Rick_Berry
08-09-2008, 12:22 AM
Hey Everyone.
I just got back from our yearly trip up to Kennedy Meadows Resort (www.kennedymeadows.com). We've been going annually, since my oldest was a toddler, 14 years now!
This trip was different. As some of you may know, the lodge and 7 cabins plus more buildings burned to the ground last October. They've rebuilt the place and we were a bit afraid as to what to expect. Matt, the owner, has done an unbelieveable job with the new construction in that he has kept the "feel" of the place still the same.
When we got there, we had a bit of the smoke from the Mariposa fire, but it wasn't too bad. The overall fishing was down, in general, and I'm not sure of the reason :? .
I caught 24 fish the first day. Most of them were wild in the 4-7" range. My wife says you can't count those, but a fish is a fish. They do a lot of planting up there and most are bait fisherman hooking on salmon eggs. For fly fishing, I've found you can fool the hatchery trout on a Stimulator (8-10) with a beaded Prince Nymph dropper 18-24" down from the floating fly.
After that first day, it dropped off bad for all of us. I only caught 5 the next day. At the end of the trip, my family ended up tent camping at Deadman Campgrounds, just downstream of the resort. It was fabulous! I caught 11 wild trout within an hour of fishing, two of which were 8-9".
With respect to all, I release wild trout, but a panned-fried fresh trout (albeit hatchery) in the high Sierras is heaven. I ate my share.
Here's some pix...
The Upper Meadow
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7290173.jpg
My buddy, Lyndon
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7280141.jpg
A Typical Wild Rainbow
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7310235.jpg
A Typical Hatchery Trout
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7280139.jpg
Me
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7310248.jpg
The NEW Lodge at Kennedy Meadows
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P8010255.jpg
This place really isn't a "secret," but, if you've never been, it's breathtaking. The Fly fishing is decent and the secenery is like nothing else. It's like being in Yosemite Valley with no one else around. Okay, there's a lot of people near the lodge. But hike up the road for 15 minutes to the upper meadow and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Get to Hwy 108 (due east of Modesto) and head east. It's the last turn-off before you head up the Sonora Pass. The resort is at about 6,500 ft. elevation.
Go, if you can.
- Rick.
I just got back from our yearly trip up to Kennedy Meadows Resort (www.kennedymeadows.com). We've been going annually, since my oldest was a toddler, 14 years now!
This trip was different. As some of you may know, the lodge and 7 cabins plus more buildings burned to the ground last October. They've rebuilt the place and we were a bit afraid as to what to expect. Matt, the owner, has done an unbelieveable job with the new construction in that he has kept the "feel" of the place still the same.
When we got there, we had a bit of the smoke from the Mariposa fire, but it wasn't too bad. The overall fishing was down, in general, and I'm not sure of the reason :? .
I caught 24 fish the first day. Most of them were wild in the 4-7" range. My wife says you can't count those, but a fish is a fish. They do a lot of planting up there and most are bait fisherman hooking on salmon eggs. For fly fishing, I've found you can fool the hatchery trout on a Stimulator (8-10) with a beaded Prince Nymph dropper 18-24" down from the floating fly.
After that first day, it dropped off bad for all of us. I only caught 5 the next day. At the end of the trip, my family ended up tent camping at Deadman Campgrounds, just downstream of the resort. It was fabulous! I caught 11 wild trout within an hour of fishing, two of which were 8-9".
With respect to all, I release wild trout, but a panned-fried fresh trout (albeit hatchery) in the high Sierras is heaven. I ate my share.
Here's some pix...
The Upper Meadow
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7290173.jpg
My buddy, Lyndon
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7280141.jpg
A Typical Wild Rainbow
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7310235.jpg
A Typical Hatchery Trout
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7280139.jpg
Me
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P7310248.jpg
The NEW Lodge at Kennedy Meadows
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z61/rberry0303/P8010255.jpg
This place really isn't a "secret," but, if you've never been, it's breathtaking. The Fly fishing is decent and the secenery is like nothing else. It's like being in Yosemite Valley with no one else around. Okay, there's a lot of people near the lodge. But hike up the road for 15 minutes to the upper meadow and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Get to Hwy 108 (due east of Modesto) and head east. It's the last turn-off before you head up the Sonora Pass. The resort is at about 6,500 ft. elevation.
Go, if you can.
- Rick.