SPILLING A LOCAL SECRET

Looking for a good fishing spot?
Look no further than the Bishop canal
By Maddux
Last week, we interviewed local fishermen as they tried their luck in the local fishing spot, known as the Canal. “The popular fishery (is) for families (and) kids—it’s a pretty safe place,” said James Erdman, Environmental Scientist at California’s Department of Fish and Game. It is “kind of a local secret,” Erdman said about the Canal. Anglers who know about the spot find it easily accessible by bike, by car, or by foot, Erdman said.
The waters at the Canal are a “blend of warm/cold water (and) quite a variety of fish (are caught ranging from) bass, blue gills, rainbow and brown trout, native Owens River suckers, Tui chub, carp and crawdads,” Erdman said.
The Canal is currently “not stocked with fish—fish get in there from ditches, and the creek itself, and diversions from the Owens River,” he added.
As the Canal lies on DWP property, only day fishing is allowed—no camping signs are also posted on the property. However, it is “legal to fish at night in Inyo County – but not Mono County.”