The Upper Owens is a spring-fed meadow river that winds from Big Springs to Crowley Lake. Above the Benton Crossing bridge it is open all year, barbless artificial lures only, catch and release. In spring and fall, rainbows and cutthroat run up out of Crowley, and a stream you can almost jump across fills with fish that belong in a much bigger river.
- Water type
- Meadow spring creek
- Fish
- Wild browns and rainbows, lake-run rainbows and cutthroat from Crowley
- Best months
- Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov
- Drive from the chalet
- About 25 minutes
- Regulations
- Big Springs to Benton Crossing all year, barbless artificial, catch and release. Below Benton, seasonal with an 18-inch minimum from Aug. 1.
- The one thing
- Stay low and off the bank. Swing or dead-drift into the undercuts; the big fish live under your feet.
The river
Big Springs pours out of the ground just east of Highway 395, and from there the Owens snakes through a wide sagebrush meadow toward Crowley Lake. Undercut banks, deep bends, weed lines and grass that hangs over the water: every bend is a hiding place, and every hiding place has a fish under it. Resident browns and rainbows live here all year.
Then twice a year the lake comes to visit.
The runs
In spring, rainbows and cutthroat push up from Crowley to spawn. In fall, fish follow them up to eat their eggs, and the browns get territorial. For a few weeks each season a meadow stream holds fish of 18 to 20 inches and more. You will see them. They will see you first.
- Approach like you owe the fish money. On the Owens, you probably do. Stay low and back from the bank; your shadow ends the conversation.
- Fish the outside bends and undercuts, dead-drifting a nymph or swinging a bugger right under the grass.
- Small eggs and dark buggers in spring and fall, small nymphs and dries when the fish are looking up.
Through the year
| Season | What is happening | Flies |
|---|---|---|
| March to May | Lake-run fish, BWOs and midges on cloudy days | Parachute BWO 16 to 20, RS2, zebra midge, flashback pheasant tail, eggs |
| Early summer | PMDs and caddis build | PMD 16 to 18, elk hair caddis 14 to 16 |
| July and August | Trico mornings on the flats, caddis, hoppers on windy days; the water warms | Trico 20 to 22, hopper 10, gold-bead hare’s ear 14 to 16 |
| September to November | BWOs return, lake-run fish, browns on the move | BWO 18, pheasant tail 16, eggs, sculpins |
| Winter | Lake-run fish hold deep | Eggs, squirmies, dark streamers fished slow |
The spring water keeps the Owens cooler than most streams, but by afternoon in midsummer it still warms into the mid-60s. When it reaches about 70°F, call it a day.
Access
Much of the meadow is private ranch water, available to ranch guests. The public stretches are on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land, reached from Owens River Road off 395 and from Benton Crossing Road. Park where it is obviously fine, close every gate behind you, and read the signs. Above Big Springs the water is called Deadman Creek and has its own rules.
In winter, the roads can need a high-clearance car or snowshoes. Call a Mammoth fly shop for conditions.
Go with a guide
The Upper Owens is where our friend Knot of Sierra Moments fishes when the loop lakes are still frozen. He knows which bends hold the big fish this month. Call him at (760) 577-1247.
The one thing
Approach. Most fish on the Owens are lost before the first cast. Walk slowly, kneel, and fish the near bank first.
Common questions
Is the Upper Owens River open all year?
From the Benton Bridge road crossing upstream to Big Springs, yes, under current California regulations, with artificial lures and barbless hooks only and zero trout. Below Benton to Crowley Lake the season runs from the last Saturday in April to November 15, with an 18-inch minimum and artificial lures from August 1.
When do the big fish run up the Upper Owens?
Spring and fall. Rainbows and cutthroat move up from Crowley Lake, with the best of it usually from March into May and again from late September into November.
Is the Upper Owens private?
Parts of it are. Several stretches run through private ranches that offer water to their guests. Public access is on Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land along Owens River Road and Benton Crossing Road; respect every fence and sign.