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View Full Version : Rock Creek Lake 8/24-8/26 *PICS*



Mase
08-27-2007, 12:46 AM
Our journey started right after work on Friday. Made good time up the 395 to Rock Creek lake. This was my first time there.

Our group quickly set up camp at the Pine Grove campgrounds.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02539.jpg

It was getting too late to fish so we drove into Mammoth instead to do some bar hopping. That's a whole different story though...

Woke up the next morning and got everything ready to tube the lake. Weather was mostly clear, low 80's and occasionally windy. The shores were moderately crowded and there were only about five boats in the water. I launched on the southeast side across from the cliffs.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02530.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02531.jpg

My weapon of choice was a gold Panther Martin spinner. About ten minutes into my voyage, I had a hard hit. I hooked it effortlessly and brought in a nice stocker.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02528.jpg

It ended up weighing only 1lb 11oz but I still strung it up for lunch later. I wandered around some more on the South end but never had any more bites. Many people on the shore were bringing them in every ten minutes or so. I heard one group say they were just using salmon eggs.

After turning in for lunch and cooking up that trout, I re-geared to fish the creek only 50 yards from our campsite. I carefully waded upstream casting into as many little pools or calmed areas as I could. Average depth was only about a foot in the flowing areas with the pools being only slightly deeper. My method was to flip the spinner out about 25' or so then just slowly retrieve it, letting the current take care of the spinning action while I was navigating it through the rocks. There's nothing like concentrating on navigating the rocks when all the sudden you see a shadow dart out from nowhere and nail your lure! I ended up catching 4 and farming 3 (since I forgot my net in the truck). I forgot the camera as well so no pics from the creek that day.

After a quick break at camp, we decided to finish up the day at the lake. This time I launched by the marina and made my way down the west shore to the group campgrounds and back. I didn't get a single bite. I was getting kinda windy and the sun was setting so the warmth was quickly blowing out of me so I came in around sunset.

Well, after a full day of fishing behind us we sparked up the fire and cooked up some good old 1.5lb hobo meals.

The next morning we decided to explore the creek again since we had the most luck there. I suited up, net and camera too, and headed out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02532.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02542.jpg

Less than five minutes into wading in the creek, I had my first one for the day.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02541.jpg
An obvious stocker but still a fun little fighter. He was quickly released.

I continued to wade upstream until I hit the bridge crossing over at Pine Grove. There was a nice calmer shady spot under low the bridge that I knew had to hold something. So I flipped under there a couple times and BAM, another one!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02543.jpg
This one was released too.

I tracked along further upstream and spotted a shadow holding up in a little calm pocket. I casted into the pocket and he immediately bumped it then went back to his spot. I casted out a couple more times pulling it right over him but he never gave a second look. I figured he was lazy and the presentation was bad since the current kept taking my lure in the wrong direction. So I quietly crossed the creek and got right above him. I dropped it into the pocket and let it spin in his spot. WHAM, he hits it and I bring him in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02544.jpg
He was released as well.

Continuing on, I kept on with my usual method of flipping pretty much anywhere that looked good. I eventually caught this guy too who was hiding out under a downed tree.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02545.jpg
Released.

I kept on wading and rounded a bend where, surprisingly into a meadow where the creek was almost still. The depth changed a lot. Sometimes less than 6", other spots were chest deep.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02546.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02547.jpg

Fry and dinks were swimming around everywhere and hugging the banks. None were worth catching. Every once in a while I would see a nice one but they would quickly disappear under the bank lips. The creek narrowed here but that water was surprisingly deep.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02549.jpg

I continued on and only saw a bunch of dinks so I turned back to make my way downstream. I took the trail all the way back to the spot I first entered the creek and worked my way down. I was immediately greeted with steep landscape, huge boulders, and small waterfalls. Definitely more of a challenge than my previous walk. So I carefully made my way down the numerous falls casting into all the pockets I could see. I toppled into the drink a couple times and was lucky I didn't break anything.

The hike down. The pic doesn't make it look steep at all, but there had to be about a 40' climb down from the top.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02550.jpg

I had a few bites and eventually hooked one up under a fallen tree. I was too high up on a boulder to get him with the net so I just tried to lift him out on the line. I got him out of the water long enough to get a glimpse of my first brook trout, but he then flipped right off the hook. Oh well, less work for me to release him.

With a sore wrist, shin, and right butt cheek from the falls during my walk down there, I decided to call it and head back home.

Overall, Rock Creek Lake was awesome! The lake was nice, the creek was moderately easy to fish, and the campgrounds were deeply wooded and nice too. I would definitely come back again.

big_mike_70
08-27-2007, 03:10 AM
im heading up the tues weds thrus....should be just as beautiful...

rock creek is a gem....always fish there when i make my way up the 395

Fisher-of-Men
08-27-2007, 04:54 AM
You are a great photographer! Those pics really tell the story! I love reading these Sierra posts.

:thumb:

I might have to give that place a try.

Fisher-of-Men

Wingnut
08-27-2007, 10:39 AM
Beautiful place! Nice report & pics.

City Dad
08-27-2007, 12:16 PM
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/masonlb/2007/08-24-2007%20Rock%20Creek%20Lake/DSC02549.jpg


What an awsome picture... Thanks for the report and post!

sometimes you can get those fish that hang under those grassy banks by floating a caddis or grasshopper fly on a clear bubble.

fisheromen
08-27-2007, 12:53 PM
That's a GREAT report!!! thanks for sharing. I love hiking and fishing the Rock creek streams!

The only thing I would disagree with is that in your report, you mentioned:
"Fry and dinks were swimming around everywhere and hugging the banks. None were worth catching. "
I think they're all worth catching simply b/c they're all such beautiful fish.

mamafish
08-27-2007, 01:00 PM
Beautiful photos & great report. Thanks for sharing!
Hope you recover quickly from your bumps and bruises!
:)

Szen
08-27-2007, 04:40 PM
Excellent report and thanks for the pics. That area is one of my favorite Sierra spots. Next time you make it up there, try hiking back into the Little Lakes valley,too, beyond Rock Creek Lake; you won't regret it and the fishing is great up there, too.

mr. trout
08-27-2007, 05:44 PM
oh ya i love the whole rock creek are but have only fished the lake the creek looks real nice will have to give it a shot next time

Good job

-Mr. trout

Skyler
08-27-2007, 07:28 PM
Now that's what I'm talking about! Awesome report. I gotta get up there this year. Been missing the sierras for too long. I'll probably head up around squirrel season, so i can kill two birds (or squirrels) with one stone, he he.

Mase
08-28-2007, 03:18 PM
I really wanted to hike past mosquito flats but my friends didn't want to. The elevation was getting to them just from walking to the bear dumpster and back!

I scouted the whole area via GoogleEarth before making the trip up there and noticed all those lakes. Oh well, maybe next time.

Hawkeye5447
08-29-2007, 09:48 AM
I always love it up there. I wish i could make it up there again this year. I guess ill have to wait till next year though. :cry:

mkadaddy
09-05-2007, 05:31 PM
LOOKED GREAT I'VE FISHED THIER MANY TIMES I USE THOMY BOUYANTS ALL SIZES BUT OBVISOULY PANTHER MARTINS WORK JUST AS GOOD

sansou
09-05-2007, 09:25 PM
Outstanding pics and report!

....and no talk of bait-fishing to boot! Kudos!

Headhunter
09-05-2007, 10:06 PM
A wonderful report!

Great pictures....thanks for taking the time to share all that.

Granny Fish
09-05-2007, 10:13 PM
Great pictures! Thank you for sharing.

steve092
09-09-2007, 12:25 PM
SO a panther martin is the ticket.

MrSteve87
09-09-2007, 08:44 PM
Headed up there in two weeks. Thanks so much for the pictures = =O)

Ronira
09-10-2007, 05:22 AM
Very nice Mase, great pictures and a quality report. Thanks Ron

Carrie
09-12-2007, 10:02 AM
Beautiful pics! I live up here temporarily in the Sierras for about 3 more months and I have been meaning to fish Rock Creek but haven't gotten around to it. There are sooo many places to chose from....haha~! Anyways, thankx for sharing! :D