Yosemite Fishing

[camman]

How's the fishing around Yosemite? I figure it receives a fair amount of pressure.

Any recommendations on places to hit? lakes, streams, etc...

Planning to spend a couple days in Bridgeport and a few days in Yosemite

Thanks

[seal]

Here's a past thread with Yosemite fishing info..

http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?t=34085&highlight=yosemite

[Natural Lefty]

Camman, no fish are stocked in Yosemite, but I prefer wild trout, anyway. The fishing is really good there wherever there is adequate spawning, but mostly for small Brookies, Rainbows, and Browns.

My recommendations are
1. the Tuoloumne River around Tuolumne Meadows (all 3 species in abundance) The bobber and fly or flyrod techniques work well there. They love Zugbugs there for some reason. Worms also work well there.

2. Gaylor Lakes, especially the first one you come to, near Tioga Pass.

Other good spots are more in backpacking country. I backpacked with one of my brothers and a friend one time up the Merced River from Yosemite Valley, and found good fishing in Merced Lake, the river, and even better at Washburn Lake, but those would be too far for a day hike.

The Merced River in the valley has special regulations, which one board member violated unknowingly in the thread in the link. You cannot keep Rainbow Trout in Yosemite Valley, probably because they are a native fish there. The fishing there is pretty unpredictable, anyway, but fish can be seen in the water. I hope this helps.

[BBfish]

We were in the Valley last week and saw at least 20 - 30 fish in the deeper ponds near Housekeeping and Lower Pines that ranged between 18 - 24 inches. I fished for about 30 minutes using barbless flies on a bobber and barbless panther martins and rooster tails.... no luck.... I did have 1 rainbow follow a lure in and tapped it but nothing else.

BB

[trout worm]

As mentioned, there is no stocking in Yosemite.

And there are special restrictions in from Happy Isles bridge down to i think Foresta outside the park. you can look it up on the DFG website... i know in the valley, there is a zero limit, barbless for rainbow trout. though you can take up to 5 browns (if there are any left)

What they are trying to do is replenish the wild rainbow trout population while removing brown trout from the mix. As you know, there is no such thing as a native brown; they were all planted at some point, though there are wild brown populations all over the sierra nevada.

The fish in the valley are real spooky, they have probably seen every kind of fly or lure thrown at them so you really have to work at it.

Tuolumne is your best bet but at this time of year, the water could be real skinny; and hence the fish are real spooky. you might do better outside the park, Saddlebag, ellery, tioga lakes.... Lee vining creek.

[seal]

We were in the Valley last week and saw at least 20 - 30 fish in the deeper ponds near Housekeeping and Lower Pines that ranged between 18 - 24 inches. I fished for about 30 minutes using barbless flies on a bobber and barbless panther martins and rooster tails.... no luck.... I did have 1 rainbow follow a lure in and tapped it but nothing else.

BB

Years ago I had good luck in the river with small white minijigs, didn't have a fly rod with me so decided on that. A guy that had been in the same hole and tossing fly's couldn't get hit, as soon as I cast the jig I had a nice one on.

A little hint if you fish the Merced in the valley.