View Full Version : Big Pine Lakes?
bchbum54
10-17-2012, 08:42 PM
So I'm taking my first ever (backpacking, fishing, camping) trip and visiting the Sierras for the first time. I leave Sunday the 21st of October and will return on Wednesday. I'm an avid trout fisherman but I'm treading new grounds. If anyone has any suggestions on hiking gear to fishing tips (colors) or even what lakes to bypass and which ones to really focus on, I would be greatfull. I have a 70L R.E.I. Mercury backpack that I have packed with the basics.
3lb mummy sleeping bag
3lb 1 man tent
Sleeping mat
Extra cloths
Emergency gear (ex. Matches, band aids, bear spray)
Food
Para cord
Rain poncho
Jacket
Glow sticks
Fishing tackle (lots of mini jigs)
2 spinning rods
Trekking poles
Tarp
Sawyer Squeeze water filtration kit
Waders, boots, sandals
Like I said, anyone with any kind of experience please chime in. Your input will be greatly appreciated
bchbum54
10-17-2012, 08:47 PM
I still need to spray paint my rod holder
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMAG0161.jpg
teejay
10-22-2012, 09:49 PM
Hope that you’re safe –weathers kinda nasty.
DccFISHerMan
10-23-2012, 09:09 AM
I have been camping at big pine almost every year since i was born, been back to the lakes on single day trips many times, even made it really close to the glacier one trip. had most of our luck at first lake with power worms and lures. west side of the lake always used to produce a lil better.. Never been up there this late so i dont know what the weather is like . be sure to takie a few cameras, beautiful back there!
REEL EZ
10-23-2012, 01:43 PM
You better plan on having a bear canister for your food.
bchbum54
10-25-2012, 09:09 AM
Me ready to start the hike
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2221.jpg
My cousin Mike ready for the hike
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2220.jpg
First falls
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2223.jpg
Mike first falls
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2222.jpg
First Lake
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2226.jpg
Me, First Lake
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2228.jpg
That was one of the longest hikes I have ever done. I was pretty much done for the day so we set up camp. After only 3 hours of sleep, 5 hours driving (up to Bishop and back to Big Pine for permits) and hiking for almost 4 hours I was done. We set up camp and I was out, didn't even get a chance to fish. I passed out and woke up around 2am only to find this
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2231.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2232.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2233.jpg
In the morning (9am) we had already a foot of snow and it was still coming down pretty good. We made the decision to pack up quickly and hike back down. It was snowing the entire way back, all the way to the car
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2236.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1/bchbum54/IMG_2234.jpg
No fishing for me at Big Pine, I was a little disapointed but we made the best of it, fished and camped at Taboose Creek down the road. I'll post a report later today but for now Big Pine 1 - Me 0.
sierraslam
10-25-2012, 10:00 AM
"Cool" pictures! Maybe next year you can make that trek earlier in the year and get some fishing in. I hear there's mostly small brook Trout back there. Fun to catch and tasty. Good fishin!
glegsurf
04-08-2013, 08:55 PM
I had a similar experience last summer. A friend and I drove up to Big Pine campgrounds, to do a little hiking and fishing. Another friend, that we were camping with, told us about Big Pine Lakes, "just up the trail a ways". It was a day hike, just a quick in and out. Well, "just a ways" was about four miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain. We left camp at 10 AM, with our day packs, snacks and sandwiches and a couple liters of water. We had our fishing gear too. We arrive at second Lake around 2 and thoroughly tired. But the beauty of those alpine glacial lakes, made it worth while. We had lunch and rigged up for a little Brook Trout fishing. I caught six in half an hour on a black and yellow Panther Martin. I thought I'd try something else, so I switched to a bubble/fly. The sky was looking darker and just as I cast out, the rain began. It didn't lighten up either. So after hiking four hours, fishing for forty minutes, we packed it up and hiked 3 1/2 hours back down. We got back to camp fairly wet, but with great stories to tell.