Opening Day Advise

[OCGeezer]

After several years of thinking of going to the Eastern Slope on opening weekend it looks like this could be the year. Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!

I know there there will be a mess of people up there but are they everywhere or primarily at Lake Crowley?

Safe to assume all the budget hotels in Bishop are all booked up by now so where is the best chance of getting a camping spot?

Since I usually go to Bishop Park Camp Ground just below North Lake, not sure they are even open in April and if so, prolly very cold up there at night.

Will be arriving mid-day on Friday and stay until Sunday afternoon (3PM).

Again, not looking for best spot for catching fish, just looking for the spots that are not too crowded, if that is at all possible.

OCGeezer

[retired96]

I always tent camp in Rock Creek and leave home 3 days before the opener. There were only two campgrounds open for opening weekend due to snow at the higher elevation campgrounds. On Sat. of the opener my campground had over 20 empty sites.

I don't fish Crowley, but fish the Upper Owens River and the crowds weren't that bad even when you consider a large section of the river is closed at that time. I fished areas of Rock Creek on Sat. and Sun. of opening weekend and had no one even close to me. ( note they didn't stock Rock Creek last year for the opening).

I really think the economy will see less people at the opener this year, many people just can't afford the extra expense. I have made 3 trips to Bishop this year and have stayed at the Elms motel, the owner said his occupancy has been way down, very few skiers or fishermen.

[Sierra_Smitty]

I doubt all the motels in Bishop are booked so give them a try first.

If that doesn't work, my favorite campground is Bishop Park, Intake II or Sabrina Camp - but you'll have to check with the forest service to see which will be open. Willow is actually my top favorite but it's never open that early in the season.

The whole eastern slope gets hit pretty hard that weekend - regardless of the economy I don't expect anything to change with regard to opening weekend - a few less maybe but there will be an awful lot of fisherman out there.

Like Retired96 suggested, best chances of finding open water is to work the creeks - whatever creek that may be.....I would stay away from Crowley and Convict for sure.

The best way to find a place with light fishing pressure is less about place and more about timing - make your trip up the weekend after opener...conditions aren't usually much different but the crowds are WAY lighter.

my two cents....

smitty

[Joshua]

I camp at Four Jeffrys on Bishop South Fork. In some cases this is the only campground this is open up on the hill. I think Intake II is usually open. Or people just walk in and camp