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SIERRA WALL OF FAME:
WON FORM CHARTS UPDATE
With weather perfect for last summer holiday of Sierra fishing
By Earnie Cowan/Special to Western Outdoor News
MAMMOTH LAKES – Mild summer weather and Sierra waters brimming with both Alpers rainbows and hungry DFG hatchery trout provided high country visitors with some excellent fishing for what many consider the final weekend of the summer season.
Landings and tackle shops from Bishop to Bridgeport reported lots of full stringers and a surprising number of 2- to 3-pound Alpers trout being caught on a variety of baits and lures. Lakes in the Mammoth Basin were particularly prolific, kicking out the big fish, a 6-pound, 8-ounce Alpers rainbow taken by Kevin Tool, San Luis Obispo, using rainbow/orange Power Worms at Lake George. At nearby Lake Mary, Steve Williams from San Bernardino was tossing chunky cheese garlic Gulp Bait when he hooked into a 6-0 rainbow.
Rick Flamson at Rick’s Sports Center said all of the lakes in the Mammoth Basin had been “double stocked” for the Labor Day weekend and results were fantastic.
• WALKER RIVER KEEPER—River flows in the West Walker have slowed enough to allow for some great fishing, as Billy Mortola from Stockton found out this week while tossing a spinner. The 5-4 rainbow was one of the biggest fish checked this week from the Bridgeport area.
• SHE’S ALL SMILES—Shelly Takashita from Laguna Niguel is pretty happy with this beautiful 4-pound, 6-ounce rainbow that she caught at Big Virginia Lake using a Power Worm. Virginia Lakes is a hot spot this week for 3- to 5-pound rainbows.
“There have been more than a dozen fish come in over 5 pounds,” Flamson said. “I have a wall with 30 pictures on it and I am now limiting it to pictures of fish 4 pounds or over.”
Fishing crowds should drop off in September, but Flamson said the good fishing should continue because of the amount of trout stocked in Mammoth area waters.
While temperatures were unseasonably hot at lower elevations, the high country stayed mild. Jim Reid at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport said the excellent weather made for great fishing on the West Walker River with a 5-pound, 4-ounce rainbow caught on a spinner by Billy Mortola, 15, from Stockton.
“The East Walker has also been picking up with good streamer action on Hornbergs, caddis nymphs and midges,” Reid said.
Trolling remains very good at Bridgeport Lake, according to Randy Picton at the lake marina.
“Fishing is good to very good right now for bait and trolling,” PIcton said. “The water is still clear and we don’t have any weed problems.”
Big fish at Bridgeport Lake were by Don Whisnand from Long Beach who had landed 3,600 trout at the lake this season.
DOUBLE THE FUN—Jack Christensen came from Newport Beach with his dad to fish Rock Creek Lake and the duo managed to fill a stringer with half-pound rainbows along with these two lunkers. The biggest is a 2-6 taken with a trolled Ford Fender.
This week he caught and released a 4-8 and a 4-7 while trolling either a Rapala or Thomas Buoyant in gold and red.
Picton said the lake continues to be stocked with both Alpers and DFG trout.
“We have not seen the footballs coming out yet, but they are still out there,” he said.
At Upper Twin Lake out of Bridgeport, Dennis McClain from Lake Forest checked a 5-5 rainbow that he caught on garlic rainbow Power Bait and at press time was leading the End Of The Season Derby at the lake. Despite his nice fish, most reports from Upper Twin are of full stringers with lots of pan-sized rainbows.
Nearby Twin Lakes Resort reports light crowds, mild weather and mostly stockers and Alpers to 2.5 pounds being checked. A little fall weather with cool evenings is creeping in. Chartreuse and rainbow Power Bait is working well and Thomas Buoyant lures in gold are the top producer for those tossing metal.
Carolyn Webb at Virginia Lakes reports, “an incredible week of fishing, but the catching was even better.”
Despite being stocked weekly with 500 pounds of DFG trout along with similar loads of Alpers and Bridgeport Fish Enhancement program fish, the hawgs are just starting to show up.
“But some folks seem pretty happy as we got more fish this week than any week during this summer,” Webb said.
Like other areas, the red/gold Thomas Buoyant lures are working great, along with gold Kastmasters, gold Hot Shots with a red stripe and Super Dupers. Marshmallows with an egg and a pinch of Power Bait, nightcrawlers, chartreuse/red Power Worms, Power Bait is most colors, with grasshoppers as dessert are the ticket at Virginia Lakes.
Topping the catch at Big Virginia Lake was Jason Grunwald from Whittier with a 5-8 Alpers rainbow taken with rainbow Power Bait. Little Virginia Lake kicked out a 5-1 rainbow for Armando Velasco of Upland who was also using Power Bait.
The mild weather and cooler temperatures at high elevations have also kept the crowds steady at Saddlebag Lake and Lundy Lake, according to Johnny Bell at Bell’s Sporting Goods in Lee Vining.
Water levels at Saddlebag remain high with good shore fishing and trolling. Saddlebag has been well stocked with Alpers trout and should continue to produce well.
• DEANNA TSUCHIDA STRAINS as she hefts this 4-pound, 7-ounce rainbow that she caught on a Kastmaster lure while fishing Big Virginia Lake. The Orangevale woman brought her fish to Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport to weigh in and brag about.
• SILVER LAKE GOLD-- Mike Fortin from Whittier caught this beautiful 5-pound Alpers rainbow from the shore at Silver Lake using a worm. Silver Lake has been stocked weekly with DFG hatchery trout and Alpers hawgs and right now is one of the hottest High Sierra lakes.
The four lakes in the June Lake loop were “pretty red hot” over the Labor Day weekend, according to John Logue at Ernie’s Tackle. He said black Woolly Bugger and trolled silver Rapala are working very well on most lakes, with salmon peach and orange Power Bait and Gulp! Bait working very well.
“Limits seem to be coming out of Grant Lake on just about anything,” he said.
The browns have not yet begun to show up in the creeks in any great numbers and low creek levels might make brown bagging a bit difficult.
A heavy stocking as Silver Lake has kept stringers full. Resort operator Andrew Jones said the big fish this week was a 5-0 rainbow taken from shore by Mike Fortin from Whittier using a worm. Lots of 3 to 5-pound trout showing up for bait and lure anglers, and Grey Hackle Peacock, mosquito and yellow Humpy flies bring results to the flyfishermen.
Dan Dine at June Lake Marina said crowds there were steady over holiday the weekend with bigger trout seemingly starting the fall bite.
Big fish at the lake was a 4-8 rainbow caught by Greg Attwood of Capistrano Beach while trolling a red/gold Thomas Buoyant.
Crowley is about the only place reporting that things have slowed down. The lake’s “no-bait” season begins August 1 and continues through the end of the season. Anglers are limited to two trout, 18 inches or longer.
Bonnie Fanti reports that grass and algae are making access difficult in some areas of the lake, but there are still some nice trout being caught in 7 to 8 feet deep water in the north arm along the Green Banks.
Convict Lake greeted holiday visitors with daytime temperatures in the 70’s but fishing action much hotter than that. Top fish was a 4-12 rainbow taken at the inlet by Bret Kirsch from Agoura while tossing a jig.
Brian Balarsky at Convict Lake Resort said cooler evenings have “enlivened the fish a bit,” with action along the north and south shore and the inlet and jetty very hot. Convict Lake will continue to be stocked with 100 pounds of Alpers trout a week through mid October.
The scenic Rock Creek area produced a lot of braggin’ fish this week, topped by a 2-6 trout caught by Jack Christensen from Newport Beach while fishing with his dad. The pair was trolling Ford Fenders to fill a stringer topped by two fish over 2 pounds.
In the Bishop Creek Basin, Jared Smith as South Lake reports steady holiday weekend crowds, but “it was not a zoo.”
“We are seeing a lot of fish being caught everywhere, but nothing huge,” Smith said.
A 3-0 topped this week’s report, but a cold snap last week that even brought snow seemed to kick fish out of deep water and turned on the action at the rockslide on the west side of South Lake. Smith said stocking at the lake will continue throughout the season.
Smith said all reports from North Lake have been excellent. Both float tubers and anglers fishing from the bank are doing consistently well at North Lake. The Hatchery Pellet Power Bait and nightcrawlers are reported to be producing well.
Lake Sabrina reported good crowds and lots of full stringers, but nothing very big. The largest fish was a 2.75 rainbow caught by Christian Balderas from Montclair taken with an orange Power Worm.
Patti Apted at Lake Sabrina said the best action is at the inlets with worms and silver/blue Kastmasters. Sabrina will continue to be stocked with DFG trout ever week and another load of Alpers trout is scheduled this month.
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WON FORM CHARTS UPDATE With weather perfect for last summer holiday of Sierra fishing By Earnie Cowan/Special to Western Outdoor News MAMMOTH LAKES – Mild summer weather and Sierra waters brimming with both Alpers rainbows and hungry DFG hatchery trout provided high country visitors with some excellent fishing for what many consider the final weekend of the summer season.Landings and tackle shops from Bishop to Bridgeport reported lots of full stringers and a surprising number of 2- to 3-pound Alpers trout being caught on a variety of baits and lures. Lakes in the Mammoth Basin were particularly prolific, kicking out the big fish, a 6-pound, 8-ounce Alpers rainbow taken by Kevin Tool, San Luis Obispo, using rainbow/orange Power Worms at Lake George. At nearby Lake Mary, Steve Williams from San Bernardino was tossing chunky cheese garlic Gulp Bait when he hooked into a 6-0 rainbow. Rick Flamson at Rick’s Sports Center said all of the lakes in the Mammoth Basin had been “double stocked” for the Labor Day weekend and results were fantastic. • WALKER RIVER KEEPER—River flows in the West Walker have slowed enough to allow for some great fishing, as Billy Mortola from Stockton found out this week while tossing a spinner. The 5-4 rainbow was one of the biggest fish checked this week from the Bridgeport area. • SHE’S ALL SMILES—Shelly Takashita from Laguna Niguel is pretty happy with this beautiful 4-pound, 6-ounce rainbow that she caught at Big Virginia Lake using a Power Worm. Virginia Lakes is a hot spot this week for 3- to 5-pound rainbows. “There have been more than a dozen fish come in over 5 pounds,” Flamson said. “I have a wall with 30 pictures on it and I am now limiting it to pictures of fish 4 pounds or over.” Fishing crowds should drop off in September, but Flamson said the good fishing should continue because of the amount of trout stocked in Mammoth area waters. While temperatures were unseasonably hot at lower elevations, the high country stayed mild. Jim Reid at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport said the excellent weather made for great fishing on the West Walker River with a 5-pound, 4-ounce rainbow caught on a spinner by Billy Mortola, 15, from Stockton. “The East Walker has also been picking up with good streamer action on Hornbergs, caddis nymphs and midges,” Reid said. Trolling remains very good at Bridgeport Lake, according to Randy Picton at the lake marina. “Fishing is good to very good right now for bait and trolling,” PIcton said. “The water is still clear and we don’t have any weed problems.” Big fish at Bridgeport Lake were by Don Whisnand from Long Beach who had landed 3,600 trout at the lake this season. DOUBLE THE FUN—Jack Christensen came from Newport Beach with his dad to fish Rock Creek Lake and the duo managed to fill a stringer with half-pound rainbows along with these two lunkers. The biggest is a 2-6 taken with a trolled Ford Fender. This week he caught and released a 4-8 and a 4-7 while trolling either a Rapala or Thomas Buoyant in gold and red. Picton said the lake continues to be stocked with both Alpers and DFG trout. “We have not seen the footballs coming out yet, but they are still out there,” he said. At Upper Twin Lake out of Bridgeport, Dennis McClain from Lake Forest checked a 5-5 rainbow that he caught on garlic rainbow Power Bait and at press time was leading the End Of The Season Derby at the lake. Despite his nice fish, most reports from Upper Twin are of full stringers with lots of pan-sized rainbows. Nearby Twin Lakes Resort reports light crowds, mild weather and mostly stockers and Alpers to 2.5 pounds being checked. A little fall weather with cool evenings is creeping in. Chartreuse and rainbow Power Bait is working well and Thomas Buoyant lures in gold are the top producer for those tossing metal. Carolyn Webb at Virginia Lakes reports, “an incredible week of fishing, but the catching was even better.” Despite being stocked weekly with 500 pounds of DFG trout along with similar loads of Alpers and Bridgeport Fish Enhancement program fish, the hawgs are just starting to show up. “But some folks seem pretty happy as we got more fish this week than any week during this summer,” Webb said. Like other areas, the red/gold Thomas Buoyant lures are working great, along with gold Kastmasters, gold Hot Shots with a red stripe and Super Dupers. Marshmallows with an egg and a pinch of Power Bait, nightcrawlers, chartreuse/red Power Worms, Power Bait is most colors, with grasshoppers as dessert are the ticket at Virginia Lakes. Topping the catch at Big Virginia Lake was Jason Grunwald from Whittier with a 5-8 Alpers rainbow taken with rainbow Power Bait. Little Virginia Lake kicked out a 5-1 rainbow for Armando Velasco of Upland who was also using Power Bait. The mild weather and cooler temperatures at high elevations have also kept the crowds steady at Saddlebag Lake and Lundy Lake, according to Johnny Bell at Bell’s Sporting Goods in Lee Vining. Water levels at Saddlebag remain high with good shore fishing and trolling. Saddlebag has been well stocked with Alpers trout and should continue to produce well. • DEANNA TSUCHIDA STRAINS as she hefts this 4-pound, 7-ounce rainbow that she caught on a Kastmaster lure while fishing Big Virginia Lake. The Orangevale woman brought her fish to Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport to weigh in and brag about. • SILVER LAKE GOLD-- Mike Fortin from Whittier caught this beautiful 5-pound Alpers rainbow from the shore at Silver Lake using a worm. Silver Lake has been stocked weekly with DFG hatchery trout and Alpers hawgs and right now is one of the hottest High Sierra lakes. The four lakes in the June Lake loop were “pretty red hot” over the Labor Day weekend, according to John Logue at Ernie’s Tackle. He said black Woolly Bugger and trolled silver Rapala are working very well on most lakes, with salmon peach and orange Power Bait and Gulp! Bait working very well. “Limits seem to be coming out of Grant Lake on just about anything,” he said. The browns have not yet begun to show up in the creeks in any great numbers and low creek levels might make brown bagging a bit difficult. A heavy stocking as Silver Lake has kept stringers full. Resort operator Andrew Jones said the big fish this week was a 5-0 rainbow taken from shore by Mike Fortin from Whittier using a worm. Lots of 3 to 5-pound trout showing up for bait and lure anglers, and Grey Hackle Peacock, mosquito and yellow Humpy flies bring results to the flyfishermen. Dan Dine at June Lake Marina said crowds there were steady over holiday the weekend with bigger trout seemingly starting the fall bite. Big fish at the lake was a 4-8 rainbow caught by Greg Attwood of Capistrano Beach while trolling a red/gold Thomas Buoyant. Crowley is about the only place reporting that things have slowed down. The lake’s “no-bait” season begins August 1 and continues through the end of the season. Anglers are limited to two trout, 18 inches or longer. Bonnie Fanti reports that grass and algae are making access difficult in some areas of the lake, but there are still some nice trout being caught in 7 to 8 feet deep water in the north arm along the Green Banks. Convict Lake greeted holiday visitors with daytime temperatures in the 70’s but fishing action much hotter than that. Top fish was a 4-12 rainbow taken at the inlet by Bret Kirsch from Agoura while tossing a jig. Brian Balarsky at Convict Lake Resort said cooler evenings have “enlivened the fish a bit,” with action along the north and south shore and the inlet and jetty very hot. Convict Lake will continue to be stocked with 100 pounds of Alpers trout a week through mid October. The scenic Rock Creek area produced a lot of braggin’ fish this week, topped by a 2-6 trout caught by Jack Christensen from Newport Beach while fishing with his dad. The pair was trolling Ford Fenders to fill a stringer topped by two fish over 2 pounds. In the Bishop Creek Basin, Jared Smith as South Lake reports steady holiday weekend crowds, but “it was not a zoo.” “We are seeing a lot of fish being caught everywhere, but nothing huge,” Smith said. A 3-0 topped this week’s report, but a cold snap last week that even brought snow seemed to kick fish out of deep water and turned on the action at the rockslide on the west side of South Lake. Smith said stocking at the lake will continue throughout the season. Smith said all reports from North Lake have been excellent. Both float tubers and anglers fishing from the bank are doing consistently well at North Lake. The Hatchery Pellet Power Bait and nightcrawlers are reported to be producing well. Lake Sabrina reported good crowds and lots of full stringers, but nothing very big. The largest fish was a 2.75 rainbow caught by Christian Balderas from Montclair taken with an orange Power Worm. Patti Apted at Lake Sabrina said the best action is at the inlets with worms and silver/blue Kastmasters. Sabrina will continue to be stocked with DFG trout ever week and another load of Alpers trout is scheduled this month. |
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