Fishing Owens River, just north of Bishop

[vortec_cruiser]

Is the Owens River along Chalk Bluff Road fishable from the edge of the river. I know this stretch is fished from float tubes and drift boats, but am wondering if the shore is semi-accessible like it is below Bishop. Walking the river and fishing is great below Bishop, and would like to try it along Chalk Bluff Road when I go up there next weekend.

[FSHNLIC]

There are some spots accesible off of Chalk Bluff and are definitely worth a try.... Not sure if you're fly fishing or not.... if your not... make sure you're below the red sign.. good luck

[vortec_cruiser]

Thanks, I appreciate the information. And I'll be sure we're below the red sign, since we'll be U/L fishing with barbless lures for C&R.

[tpfishnfool]

Its all good from pvr dam south to fish the shore by fly and ok by bait from just north of 5 bridges south. too bad they allow drift boats and just about any floating craft from laws south of that. Freaking idiots have started fires in the reeds south of laws through the bishop area the last few years. Some say its the guides and some say its the locals. I have my doubts on both. Think its just fools trying to make better access to river shore fishing .. No Good.. Keep the Owens prestine and keep the drift boaters out of the Owens.. IMO
TP

[vortec_cruiser]

Reading the regulations for this area, it seems that if we're using barbless artificial lures (not just flies) and keeping zero fish, we should be just fine.

[FSHNLIC]

That's my bad... thought you may be bait fishing..... just follow some of the dirt roads off Chalk Bluff and you'll be fine........ lots of obstructions in the water but there's some bruisers in there...... Good Luck


Reading the regulations for this area, it seems that if we're using barbless artificial lures (not just flies) and keeping zero fish, we should be just fine.

[vortec_cruiser]

I do appreciate the info. Do you have any experience with tubing this wild trout section?

[Viejo]

Fished it this Thursday - Sunday. You can't access the Owens anymore off of Chalk Bluff Road from the PVR Campground down to 5 Bridges road due to fencing put in by LADWP. There are some openings in the fence every half mile or so. Float tubing this stretch of the river would be dangerous....IMHO...because of all the snags in the river and the water moving pretty fast. Pontoon boats are doable if you are pretty handy with the oars and river savvy. Fishing can be good if presentations are made with what they're interested in. Did see a DFG Warden write a citiation in the Wild Trout for someone whose hook was not crimped down enough (used a cotton ball that snagged on the barb). He was less then pleased.

[Sierra_Smitty]

Its all good from pvr dam south to fish the shore by fly and ok by bait from just north of 5 bridges south. too bad they allow drift boats and just about any floating craft from laws south of that. Freaking idiots have started fires in the reeds south of laws through the bishop area the last few years. Some say its the guides and some say its the locals. I have my doubts on both. Think its just fools trying to make better access to river shore fishing .. No Good.. Keep the Owens prestine and keep the drift boaters out of the Owens.. IMO
TP

I apolgoize for thread-jacking....but.....

What are you talking about? Locals & guides burning down their backyard? Not sure where you hear these rumors but that notion is freaking retarded. Tell your sources to fact check and stop spewing stupidity. Can you imagine a drift boat guide removing the only advantage they have? Doesn't make much sense to me...there is nothing worse than shore access for the guides up there, then all the bait dunking, beer swilling, trash leaving, lawn chair folks could get to their honey holes (I don't feel that way, I'm just doing my best fly guide impression).

The fact is that just about every wildfire started down there is started by some bonehead camper, sometimes camped illegally.....as was the case in the bluff fire in 2008, the last fire of any size I'm aware of. Campers from out of town having campfires or using a cook stove in windy weather next to dry brush (genius right?) accounts for almost all of the non-lightning related wildfires in the high country or the valley. Arson would be big news and would, pardon the pun, spread like wildfire through town, and if a local did it - he'd probably be strung up at the nearest cottonwood lol!

Also - more people float the river from Laws to Warms Springs in an innertube than fish it in the summer so I doubt they'll ever ban floating craft. I know I personally would be super pissed because floating the river is possibly the most fun you can have in the owens valley without breaking the law lol!

[Viejo]

Sierra Smithy,
Amen to that! I was up on that stretch from Tuesday through Friday and came across three camp fire rings right in the Tules and Willows in the wild trout section. Water levels are way down. Also was dismayed to find several worm boxes and powerbait jars that still had viable bait in them.