The Owens River Gorge is the wild card that completes the Owens picture — a steep volcanic canyon between Crowley and Pleasant Valley Reservoir where the river was dewatered for decades and has been brought back to a startling head of small, eager wild browns and rainbows. It's a hike-in canyon fishery: get down to the water and the fishing is busy and fun, attractors and dry-droppers to fish that don't see much pressure. Two cautions. First, the canyon itself — the descent and the footing are the real risk here, more than the fishing. Second, the flow is managed by LADWP and the gorge channel can see maintenance or flood diversions, so it's not a 'just turn up' river. Pair it with the Pleasant Valley reach for a full day of Owens-watershed variety.
- Volcanic