Freestone · Volcanic · Eastern Sierra

Upper Owens River

Konjic venue image
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The Upper Owens is a meandering high-desert meadow river feeding into Crowley, and it carries one of the Eastern Sierra's worst-kept secrets: big lake-run browns and rainbows that run up out of the reservoir to spawn and feed.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
14°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6512% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
13.6°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
24°C
Wind
W 19 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1014 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Year-round on the open reaches, but reach-specific seasonal/gear rules apply near the Crowley inflow — verify against CDFW
  • SPAWNING ETHICS: big lake-run fish are often on redds; do not target spawners or wade on spawning beds.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The Upper Owens is a meandering high-desert meadow river feeding into Crowley, and it carries one of the Eastern Sierra's worst-kept secrets: big lake-run browns and rainbows that run up out of the reservoir to spawn and feed. It's a year-round fishery with easy access and genuine quality, fishable with nymphs, streamers and — when the fish are looking up — dries over rising trout in the undercut meadow bends. A word on ethics: those big migratory fish are often on or near redds, and standing on a spawning bed to chase a hen is bad form and bad for the river. Fish the runs and holding water, leave the spawners be, and the Upper Owens stays the quiet gem it is.

  • Volcanic
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 5