Just got back a while ago from my trip to Yosemite with my 7 year old daughter Izzy, had a blast! It was her first adventure backpacking and I think she might be hooked. As we were starting our hike she said can we just camp here, I'm tired of walking. I turned, looked at my truck in the parking lot and said maybe we should walk a little further before we camp. We hiked towards Ostrander Lake from Glacier Point Road. Went in about 2 miles and set up camp along Bridalveil Creek. The water is pretty small but still holds a lot of fish. I must have caught at least 100 in 2 days. Most were about 6 inches with 1 whopper going 8...that's a nice fish for this small creek. I caught rainbows, browns and mostly brookies. I caught 1 brown that had the brightest orange spots ringed with purple, really beautiful fish. Each hole held lots of fish and after 5 or 6 I'd move to another hole. All I ever used was a parachute adams, that's pretty much all you would ever need in Yosemitie creeks. Izzy didn't want to try the fly rod but she did want to fish so she got a stick, tied on some leader then I tied on a fly. She actually caught a few fish "high sticking." Not a destination I would suggest for a fishing only pack trip but that wasn't the point of it for us this weekend anyway.
As we were starting our hike she said can we just camp here, I'm tired of walking. I turned, looked at my truck in the parking lot and said maybe we should walk a little further before we camp.
Are we there yet...??? I completely understand--Thanks for the post! Sounds like the two of you had a great time.
-- Edited by Flying Dutchman at 06:42, 2008-07-14
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There's no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm...
I took my wife on our first backpacking trip as a couple a few weeks ago to Crosby Manitou state park here in MN. Not quite Yosemite, but actually quite breathtaking. It's cool to have someone in the family who is willing to rough it for real and haul thier share of the goods. Our campsite was about 2 miles in, on the Manitou river. All I caught was a single 7 inch brookie, but thats better than being skunked. Why the small size on all the fish you caught though? Here in Minnesota we have lots of small creeks, but they all hold a few lunkers mixed in with the little guys. Out of 100 you'd get at least one or two 16-20 inchers in the deep holes and undercut banks. Is the pressure heavy in Yosemite? Heres a couple pics from our trip.
I think the small size is due to it being a really small creek, only 5 feet across for the most part. Then add in a harsh winter and low warm water in the summer, makes for a really short good conditions for growth.
you gotta have alot of respect for those little dinker trout that call high elevation rivers and creeks home, Those little guys survive in some pretty serious conditions all winter long, with a very short growing season. Thats what I especially like about brookies, those little guys are survivors !
nice post packrat, i especially like the stick pole, thats old school. i remember when i was 4 or 5 thats what i started with. a bamboo stick with 20lb mono and a hook and split shot, and would sit fish for those stinkers.
sweet post. cant wait for my sonora pass trip. shaun you ready to go hammer fish.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
I completely understand--Thanks for the post! Sounds like the two of you had a great time.
