March 9, 2010 in Inyo County, Northern Inyo County by Michael Sommermeyer
For those attending Blake Jones Trout Derby, Eastern Sierra Transit Authority will be giving rides begining at 4pm (after the derby ends) from the Pleasant Valley Reservoir to Bishop, $3.50 per person. Please drive responsibly!
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Northern Inyo County, Northern Mono County, Southern Inyo County, Southern Mono County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
The main tributary of the Eastern Sierra, the Owens River flows into Crowley Lake, Pleasant Valley Reservoir and down the Owens Valley to Independence. The Owens flows through high mountain valleys to desert valleys below Independence. A Wild Trout section located between Pleasant Valley and Laws provides prime fly fishing and is a catch-and-release area. Brown Trout are plentiful in the Owens. A prime spot is located at Crowley Lake near Benton Crossing near the north end of the lake. Rainbow Trout are stocked in the river from Laws to Big Pine.
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
Located 5 miles north of Bishop off of Hwy 395, Pleasant Valley offers year-round fishing. Rainbows, stocked by the DFG, are plentiful, as are perch, bluegill and bass.
photo credit: lexdennphotos
Brown Trout will swim along the banks at night giving anglers a good shot at catching a record-sized fish. Boats are not allowed at Pleasant Valley. Fishing off the dam provides the best hope of catching a trout, with lures doing the best job.
This is one of the few Eastern Sierra lakes that has smallmouth bass, catfish and bluegill. A yearly fishing derby is held here each year with the opening of trout season. At an elevation of 4,200-feet, Inyo County has a campground with 200 RV or tent sites, piped water, and restrooms.
June 1, 2009 in Back Country, Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
Big Pine Creek and Baker Creek provide angler’s with good stream fishing. Rainbow’s are regularly stocked in both creeks, plus hand-fed trout from the Big Pine Trout Farm are stocked unannounced in Big Pine Creek each summer. Each of these fishing areas can be reached by heading west from Big Pine. Campgrounds are available.
The areas around the upper campgrounds are planted on a weekly basis during the summer months. Baker Creek is planted in the campground area, while Big Pine Creek is planted from Sage Flat Campgrounds to Glacier Lodge.
The best areas are from Glacier Lodge to the bridge just outside Big Pine. Best baits are salmon eggs and small spinners with squirrel tail. Flies,lures, nightcrawlers and floating baits also work well. Supplies, bait and tackle, are available in Big Pine or Glacier Lodge. This is a very scenic area and well worth the drive.
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
At 194 acres, Sabrina is the largest lake located in the Bishop Creek Canyon.
Sabrina is located approximately 17 miles west of Bishop on Highway 168. Follow the highway until it ends at the lake. Sabrina has very nice campsites in a modern campground with 200 campsites to choose from at an elevation of 9,132-feet.
The lake receives regular stockings by the Department of Fish and Game and Alpers Ranch. In addition, the lake holds a number of large Brown Trout. Brookies also can be found in the lake.
photo credit: lexdennphotos
A nice trail circles Lake Sabrina and a number of productive spots can be found around the lake, including one of the best near the inlet. Follow the trail to the right of the cafe and work your way around to the back of the lake to reach the inlet.
photo credit: stryder10464
Other good spots include near the boat dock and the channel near the dam. The dam is a tough spot to pull in your catch when the lake is full and requires a net if you hope to retrieve your catch.
The usual techniques are productive here, especially lures or a fly/bubble combination. Bait fishermen have been successful with Power Bait, Salmon Eggs or Nightcrawlers.
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
Most people fish South Lake near the dam and the boat dock. The parking lot is nearby, so getting to the fish is a snap. There is no trail around the lake, so bring a boat or plan to rent one if you want to explore the lake. South Lake is stocked with Rainbows hatched by the Department of Fish and Game and Alpers Owens River Ranch. Brown Trout are plentiful, as are hold-over Rainbows from the year before. This makes for some trophy-sized fish. The majority of bait fishermen use nightcrawlers or Power Bait. In addition, a Woolly Bugger presented with a slow retrieval works well. Right after sunset, use a fly/bubble combination and watch the fish rise.
South Lake is 15 miles west of Bishop, just off Hwy 168, and easy to reach by car. Take the South Lake Turnoff and travel through aspens, cottonwoods, willows and pines to the lake. A marina offers boat rentals, snacks and other services for anglers and visitors. The lake has picnic facilities and this is a nice and cool place to visit and just take in the Sierra Nevada.
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
Located 20 miles west of Bishop, North Lake offers excellent populations of Brown, Rainbow and Brook Trout. The 7-acre lake is located above 9,000 feet and offers spectacular views of the snow-covered peaks. The west end of the lake, nearest to the road, is marshy and hard to reach on foot. The best spots for bank fishing are near the second parking lot on the east side of the lake. The fish work the surface of the water looking for insects, so the Fly and Bubble combination works best. The last mile of the road to the lake is steep and narrow, so drive carefully.
June 1, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Lakes, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
photo credit: moosepics
It is hard to think where to start when someone asks me what’s a good spot in the Eastern Sierras? There are numerous lakes, reservoirs, creeks, and ponds. But there is always that one place that clicks to me when I am asked this question. That one place guaranteed to produce all season regardless of the conditions is Bishop Creek Canyon.
With endless creeks, glacier fed lakes, alpine mountains, and countless waterfalls, it is easy to see why so many anglers are happy even when they do not catch a double limit of trout. The scenery here, along with the fishing, is a definite breath-taker. There are many lakes around the area that are accessible by car and hundreds more in the back country which take a bit more energy but are worth the trip.
Probably the most famous of the lakes in the canyon is South Lake, which is located all the way up the canyon at 9,768 feet elevation. Fish species here are rainbow, brown, and golden trout. South Lake is known for kicking out some of the biggest brown trout around. One year, an 11-pounder was caught. However, most anglers that day were not overly amazed because they know too well that this lake holds 20+ pounders.
photo credit: redteam
The lake is fully equipped with boat rentals, a cafe, many campgrounds, and a boat landing to fill you in on all the info. Best time for South Lake is summer when the lake is ice free and the water has started to warm.
The next biggest lake in the Bishop Creek Canyon is Lake Sabrina, which sits at 9,128 and provides a variety of species of trout from rainbow, brown, golden, and brook. The lake is known for its extraordinary fishing at the dam for big rainbows. But anglers heading up here shouldn”t be restricted to the dam; boats constantly bring in huge fish and good amounts from all around the lake. The lake offers boat rentals, a cafe, and a nearby campground. The best time of the year at Lake Sabrina is between June and September.
photo credit: lexdennphotos
The next lake probably guaranteed to provide the most exciting action is North Lake at an elevation 9,350. A dam was once built here for gold miners but was later torn down and North Lake is once again a “natural” lake. The ride up turns into a one-way dirt road and usually is not open till mid-June, due to snow. The lake offers rainbow and brown trout. This is a float-tubers heaven. Trout in this lake are constantly feeding on top water and the lake offers some of the best fly fishing in all of the Sierras. This is a smaller lake but holds plenty of fish. Although, the lake doesn’t have a boat landing or cafe, it does offer high altitude campgrounds with some of the best scenery. Best time of year is late summer and fall.
The final lake in the canyon is actually a large pond. Intake 2, at an elevation 8103, is one of the best place to take the kids to learn how to fish. On the way up the canyon, it is the first lake on the left hand side. The best way to describe the fishing is fishermen pull limits all year long. This is a heavily planted lake and is the smallest of the lakes in the canyon so getting on the fish is not a hard task, whether you toss a lure or a fly, or just kick back on shore with dough bait or worms you are not going to be disappointed. Anglers will find rainbow trout and the occasional brown trout in the fall. The lake offers very close campgrounds which are literally 25 feet from the lake. Best time of year for Intake 2 is pretty much anywhere from the opener (last Saturday in April) to the end of the season (November 15). From my experiences though, I recommend late May-early June and late October.
photo credit: marakawalv
If you can not seem to find joy in any of these lakes, which is pretty much impossible, you can tackle Bishop Creek. There are three forks that make up this white water creek and form into endless numbers of deep pools. One that comes out of South Lake, the south fork, is best for the bigger fish. The next one comes out of Lake Sabrina, the middle fork, is probably better for the best numbers of trout. The final fork is part of the middle but flows into Intake 2. This section forms many deep pools that hold many eager trout.
The best time of the year for three sections of Bishop Creek is summer because water level is perfect and fish seem to be more active. There are also many lodges in the area and endless hiking trails.
For more info, you can check out the following links:
www.bishopvisitor.com
www.bishopcreekresort.com
www.lakesabrinaboatlanding.com
May 31, 2009 in Campgrounds, Fishing, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
Located two miles northwest of Aberdeen, this stream is great fishing. Weekly plants are made at the Taboose Creek County Campground. This is a good area for camping, where you can set up next to the creek. Restroom and piped water is available at the campground. You can follow the dirt road to the upper reaches of the creek, but the fishing is best adjacent to the main campground.
May 31, 2009 in Fishing, Northern Inyo County, Streams by Michael Sommermeyer
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