Base camp at Lee Vining or Redd's Meadow's areas

[ikeman]

My dad and I are doing our annual trip up the 395 the first weekend in Sept. The last few years we have based out of the Tioga pass campgrounds, fishing up to the Walkers and surrounding creeks. Took him up to Saddlebag and the Toulumne/Lyle forks and we usually hit up Hot Creek and the Owens on the way up and back,sometimes the June lake loop and Rush. All great fisheries when they are on. I love the High Sierra's and have been to some beautiful areas. To the guys who live up there, my hats off and much respect to you all and your beautiful country. You are truly blessed and I understand the pressure felt on the streams and lakes when they get abused by the onslaught of visitors. As you know, last year the water was low all around and I am looking for suggestions for this 4 day trip.

We have done kinda the same trip for the past four years in the same areas, but I took a trip to Red's Meadows, fished the San Joaquin and the basin lakes about 12 years ago and had a great time. I haven't been back since.

My question is where to go this trip. Our trips are fly fishing only and I would like to show him somewhere else unless the Lee Vining area is producing. How's the Meadows this time of year and is the San Joaquin fishing well or are we better to go further up?

I would appreciate any thoughts on where to base out of and where to fish.

Jeff

[Badfish2]

www.performanceanglers.com

http://www.thetroutfly.com/

That's all you need to know, they are both located in those areas and regularly update fishing reports from those areas that are extremely accurate.

[Team Dead Money]

If you go to Reds Meadows area camp out of upper soda springs and hike up river for some great wild trout fly fishing. Even right at the camp is good for the wild trout and stockers (if your into that). I've been all the way to a huge water fall that you can hike up a trail along side of it but it's a days hike. The further up you go from the upper soda springs camp ground the better it gets with different species of trout to get. At the camp area you have rainbows and browns then it goes to browns, rainbows and cutbows to goldens and cutthroats. One thing though, it's jungle fishing most of the time, not the easiest to fish with tree's and shrubs on the bank. Well worth it though, it's crazy good!!
Guy Williams

[ikeman]

Thanks guys, appreciate the info! Been slaying the ocean species this summer down south and I'm looking forward to some cool weather and fly fishing for trout. I think it Red's this time.

badfish - Thanks for the resource links great video reports.

Team dead - Thanks for the info- A 4 species day would be great fishing! Is the big waterfall you mentioned Minaret falls? It's been a long time since I have camped in there.

[Team Dead Money]

I'm not too sure what the name of the fall's are. I just remember that they are a good ways away. Also you can hike to a nice lake up the trail too. I have not been there in 8 years because I don't want to take my daughter to a stream fishery yet (she's 8). I'm still just spoiling her with lake fishing. We're off to Twin lakes Mammoth on Sunday for the week and may run down to the San J one day for some fun but we'll see. No matter how long you stay up that way you never get to do all that you would like, especially when you have a family that wants to do other stuff than fish 24/7 as I would like to. Also if you hike down stream from upper soda springs you will run into some nice meadow fishing for some hoppers action on the small browns. Fishing is not as good as up stream but it's still fun and looks awesome.
Guy Williams

[ikeman]

Dead- My dad took me when I was young, 8-15ys old, fishing on the Madison in Southwestern Montana around Ennis, and the Wyoming areas, getting great stonefly hatches. The San Joaquin has stones dont they? Maybe not, I thought the last time up there they did, either way, the meadows fishing down there, like the Owens and Hot Creek, should suit him well with the hoppers. But until I can afford the trip to New Zealand that I promised him years ago, as a thank you to introducing me and taking me on some awesome fly fishing trips, the Sierras have have to do and they have had him stoked each trip. He lives in Georgia and gets out here once a year. He is a good nymph fisherman and has taken some big browns out of Hot Creek over the past few trips, but he also appreciates the smaller wild brookies, goldens and cutthroats that we get out here. He's 72, but can hike like Lance Armstrong climbing the Pyrenees. Its just fun getting out with my dad and camping. I appreciate what you are saying about taking the time with your daughter, I feel the same way with my son, gotta get some skills and respect for where you are.

Again, Thanks so much for your insight and I'll make sure this year to post some pictures. If are ever in OC and want to get a quick harbor fish in, let me know. Dana's a good fishery and great for the kids!

Jeff