Family Memorial Trip to Wishon 2009

[bullets_full]

Kali, Tater and I headed up to wishon village last Friday for a family campout. After about 6 or so hours of driving we finally got there and set up camp. We fished the reservoir on Saturday by the dam and once we found what the trout wanted, it was seriously sick. So wide open that I literally was getting bored because it was too easy. We caught fish on Rapala fire tigers, kastmasters, luhr jensen spoons, roostertails but what the wanted most (at least for me) was rainbow powerbait on about a 2 foot leader.
We did a lot of site seeing and took a ton of pictures. We fished King's River on Sunday because Courtright reservoir was so packed it looked like Disneyland. The fishing at the river was very slow but I managed one brown which I released as did Norm (Erica's mother's fiance'). I'll let the pictures tell the story and I'm sure Kali will add his two cents later.

Enjoy:
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[bullets_full]

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[bullets_full]

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[bullets_full]

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[bullets_full]

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[bullets_full]

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[FISH_HUNTER]

Dude......................love it when the pictures tell the story! Looks like you and your crew had a great time in GOD's Country! :Beer Toast:

[troutdog]

Amazing pictures Bullets, looks like you had a GREAT time with the family.

Dude that beard would put Casey Blake's (Dodger 3rd baseman) to shame! :LOL:

Call you later bud, I'll try and stop by with your net and you can tell me some fish stories!


TD

[KaliDawgFan]

Here's my take...

We left home for Wishon at 4:30 am Friday morning, and after a couple of pit stops arrived at Wishon Village a little after 10 am. Bullets, Tater and I had the task of setting up camp for everyone and collecting firewood for the night. We were done with all of that by about 1 pm and were off to fish Wishon Reservoir. When we arrived the wind was blowing...not too bad but enough to make us decide to try our luck fishing Upper King's River at the bottom of the dam. There wasn't much action there, and after an hour and a half we figured we'd brave the wind. As luck would have it the wind died down by the time we got to a spot. I started off throwing a Thomas Buoyant and hooked up on a small rainbow. Bullets added one of his own not long after. The clouds coming over the mountains looked rather menacing, and sure enough thunder started rolling. That's all we needed to hear so we packed up and headed back to camp. The rain never came though thank goodness. Sometime during the night my sister showed, and Tater's family arrived in the early am. After breakfast Bullets, Norm and I headed back to the reservoir to give it another try. I started off with the TB again. Norm threw a Rapala in firetiger, and I think Bullets was tossing a Roostertail. Between the three of us we probably caught and released 6 or so rainbows before Bullets said we should keep some for dinner. Of course the trout didn't want to have anything to do with our lures by then. They'd follow them right up to the bank but wouldn't commit. I tossed some garlic PB on my bait and wait pole and hurled it out as far as I could. The line started moving out before I was even able to put the pole into the holder. That's pretty much how it was for the next hour or so. Bullets and I each kept a limit and released double that. Norm managed a few of his own also. I also caught a native rainbow that had pink meat. It put up a fantastic fight! Sunday we wanted to make a day of Courtright Reservoir, which was about a 15 mile drive from Wishon. The drive there was gorgeous, but it was way too crowded so we turned around and went back to Upper King's River. I wasn't able to catch anything, but the hike along the "river" was breath-taking. Bullets and Norm stayed back and each caught a brown and missed a couple of hits.

Here are some of the pictures I took:

The drive up

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Yep, it got that cold at night (mid 30's). During the day it reached the 80's easily.

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss140/wishon2009/Ryan%20pics/GEDC0188.jpg

I believe this is called a snow flower. I had never noticed one before in my previous visits.

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A panoramic shot of a sequoia

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This creek ran right under one of the roads. I think it's called Bear Creek.

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A closer panoramic view

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underneath the Dinkey Creek bridge

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Panoramic shots from the star-gazing rock near camp

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Courtright Reservoir from the top of the dam

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The view from the other direction

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The largest rodent I've ever seen. The picture doesn't do this thing justice. It probably could've eaten Rocky.

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Some pics of Upper King's River

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bluejay

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[DCCTrouserTrout]

Those are some cool pics...

[troutdog]

That thing that coulda eaten rocky is a marmot....pretty cool looking critters imo.


TD

[olfishergal]

Great pics u guys, feel like I was right there........love that country.....thanks for all the pics and Bullet, cool looking beard Glad u all had a good time......OFG

[bullets_full]

That thing that coulda eaten rocky is a marmot....pretty cool looking critters imo.


TD

They are also called Woodchucks, Whistle Pigs, or Ground Hogs. You can't tell by the pic how big that darn thing was. I have like ten pics of that thing because I would snap a pic, then move a couple steps and so on. I was surprised it actually let me get as close as I did to it.

[Troutman65]

Hey guys , Great fishing trip. I think it will take me a week to down load pics. :ROFL: I enjoyed reading. Thanks Ryan.:Wink: Hopefully I can get a peak at this report from a faster puter very soon. Thanks for sharing .:Envious::Cool:

[Mr Bendo]

Awesome pictures and report guys!!!!!! Can't wait to go up there myself!

[sansou]

Holy cow, you weren't kidding, it's gorgeous up there! Nicely done with the panaramic pics and all!

You guys did well on the trout too. I bet that water is glacially cold! The red flower looks like something out of a cartoon....wow!

Such a nice family camping trip. 30 degrees at night? Yikes!

Let's go fishing, it's been a little while since we got skunked at Skinner. We're due for another skunking & beer bottle/campfire molding session.

[Trout-Slayer77]

wow !!!! some of the best pics ive seen in any report !! looks like a great time....so beautiful up there ! thanks for the visual treat

[greg]

Thanks for those terrific pics! Now I'm motivated to try the Western Sierra just outside of Fresno. May have to visit some of my extended family while I'm up there...

[MAN VS WILD]

Those are some cool pics! Looks like you all had a great time. thanks for the report.

FISH ON!!!

[Fisherman57]

Outstanding report & photos........
Been a long time since I been up that way, but still as beautiful as ever....

Thanks for sharing your trip!



Dana

[PONTOON]

Bullets, Kali & Tater, you all seem to take the neatest rips. Man I've been looking at the pictures and they are awesome!:Thumbs Up::Thumbs Up:

Thanks for sharing and if for some reason next trip you need someone to tag along and maybe do some cooking or firewood gathering just let me know. I don't cook too well though.

[Granny Fish]

That place is beautiful. I remember talking to your sister about it and we have thought about visiting it ourselves. We like to go to a place that is a little further South of there. Looks like you all had a great time. Thanks for the report. :Cool:

[Wingnut]

All I can say is WOW... simply amazing. That is some good stuff right there! :Cool: :Big Grin: :Envious:

[Trout-Tuna-For.Me]

Bullets, great report........like I've been telling other FNNers of that area, always an awesome trip. I've been going there for over 40 years and still can't get enough of it or the other lakes/streams north of there. Have you ever taken a boat or rented one to go to the Kings River inlet? Limit fishing on holdover and natural rainbows 14 to 18 inches and browns 12 to 19 inches. My biggest brown near there was a 7 pounder.
I'll be going to Wishon at the end of the month before the 4th of July crowd gets there and will definately post a report. Again, awesome report and pics!
TTFM