Change in Virginia Lake outing dates....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I received this email and am passing along this info:



"I just got a call from Recreation .gov saying that the Trumble Lake campground would be closed in July and not open until August. I will need to postpone the trip until August 8-14.2017 Could you please put out a blast relaying this fact? Cut and paste this if you like;

Due to unmelted snow in the campground the Virginia Lakes trip scheduled for July 18-23 has been rescheduled for August 8-14. Michael will be out of the country (and his mind) until July 7, 2017 and he will contact you at that time.
Michael"

[loose_shoes]

Does anyone have any recent info on the conditions around the Virginia Lakes area? I had planned a trip to the Bridgeport-Mammoth-Bishop area for next weekend. A day or two at Virginia is always a highlight of the trip.

I looked at Ken's Sporting Goods fishing report and it said that Little Virginia is just starting to ice-out as of 6/11 so the road must be passable. Does anyone know if Big Virginia is ice-free?

Anyway, I'm reconsidering the whole east side trip at the moment. It looks like we are in for a big hot spell this weekend and that will send a big glug of snowmelt down the hill. The Walkers are high now and will probably be even less fishable next week. The Lower Owens is listed as "Dangerous" and even Hot Creek is running fast and dirty. I'm assuming that the smaller creeks will be high and dirty as well. So, that just leaves the lakes - which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, I'd imagine that all the snowmelt coming in will be extra cold and could put a bit of a damper on the bite. Bummer. It's a hard-knock life. I feel guilty about whining about having too much water.

Perhaps this trip would be better suited for sometime after Labor Day considering the conditions this year.

[Lew Riffle]

Still water fishing is your best bet right now indeed. Virginia Lakes should be fishable with this warm up after last weekend's wind. I would give it a shot but if you like green willows and aspens around the lake over some good fishing then come up later with all the other folks. Hope you plan on float tubing. Even if there is ice there will be some open water to fish just wait until mid morning and be willing to fish late as well. The chironmid midges come off big with the late open water. I fished these lakes this time of year for many seasons. These wet late thaw years can be really good if you are willing to handle chilly water with slush and mush around the edges. Wish I was there right now.

[Idadon]

Don't want you guys to feel to picked-on. Southeastern Idaho is experiencing the same conditions. The South Fork probably won't be fishable till mid to late July, if then. Henry's Fork is OK above the Fall River and really about the only place to find any bugs right now. Not sure about Silver Creek. Just about all the moving water is right at or above flood stage at the moment. If it's not a spring creek probably not worth it. Even the Big Lost has water in it.

Most of the area lakes are full, very cold and still muddied up.