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pescado abajo

04-06-2008, 10:43 PM

Planned a family outing to Bishop for this weekend, but at the final second, the wifey was held back because of work. I ended up taking the kids out on my own, and it turned out to be a great trip! We hit pvr before 8 on saturday, and started the hike up from the power plant.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/hikeup.jpg
There was a spot that I was planning on hitting that I know was productive in the past, plus wasn't too far from the only outhouse there (trying to plan ahead w/ the kids in tow...). We got there and this is what I found:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/waterlevel.jpg
The water level was way down (i couldn't see the boulders there when i went last about 6 weeks ago) and didn't seem deep enough to hold any decent sized fish. So we moved along to another spot that I knew had been productive. Again, the landscape was different w/ the water level being low, but I thought I'd give it a chance anyway. I started by tossing a thomas bouyant, and within the first couple of casts, FISH ON!! I brought it in and decided we'd post there for the day. I told the kids that we weren't going to be soaking bait, and helped them set up what I thought would be the easiest and most effective rig to get the fish on the line: a PW split-shotted wacky style. A while later, my oldest, who had never caught a fish before, starts yelling, DAD, I GOT A BITE!! I look over, and he had a fish on!!!
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/alexbendo.jpg
I coached him on bringing it in, but let him do all the work. Here's his first:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/alex1stfish.jpg
The next couple of hours consisted of me catching some fish, me re-tying hooks, me untangling lines, the kids playing, me re-tying hooks, me untangling lines, the oldest catching another, me re-tying hooks, and me untangling lines.
Here are a couple of action shots:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/a2.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/a1.jpg
I used a variety of lures and colors, including different spinners, spoons, tubes, nymphs and minows. I only saw maybe two other fish caught by other people. The bait and wait game did not seem to be very productive while we were there. Here's another reason why I might have been more successful:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/scout.jpg
I had a scout finding the schools for me!
My younger son was getting discouraged since he hadn't caught anything yet, but it finally happened for him. Here he is reeling in his first trout ever, "crouching tiger hidden dragon" style:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/antonebendo2.jpg
Here's his:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/antone1sttrout.jpg
We called it a day soon after since we had plans around town and I also wanted to show them the Owens.
I ended up w/ 7 caught, releasing 4, and the boys w/ 3 between them, all kept (I promised them they could keep any fish that they caught that weren't brown). Unfortunately, my daughter got the skunk, but she was ok with that.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/kids.jpg
Here are a couple of landscape shots:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/scene2.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/scene1.jpg
Here's the catch before filleting at the motel:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/lineup1.jpg
Later that day, we hit the owens. I only fished it for about 45 mins and got skunked, but the kids had a good time.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/owens1.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f320/vykeengfan/pvr0404/owens2.jpg

All in all, we had a great time. I'm hoping to make it out again in a few weeks, this time w/ the wife.
Sorry for the long read and I hope you enjoyed.
TIGHT LINES!!
pa

one_leg

04-06-2008, 10:50 PM

Way to go Dude!!! Great report and pics. You and your kids are all very lucky.

Trout-Slayer77

04-07-2008, 10:04 AM

looks like a good trip...nice to see you put your kids on some fish in the sierras !!

big_mike_70

04-07-2008, 11:06 AM

pescado abajo

04-07-2008, 11:34 AM

man i cant wait...10 more days till i get to go...i feel like a kid im so excited...

nice of you to take your kids with you...future generations of fishermen and women will help our fishing conditions in future...

the water 6 weeks earlier was higher ?
can anyone explain this ?
i hope its back up in 10 days...

the gates that lead into PVR from under the power plant were shut when I got there, so I think the only flow into it was the owens overflow?(someone please help me out on this one). on the way out, they were opened about half way and water was coming in.

big_mike_70

04-07-2008, 11:49 AM

this is gonna be my first time to the area of owens...ive fished rock creek lake...saddlebag area....and bishop creek just south of south lake...

any tips on where to pull off the 395 and directions to fav spots would be helpful....thanks in advance for your response.

FISH_HUNTER

04-07-2008, 02:02 PM

Love To See The Kids Fishing!!!you'll Get Yours Next Time!!

Mike274

04-08-2008, 02:48 PM

Big Mike,

if you go north from Bishop there is a turn off for Pleasan Valley Reservoir. You will see a sign for the right turn. Follow the road up and it will take you to the damn, which is on the left. If you walk up above the damn that is Pleasant Valley Reservoir. If you continue to follow the road it will swith back to the south. At this point it will parallel the Lower Owens basically. It is a dirt road by the way. You can turn right off of the road at any time, Preferably on one of the paths or trails, and you will hit the river.

Be very careful of the banks. With the levels low I prefer to wade because with the extended high flows that the river has experienced that last 2 years the banks have been under cut in some spots and can collapse. This is not a pretty thing. Wet, cold and very dangerous so always beware on this river. Believe it or not I have seen the water about 4-6 inches from the top of the banks for long periods the last 2 years.

This is also a barbless catch and release area!

Lures: Rooster Tails, Small rapalas (cd type in Firetiger, Rainbow or Brown trout), Inflated night crawlers on a #10 hook (I like Owner) drifted with a split shot or two. Just enough weight to get the bait down a little, Berkley power worm rigged wacky drop shot style.

Flies: I like to Nymph under an indicator, but if you catch a hatch you can throw a dry.

My 2 cents

Mike

BigGameHunter

04-08-2008, 03:36 PM

reelhigh

04-08-2008, 04:21 PM

Good job getting the kiddies involved.

pescado abajo

04-09-2008, 08:46 AM

It looks like you had a great time with the kids. I've been wanting to head up to PVR with my boyz, but have been apprehensive due to the hiking distance. I heard it was a good hike... How did the kids hold up..? By the looks of the pictures they were just fine.

Great Job

BGH

yeah we did have a great time. the hike really wasn't too bad for them. if the gates were open and the water level was higher, it could have been much shorter, maybe only 1/8 of a mile w/ just a little of it uphill. the boys brought their razor scooters and my daughter had a three wheeler that she was able to peddle most of the way on her own. the more difficult part would be getting down to the water, where it's a bit steep in most places and you have to deal w/ all of the rocks. there are some trails that have been created down to the water, but you won't have the paved road to use if you go down them. it's only about a 10-15 ft drop from the paved road down to the water. i would say that the hike shouldn't keep you from taking your boys up.