June Lake Loop 5-18 to 5-22

[Procure kid]

Just wanted to drop a quick message on our trip. We got to Crowely early Sunday the 22nd (started our drive from Yorba Linda @ 2 am, we were fishing at 7am). Rented a pontoon on Crowely and headed out. Just a side note, they made a big deal about checking the prop prior to leaving the marina due to an "unfortunate incident" that had just happen the prior week....

When we arrived the midge hatch was INSANE!...huge black clouds of midges everywhere, it was like nothing I've seen! The marina guys said the hot weather (in the low 90's that day) caused the early and heavy hatch. So needless to say the catch was tough..got a few, nothing impressive. Another side note...all you Crowley haters, I was not a Crowely fan either until last year...got into a epic bite of 2-3 lb. fish that lasted all day..the fish in my avatar is one of a limit I caught that day....big fish, all of em, so try it...you'll like it I swear.

Stayed at Big Rock Resort...and the next day was Gull Lake. It was wide open on stockers all day long. Inflated Crawlers, Yellow Power bait and Orange Berkley Powere worms. Our group snagged around 4 two pounders, and one just over three that day. Not to mention a little one nearly every cast on the power worms. Tried the lip ripperz as well, and found that the Power Worms just out performed the Ripperz! (sorry ripper guys! just being honest for the 57 boyz..).

Next day was June.....same deal, tons of fish just real small. Every cast on the Power Worms at one point again. Orange was the color along the reeds in the morning and afternoon. Another hot one on Tuesday, in the high 80's!....one of our group was able to pull in a 3.8 on Gull again....he was just on fire this trip (stonedogg in da hizzy!).

Wed. the wind started....really heavy. Unfishable on June, Bridgeport and everything inbetween (even Walker was tough...it was that bad!) But early that morning team 57 member "sevenout" came up with the pot winner for the trip trolling a black wooly bugger on mono at June lake. 4.8 lb Alpers.....nice fish. After noon, eveything was done on June due to wind. We were able to wade out in waders on Gull that evening and toss more power worms for tons of action on stockers before we called it a trip.

Next morning we headed out, with three inchs of snow on the car, back to the O.C.

Lots of action, just got tired of dealing with the stockers after a while. We saw tons of huge fish swimming along the shore on both Gull and June, threw everthing at em, but just the spazzy stockers would take our offerings.

Pictures will be posted soon by another member who brought the camera (pattitude..pics?!?).....

Lessons learned this trip: If the troll isnt working, switch depths....trolling always works, you just need to find the depth they are at.

Power Worms catch fish.....they seem to be the smaller ones, but they definitely catch fish.

And finally...I'm not going to bore you with the "huge one that got away" story...but there are some big fish in Gull....the lake that finally produced again after a several year lapse.

[GdHkSet1]

Great thorough report, I plan on doing some trolling in the June Loop sometime in JUL. What are the launch fees at June, Gull and Silver? A great fishing trip always has one of those: bigun's that got away...good luck next time.

[SoCalGuy7]

Thanks for the informative report...will take notes for the Sierra event..

SCG7

[diamondbear]

GREAT REPORT , You can tell you and the group have done this before . Even without pics I can feel the excitment , trolling a black wolly is always a good idea up there . AND GdHkSet1 your motor is to big for most of these lakes , lol just kidding , have fun in july and I'am heading up there in Aug. // db

[GdHkSet1]

WHAT'S UP Db, let me know when you are heading up in AUG, we are talking late Jul for our trip, but some of the crew I'm going with has'nt confirmed yet. Was there a Big Bear Trout tourney this week? Were you in it?

r/

[fishrbouy]

thanks for the report, can't wait to be up there soon .........

[drivelikejoewho]

I have no experience trolling. Can somebody give some advice because I'll be up in Mammoth in a few weeks. I bought some Wedding Rings last year on a suggestion but I had no idea what I was doing when I was trying to troll these things. My line stayed near the top of the water. Do I need specific gear? I went fishing on the Great Lakes when I was younger and I remember using down riggers but I doubt that is necessary on a small lake.

And a Wooley Bugger is a fly right? Does that mean you were using a fly on a spin reel or where you trolling your fly set up (I don't even know if that is possible)?

Thanks in a advance,

A total newb!

[Procure kid]

ok...a little complex to touch on everything in one post. It will really depend on were you are fishing at, and for what. But for the sake of this post...we will assume the sierra's for trout.

First thing is equipt. You need nothing more than four pound mono line on a spinning reel and light weight pole.Four pound for trolling only, other than that use two pound...trout are finicky.Set the drag on your reel to a loose setting, this is important. Have somebody show you how to set your drag. Nothing worse than getting hit and the line snapping because your drag was way to tight.

Next you need to figure out were the fish are at as far as depth. The hotter the weather has been, the deeper the fish. you will need to identify were they are by talking with the local flavor at tackle shops...and play with the weight on your rigs till they start hitting. During cold weather, a thomas Bouyant (red and Gold) solo (no weight) on mono line is a proven killer. No hits after several passes, throw a couple split shot on the line about 3-4 feet from the lure. Lures not working? throw an Olive Matuuka or Black wooly bugger on the line with the same split shot.....troll slllloooow as you can (drifting behind a float tube is a killer as well).

Another easy option, try a night crawler on the same set up (with a worm hook). you can set up a Dave Davis flasher ahead of it if your feeling tricky (old school...) but that is getting a little to tricky for this post.

It is an aquired art...one that you will develop as you continue to fish in the sierras. I was lucky enought to have a father that took me each summer to the June Lake Loop, and continued as an adult planning yearly trips with friends. I have spent the last 34 years of my life fishing up there every year, several times a year, and still learn new techniques that work.

Time of year, temp., time of day (morning-night?), bug hatch....they all play big roles on catching trout. Ask questions, listen to guys with healthy stringers or good pictures with no stringers at all, try everything and never stick with the same thing. You will get on fish, get hooked and end up typing long responses on fishing websites trying to spread the love.

Send me a personal message and I will help as much as possible. Till then...good luck.

[Mike274]

Just FYI. Trolling flies works excellent in the June loop area. Start with small split shot then continue to add until you get the depth where the fish are holding. Also, the "red throat" Matukas work best for some reason. There are regular Matukas and ones that have some red on them. Just ask for red throat Matukas and most places can help you. By the way the best color is either olive or olive.

Mike

[steve092]

Looks like you guys had a good fishing trip.

Good job.

[drivelikejoewho]

ok...a little complex to touch on everything in one post. It will really depend on were you are fishing at, and for what. But for the sake of this post...we will assume the sierra's for trout.

First thing is equipt. You need nothing more than four pound mono line on a spinning reel and light weight pole.Four pound for trolling only, other than that use two pound...trout are finicky.Set the drag on your reel to a loose setting, this is important. Have somebody show you how to set your drag. Nothing worse than getting hit and the line snapping because your drag was way to tight.

Next you need to figure out were the fish are at as far as depth. The hotter the weather has been, the deeper the fish. you will need to identify were they are by talking with the local flavor at tackle shops...and play with the weight on your rigs till they start hitting. During cold weather, a thomas Bouyant (red and Gold) solo (no weight) on mono line is a proven killer. No hits after several passes, throw a couple split shot on the line about 3-4 feet from the lure. Lures not working? throw an Olive Matuuka or Black wooly bugger on the line with the same split shot.....troll slllloooow as you can (drifting behind a float tube is a killer as well).

Another easy option, try a night crawler on the same set up (with a worm hook). you can set up a Dave Davis flasher ahead of it if your feeling tricky (old school...) but that is getting a little to tricky for this post.

It is an aquired art...one that you will develop as you continue to fish in the sierras. I was lucky enought to have a father that took me each summer to the June Lake Loop, and continued as an adult planning yearly trips with friends. I have spent the last 34 years of my life fishing up there every year, several times a year, and still learn new techniques that work.

Time of year, temp., time of day (morning-night?), bug hatch....they all play big roles on catching trout. Ask questions, listen to guys with healthy stringers or good pictures with no stringers at all, try everything and never stick with the same thing. You will get on fish, get hooked and end up typing long responses on fishing websites trying to spread the love.

Send me a personal message and I will help as much as possible. Till then...good luck.

Thanks for all the great info. It looks like I was doing this right last year. I guess just no luck. It was a lot easier to sit on the shore and catch fish all day with powerbait and worms. I got advice from somebody to use wedding rings at Saddlebag Lake so I had bought them before going up. I was out there with my spinning real with 4lb mono filament on and a wedding ring. I tied a swivel on before the weight because I thought you need that to prevent your line from getting wound up.

I guess I'll try again this year and be more persistent. I think maybe I was driving the boat too fast. I know it will be a much sweeter feeling to catch a fish trolling than it will to use bait.

[Troutman65]

Looks like you guys had a good fishing trip.

Good job.


Ditto.

Thanks for the info.


Troutman65

[pattitude]

The trip went fom 90 degrees to snow, here is a sample of the pictures, a great fish for Nitch, or (seven out) 4 1/2 pound state stocker with the tag!

Great trip



Pattitude