The weekend forecast had been bouncing around, but it looked like there would be a warm(ish) spell for a couple days. I decided to get in one last overnight backpacking / fishing trip to the high country before things got too chilly for me.
I took Friday off work, did the usual wee hours drive across the valley, up into the foothills for my permit, then on to the trailhead. I managed to get started hiking around 9:30am this time.
The trail crosses a little crick with tiny brookies; a lake outlet that was flowing well for this late in the season, then up through a burned area, and some ups and downs past a few junctions. I reached the first lake before noon, had a snack and watched some rises/tail swirls in the shady areas. I'd had good luck fishing here in late season, but every year is different, even at the same lake.
I rigged up my Graywolf Trout Smith 8'6" 5wt 4-piece S-glass and cast a few midge emergers into the shade where I saw finning fish. Nope. I switched to a tan GFA hopper. That got some attention.
I walked around to the far side of the lake, scrambling over talus to some sections where there were deeper drop-offs and cover. The afternoon breeze was picking up, which I always find a good thing for trout fishing on lakes.
After catching another rainbow or two I decided to get moving in early afternoon. I hadn't been up this high for a few weeks, so I was moving slowly. I headed up past a junction, over a rise, then down to another series of lakes. These have brookies, and I stopped to have a snack at an overlook.
I'd never really had good luck fishing this lake, but it's nice for views. I continued on, and headed up to another lake in late afternoon.
This one gets a fair number of visitors during the summer, so the fish here are usually wary during the day. I brought a BFS rig just for this lake though, and flung out a trout minnow from Japan.
The evening came all too quickly, as it does this time of year. I made camp, had dinner and watched the sun set.
I was glad I'd brought a nice warm down sleeping bag. In the morning I fished before breakfast. There was frost around the lake. The brookies were active.
Abu Garcia Baitfinesse 7' L 4-piece / Daiwa Gekkabijin Air TW with KKR T35 Air spool / Varivas Avani Light Game x4 PE 0.4 (8.5#)
I didn't get going hiking again until mid-morning. I retraced my steps.
At one of the junctions I made the impulsive decision to go check out another lake I'd only visited once, during a drought year. This year was most definitely different; lots more water. I had some lunch.
The brookies here were hungry, too. I noticed some largish cream-colored caddis on the wing. I strung up my Graywolf and let loose a hopper.
While walking around the shoreline I noticed that there was also an upper lake, whose outlet flowed into this one. Hmm, I'd never seen it before. It was a short walk up the granite.
A lot of it looked fairly shallow, and I wasn't sure if it held any fish. That question was soon resolved -- I could see rises over near some meadows. This guy smacked a parachute Mr. Rapidan, a pattern that had produced well for me all season.
Another view that some of you Sierra Nevada connoisseurs may recognize ...
Around mid-afternoon I decided it was time to get moving. It wasn't long before I found myself back at the first lake I'd visited.
I halfheartedly fished my BFS rig, but there wasn't really anything going on this side of the lake. I packed it up and headed back down the trail, passing the little brookie stream.
Back to the car by 5:30pm. From the look of the trailhead I'd had the whole area to myself. Just the way I like it
Looking forward to a wet / snowy winter (fingers crossed).
Posted: 06 Nov 2023, 18:14 • 
