teejay
08-30-2010, 12:33 PM
My goal was to catch a brook, rainbow, golden and brown trout –a “grand slam”- from the waters of the Little Lakes Valley, all within a 24 hour period. I have prior successes in the area catching rainbow trout and, of course, the ever present brookies. However, the limited angling options in the area for the brown, and especially the golden trout, would prove to be an obstacle in obtaining my goal:
I left home later than planned and made it up to the ranger station in Bishop where I thankfully was able to obtain my wilderness permit and rent the requisite bear canister just before closing time. I arrived at the Mosquito Flats trailhead and headed up the canyon –meeting a few day hiking stragglers who were headed back down to the parking lot, a weary but happy bunch.
I made camp about mid way up the valley and only had a brief amount of time to rig up and squeeze in some fishing before it was dark.
It wasn’t to long before I hooked into a brook:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1566.jpg
Followed by a rainbow which eagerly smacked one of City Dad’s foam winged specials:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1567.jpg
Sundown over lakeside camp:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1579.jpg
Things were looking good at this point. Less than 15 minutes fishing and two down, two to go in securing my goal. I managed another small rainbow and a few more brooks before having to call it a night. At this point I was also pleased that I was not experiencing any of the usual onset issues of altitude sickness. The only variable that I can attribute this to, is a deviation from my routine in choice of fast food in Bishop. In the past, I always hit the Taco Bell and loaded up on Mexican food. This time I stopped at McDonalds where I purchased the double cheeseburger meal deal (burger, small fries and soda) and an additional double cheeseburger from the dollar menu. I don’t know what it was about this particular meal (the dill pickles?), but it seemed to stave off the symptoms on this particular trip.
After a restful nights sleep and a nice breakfast, I headed up the trail past Long Lake where I veered of the main trail and followed the inlet stream of Long up to the Treasure Lakes. There is a fair use trail that climbs up through the willows and then flattens out along a meadow until a talus filled chute is reached. It’s then up the rock blocks of the chute before topping out at the outlet of Treasure Lake #1. It wasn’t easy going.
Long Lake:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1578.jpg
Cross country route to Treasure. View down to Long Lake:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1577.jpg
Topping out at outlet from Treasure:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1576.jpg
Now, it was my understanding that of the four lakes that make up the Treasure group, lakes 1&2 are supposed to have brook and goldens, while 3& 4 have goldens only.
With that understanding in mind, I wasn’t too surprised when I pulled this guy out of Treasure #1:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1568.jpg
I caught two more brooks quickly in succession, thought, “Okay, lets see what the next lake has to offer”, moved on to Treasure #2, where I quickly caught even more brookies. The grey quill wing fly provided to me by City Dad proved to be a brook trout magnet at these lakes.
Treasure Lakes #1 & 2:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1572.jpg
Although I was having fun, I couldn’t help wondering out loud, “where are the goldens”. I moved a very short distance up a cascade to lake #3 and was immediately pleased at this lakes ample size. This thrill was short lived however after noticing the lack any surface activity, previously observed at the two lower lakes in the chain. I made a circuit around half of this lake and made repeated casts with various offerings and only saw two small very skittish fish close to shore.
Treasure Lake #3:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1573.jpg
Giving up on lake #3, I moved over to lake #4, the smallest in the basin:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1574.jpg
Upon first glimpse of this lake, I entertained visions of it being packed with goldens, but after scoping it out from a rocky vantage point overlooking the lake, this is apparently not the case. The lake is deep and although I couldn’t see if any fish may be lurking down in the depths of the middle, the paucity of fish visibly cruising around the shore was discouraging. However, the occasional rise still gave me some hope. After trying even more offerings on this lake, I tied on a beadhead nymph that was also provided to me by City Dad. The first cast with this fly resulted in a hookup with a nice golden which, as I reeling it close to shore, dashed for a rocky lair, sawing off the tippet in the process. Having no more beadheads in my possession, I tied on a semi weighted hares ear pattern and repeated the previous moves which resulted in this guy. Not wanting to repeat loosing the fish, I snapped a quick picture before landing:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1575.jpg
It was getting late, time to head back to camp. As I passed Long Lake, I made a couple quick casts at the outlet area and caught a small rainbow. Although there was still enough daylight left to head down to Mack and try for a brown, at this point, I just didn’t have any more energy left.
The next day, I packed up and headed down to Mack Lake where the plan was to lounge around and fish. The morning started out with blue sky and no clouds but as the day progressed, a change in the weather was evident:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1582.jpg
At this lake, I managed catching seven brook and finally my first brown of two:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1584.jpg
I made a hasty retreat back to the car as the thunder started booming, arriving just before the clouds began to dump.
Although I didn’t reach my goal in the time allotted for the task. I still accomplished catching four species of trout from the LLV.
I left home later than planned and made it up to the ranger station in Bishop where I thankfully was able to obtain my wilderness permit and rent the requisite bear canister just before closing time. I arrived at the Mosquito Flats trailhead and headed up the canyon –meeting a few day hiking stragglers who were headed back down to the parking lot, a weary but happy bunch.
I made camp about mid way up the valley and only had a brief amount of time to rig up and squeeze in some fishing before it was dark.
It wasn’t to long before I hooked into a brook:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1566.jpg
Followed by a rainbow which eagerly smacked one of City Dad’s foam winged specials:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1567.jpg
Sundown over lakeside camp:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1579.jpg
Things were looking good at this point. Less than 15 minutes fishing and two down, two to go in securing my goal. I managed another small rainbow and a few more brooks before having to call it a night. At this point I was also pleased that I was not experiencing any of the usual onset issues of altitude sickness. The only variable that I can attribute this to, is a deviation from my routine in choice of fast food in Bishop. In the past, I always hit the Taco Bell and loaded up on Mexican food. This time I stopped at McDonalds where I purchased the double cheeseburger meal deal (burger, small fries and soda) and an additional double cheeseburger from the dollar menu. I don’t know what it was about this particular meal (the dill pickles?), but it seemed to stave off the symptoms on this particular trip.
After a restful nights sleep and a nice breakfast, I headed up the trail past Long Lake where I veered of the main trail and followed the inlet stream of Long up to the Treasure Lakes. There is a fair use trail that climbs up through the willows and then flattens out along a meadow until a talus filled chute is reached. It’s then up the rock blocks of the chute before topping out at the outlet of Treasure Lake #1. It wasn’t easy going.
Long Lake:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1578.jpg
Cross country route to Treasure. View down to Long Lake:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1577.jpg
Topping out at outlet from Treasure:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1576.jpg
Now, it was my understanding that of the four lakes that make up the Treasure group, lakes 1&2 are supposed to have brook and goldens, while 3& 4 have goldens only.
With that understanding in mind, I wasn’t too surprised when I pulled this guy out of Treasure #1:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1568.jpg
I caught two more brooks quickly in succession, thought, “Okay, lets see what the next lake has to offer”, moved on to Treasure #2, where I quickly caught even more brookies. The grey quill wing fly provided to me by City Dad proved to be a brook trout magnet at these lakes.
Treasure Lakes #1 & 2:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1572.jpg
Although I was having fun, I couldn’t help wondering out loud, “where are the goldens”. I moved a very short distance up a cascade to lake #3 and was immediately pleased at this lakes ample size. This thrill was short lived however after noticing the lack any surface activity, previously observed at the two lower lakes in the chain. I made a circuit around half of this lake and made repeated casts with various offerings and only saw two small very skittish fish close to shore.
Treasure Lake #3:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1573.jpg
Giving up on lake #3, I moved over to lake #4, the smallest in the basin:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1574.jpg
Upon first glimpse of this lake, I entertained visions of it being packed with goldens, but after scoping it out from a rocky vantage point overlooking the lake, this is apparently not the case. The lake is deep and although I couldn’t see if any fish may be lurking down in the depths of the middle, the paucity of fish visibly cruising around the shore was discouraging. However, the occasional rise still gave me some hope. After trying even more offerings on this lake, I tied on a beadhead nymph that was also provided to me by City Dad. The first cast with this fly resulted in a hookup with a nice golden which, as I reeling it close to shore, dashed for a rocky lair, sawing off the tippet in the process. Having no more beadheads in my possession, I tied on a semi weighted hares ear pattern and repeated the previous moves which resulted in this guy. Not wanting to repeat loosing the fish, I snapped a quick picture before landing:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1575.jpg
It was getting late, time to head back to camp. As I passed Long Lake, I made a couple quick casts at the outlet area and caught a small rainbow. Although there was still enough daylight left to head down to Mack and try for a brown, at this point, I just didn’t have any more energy left.
The next day, I packed up and headed down to Mack Lake where the plan was to lounge around and fish. The morning started out with blue sky and no clouds but as the day progressed, a change in the weather was evident:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1582.jpg
At this lake, I managed catching seven brook and finally my first brown of two:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/Little%20Lakes%20Valley%20-Box%20Lake/IMG_1584.jpg
I made a hasty retreat back to the car as the thunder started booming, arriving just before the clouds began to dump.
Although I didn’t reach my goal in the time allotted for the task. I still accomplished catching four species of trout from the LLV.