Going over to the Mammoth area next week. I am somewhat familiar with the area, but still really learning the area. I make it over maybe once a year and usually fish the Upper Owens and if I feel up to facing the crowds, Hot Creek.
I will be with my wife and young daughter so I am interested in any suggestions on less crowded / mellow areas to fish. Maybe some lesser known tributaries or others?
The flow are high but still fishable in the Eastern Sierras. A "small tirbutary" I did not fish this time, but learned last year is Convict Crk which you access behing the Green Church at the intersection of 395 and Benton Crossing road. A lot of small browns and one 14 inch rainbow last year; native fish. I did reasonably well this year on the Upper OWens and East Walker for larger fish. For a great hike and lots of hungry brookies in years past I recommend the hike around the streams and lakes of Twenty Lakes Basin above Saddlebag Lake (water taxi across the lake); this can be covered in a day with judicious time management.
I fished some of the Dana Fork of the TUolomne this year with at least one good honey hole, then took the way to the Lyell Fork --> no fish. Bishop Crk is sometimes good if you are going this far south; did not have time this year. Rock Crk and the lakes above Mosquito Flat can be fun and is scenic; failed to get there this year.
Thanks for the suggestions. I now exactly where Convict is but have not tried it so will definitely try it as well as the Twenty Lakes Basin. Pretty (and a bit dumb) brookies would fit perfectly into my evil masterplan to get my young daughter hooked.
What do you think about the San Juan? I have never fished it and am thinking about trying it....I have always had such good luck on the Upper Owens that I think I just got lazy.
I am not familiar with the San Juan, but if you mean the San Joaquin, I have fished it twice in the past. Each time productive. The problem is that you have to get through the gait prior to 7:00 AM if you want to take your car, unless you have a float tube conspicuously placed in or on your vehicle; otherwise you have to take the shuttle,which I have not done. I caught many small rainbows and browns in a tributary in 2006 at Pumice Flat and there are a number of 11-13 inch fish in the main river at Pumice Flat and Soda Springs, the riffles and holes (as expected) were the most productive. THis year there was an article in SW Flyfishing on the San Joaquin near Agnew Meadows (further upstream), but I did not get there. In the past when the flows are down, a guide friend did not want to take me there. Since the flows are up this year, and should be moderating by now, this may be a good year to try it. If you do, I would be interested in your thoughts.
As for 20 Lakes Basin, if I get off the taxi by 9:00 Am and dally only at productive spots, I can make the last return taxi by about 6 PM. Be sure to bring a light rain jacket, since it has always rained for about 30 min in the afternoon, but just a light and refreshing shower, nothing to stop the fishing. These brookies love a Kaufman stimulator; get the smaller sizes since they will go for the larger ones, but the hook is to big to set. I put a small dropper fly, which they will often take, usually an adams or Mosquito. I start my hike to the right heading for Odell and Helen Lakes. I skip Odell since I have never caught anything there on the first 2 of my 3 trips there. Between the lakes there is a steep shute of rocks with a trail that was covered with snow one year, but still negotiable. This brings you to the SW bank of Helen and I turn left, wading and hugging the cliff shore rather than trying to climb the treacherous cliff face. With all the water this year, the water may be too deep to wade, so you may need to hike all around the right side of the lake. You will come to a small waterfall where the creek inlet comes in. I spent an hour one year just picking brookies out of the lazy susan feeding frenzy, but barren in later years. Give it a try. Hiking up the creek, it is loaded with brookies and you and your daughter could spend hours here.
There is a series of water falls at the head of this creek just before Shamrock lake; be sure to try them if safe to hike this year. I pulled some 8-9 inch spectacularly colored brookies from these pools, and they were hungry.
Shamrock lake can be fun on the first shore area you come to near the stream outlet, but it is a big lake, so I did not have much luck elsewhere. YOu may be better on lakes than I. If so, there are several more you will pass. I usually stop at the shallow stillwater, where I have had more luck.
BTW, if your family is into camping, I have seen others camped overnight in the basin. It is a beautiful area that is probably a nice place to be at sundown and dawn, esp. if there is a bite going on. And you dont have the pressure of getting back to the taxi by the last ride. If you do miss that taxi, I am told it is a 2 mild hike back around Saddlebag to the car. Fortunately, I never missed it.
