Tracy Chimenti
08-28-2005, 12:47 AM
We went down to Tuolomne Meadows for 5-days last week and camped in the park. If you want to go, get reservations, or you can chance it as we did, get there at 6:00AM and wait for an opening. 50% of the campsites are first-come first served. We managed a site in the back of the camp ground. Few bears, but not too agressive.
Fished the Lyell Fork Tuolumne and the Dana Fork (that runs along Tioga pass). Both pretty spots, full of brook trout, browns and a smattering of rainbows. a 12-incher was a hog on this trip. Used hoppers with good success. In fact the hopper drew the best strikes of all dries. Fished down-stream swinging caddis poopahs. That worked pretty good. At night i fished the deep holes along the pocket water with small black wooly buggers with enough weight to get them down to the bottom. The biggest fish came on these.
Put the kayaks in at the lake on the western border of the park-- Tenaya Lake. Fish are sparse, but there are some rather large cruisers-- 15- to 18-inches roaming the shallows from time to time. Didn't get a grab and made plenty of casts. I think they wish the trout would just die off here. One of the park workers fishes the lake at ice-out and does well on large trout, some going to (i believe) 5-pounds or so. Tenaya lake is the only lake in the park that allows a floating device. Imagine my surprise after bringin my 'pack tube along.
There is some pretty good fishing, according to one camper who uses bait, in the park lakes at the east entrance to the park. Enter at the check station. He said the fish he caught were rainbows and brooks, all measuring over 12-inches, up to 15. one and two-mile hike to two sets of lakes respectively. We took our 3-1/2-year-old on a hike up to Elizabeth Lake and it too appeared devoid of fish. I whipped the water to a froth at the inlet until the thunder storm started. Thank god for hollow-fill sleeping bags!
Another good prospect is Tioga lake on the way out to the east. It's outside the park, so it gets planted. Plenty of surface activity. never made it down with the kayak, but i'm sure it would have produced well. Lee Vining creek looked very good, both above and below the hi-way.
Stopped by Bridgeport on the way back. River is high there and fishing is good with tiny nymphs and indicators fished right near the bottom. Some fly guys doing well with intermediate lines out on the lake's flats as well.
The most encouraging thing I saw this trip was the west Fork of the Walker River, above the town of Walker. She's really coming back after all that bull-dozing and clearing. Vegetation beginning to establish quite heavily in some areas, just grabbing hold in others. Flows looked good and river looked fishy. Oughta be a "to-go" place in 10-years if all goes well and the canyon doesn't flood or burn.
Well, not a very rousing report, but I do the best i can in this domesticated existance. Can't wait to take a REAL fishig trip again!
Oh, the trout in the forks are pretty well educated. They only grab once!
Fished the Lyell Fork Tuolumne and the Dana Fork (that runs along Tioga pass). Both pretty spots, full of brook trout, browns and a smattering of rainbows. a 12-incher was a hog on this trip. Used hoppers with good success. In fact the hopper drew the best strikes of all dries. Fished down-stream swinging caddis poopahs. That worked pretty good. At night i fished the deep holes along the pocket water with small black wooly buggers with enough weight to get them down to the bottom. The biggest fish came on these.
Put the kayaks in at the lake on the western border of the park-- Tenaya Lake. Fish are sparse, but there are some rather large cruisers-- 15- to 18-inches roaming the shallows from time to time. Didn't get a grab and made plenty of casts. I think they wish the trout would just die off here. One of the park workers fishes the lake at ice-out and does well on large trout, some going to (i believe) 5-pounds or so. Tenaya lake is the only lake in the park that allows a floating device. Imagine my surprise after bringin my 'pack tube along.
There is some pretty good fishing, according to one camper who uses bait, in the park lakes at the east entrance to the park. Enter at the check station. He said the fish he caught were rainbows and brooks, all measuring over 12-inches, up to 15. one and two-mile hike to two sets of lakes respectively. We took our 3-1/2-year-old on a hike up to Elizabeth Lake and it too appeared devoid of fish. I whipped the water to a froth at the inlet until the thunder storm started. Thank god for hollow-fill sleeping bags!
Another good prospect is Tioga lake on the way out to the east. It's outside the park, so it gets planted. Plenty of surface activity. never made it down with the kayak, but i'm sure it would have produced well. Lee Vining creek looked very good, both above and below the hi-way.
Stopped by Bridgeport on the way back. River is high there and fishing is good with tiny nymphs and indicators fished right near the bottom. Some fly guys doing well with intermediate lines out on the lake's flats as well.
The most encouraging thing I saw this trip was the west Fork of the Walker River, above the town of Walker. She's really coming back after all that bull-dozing and clearing. Vegetation beginning to establish quite heavily in some areas, just grabbing hold in others. Flows looked good and river looked fishy. Oughta be a "to-go" place in 10-years if all goes well and the canyon doesn't flood or burn.
Well, not a very rousing report, but I do the best i can in this domesticated existance. Can't wait to take a REAL fishig trip again!
Oh, the trout in the forks are pretty well educated. They only grab once!