June Lake Trip 8/13 to 8/20

[Cliffy]

Have been doing June Lake for over 60 years but this is my first post on this forum so here goes-

Trolling is our thing. So we trolled most every day. We drag gold and red SuperDupers (501s to 503s) on 4lb flouro line at 80' behind the boat. We also drag Matuka flies the same way. We also go deep at 7 or 8 colors on lead line with 40' flouro leaders with the same lures.

This time we did OK on top but nailed them down low and mostly with a 503 gold and red SD. Got some nice Cutts down deep also. Largest was about 2 1/2 lbs. Most of the rainbows were 1 to 1 1/2 lbs down deep.

Watched the Walker Lake/Lee Vining fire start while on the lake and for 3 days watched the planes (DC7, P2Vs, Skycrane C130s and DC-10 tanker) making drops.

Had one interesting event while there. We had been graphing lots of fish between 35 and 60 feet (lots of fish!) in one area of the lake for days (and catching them) and then one morning they were all gone from that area. Maybe 10% of what we had been seeing were there. We trolled the lake for a couple of hours trying to find the fish without finding them. They seemed to just disappear. I know they were there but we just couldn't find them. I know the lake pretty good but they went somewhere we weren't!

We have been told we catch fish when no one else does but this time they beat us.

[shinbob]

Nice report! I have never really trolled much for trout, but have the gear and have been wanting to try it out. Were you fishing from a rental or private boat? How fast were you going?

Wow, 8 colors + 40 foot leader is a lot of line to retrieve! Looks like going deep is the way to avoid the fish stick-sized trout I was catching this year.

Glad the Walker fire didn't make the jump south to the loop -- was really worried about that one. Could have been even more of a disaster.

[billy b]

Have been doing June Lake for over 60 years but this is my first post on this forum so here goes-

Trolling is our thing. So we trolled most every day. We drag gold and red SuperDupers (501s to 503s) on 4lb flouro line at 80' behind the boat. We also drag Matuka flies the same way. We also go deep at 7 or 8 colors on lead line with 40' flouro leaders with the same lures.

This time we did OK on top but nailed them down low and mostly with a 503 gold and red SD. Got some nice Cutts down deep also. Largest was about 2 1/2 lbs. Most of the rainbows were 1 to 1 1/2 lbs down deep.

Watched the Walker Lake/Lee Vining fire start while on the lake and for 3 days watched the planes (DC7, P2Vs, Skycrane C130s and DC-10 tanker) making drops.

Had one interesting event while there. We had been graphing lots of fish between 35 and 60 feet (lots of fish!) in one area of the lake for days (and catching them) and then one morning they were all gone from that area. Maybe 10% of what we had been seeing were there. We trolled the lake for a couple of hours trying to find the fish without finding them. They seemed to just disappear. I know they were there but we just couldn't find them. I know the lake pretty good but they went somewhere we weren't!

We have been told we catch fish when no one else does but this time they beat us.

So ... you did some fly lining with SD's and the Matukas ... and then also went deep? I recall seeing about 3-4 senior veterans doing well the last time I was on June ... private boat ??? I've been there for about 60 ... 30 opening days #2 boat ... 45 years of Carson Peak Inn. Where's your favorite bunk house?

[Marley]

Old school is good school...Love this report! Keeping the faith with Super Dupers and Matukas. Nice job on the trout, especially the cutts. Any pictures?

[Cliffy]

It's always been Big Rock "Landing" not "resort" :-)
I've got pictures of me and my sister on that dock from the early 50s.
My trolling is usually about a slow as I can go. Just enough to get some movement on the lure.
Brought a new boat this time. One I built just for June. It is a clone of the old "barges" that now show
as planters at Big Rock and on the breakwall at Gull. Square with a 45 degree sloped bow only slightly
smaller in size to fit into my truck bed in two pieces. One fits in the other and they slide right in.
Worked like a champ!
Senior veterans? I ain't old yet!