PT, ALLY N’ HERO…Lakin’ it in the Sierras…

 It was time to test out patterns for water at high elevation…me and two of the guys spent a day and a half up at Virginia Lakes in the Eastern Sierras. What follows, is a photo journal of that trip August 1-3, 2014…The lakes in the area have Rainbows, German Browns, Eastern Brookies and some Goldens in the higher lakes…  Or destination, Virginia Lakes, at 9700′ near ,Bridgeport, CA…  Sunrise on Hwy. 14, in the Mohave desert, just nort of Red Rock Canyon… ALLY, passing The Homestead, in Indian Wells Valley, off Hwy 395, as the sun comes up… The volcano…one has arrived at Little Lake and the gateway to the Owens Valley… The Dino Hut in Olancha, CA… Mmmmm….Mahogany Smoked Meats, in Bishop, CA…the best jerky on the planet… Just  a portion of what they have… Pit stop for Hero in Lee Vining…. Finally, after eight hours, the back porch…at the Walker River Lodge, Bridgeport, CA… We arrive…Little Virginia Lake…Tubers go left! I like to fish from a boat because it provides a high platform to spot cruisers… Some of the patterns that I used on Little Virginia: SOFT HACKLES… STREAMERS/BUGGERS… SCUDS…not the sowbugs !   WHAT worked best on this particular trip…   Pheasant Tail & Partridge…ticket was #16 / Peacock & Partridge, #12 was the champ… strip ’em fast on an intermediate line… STRIPPING SOFT HACKLES… Purple Peacock and Partridge, #12…I used this pattern first, stripped fast on an intermediate line and it slammed…but, I had others to try… YELLOW PT/ QSB/ STARLING SOFT HACKLE , #18 – I fished this over the weed beds on a floating line and caught Brookies and Rainbows around mid-day on Saturday… this little guy was a blast !  Little Virginia about an hour from sunset… KELLY GLISSMEYER’S SPRING CREEK SCUD – #18…Stripped slowly then a six inch burst, or using a hand twist retrieve with a rod twitch, near or over weeds or weed beds, this pattern is a High Sierra Lake KILLER…use an intermediate line if the air temps. are warm during the day…a floating line works well in the evening or early morning when the light is low and scuds are more active near the surface… OWENS “OFFENDER” HS CH  #6 – I designed this pattern for use in the Fall on the Owens River but had an idea that it would also work in some high elevation lakes…strip this fly FAST, on an intermediate line (the cone gets it down) with pronounced jerks of the rod tip…and hold on…this took my largest fish of the trip, a 4lb. Rainbow… LEFT OVER KLINK – This was a surprise..I had tied these up several years ago and have used them on a number of rivers with some success…these, in Olive, Brown and Black were absolutely fish slayers on Little Virginia Lake in #14 & #16…Srrip ’em fast on an intermediate line… The old guy with a 4lb. Rainbow that Ally took home…on this trip, I caught more fish in a day and a half than on any other visit of the same duration. Most were in the 10″- 12″ category with a couple of 16″ – 18″ Trout in the mix… Coming down the mountain, for dinner… …at the Bridgeport Inn… THE Garlic toast…this is as far as we got taking pictures…too famished !!!

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The next day: Ally in the boat… HERO in the middle…Then these two split… again… for some trekking while I stayed and fished… HERE is a compliation of trails, curios and lakes in the surrounding area…Thanks ALLY !!!! Cooney Lake…on the trail to Summit Pass (11.100′)… HERO takes a break… Frog Lake #2… HERO getting a workout… The Trekking Pup..with six legs..I gotta’ ask Ally how she did this… The Miner’s Cabin on the trail to Summit Pass, just before Cooney Lake… Another view… On the trail… Frog Lake #1…loaded with stunted Brookies… Ally… Creek break… Oh…doe deer… Above Frog Lake #2… Hero…taking in the view… Meandering (mostly) dry creek… Ally & Hero on the Alpine beach… A smoky look down the mountain…smoke from fires burning on the West Slope really got bad on Saturday… The same lake (Moat) without the beach dwellers… Up a creek… Hero plays it cool…   Ally and Hero selfie… Hero in the pines… Ally takes a short drive up to Twin Lakes… …and hikes a trail near there… Back up the mountain to pick up Dad… …and back down towards Bridgeport…the smoke is worse… Time for dinner at the Virginia Creek Settlement… Oh yeah…

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We we going to fish again on Sunday morning , however, the weather took a turn for the worse…so.. ...a  quick visit to Ken’s Sporting Goods… A view of the fly box…now that’s a FLY BOX…then off tho check out Bridgeport Res. and the East Walker River… Bridgeport Res. …not good…the water is very, very low… <- Bridgeport Res – East Walker River -> The first pool on the EWR…the flows are low and the water is warm with lots of algae…we needs a ton of snow this coming Winter… …Back up the mountain to say goodbye to fellow tier and operator of Virginia Lakes Resort along with her husband John – Carolyn Webb… Ally takes a seat and admires… …This six lb. Brown that came out of Little Virginia Lake in 2006… Where Carolyn server up some fantastic pies… The Trout board in the cafe… Ally and Hero…one last bite of left over pizza and a goodbye… …down the mountain to Conway Summit… Hero wants to see… The Mono Inn over looking Mono Lake…we have had some great meals here through the years and it has finally re-opened… Rain in the Owens Valley…Near Big Pine… The volcano and back to what passes as the real world…

Pop with Michael at Big Virginia Lake in 1987…

Just below Summit Pass… looking back towards Virginia Lakes…1987 – two years before Ally was born…Yup I like it up there…

NEXT: Gettin’ ready for Fall…

PT/TB  

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