Opener Tips

[riverside_angler]

Wow! I can't believe we are a week away. I don't get there until monday so i miss all the crowds but am looking to hook into some fish this year. last year was pretty rough on the entire group and that is why i am posting this thread.

Can some of you experts shed a little light on some tips that work for you that fish the june lake loop? Or maybe inform of certain holes?

I have never trolled and am considering giving it a shot. Someone at Bass Pro SHop recommended trolling with those silver attractant blades with a bouyant. Can someone elaborate on this set up and do i need lead core, how deep, length of leader, etc.

what type of lures have been hot for this season up there?

anything will help, and good luck to all of you that get to make the opener.

[sierraslam]

I've always had slow days the Monday through Wednesday after Opener. The place gets hammered so hard over the weekend, it seems like the fish hide out for a while. Usually DFG will stock by Thursday and the fishing picks up by the following weekend. From shore I use inflated Crawlers, some Power Bait, and chuck lures. Panther Martins, Thomas Boyants, Kastmasters, the usual suspects. Trolling is a bit of an art believe it or not. I see folks in rented boats dragging crap around all day and not catch a thing. Depth is huge! Ask the tackle shops where the trout are hanging at. A slow, slow troll is usually best early in the season. Stay fairly close to shore without getting rocks thrown at you by shore fishermen, and work your way along the shelf where the lake changes depth. Sometimes it is best to take a boat to a cove, anchor, throw lures towards shore, and retrieve back across the shelf every lake has up there. I'm way to pumped up! I'm leaving Thursday, Staying in Mammoth, hitting the Stove on Friday, and rippin' lips at Convict Saturday! good fishin!

[Procure kid]

your first issue is the time of your trip..like the post before said, those lakes get hit hard on opening weekend. Those lakes stay shell shocked for a week minimum. I have made the same mistake with our annual trip, ten of us struggled to get a couple a day. Next year put three weeks between your trip and the opener.

As far as trolling, that early in the year the water is still cold. The fish are up near the top. So pulling a red and gold Thomas Bouyant solo on 4lb test about 30 yards off shore (June Lake) as slow as you possibly can always seems to work. As the day progresses, bait and jigs along the reeds, but I would still throw a Bouyant while waiting for a bite...

I would head over to Crowley, that will be your best chance that close to the opener. Short leaders with inflated nightcrawlers out by the floating toilet......good luck

[riverside_angler]

hey guys, thanks for the replies. i will definitely relay this info to the rest of the team and consider going up later next year depending on how we do this year. Again, i appreciate your responses and am looking to hear a few more.

thanks.

[Badfish2]

PM Sent :o

[Badfish2]

Oh and fish the June Lake Loop for the opener.. avoid crowley unless you want to fish with 4000 other people. There should be plenty of open water at Gull and Grant and June lake. You might have to walk a few minutes but it's worth it. Rumor has it there will be a 17lb+ fish caught this year out of Gull. .Last year ended with a 16lber.:eek:

[Lunker1979]

Yeah yeah yeah!! I don't care if 10,000 people fish the day before I go fishing! Doesn't have any effect on me. It's all about presentation of the lure. Anyone can soak a crawler or power bait and wonder why they aren't catching anything. RiversideAngler, I'll be staying at June Lake RV on Sunday-Thursday, come find me, I'll show you how to tie into some giant BROWNS!

[Procure kid]

easy pal.....

[pattitude]

Sounds like you have had sucess with your lure presentation & selection. Could you give a newbee some advice to hook some great browns?


Pattitude

[Badfish2]

Last year I was tearing up the browns with a Rainbow Trout pattern Thomas Bouyant, streams the browns were going for copper Panther Martins