Lower Owens flow

[retired/lasd]

Just saw on the DWP site that the flow rate is 507 CFS. Considering that 600 CFS is considered flood stage, the river is really roaring, thus making it almost impossible to fish.

Glad the season has opened for the entire Sierras.

[dcashley84]

crap!!! i wanted to fish the lower owens accross from taboose creek this weekend...did you fish any of the local area creeks?

[Troutman65]

Thanks for the post.


Troutman65

[tacklejunkie]

Doh, that doesn't sound good.
I was going to head up there tomorrow morning at 3am.
Is it really "unfishable"? I'd imagine cloudy water?

[mth1997]

TJ: That's a bit lower than where you're going. There's a reservior between you and that section of the Owens.

The water is very murky, but you can see a few feet down. Trip out on the cows when you get there (and watch out for the cow pies!). Their waste is a factor in the water quality up there.

I fished some ugly, fast moving sections of the Owens recently and did fine.


Doh, that doesn't sound good.
I was going to head up there tomorrow morning at 3am.
Is it really "unfishable"? I'd imagine cloudy water?

[retired/lasd]

When the flows are that high you have to put about 10 pounds of weight on your line to get your bait or lure down.. I have fished the Owens for 50 years and trust me, 500 cfs is a raging torrent of water. I was up there a week before the opener when the flow was 250cfs and it was tough fishing. With this drastic increase in flows the water will be very murky.

[tacklejunkie]

Sweet. Appreciate the info. I was heading for the wild section.. so looks like you saved me a trip. Thanks for the help guys and I appreciate the directions Mike. I'll make it up there at some point this year for sure.

I'm now thinking the sierras I used to know are the western sierras maybe. I used to hit the other side of mammoth at Edison lake then hike 8 miles back in to Margret lake, rainbow lake, coyote lake, bathtub lake etc. Anyone ever hear of those places? Man how I wish I could find some of those pictures in my junk and scan them..

[mth1997]

I don't doubt you. 500cfs through that narrow Owens River channel is burly, I just thought that the flows you mentioned were measurements of the flow coming out of Tinemaha, not PVR. I guess the flow rates are high coming from Crowley, PVR and Tinemaha.

[retired/lasd]

As of 1910 Hrs 5/5/08

Owens River out of PVR 552 cfs
From Tinemaha Res. 546 cfs


That is some serious fast moving water.