South Lake- My last shot & I got my Alpers!

[Greg Madrigal]

We headed out Friday to stay in the Bishop area. The plan was to hit up South Lake on Steve’s bass boat on Sat, then PVR Sunday morn. We did get a few at Lone Pine creek, our usual first stop, but had marginal luck (only 4) due to the water being so low.

God I love the trip up 395. So many cool things to see geographically-The lava fields, the lakes (wet & dry), the mines, creeks, canyons & peaks. Too many cool things to mention.

Got up at 6am, hit Denny’s, then scooted up the mountain stopping by to say hi to Jared (who apparently has already holed up in his den for the winter!LOL!)
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL009.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL010.jpg

The fall colors are just settling in and the aspens were astounding!!!

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL005.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL006.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL007.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL008.jpg

We put in at the lake at 7
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL012.jpg

and the 25hp Merc would only go into idle, and would die if you gave it any gas.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL013.jpg

So we scooted over to the Northwest inlet and proceeded to fish. I tried every man made way of catching fish, but they just weren’t playing. Then I busted out the fly gear and it was game on! The black ant was the key. Luckily, I had stocked up earlier in the season, and the fish just stomped this fly!
My first wild trout of the trip.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL017.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL018.jpg

Steve w/ a nice bow
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL028.jpg

Got this one on a dry fly-Mosquito?
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL016.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL015.jpg

We nailed several fish, mostly bows, and the bite slowed. We moved over to the other inlets and picked up a few here and there, but the heat of the day was pushing them down deep.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL023.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL025.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL032.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL035.jpg http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL038.jpg

I dedicate this frankenfish strawberry to my good absent buddy, Beercuda boy! LOL!
This one grew up in the Chernobyl hatchery! LO!L!!!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL041.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL040.jpg

As the sun began to hide behind the mountains in the late afternoon, the fishing started picking up again. We beached at the western inlet and I caught 2 brooks in quick succession.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL042.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SouthLake020.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SouthLake018.jpg

These fish were beautiful!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL055.jpg
My buddy got a couple, and the bite died again.
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL046.jpg
As we kept fruitlessly casting to barren water, he declared 3 times that there were no fish and them started back to the boat. As he was halfway back, I was giving him a hard time(probably) and then realized I had a bite! I turn and the rod went Bend-O as I saw the back dorsal of and enormous fish rise up like a shark! Suddenly, he jumped straight up and it was the biggest damn trout I had ever seen on South! He writhed in mid air shaking like a marlin! My 5 weight was bend ina beautiful black arch towards this fleeing monster! I let the flyline slide thru , my right fingers in place of a drag. I never did wind up the fly line.

I played the fish as he darted back n forth making jump after jump- 4 in all! I was so excited. This fish was giving me and my 5 lb. tippet a run for the money! Finally, I coaxed him into shallow water where Harvey netted him in my purdy homemade net-I must admit she looks hella-better with a 5lber in her! LOL! http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL048.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL049.jpg

I held her up for a few more pics, then quickly ran him over and held him into the creek flow to revive him after 2 minutes, he regained enough strength to swim away!! YES! My first Alpers!

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL051.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL052.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL054.jpg

We then headed back over to the NW inlet and the bite went WFO! I must have pulled 10 brookies out on the black ant! It was simply beautiful. There is nothing better than watching a wild trout jump outta the water to eat your offering!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL027.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL057.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL063.jpg


Check the moon-God I love this place!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL060.jpg

Check out the colors on this fish!

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL067.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL068.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL069.jpg


Another beut-
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL070.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL071.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL072.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL073.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL075.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL076.jpg

The sun setting on South Lake…
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL078.jpg
Does this guy look happy or what?!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL080.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL079.jpg

HAPPY!
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SL092.jpg

The inlet
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SouthLake007.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SouthLake010.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l191/gregmadrigal/South%20Lake%20%209-09/SouthLake015.jpg

South Lake-Heaven…What more Can I say?!

GMAN<><

[IncredibleHuck]

Great report and great job on the alpers!!!!

[Liteliner]

Congrats on the alper. Those were awesome pics and a great report. I think I know what im doing next weekend. Thanks.

[Troutman65]

Great photos Greg. :Cool: Congrats on all the nice trout .:Envious:

Thanks for the report.:Cool:

[BIGRED KILLA]

Very nice strawberry fish Mike will be very happy about that and way to go on the toad Alper esp in your hand made net. Thanks for the pics and report.





Bigred

[troutdog]

Awesome report and pics Capt Madgi, that Alpers looked great in your net buddy! You are becoming quite the fly fisherman, now that I know you won't embarass me maybe I'll join you next time :LOL: :Wink:

Thanks for sharing an awesome adventure and congrats on the beautiful fish Greg!


TD

[StoughtyRods]

Great report and pics! I gotta get back up there soon. The scenery in your pics makes me wish I was there right now.



We put in at the lake at 7 and the 25hp Merc would only go into idle, and would die if you gave it any gas.

1 thing that you can try that is free (which could very well fix your problem), check your gas tank vent and make sure it is open and not closed. I had this happen to 2 of my boats and my buddy called me up the other week with the same issue. Iddle but when given throttle, it dies.

With the vent closed, there is just enough siphon pressure to fill the fuel bowl on the carb while at idle speed. But when you give throttle, the fuel bowl can not re-fill quick enough (obviously your burning more fuel than you can siphon into the bowl) and causes the motor to die.

When my boats did this, I never thought to look at the gas tank vent because I never touched it. But my friends did touch it when they put gas in the boats (and closed the vent trying to be helpful)!

Just a thought. Give it a shot and let me know if this helped at all! - Mike

[johnsfishing]

Great post Greg!! way to go on all of the Trout. Thats a nice alpers and way to go on the high count of Brookies.. very cool. Id love to get back up there again.. :Smile:

By the way..
Did you land this fish??

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa18/johnsfishing/South%20Lake%202009/SL027.jpg

If so, I am pretty sure that the jig in its mouth is my Snot Rocket Lil Ripperz that it stole from me as I was landing it back in June!!!:ROFL:

johnsfishing

[Greg Madrigal]

StoughtyRods-I tried opening the gas lid, and that wasn't it, but thanks for the suggestion.



Johnsfishing-I am not sure who landed it-I think Steve did because the ONLY luv I got was on the fly (waaaahhhhh:)

TD- I wouldn't wanna embarrass u! LOL!

Big Red-We also fished PVR for a bit and hit your "Toad Brown hole" for nada-Water was way down.

GM<><

[MammothMagic]

Great fish and great pictures

[Trout-Slayer77]

Greg, awesome report !!!! I was up there same time last year....the color of the trees are beautiful, gotta love the sierras!! those pics are great....way to go on that big alper, and those brookies look amazing too, looks like some fun fly fishing for sure!!!

[Beeracuda211]

OMG, THE FRANKENFISH MADE ME CREAM MY PANTS... THAT WOULD HAVE EARNED YOU 20 POINTS ON MY BOAT! LOL

HEY GREG, I THINK YOU HAVE TO ADJUST YOUR CARB FOR THE ALITITUDES AND ADJUST WHEN YOU RUN THEM THAT HIGH UP.... JUST A SUGGESTION FOR NEXT TIME... I GET TO KILL ALL THE ONES YOU LET GO SOON :Twisted:

B/C

[sansou]

Really nice pics Greg! Congrats on your Alpers! The moon/mountain pic is gorgeous.


Beerboy is correct. Screwdriver adjust the carbs, but I would also buy a cheapie prop with less pitch.

[Sierra_Smitty]

Hell of a job my friend - hell of a job!!!!

The scenery sure doesn't suck right now and you got some great pictures to prove it.

Congrats on the Alper!

[TroutOnly]

GREAT REPORT AND PICS GREG,I LIKE THE ALPERS FISH ,,,,,,,,,,t/o

[Sue]

Great report, Greg! We were up there last weekend, the fishing was a bit meh until the last day but the fall colors sure are beautiful!

[SoadTilt15]

I'll be up there on the 15th. Will those yellow leaves turn reddish by then?? Beautiful pictures.

[Sierra_Smitty]

I'll be up there on the 15th. Will those yellow leaves turn reddish by then?? Beautiful pictures.

The fall colors aren't very good at the higher elevations after the weather we've had this last week - but I expect the lowers elevations to start looking awesome pretty quick here.

[Santa Fe Eric]

Fantastic report and pics!
Thanks for sharing, Greg!

SFE

BTW that Trout looks great in your net!

[vortec_cruiser]

What a fun trip you must have had. Great writeup and photography.

[sandtrout]

Been laid up due to a blood clot in my right calf....coming along but can barely walk so all I do is read the Eastern Sierra reports and try to go up there by computer. Love your reports...hate the fact that you're whacking them while I sit here stuck to a computer screen but it's better than nothing. Keep 'em coming!