24 | Stillborn Midge Black #20-22 || Hi-Vis Baetis #18-20 | 

NYMPHS:  T Midge #24 | Zebra Midge #18-22  | Buckskin Caddis #16-20  | JuJu Baetis #18-20 | Psycho Baetis #16-18| 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 | San Juan Worms #12-14

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





More Reports


5-31-2023
Hot Creek has been the best moving water option in town with all the run off. As you can se...... Read More

The Trout Fitter Reports
for Friday, May 19th, 2023

Hot Creek: Fishing has picked up, with the canyon fishing better than the interpretive site
Owens River - Section 3 - Upper (above Crowley): The water is high, dirty and cold plus there are few hatches
Owens River - Lower: Lower Owens River Report
East Walker River (CA): Yes the East Walker is open and no you don't want to go there