teejay
09-26-2012, 12:54 AM
I recently spent a few days with my nephew checking out some new stretches of Sierra water.
Making our base of operation in Mammoth gave us some several options for day trips.
Even though it was early evening as we pulled out of Bishop, I couldn’t resist taking a detour at Tom’s, and then on up the creek with visions of not only scoring a grand slam, but also a piece of Rhubarb pie from the resort.
I’m not sure why I was craving Rhubarb pie so much - only having tasted it once many years ago at my grandma’s house back east. A touch of nostalgia I guess. Anyway, fishing and dessert can be powerful motivators.
I did well on my attempt at the slam, but the clincher to my success had been pinned on a fortuitous chance that some how a golden may have possibly been washed down from the high country. Although I quickly caught representatives of brown, rainbow, and brook, the golden was elusive. The odds were definitely not in my favor but it was fun trying.
We were having so much fun fishing that by the time we headed back to the resort it was too late and they were closed. The pie will have to wait for next year.
The leaves were starting to turn at higher elevation:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2400.jpg
Browns:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2398.jpg
Rainbows:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2396.jpg
Brooks:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2397.jpg
The next day we headed up towards the headwaters of the Owens for some spring creek fishing. The nephew only began fly fishing this year and already looked like a pro:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2403.jpg
The best tasting water in the world - headed for L.A:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2402.jpg
I imagine that the creek has larger fish but we only scored on the smaller models.
I briefly tried nymphing to change my luck, became frustrated, and switched back to dries:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2401.jpg
Having already fished two eastside watersheds, we decided to make a quick drive over the crest and down to a westside stream:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2411.jpg
This “river” was unbelievably low –ankle deep- in places but still contained some fish holding structure. The water was crystal clear and the fish were skittish. I caught two nice rainbows; although I didn’t get a picture because they really worked me and I was preoccupied with just managing my line and getting them to hand in order release them quickly (need to buy a net).
On the way home we detoured to the end of the road above Big Pine and hiked up the creek a ways. It’s funny, the nephew caught only rainbows and I only browns:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2415.jpg
It surprised me that all the eastside creeks that we sampled actually had a decent flow.
We both had a great time and were also able to work on improving our skills.
Making our base of operation in Mammoth gave us some several options for day trips.
Even though it was early evening as we pulled out of Bishop, I couldn’t resist taking a detour at Tom’s, and then on up the creek with visions of not only scoring a grand slam, but also a piece of Rhubarb pie from the resort.
I’m not sure why I was craving Rhubarb pie so much - only having tasted it once many years ago at my grandma’s house back east. A touch of nostalgia I guess. Anyway, fishing and dessert can be powerful motivators.
I did well on my attempt at the slam, but the clincher to my success had been pinned on a fortuitous chance that some how a golden may have possibly been washed down from the high country. Although I quickly caught representatives of brown, rainbow, and brook, the golden was elusive. The odds were definitely not in my favor but it was fun trying.
We were having so much fun fishing that by the time we headed back to the resort it was too late and they were closed. The pie will have to wait for next year.
The leaves were starting to turn at higher elevation:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2400.jpg
Browns:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2398.jpg
Rainbows:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2396.jpg
Brooks:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2397.jpg
The next day we headed up towards the headwaters of the Owens for some spring creek fishing. The nephew only began fly fishing this year and already looked like a pro:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2403.jpg
The best tasting water in the world - headed for L.A:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2402.jpg
I imagine that the creek has larger fish but we only scored on the smaller models.
I briefly tried nymphing to change my luck, became frustrated, and switched back to dries:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2401.jpg
Having already fished two eastside watersheds, we decided to make a quick drive over the crest and down to a westside stream:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2411.jpg
This “river” was unbelievably low –ankle deep- in places but still contained some fish holding structure. The water was crystal clear and the fish were skittish. I caught two nice rainbows; although I didn’t get a picture because they really worked me and I was preoccupied with just managing my line and getting them to hand in order release them quickly (need to buy a net).
On the way home we detoured to the end of the road above Big Pine and hiked up the creek a ways. It’s funny, the nephew caught only rainbows and I only browns:
http://i948.photobucket.com/albums/ad322/teejaygrady/IMG_2415.jpg
It surprised me that all the eastside creeks that we sampled actually had a decent flow.
We both had a great time and were also able to work on improving our skills.