Another Great Pack Trip into Emigrant Wilderness

[Lee Haskin]

It is amazing we enjoy some of the most pristine country, anywhere, and a horse pack trip is perhaps the best fishing value, for quality trout fishing.

You can read about my most recent pack trip, to Emigrant Lake, on my blog:

www.leehaskin.blogspot.com

Unfortunately, the Brookies, although big, are taking over this amazing Rainbow fishery.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Very nice Lee......

I went on only one of our annual Kiene's fly shop group trips out of Reds Meadows pack station in Mammoth and I loved it.

Did you go with one of the many old pack stations?

When did you go?

[Smitty Fish]

That’s a great way to visit some of those lakes in the Sierras. Great pictures to!

3 of us went to Leavitt Meadows pack station. Took us to Fremont lake in Hoover Wilderness and we stayed there 7 days with our float
Tubes. Some nice bows in there. It was an awesome trip!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

https://www.leavittmeadows.com/

[Lee Haskin]

Very nice Lee......

I went on only one of our annual Kiene's fly shop group trips out of Reds Meadows pack station in Mammoth and I loved it.

Did you go with one of the many old pack stations? Yes, we packed out with Kennedy Meadows Pack Station. They do a great job. Nice cafe, for early breakfast, and a nice bunk house so you can sleep there before packing out the following morning. They offer free showers when you return, too.

When did you go?The week of September 19th. This was the first day of deer season, and it seems that many backpackers, and fishermen avoid hunting season. I think it might be the perfect time of year, although with the fires it was quite smoky packing in. We were fortunate the smoke cleared out for most of the week, and there were 0 people in the backcountry, except hunters.

For years it was my understanding that trout above 5-6,000 ft. didn't grow fast, and were "all head". However, since planting stopped, years ago, the ONLY lakes with fish, are lakes that can sustain them, and the trout can grow to good size. It is amazing how many beautiful lakes, once home to planted trout, are now totally devoid of fish.

Merry Christmas, Bill

Lee

[John H]

I looked into going at that time and everything I read said National Forests were closed to overnight camping and to use of stoves or fires. Maybe that is why the crowd was light.

There are a lot of fishless lakes now. If a lake does not have a spawning stream the fish population died out many years ago. The lakes you do find with fish can be pretty good. Emigrant has a great spawning stream.

I used to go to Fremont. That is a beautiful lake and not too far in. There is not a good spawning stream there but my understanding is the pack station plants it so they have somewhere to pack people in. One year they had wall tents set up through the summer. I slept in one when I was getting killed by mosquitoes and did not have my own tent.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The retired CA DF&G chief, Charlie Fullerton, said to go after September 1 to the high country because that is when it starts cooling off at night. He said it brings the fish close to the surface and close to the shores in many lakes.

[Woodman]

You can read about my most recent pack trip, to Emigrant Lake, on my blog:

www.leehaskin.blogspot.com



Great post and thanks for sharing. Nice to get out close to home in this pandemic world.