Yosemite High Country questions

[hwchubb]

Our Boy Scout HAT team trip this summer will be a 50 miler from Devils Postpile to Half Dome at the beginning of August. Would appreciate any thoughts from those of you who have fished this stretch of high country. We'll be at Thousand Island Lake the first night, somewhere below Donahue Pass the second, over Donahue and down to the Lyell Fork the third, Tuolomne Meadows the fourth, and eventually down to the Valley. any golden trout waters on the route? What can I expect in general? Pretty good idea of fly selection, but would appreciate oddball suggestions that have worked as well. Thanks!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Check with some of the pack companies who are up in that area.

If you need any help with flies for the high country you might go by the shop and see Andy.

[k9mark]

Our Boy Scout HAT team trip this summer will be a 50 miler from Devils Postpile to Half Dome at the beginning of August. Would appreciate any thoughts from those of you who have fished this stretch of high country. We'll be at Thousand Island Lake the first night, somewhere below Donahue Pass the second, over Donahue and down to the Lyell Fork the third, Tuolomne Meadows the fourth, and eventually down to the Valley. any golden trout waters on the route? What can I expect in general? Pretty good idea of fly selection, but would appreciate oddball suggestions that have worked as well. Thanks!

May I suggest you also post this to the "highsierratopix" board as well.

[bigfly]

Grass hoppers, and ants.....floating and sunken, are good for lakes and streams both......
Don't forget your moleskin/foam/tape and swiss army scissors.

This is a rod case/staff that worked well for me.
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095235.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095235.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095157.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095157.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095219.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095219.jpg.html)

A stash of duct tape, a camera screw on top and a bolt through the bottom. Painted to hide it if need be.
I hated carrying a staff and rod in a tube.
Bingo.....
Stuck a little piece of insolite in the lower cap, to protect guide tip when hiking...

Jim

[hwchubb]

K9, Thanks - I wasn't aware of that forum - looks like a great resource!

I've done quite a bit of backcountry fishing over the years, pretty well set on my generic fly selection. Hoping for a "We fished Hellenback Lake on the east side of Blisterspawn Ridge last year, lots of big brookies on Rootbeer Beadhead Stickleback Softhackle Flymphs" type of secret from somebody... :cool:

[Splash]

HW,
Are you taking the JMT from DPP? If so I would turn west on the southside when you hit Garnet Lake and go camp/fish the east end of Garnet. (day 1) Great fishing and nice solitude. There is an easy pass at the east end over to Thousand Island Lake from there then hike to the west end of TIL which has great fishing and good camping (day 2) . The next day go on an easy cross country hike from the north/west end of TIL to Island Pass/JMT junction and then over Donohue Pass to Ireland Creek trail head camp. (day 3) okay fishing in the Lyell Canyon but fish are real spooky. Hike into TM on day four and fish up river from Hwy 120. From there to the valley is marginal fishing but there are fish in Sunrise Lakes and Cathedral Lakes but they get slammed real hard. Remember all the fish in Yosemite are wild so release everything...Again you have to go to the east end of Garnet .. we have caught large Rainbows and Browns here. The kids will have a blast...

You need to get up into Voglesang (Hanging Basket Lake) to catch Goldens..It would be tough with a group of kids.. You could get to the valley that way and it's about the same miles.. Just hike up Ireland Creek ( tough hike) and down to the Merced River instead of going to TM..You can almost fish all the way to the valley this way...

Have fun... Splash

[hwchubb]

Splash,

Wow - thanks for all the info! With the scouts it's more of a point A to point B trip, so I probably won't be able to do the side trips (but you've already got me planning a non-Scout trip). Had planned to hit the TIL outflow, now I will make sure not to miss it. They kind of frown on us taking our own side trips - apparently they like us adults to "set a good example" or some such nonsense - so I may miss Garnet on this trip, but it's now on the bucket list.

Jim - slick hiking staff / case. The tube isn't too big in diameter to be comfortable tho?

[James W]

Grass hoppers, and ants.....floating and sunken, are good for lakes and streams both......
Don't forget your moleskin/foam/tape and swiss army scissors.

This is a rod case/staff that worked well for me.
http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095235.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095235.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095157.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095157.jpg.html)

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/Bigfly1/Stock/th_20160419_095219.jpg (http://s905.photobucket.com/user/Bigfly1/media/Stock/20160419_095219.jpg.html)


A stash of duct tape, a camera screw on top and a bolt through the bottom. Painted to hide it if need be.
I hated carrying a staff and rod in a tube.
Bingo.....

Jim

THAT'S BRILLIANT!!!
THANK YOU!
I'm off to Home Depot.

[Ned Morris]

Alger Lakes have Goldens

[Fly Guy Dave]

Here's another possibility for a light weight rod tube that I use when I strap on the backpack and head for some altitude. It's a plastic tube and end caps for a fluorescent light. I'm sure it's lighter than PVC, but it isn't as rigid. I've been using these for years and I have had no issues or mishaps.

11921

[alpen glow]

if i can throw in a tad of info...
check out Ralphs book the High sierra Trout guide... it has every lake in the sierras listed and the type of fish in it.
Yosemite has been mandated with the same envasive species stance that SEKI has been emplemanting, so all the fish in yosemite if you find them are self sustaining. Hanging basket has no goldens, those are actually lohontons, a very old planting you can contact the parks biologist to verify, i did just that few years ago with the help of Ralph.

[Bill Markwood]

I also use a clear plastic tube to hold my fly rod. You can get them at Orchard Supply. I use a piece of duct tape to seal off the bottom. Cut the tube to the desired length, put your rod in its "sock" in the tube and you're ready to go. The friction between the sock and the tube keeps the rod in place. This system weighs almost nothing.

[bigfly]

I tried one that was smaller diameter, but found it flexed a little too much.....if I piled anything on top of it, it came out bowed.
So 2" was what I settled on. I make them for all my rods...up to a switch rod...in case I need to hike for a fish.
Have used this staff/case for well over two decades. Shifting from hiking to fishing in less than a minute......Hit and run...
Would like a fuzzy soft interior...but my rods are working tools, not a collectors item. So, case wear is ok by me.
I still have people tell me I should market it.....but that would take away from my time on the water....can't have it all.
Enjoy the hike.
I've lead a few hikes...and you don't want them running off in the middle of the Sierras....
Have them read the book (The last season by Eric Blehm) about the experienced seasonal ranger that disappeared for five years, that may keep them on trail...

Also.....practice your counter-balance bear hang system before you go. You may run into naughty/skilled bears closer to the valley.
Until you have your food stolen 3-4 days from the store, it's all fun and games.
Take two water bottles for the dry stretches on passes.....it will be warm, and thirsty.
Have fun.

Jim

[Notch]

I fished that area while hiking the JMT in 2013. Lyell fork was stuffed full of nice brook trout in the section where the trail leaves the meadow and heads up to Donahue Summit. Lot of wood and cover to throw dry flies in and around. If you can take a side hike, the trail leading to the Minarets has good fishing in the stream coming out of the lakes in that basin, mostly brook trout, but I did find some nice goldens in Cabin Lake. Also the MF San Joaquin near Devils Postpile has some monster fish. Good luck