Desolation Wilderness report...

[Gregg]

Packed through Desolation Friday through Sunday from Ralston Peak through Horsetail and hit several of the lakes and streams in the area. Still pretty frozen over with just thaw on the edges of Aloha and most of the other sizeable lakes. Lower evevation waters were pretty fished out with the heavy day use traffic. A few more weeks should turn things on up there. If you're hiking, carry a topographic map as good sized portions of the trail are buried under snow still... I'll upload a few pics soon.

[bp]

Gregg

goint into desolation with a few boy scouts on june 23. obviously, the snow/ice is gonna be what it's gonna be, but any advice on flies/techniques? i've got a good supply of all the standard western stuff, but am really a river guy. any tid bits would be appreciated.

bp

[slim]

Hey bp
I've found trout to be pretty opportunistic in lakes in Desolation, meaning they will hit whatever bug hits the water, within reason. Not really a "match the hatch" senario. I asssume you are talking about lakes since you say you have river stuff. I've done well with EH cadddis, adams, beetles, gnats, etc. (generic patterns) Might want to include some smaller beadhead leech/bugger type patterns for stripping.
Good luck-which hike are you doing?
slim

[medfly]

i was up at Lake Sylvia on june 6 through the 8th, other than 6 inches of fresh snow on the 6th (which were all gone the next day), it was awesome, mainly there for climbing pyramid peak, but the fish came out once the weather cleared, used a mosquito and had a great time catching tons of brookies, largest at 10 inches, i peaked over the ridge and the aloha area looks pretty free of snow now, shouldnt be an issue

[Stu Booth]

There can be some great damsel fly activitiy about that time. Be sure to bring some damsel patterns. Stu

[bp]

Dudes

thanks for the advice. couple of follow on items.
- affirmative on lakes. are there also streams up there that are fishable?
- what size damsel patterns? colors? have never fished them. technique?
- this is a newbie trip and we are heading in from the Echo Lakes area i would assume for only "several" miles due to the new kids and likely out-of-shape dads

can you guys provides some specific info regarding that area? thanks.

Brent

[OregonSalmon]

BP,
My favorite damsel pattern is on a short shank #12 with a dark olive marabou and some soft hackle for legs. Those bugs love their legs. Strip the bug back slow, let it swim.