dockboy
06-16-2008, 01:45 AM
Finally got up there this weekend. Haven't been able to do my frequent trips due to everything bearing down on me at once up until recently, so this was a trip long awaited. Packed up Thursday before work, closed up shop around 10 and headed home to get my fly tying stuff ready to go and load up Dad's truck. Hit the sack around 2 and was up at 4:30 gettin' ready to roll. Left at 6:30 and we were fishin' Lone Pine Creek by 9:15. Not feelin' up to breakin' out the fly stuff early, I began working my way downstream with a small Pins Minnow a couple miles up from the campground. Had 2 fish come off in the current and numerous followers. After no more love on the Pins, began the tubes for a few followers and hits for nothin' Spotted some fish working the bottom on the run where I started, so I rigged up a fly rod and began Nymphed and threw a dry-dropper for no more love, so we headed downstream to an area known to hold fish. First cast with a yellow/silver Panther Martin results in a nice sized rainbow, but he come off as I started to land him. Started throwing the minnow baits again. With the heavy current in the run I just couldn't hold'em once they hit. Threw F-7 Rapala Floaters and the Pins Minnow for numerous follows and slashes from the fish. Had some browns following in the 16+ range, just couldn't get a hook into them when they finally committed.So it was off to the next hole we drove....
Hit up a spot we have never fished between Independence and Big Pine. I won't give it away for fear of overfishing but lets just say it was good. I don't think anybody ever fishes the area or if they do its not many people. In many pools there were 15-25 fish, but you got a shot at maybe 2 before they spooked.The end result was two bows in the 14" class for Dad on small holographic Panthers and a solid 16" bow for me on the mini jig. The water at this spot is gin clear and the brush thick, so you have to be careful with light tackle, and the shortest rod you feel comfortable fishing. Stumbled upon a good sized pool and found a nice fish in the nearest seam. He was pushing 20 and on the first cast with the mini jig he slams it but somehow fails to get the hook in him. Check the hook, throw out again and he hits hard again, for some reason I just can't seem to get a hook in him. Dad walks up, throws in the spinner, and also misses him. That said, we managed no more fish for the session at the place, but drove off happy with the fish we had and feelin' good about a new spot on the map :cool:
Drove into Bishop about 3, and got on the Wild Trout section of the Owens below PV about 3:30. Fished till 9. The flows were down from 600 cfs at 450 or so since last week, which is still high water. Dad managed 6 on spinner and spoons, and I proceeded to fish the Pins Minnows and Mira Shads fr an hour or so with many more followers and several LDRs.Finally rigged up the fly outfits, and started nymphing away for nothing. The high water made the nymph bite tough due to high amount of floating debris in the water and high flows requiring lots of shot. No luck on the streamers, though I'm sure I would have had one if I had been more persistent. About 6 the caddis go on a bltiz. Fish are going off everywhere on 16-18 tan caddis. Fished dries with tons of blowups and rises but the heavier currents made setting the hook a difficult task, even on downstream presentations. Managed to get 2, but no pics. I finally ran out of the patterns they were hitting about 7:30. I picked up the Mira Shad and proceeded to rip my way downstream. In an hour and half I got 3, with 1 in the foot range and another going 14. Had an absolute ton of bumps and slashes on the bait, they just wouldn't commit sometimes.
4534
4535
4536
Leavin' the river, we get to Mammoth and the hotel by 11 after pizza at a local place. Got some much needed sleep ( 3 hours rest with about 8-9 hours of fishing is tough sometimes) Got up at 7:30 and hit up Mammoth Creek near the Snow Creek Meadows section. Expecting the usual wild browns I typically catch there on flies, I was surprised to only get 1 brown to follow today. All in all I managed 8 stocker bows in the 12-14" class, while Dad hit 3 fish up. 5 oy mine came on a /12oz gold Kastmaster, 2 on mini jigs, and 1 on the yellow Panther. Dad had 1 on the holographic Panther along with quite a few LDRs, and then 2 more on the Kastmaster after I gave it to him so I could fish mini jigs. Sorry, no pics here. Bein' an idiot, I left the camera in the car for what I thought would be an average outing. :mad:
Bout 12:20 we fished my favorite water, the Upper Owens. Opting to fish above Benton instead of below the bridge where everyone was heading, we got about a mile and half from the crossing and began fishing. Wanting to cover some water before I set up the flies, I grabbed Dad's rod while he was gettin' out of the truck and made a few cast in the nearest water to try it out. 3rd cast in I hit a solid bow of about 14" that ended up being an LDR. Missed 2 while talking to pos and gave him back the rod while I headed to the truck for lunch. Grabbed the rip rod with a Mira Shad and got to work. 15 mins later a decent bow slams the bait half way down and throws the bait in a jump. Continued to work my way up stream with numerous LDRs and follows. 2 fly fisherman walked up and began to fish about 50 yds upstream. Made another cast into a prime piece of water...rip..rip..rip.rip..SLAM! Ended up being a bow pushin' 16". He ate the Mira Shad like no tomorrow.
4537
Movin' on up toward Dad, managed a brown of about 10" and a few more LDRs. Then I threw the bait right up under an undercut, twitched it a couple times, and watched this guy blast it right in front of me. Ended up going about 18" or so, maybe 21/2-3 in weight. Best fish of the trip for me :p
4538
After more LDRs and several good follows, I met up with the Dad unit. He reported 3 small guys, and slower than usual action on the spoons and spinners. Handed him the rip outfit and traded off for his. 3 casts later, he gets his best fish of the day.
4539
After the nice spin session we retire for a break and I break out the fly tying kit to replenish my dry and nymph selection after the night before on the lower river. 2 hours later I'm set and fishing with confidence that the 2 dozen patterns I tied up would replenish last nights depletion. Ended up being a bust. Around 4 the wind really kicked up. It made nymphing hard, and dries tough. Streamers drew a few bumps, but the high pressure coming in meant solid breezes and no caddis blitz like I had been expecting. Around the time to head home I had a good fish blowup on a caddis imitation but broke him off right after hookset :mad: Oh well.. a good trip all in all.
Final total;
Dad-13 landed, god knows how many LDRs and almosts :)
Myself- 18 landed, at least 30 LDRs, and plenty of missed fish on dries.
Sorry if the pics are small.. I'm new to putting pics online. Most the time the cmaera ends sitting in the car or at home when it should be on the water :LOL:
Hit up a spot we have never fished between Independence and Big Pine. I won't give it away for fear of overfishing but lets just say it was good. I don't think anybody ever fishes the area or if they do its not many people. In many pools there were 15-25 fish, but you got a shot at maybe 2 before they spooked.The end result was two bows in the 14" class for Dad on small holographic Panthers and a solid 16" bow for me on the mini jig. The water at this spot is gin clear and the brush thick, so you have to be careful with light tackle, and the shortest rod you feel comfortable fishing. Stumbled upon a good sized pool and found a nice fish in the nearest seam. He was pushing 20 and on the first cast with the mini jig he slams it but somehow fails to get the hook in him. Check the hook, throw out again and he hits hard again, for some reason I just can't seem to get a hook in him. Dad walks up, throws in the spinner, and also misses him. That said, we managed no more fish for the session at the place, but drove off happy with the fish we had and feelin' good about a new spot on the map :cool:
Drove into Bishop about 3, and got on the Wild Trout section of the Owens below PV about 3:30. Fished till 9. The flows were down from 600 cfs at 450 or so since last week, which is still high water. Dad managed 6 on spinner and spoons, and I proceeded to fish the Pins Minnows and Mira Shads fr an hour or so with many more followers and several LDRs.Finally rigged up the fly outfits, and started nymphing away for nothing. The high water made the nymph bite tough due to high amount of floating debris in the water and high flows requiring lots of shot. No luck on the streamers, though I'm sure I would have had one if I had been more persistent. About 6 the caddis go on a bltiz. Fish are going off everywhere on 16-18 tan caddis. Fished dries with tons of blowups and rises but the heavier currents made setting the hook a difficult task, even on downstream presentations. Managed to get 2, but no pics. I finally ran out of the patterns they were hitting about 7:30. I picked up the Mira Shad and proceeded to rip my way downstream. In an hour and half I got 3, with 1 in the foot range and another going 14. Had an absolute ton of bumps and slashes on the bait, they just wouldn't commit sometimes.
4534
4535
4536
Leavin' the river, we get to Mammoth and the hotel by 11 after pizza at a local place. Got some much needed sleep ( 3 hours rest with about 8-9 hours of fishing is tough sometimes) Got up at 7:30 and hit up Mammoth Creek near the Snow Creek Meadows section. Expecting the usual wild browns I typically catch there on flies, I was surprised to only get 1 brown to follow today. All in all I managed 8 stocker bows in the 12-14" class, while Dad hit 3 fish up. 5 oy mine came on a /12oz gold Kastmaster, 2 on mini jigs, and 1 on the yellow Panther. Dad had 1 on the holographic Panther along with quite a few LDRs, and then 2 more on the Kastmaster after I gave it to him so I could fish mini jigs. Sorry, no pics here. Bein' an idiot, I left the camera in the car for what I thought would be an average outing. :mad:
Bout 12:20 we fished my favorite water, the Upper Owens. Opting to fish above Benton instead of below the bridge where everyone was heading, we got about a mile and half from the crossing and began fishing. Wanting to cover some water before I set up the flies, I grabbed Dad's rod while he was gettin' out of the truck and made a few cast in the nearest water to try it out. 3rd cast in I hit a solid bow of about 14" that ended up being an LDR. Missed 2 while talking to pos and gave him back the rod while I headed to the truck for lunch. Grabbed the rip rod with a Mira Shad and got to work. 15 mins later a decent bow slams the bait half way down and throws the bait in a jump. Continued to work my way up stream with numerous LDRs and follows. 2 fly fisherman walked up and began to fish about 50 yds upstream. Made another cast into a prime piece of water...rip..rip..rip.rip..SLAM! Ended up being a bow pushin' 16". He ate the Mira Shad like no tomorrow.
4537
Movin' on up toward Dad, managed a brown of about 10" and a few more LDRs. Then I threw the bait right up under an undercut, twitched it a couple times, and watched this guy blast it right in front of me. Ended up going about 18" or so, maybe 21/2-3 in weight. Best fish of the trip for me :p
4538
After more LDRs and several good follows, I met up with the Dad unit. He reported 3 small guys, and slower than usual action on the spoons and spinners. Handed him the rip outfit and traded off for his. 3 casts later, he gets his best fish of the day.
4539
After the nice spin session we retire for a break and I break out the fly tying kit to replenish my dry and nymph selection after the night before on the lower river. 2 hours later I'm set and fishing with confidence that the 2 dozen patterns I tied up would replenish last nights depletion. Ended up being a bust. Around 4 the wind really kicked up. It made nymphing hard, and dries tough. Streamers drew a few bumps, but the high pressure coming in meant solid breezes and no caddis blitz like I had been expecting. Around the time to head home I had a good fish blowup on a caddis imitation but broke him off right after hookset :mad: Oh well.. a good trip all in all.
Final total;
Dad-13 landed, god knows how many LDRs and almosts :)
Myself- 18 landed, at least 30 LDRs, and plenty of missed fish on dries.
Sorry if the pics are small.. I'm new to putting pics online. Most the time the cmaera ends sitting in the car or at home when it should be on the water :LOL: