Eastern Sierra Trout Opener

March 21, 2024

Question: Is this year’s trout opener in the eastern Sierra Nevada likely to be impacted by weather, like it was last year?

Answer: CDFW is not expecting the same weather conditions that made the 2023 opener virtually impossible to experience. A year ago, it was a record snowpack that made many lakes and streams inaccessible.

Though the Sierra Nevada mountains still received plenty of snow in 2024, the snow isn’t nearly as dense, and temperatures in the valley have been warmer. Crowley Lake, which is known for excellent trout fishing at nearly 7,000 feet, never completely froze in 2024. That milder weather also allowed CDFW to reach and stock almost all our usual stocking locations this year.

By the way, the trout opener is always the last Saturday in April, which this year is April 27.

Photo of Crowley on March 11.

Should be a great opener!