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Joshua
04-17-2009, 07:57 AM
I was wondering if Smitty could give an on-the-sceen weather update of South Fork. How deep is the snow pack along the creek. Can DFG get in to stock the creek? It has to be pretty clear before the DFG guys will get out of the truck to plant the fish

Sierra_Smitty
04-17-2009, 09:53 AM
I was wondering if Smitty could give an on-the-sceen weather update of South Fork. How deep is the snow pack along the creek. Can DFG get in to stock the creek? It has to be pretty clear before the DFG guys will get out of the truck to plant the fish

The roads to South Lake and Sabrina are both open right now. I haven't been up to either lake but my friends have been up to South. There is aprox 4-5ft of snow on the ground up at South Lake. I've been as far as Parchers (last week) and there was about 2ft on the ground there. I heard the parking situation is pretty crappy due to the county's blower breaking on them and them having to finish with a loader - the end result is pretty sloppy. Still, with a heat wave on its way this weekend, that should fix the parking issue.

Access to the creeks should be great. There is very little if any snow to the 8000ft level. Past there you start to see more and more but I would consider it to be light.

I talked to the folks at Black Rock Hatchery yesterday - they will definitely be stocking the creeks prior to the opener. They wanted to stock South Lake but I told them it was impossible with the lake level and the fact that it's iced over.

Intake II is ice free - should be great access there as well.

North Lake - its anyone's guess. Nobody bothers to hike up there until the opener.

Anyhow - that's what I know right now.

Joshua
04-17-2009, 02:24 PM
Thanks Smitty

Sierra_Smitty
04-17-2009, 05:22 PM
Ok - I was up at Parchers and South Lake today....here is the skinny.

There is still 2ft of snow (or thereabouts) at Parchers. There is just patchy snow below the 9000ft level - some areas are totally clear.

There is 4ft of snow at South Lake. The upper lot is clear so parking shouldn't be a problem. We took the auger for a test drive today and drilled 3 holes in various parts of the lake - in all three places the ice measured between 24" and 26".

It was awefully warm up there today - I was overdressed in a long sleeve shirt - so I'm not sure if that ice is going to hold up or not. It's entirely up to mother nature......

peace,
smitty

PS - here are a few pics

Myself in the middle of South Lake
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs004.snc1/2795_1084743930509_1583718245_198360_6971895_n.jpg

Lane drilling a hole with the auger
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs004.snc1/2795_1084743970510_1583718245_198361_4497028_n.jpg

South Fork of Bishop Creek right at Parchers (9260ft)
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs004.snc1/2795_1084744010511_1583718245_198362_1058895_n.jpg

Weir Pond below South Lake
http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs004.snc1/2795_1084744050512_1583718245_198363_4111314_n.jpg

troutdog
04-17-2009, 05:25 PM
Thanks for the 411 Smitty, FNN is lucky to have you on the board...thanks again and hope to see you very soon.


TD

VineAssist
04-19-2009, 07:54 PM
So you finnnnnallly got out and drilled some holes in the ice huh Smitty??? Well this So Cal boy transported from back east is deathly afraid of ice fishing. Some thing about falling in does not appeal to me. I will be up there in June though..

baadfish69
04-23-2009, 12:50 AM
So you finnnnnallly got out and drilled some holes in the ice huh Smitty??? Well this So Cal boy transported from back east is deathly afraid of ice fishing. Some thing about falling in does not appeal to me. I will be up there in June though..


Hahah....I second that one. I dont think I would trust 5 ft thick of ice. My mom fell into the ice when she was a kid ice skating in Ohio, and her stories of that day I think have haunted me forever. No walking on iced over lakes for me!

More power to ya Smitty and thanks so much for all you do here!