PDA

View Full Version : Rock Creek Lake - late May



MikeinSB
05-16-2007, 10:48 AM
Going on up for the first time in many a year. According to the Rock Creek Lake site:
"Rock Creek Lake thawed on May 9 and the road to Mosquito Flat opened on the tenth. Snow is patchy all the way to Heart Lake, and Mack Lake has already thawed. Rumor is that a 2+-pounder has been pulled from Rock Creek Lake by an unknown angler. The creek and lake are both being stocked weekly and there's an abundance of trout, although the water is cold and the fish are lethargic presently. Try a nightcrawler or red/gold Thomas Buoyant in the lake and see what happens."

I will give a report when I return (leaving the area before the holiday crowds arrive). Any tips/reports on the upper lakes would be appreciated - not planning on bringing waders - trying to keep the fishing as casual as possible (romantic week withmy wife, along with fishing - 'course I'll be putting a rod in her hands as well... :wink: ).

endLight
05-16-2007, 11:42 AM
I stopped by Rock Creek lk just before heading home from McGee Creek wkend on May 6th. The lake was frozen, but big stretches of shoreline were thawed. The weather had just started to get warmer that day. Saw some guys with a stringer, nothing over 15 inches. I got a bite on salmon eggs, but didn't land anything. It was very cold and I needed to drive home. But it was worth the view!

ok bye.

Troutman65
05-16-2007, 03:09 PM
Welcome to FNN

Thanks for the post. Looking forward to your report when you get back.

MikeinSB
05-29-2007, 10:58 AM
OK - here's my report, such as it is...
Got in Sunday evening, 5/20, staying at one of the Rock Creek Lake Resort cabins. Nice place. Headed down to the lake and tried to find a wind-sheltered location. Was impatient and had no luck, then the sun went down behind the mountain and I noticed that my wife's lips were turning blue. She appreciated my suggestion we head back to the cabin.

The following morning, I started out in the creek below the lake's outlet. Good action on bubble and fly (Adams) - kept two, both 'bows, then my wife showed up and we headed over to the lake. Two friends from Santa Barbara just "happened" to be driving past looking for us (they had been staying at Convict and were finishing up their trip), so we linked up for some excellent action using 'crawlers near the outlet until they had to leave to head back to civilization with their limit, obtained within 30 minutes. One small brown (C&R), the rest 'bows. One actually pulled me into the lake! (Well... I was fishing from the rocks and in an attempt to thwart my diabolical dinner plans, it tried to head around the corner and escape over the falls. As I followed, a mis-step resulted in a rather ungainly dunking on my part - them granite rocks are not really meant for walking on, much less falling on!) I still landed him, but we decided to release (dinner was already on the stringer). Afternoon winds cranked up and we called it a day.

Tuesday (5/22) began with wind again - I thought it was pretty windy, but other folks said that it was really nothing relative to what it was like elsewhere. I decided to try a number of different lures I had brought to see what would work, but the bite was off (I guess). That afternoon, we hiked up to Mack Lake. So gorgeous and we were virtually alone during the whole hike. I hooked a few in Mack Lake, again trying a variety of lures, but never landed anything (I really suck, I guess)! Would've continued and stayed until dark, but I'm married... :wink: Worked the creek on the way back (bubble and fly) with no success.

Wednesday - slept in a bit, by the time I got to the lake, it was like, "Where'd all these people come from?" I had gotten used to having most of the area to myself and all of a sudden there were about 12-15 people in my primary shoreline areas. A lot of disinterested fish roaming the near shoreline - some of those folks pulled in a few on PowerBait, and I hooked another on a bubble and nymph (but didn't land it :( ) Windy and cloudy - never really warmed up, either. Went down to my favorite creek spot below the outlet, but they all seemed bored by my bubble and fly presentations. Then I noticed that a few were chasing the float rather than the fly. Aha! They want to play... :D So - switched to a gold Kastmaster and it was game on! ...until I overcast and a log near the opposite shore grabbed and held that lures and then I lost another below some rocks and then I just pooped out... Drove up to Mammoth for the afternoon and checked out Twin Lakes and Lake Mary - our first time in the area - beautiful, but didn't fish, just reconnaisance for the future.

Thursday (5/24) - wife says, "You've fished a lot - are you satisfied now?" OK - 45 minute discussion on how I could fish all this time, have a really great time, yet still not be satisfied... It took some time to remember what I had forgotten, then I learned a lot on top of that, now I want to apply what I've learned and remembered... I still hadn't landed a brown or a brook, both of which I had on my "to-do" list when I arrived.

Our final plan was to hike back into the Little Lakes Valley past Mack Lake and give it a few more attempts. We were talking with Jim King, owner of the resort, about the trees in the area (my wife likes trees). Jim told us about the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains east of Big Pine which has the oldest living trees in the the world (4,000-5,000 years old). I saw my wife's eyes light up and decided to postpone my "brown & brook quest" and suggested we go there instead.

For those of you who aren't married, let me tell you, this offer (nay, sacrifice) was worth it! She has been telling all her friends (and me in private) how special it was for me to give up my quest for her (without being asked - that's actually a big part of it).

I will post a couple pics from this trip in a day or two after I yank them out of the digital camera (what? That's NOT how it's done?)

I'll be kayak fishing Lopez Lake in mid-June, looking for another bass like this from a few years back: (bass picture moved to SoCal Freshwater board)

MikeinSB
05-31-2007, 10:33 AM
Fishing Rock Creek Lake
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/Sierras033.jpg

Camera batteries died (natch) - couldn't take another pic until back at the cabin - dinner time!
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/Sierras028.jpg

Mack Lake - so nice! Just me and my wife, no one around...
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/Sierras052.jpg

Rock Creek below Mack Lake, above Rock Creek Lake. Loaded with brookies? Couldn't prove it by me...
http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/Sierras062.jpg