[stilly stalker]

Leaving Saturday for my birthday trout trip to the Sierras.
Upper Owens river, Hot Creek, rock creek, bishop creek and some high altitude lakes are getting me really really excited to catch some trout. Really nice trout.


Ive gone over all my gear at least twice, checked all my flies, tippet, etc etc. Anticipating every possible scenario.Ive looked up so many hatch charts, tied some tiny tiny flies, go tmy ride serviced, checked my float tube for leaks, studied topo maps...
Its the anticipation thats kept me so pumped for this, and all my fly fishing trips lately. When you live so far away from " real" fly fishing, you get good at anticipation. Only a few chances a year to do what i realy truly love to do, so it becomes more a part of my life than the actual fishing itself.

Its all worth it though. Fly fishing is my zen, my moment of clarity in a very obtuse world that seems to make less sense every day. Unless I think about fishing, then my clarity returns.

Never did pull the trigger on a 3wt for the trip, but theres fly shops in Bishop that Im sure will be happy to assist me. hahahahaha.
Looking forward to dropping a nice trip report when I get back. Where Im staying theres no internet or phone service at all!!!!

In the mean time, gotta go see if I can pull a halibut out of the surf tonight after work on the 6wt.

 

[Salmo_g]

Have fun and enjoy. I just returned from Mammoth and High Sierra hiking last Wednesday - long drive! I had hoped to fish at the various lakes we camped beside while hiking over Bishop Pass, into Dusy Basin, and Palisades Basin. Unfortunately serious thunderstorms occurred every afternoon just as we were setting up camp, if not slightly before. Not the kind of stuff I wanted to be out casting with my carbon fiber lightning rod, so we dove into our tents in retreat for an hour-and-a-half to two hours each day, thereby using up my discretionary time that would have been used for fishing. All I know is that I saw indications of fish in all the lakes but one.

BTW, I hope you aren't afflicted with the low red blood cell condition that has one gasping like a mouth-breathing troglodyte at high elevations. Man, that was some brutal hiking!

Sg

 

[stilly stalker]

Have fun and enjoy. I just returned from Mammoth and High Sierra hiking last Wednesday - long drive! I had hoped to fish at the various lakes we camped beside while hiking over Bishop Pass, into Dusy Basin, and Palisades Basin. Unfortunately serious thunderstorms occurred every afternoon just as we were setting up camp, if not slightly before. Not the kind of stuff I wanted to be out casting with my carbon fiber lightning rod, so we dove into our tents in retreat for an hour-and-a-half to two hours each day, thereby using up my discretionary time that would have been used for fishing. All I know is that I saw indications of fish in all the lakes but one.

BTW, I hope you aren't afflicted with the low red blood cell condition that has one gasping like a mouth-breathing troglodyte at high elevations. Man, that was some brutal hiking!

Sg

The lady and I were doing 30miles a week hiking g when the weather wasn't so hot here, so we are both up for a nice hike in cool weather.
Crazy that the snow just melted off not long ago and they're already getting more in the mountains around Bishop
Next year I want to do a week in golden trout wilderness above 10,000ft!

 

[junkie]

Man, I miss those high country trips. Nowadays, I'd have to go horseback. Grew up in the high country on the back of a horse, got into backpacking in my twenties, but will have to go back to horesback again. I can still make the 10 mile hike no problem, though even those worry me. My lower back/hip has a tendency to pop out at unexpectected times. I couldn't imagine trying to hike my pack out, when just attempting to walk can become a struggle. I can straddle my horse just fine.
Makes me peeved because I loved the freedom of long distance hikes.

 

[Jiminsandiego]

Perfect time of the year. I have spent many months fishing this area. Walker (east and west) is worth a look. Green river, not up in the mountains, but down in the valley is something spectacular that you will never hear about. Also worth a look is the book entitled "hot springs of the eastern sierras" Soaking in a natural hot spring after catching brown trout in a stream is truly therapeutical ."Little hot creek" and the "green church" Also you might look into hiking into lakes that hold very big Brook Trout. I have no doubt that you will have a blast and look forward to your report. Cheers Jim

 

[stilly stalker]

Perfect time of the year. I have spent many months fishing this area. Walker (east and west) is worth a look. Green river, not up in the mountains, but down in the valley is something spectacular that you will never hear about. Also worth a look is the book entitled "hot springs of the eastern sierras" Soaking in a natural hot spring after catching brown trout in a stream is truly therapeutical ."Little hot creek" and the "green church" Also you might look into hiking into lakes that hold very big Brook Trout. I have no doubt that you will have a blast and look forward to your report. Cheers Jim

Thanks so much!! I really am excited .

 

[Krusty]

Man, I miss those high country trips. Nowadays, I'd have to go horseback. Grew up in the high country on the back of a horse, got into backpacking in my twenties, but will have to go back to horesback again. I can still make the 10 mile hike no problem, though even those worry me. My lower back/hip has a tendency to pop out at unexpectected times. I couldn't imagine trying to hike my pack out, when just attempting to walk can become a struggle. I can straddle my horse just fine.
Makes me peeved because I loved the freedom of long distance hikes.

 

[Krusty]

Get yourself a satellite two way transceiver (Garmin DeLorme InReach SE with GPS mapping capability, and a lifebird insurance policy (cheap).

That way they can haul yer raggedy ass out if necessary, it won't break the bank, and if yer so equipped it's unlikely to occur.

Worst case, you'll have a helicopter rescue to bullshit about.

 

[blackbird]

I returned last week from a hiking trip in the Sierra, using Rock Creek Pack Station for a packer supported hiking trip. Our job was to hike from camp to camp and set up our tents, the packers schlepped the gear from place to place and brought the food and cooked the meals. Age appropriate support and more free time.

We hiked from Devils postpile to Yosemite Valley on the John Muir Trail.

a few highlights:

Stopped at a creek after fording it, lined up my 4 wt CGR fiberglass, tied on an ant. Caught my first fish here, and it was a 8-9 inch golden.

At a lake, a wooly bugger brought in a 12 in brook trout. A soft hackle got a take the first cast when sitting in the surface film, no takes once it started sinking.

Another day, fishing the stream below a big lake, a pheasant tail a foot and a half below a tiny indicator, cast into the fastest chutes of water, brought up a fish on every cast until I spooked them all out.

Another day, brook trout only in a long meadow stream, tiny to 8 inches, either on the ants or a hares ear nymph under indicator.

another evening, another brook trout out of a lake at dusk under moon light.

Cased caddis observed in a stream, and a caddis hatch in a lake, both at 10,000 feet or above. surprised me. In lakes fish were taking something just below the surface even at these altitudes, so there was more indigenous insect life than i expected.

good times.

@Salmo_g , we were often threatened by thunderstorms, but only got poured on once up there north of you. Saw some pretty dramatic stuff going on one late afternoon one divide south of us.

@stilly stalker have a great time.
In the above examples, I'm really glad I stopped along the trail that first day to fish that stream and get that golden, the only full golden on this trip.

Some rainbow/golden crosses were also caught elsewhere.

Jay

 

[MrP]

Anticipation is half the trip. Have a great time @stilly stalker!

 

[Jiminsandiego]

Lundy Lake is also worth a google search. Killer lake fishing and Lundy creek is some of the best water there. A small creek with huge fish. The beaver ponds there (hard to get to) are truly a gem for Brookies. There is a a tube that empties Lundy Lake into a small track of water that goes through a ghost town that was destroyed by an avalanche in the 1800s. For some reason that water is full of trout (again you will never read about this). Exploring the Eastern Sierra is as fun as it is complex. And the upper Owens yeah. The lower is also worth a look. Jim

 

[Jiminsandiego]

As you go north from Bishop towards Mammoth you will cross a bridge over a finger of the Owens Lake. You can park on the side of the road and walk down to the water. At this time of year this would be my first stop. 8lb test tippet may not be strong enough.

 

[stilly stalker]

As you go north from Bishop towards Mammoth you will cross a bridge over a finger of the Owens Lake. You can park on the side of the road and walk down to the water. At this time of year this would be my first stop. 8lb test tippet may not be strong enough.

Oh man you've got me interested! Google mapping that now

 

[stilly stalker]

Lundy Lake is also worth a google search. Killer lake fishing and Lundy creek is some of the best water there. A small creek with huge fish. The beaver ponds there (hard to get to) are truly a gem for Brookies. There is a a tube that empties Lundy Lake into a small track of water that goes through a ghost town that was destroyed by an avalanche in the 1800s. For some reason that water is full of trout (again you will never read about this). Exploring the Eastern Sierra is as fun as it is complex. And the upper Owens yeah. The lower is also worth a look. Jim

Looking this up now!! Thank you

 

[Salmo_g]

We hiked from Devils postpile to Yosemite Valley on the John Muir Trail.

a few highlights:

Stopped at a creek after fording it, lined up my 4 wt CGR fiberglass, tied on an ant. Caught my first fish here, and it was a 8-9 inch golden.

OK, now I officially have to hate you. I hiked Devil's Postpile and Rainbow Falls last Monday to work out some muscle stiffness. Still got rained on during the walk back out. Something about my timing was exactly wrong as far as getting any fishing done during my trip. I should have mentioned that during our stay in Palisades Basin, instead of fishing the lakes containing brook and golden trout, it started out with a light hail storm, then pretty good rain, kinda' western WA style, and then ended up getting snowed on. Excellent test for my Big Agnes Fly Creek UL-2.

 

[Salmo_g]

As you go north from Bishop towards Mammoth you will cross a bridge over a finger of the Owens Lake. You can park on the side of the road and walk down to the water. At this time of year this would be my first stop. 8lb test tippet may not be strong enough.

You make me want to consider turning around and driving back down there. No, hold that thought. It really is a long drive. I think I might visit again, but fly to Reno and rent a car, then drive the remainder.

 

[stilly stalker]

You make me want to consider turning around and driving back down there. No, hold that thought. It really is a long drive. I think I might visit again, but fly to Reno and rent a car, then drive the remainder.

For real! I am absolutely gonna check this out

 

[Robert Engleheart]

Lightning in the high Sierra is nothing to take lightly:
http://www.yourcentralvalley.com/ne...edium=social&utm_source=facebook_CBS47_Fresno

 

[Rye_Tyler]

Enjoy your trip! Spent 4 days at Hot Creek, Bishop, Rock Creek Canyon and Mammoth over Labor Day weekend. Absolutely Gorgeous Country!! Don't forget the hoppers..

 

[stilly stalker]

Perfect time of the year. I have spent many months fishing this area. Walker (east and west) is worth a look. Green river, not up in the mountains, but down in the valley is something spectacular that you will never hear about. Also worth a look is the book entitled "hot springs of the eastern sierras" Soaking in a natural hot spring after catching brown trout in a stream is truly therapeutical ."Little hot creek" and the "green church" Also you might look into hiking into lakes that hold very big Brook Trout. I have no doubt that you will have a blast and look forward to your report. Cheers Jim

Hey sir, any chance you can point me toward the lakes with the big brookies?