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DC5fishR
09-03-2012, 12:48 PM
Two weeks ago, I was able to go up to the beautiful eastern sierras and it once again it was paradise! We stayed in Mammoth for a long weekend trip. I originally planned on going to the June Lake Loop area, but later decided on checking out some new places instead. I also got to try out my new wader in a couple of the lakes, it's pretty awesome, not bulky or hot at all! I'll probaly evolve to tubing soon... Here's the report:

Day 1PM: Got to Mammoth, the lakes there were seriously crowded! I couldn't even find a parking space near Lake George. After doing some scouting around the lakes, we ended trying Lake Mamie. It was pretty slow, I tried a lot of stuff, and finally managed 1 rainbow on c-rig salmon egg. Also, I caught a bunch of small carp/sucker like fish on bobber and nightcrawlers.
Day 2AM: Went to Little Virginia Lake for the first time, this little lake is now a favorite of mine! :Fishing Hole: I spent some time scouting and ended up catching around 10 or so rainbows and small brookies. I caught them on ds powerworms, gold thomas buoyants, and minijigs.
Day 2PM: Then headed to Big Virgina Lake, this lake kinda reminds me of Convict for some reason, except it's not as deep or turquoise. Walked around exploring and ended up fishing the inlet, caught about 5 or so rainbows and small brookies, mostly on ds powerworms.
Day 3AM: Decided to check out Lundy Lake for the first time. For some reason the annual sierra fishing guide always says this lake is a secret...I think the secrets out, since it had a decent amount of people there! I ended up catching around 6 or more rainbows, using mostly thomas buoyants in two main areas of the lake. I also fished the creek below the lake and caught 5 more decent sized rainbows on minijigs and salmon eggs.
Day 3PM: I was itching to go to Little Virginia once more and was not disappointed. :Fishing Catch: This time though, the fish seemed to be pretty stacked up along one shoreline. Caught a bunch of rainbows on buoyants, ds pw and nc, and split shot pb/nc. Decided on some bait and wait at the end, so that I could enjoy the last sunset before heading home the next day and have some fish to give away when I got back.

Overall, it was great exploration trip. Is the water at Lundy Lake this year, really down or is it usually that low? I attached a pic looking from the dam, which was totally dry.
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JAG107
09-04-2012, 11:26 PM
Great report! Don't know about Lundy's water level, I haven't been there since 05. I'd love to hit the Bridgeport area, but it's just a liiiiiiiiittle too far for me for a weekend trip. Glad you killed them!

flytyingreloader
09-05-2012, 08:18 AM
Lundy Lake was drawn down even further than that shown in your photo a few years ago for dam maintenance. With the low precip levels last winter, drawdowns in any impoundment are to be expected this year. We need an El Nino in the worst way this winter, but be careful what you wish for--it can snow hip-deep to Hannibal's elephants in the Sierras overnight anytime after Sept. 1.

DC5fishR
09-05-2012, 12:10 PM
Great report! Don't know about Lundy's water level, I haven't been there since 05. I'd love to hit the Bridgeport area, but it's just a liiiiiiiiittle too far for me for a weekend trip. Glad you killed them!
Yeah, I keep going more and more north...there's just too much water to fish in way too little time! I went to the Upper Twin Lakes in Bridgeport a couple years, can't wait to try out the reservoir and lower.


Lundy Lake was drawn down even further than that shown in your photo a few years ago for dam maintenance. With the low precip levels last winter, drawdowns in any impoundment are to be expected this year. We need an El Nino in the worst way this winter, but be careful what you wish for--it can snow hip-deep to Hannibal's elephants in the Sierras overnight anytime after Sept. 1.
It's weird though, the Mammoth lakes and Virginia lakes didn't appear to be down much. After wet winters, is Lundy Lake filled all the way to the tree line shown in the picture I posted??

flytyingreloader
09-05-2012, 04:40 PM
"Natural" lakes are far less likely to have lowered water levels than are reservoirs, since natural lakes are not subject to the same sort of drawdowns a reservoir is built to deliver. Natural lake levels are largely self-maintaining with a balance of inflow and outflow that is naturally-occurring and often uninfluenced by man's demands for water.

smokinflies
09-10-2012, 12:58 AM
lundy's usually up during the fall months.

here's a couple of pics of lundy during my visit in june of 2011.

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq100/flyfishingfool/Team%20Trucha%20-%20Eastern%20Sierra%20June%202011/DSCF0782.jpg

http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq100/flyfishingfool/Team%20Trucha%20-%20Eastern%20Sierra%20June%202011/DSCF0793.jpg

Another pic of lundy during my visit in oct of 2011.
http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq100/flyfishingfool/DSCF1124.jpg

DC5fishR
09-10-2012, 09:43 AM
Smokinflies- Thanks for the pic man, I appreciate it! Looks like there's plenty of shoreline always available. I guess Lundy wasn't really down since the water level was much higher than in your second pic. The outlet structure wasn't even visible when I went.