Eastern Sierra Fishing

Crowley Lake becomes a parking lot on opening day, and it is often said you can walk boat-to-boat! However, this is a large man-made lake and holds a large number of Wild Rainbows, Browns and Sacramento Perch. Alligator Point, Sand Point and Hilton Bay provide some of the best action on Crowley. Flies and lures work best here, and in fact from August 1 through October 31st fishermen can only use barbless lures or flies and can only keep two fish. The Perch go for bright-colored feathery jigs presented with a lot of movement. Crowley Lake is located 35 miles north of Bishop on Hwy 395. A full-service marina and store are available. Boats are common, but float tubes also work well, especially near the north end of the lake.

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The main tributary of the Eastern Sierra, the Owens River flows into Crowley Lake, Pleasant Valley Reservoir and down the Owens Valley to Independence. The Owens flows through high mountain valleys to desert valleys below Independence. A Wild Trout section located between Pleasant Valley and Laws provides prime fly fishing and is a catch-and-release area. Brown Trout are plentiful in the Owens. A prime spot is located at Crowley Lake near Benton Crossing near the north end of the lake. Rainbow Trout are stocked in the river from Laws to Big Pine.

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Located 5 miles north of Bishop off of Hwy 395, Pleasant Valley offers year-round fishing. Rainbows, stocked by the DFG, are plentiful, as are perch, bluegill and bass.

photo credit: lexdennphotos

Brown Trout will swim along the banks at night giving anglers a good shot at catching a record-sized fish. Boats are not allowed at Pleasant Valley. Fishing off the dam provides the best hope of catching a trout, with lures doing the best job.

This is one of the few Eastern Sierra lakes that has smallmouth bass, catfish and bluegill. A yearly fishing derby is held here each year with the opening of trout season. At an elevation of 4,200-feet, Inyo County has a campground with 200 RV or tent sites, piped water, and restrooms.

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Big Pine Creek and Baker Creek provide angler’s with good stream fishing. Rainbow’s are regularly stocked in both creeks, plus hand-fed trout from the Big Pine Trout Farm are stocked unannounced in Big Pine Creek each summer. Each of these fishing areas can be reached by heading west from Big Pine. Campgrounds are available.

The areas around the upper campgrounds are planted on a weekly basis during the summer months. Baker Creek is planted in the campground area, while Big Pine Creek is planted from Sage Flat Campgrounds to Glacier Lodge.

The best areas are from Glacier Lodge to the bridge just outside Big Pine. Best baits are salmon eggs and small spinners with squirrel tail. Flies,lures, nightcrawlers and floating baits also work well. Supplies, bait and tackle, are available in Big Pine or Glacier Lodge. This is a very scenic area and well worth the drive.

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The first lake on the June Lake Loop, June is a deep glacier fed lake that provides boaters with many opportunities to catch a Rainbow, Brown or Brook trout.

Cutthroat trout also can be found in the lake. In addition, the lake receives regular stocking from Alper’s Ranch. The best places for fishing from shore include along the highway near Boulder Lodge, the beach area at the east end of the lake, and near the reeds located on the west end of the lake.

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Head for “The Rock” for some of the best fishing in the June Lake Loop. Gull Lake consistently produces a large number of Rainbow, Brown and Brook trout. In fact, a favorite spot for boat fishermen is “The Brooky Hole” located to the left of the marina.

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Silver Lake offers a number of productive areas including the parking lot at the south end of the lake. Also, float tubers find the southeast shoreline to produce well. The lake is stocked with Rainbows, Alper’s, and contains its share of native Browns. A private campground at the lake is close to a general store and tackle shop.

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This man-made lake is not as pretty as the rest of the lakes on the June Lake Loop, but it is a consistent producer. The entire lake is accessable from the shore. The best spots include where Rush Creek enters the lake at the north, the narrows at the marina and a place called Sheepherder’’s Bay along the backside. This lake is a great boat lake and boaters should weigh anchor across from the marina or near where Rush Creek enters the lake. In the morning concentrate on using lures. By midday switch to bait fishing off the bottom. Fly fishing works best in the evening.

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The creek receives plantings from the DFG at the Southern California Edison power plant bridge and near the Silver Lake campground. The most popular stretch of the stream is between Silver Lake and Grant Lake. The stream provides a number of nice spots, sheltered by Aspen trees, and located near submerged boulders and trees. These areas hold a lot of fish. Use spinning lures cast upstream and then retrieved at a fast clip. Floating bait produces well. Use a spit-shot sinker about a foot above the bait and then let it float downstream. Salmon Eggs, Power Bait and nightcrawlers all produce.

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Rock Creek Lake holds a number of large Browns, as well as its share of Rainbows. The boat dock offers very good fishing. The Little Lakes Valley offers a number smaller lakes, including Mack Lake. To reach this area you must start at the Mosquito Flat trailhead and walk about fifteen minutes. Mack holds native Browns and a large population of Brook Trout. Flies work best here. Rock Creek provides Rainbow, Brown and Brook action as the stream flows down to the Owens Valley. Spinning Lures and flies produce well, especially in the small pools formed along the creek. Ants work real well as do  Crickets and Adams flies. Visit our sister site www.rockcreeklake.com.

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