Yosemite Backcountry info

[kokaneejr]

Hey guys its been a while since I posted as I have had back and work issues for a good 4-6 months and haven't gotten out much. Work is more stable and I am getting back to better health and am planning a quick trip to the upper sac soon so hopefully I have some thing to report.

My question is does anybody know of a good backpacking trip in Yosemite that is good hiking and good fishing? I have a buddy who loves the area but has never flyfished and I would like to take him on a trip for 2-3 days in the backcountry. I am looking to maybe camp by a alpine lake and maybe fish a small stream as well so I can give him some diifferent techniques to learn. Don't really care how big or types of trout just something to test our skills.

I am looking at about the end of August as I think my back will be up to it then...Thanks craig.

p.s. Thanks for all of the posts it kept me motivated to heal faster.

[wineslob]

Try the Merced above Nevada Falls.
Another spot, though the hike is pretty rough, is in the south part of the park, here:


http://www.yosemitehikes.com/souther...alna-falls.htm

In the picture on the opening page we camped just to the left of the falls. The pools above the falls hold lots and lots of rainbows. Watch out for the bears.

[jburge]

kokaneejr,

If you guys are looking to "ease" into the backpacking thing, you can't go wrong by hiking Lyell Canyon, starting in Tuolumne meadows. The hike is nearly flat, and you get to follow the Lyell fork of the Tuolumne all the way up (if you want) to the Lyell glacier. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can climb up Donahue pass. The view is spectacular.

The beauty of the hike is that you can take your time and fish along the way. The trail is next to the water and there are plenty of places to relax and fish. Guaranteed you'll catch some feisty brookies. They won't be significant in size, but great little fighters. Plus, since you're in a meadow, you won't have to worry about flylines getting snagged in overhangs

Just a side note... that was one of my trips with a bear encounter. He was just curious more than anything else, but it pays to have all your food/toiletries, etc. in a bear canister.

John

[El Rey]

I second the recommendation of the Lyell Fork. And coincidentally, there is a nice article on exactly that stream in the latest issue of "California Fly Fisher," page 30.

Check it out.

[kokaneejr]

Thanks guys that was great info. I was acually looking at the Lyell fork as one spot in my Sierra North book. Looks as if I want I can hike all the way to a lake as my stopping point.

Wineslob I think I spent half a day looking at all the hikes I could do on the website you recommended.

I am also going to get Ca Fltfisher and read it next week on my Dunsmuir trip.

Thanks again...Craig.

[Sutterk]

I was in Yosemite over the 4th weekend and went out of Toulomne Meadows and went up to Vogelsang and fished Fletcher Lake and can attest to a lot of brook trout action. Mostly on the small side but very fun. Morning fishing was best with a Humpy pattern, and in the evening an EHC did great. It got really windy during the day with a wind shift to the afternoon and then the wind was dead after the sun went down and the fish went crazy. You could get a sniff on almost every cast. The lake above it was Townsley and seemed to have larger fish but did not fish it as we were staying at Vogelsang high camp.

The weekend before I was at Kibbe lake which is accessed out of Shingle Springs trailhead and is a nice 4.3 mile hike in. This trailhead is at Cherry lake. There were fairly good sized rainbows in the lake that were actively feeding until near 9 at night. Same basic feeding pattern. There was a huge mayfly hatch in the morning but did not attract a lot of action in the morning but did catch a couple in the morning, but the evening caddis hatch was really active and produced a lot of takes. Used a yellow humpy type pattern in morning and EHC in evening and tried large stimulators which also caught their interest.