Shepherd Creek - Manzanar, CA

Shepherd Creek, adjacent to Manzanar, California, functions as a low-to-mid elevation trout fishery within the Eastern Sierra. This lotic system primarily sustains populations of stocked Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), regularly augmented by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and a resident population of wild Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) in its less accessible, higher reaches.

Angling methodologies are comprehensive. Conventional bait presentations and spin casting with diminutive artificial lures are consistently efficacious for stocked trout in readily accessible lower sections. Fly fishing is also productive, with nymphing (e.g., caddis, small mayfly patterns) proving effective subsurface. Opportunistic dry fly presentations occur during entomological hatches. Optimal fishing periods span from late spring through autumn, aligning with the official trout season. Water levels are subject to fluctuation due to snowmelt runoff; therefore, current conditions should be ascertained. Access varies from roadside in lower segments to more arduous backcountry routes in its upper watershed. Anglers are unequivocally mandated to consult current CDFW regulations concerning bag limits and any area-specific provisions, ensuring adherence to established conservation protocols for this resource.