Eastern Sierras - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

T-Rex · 08-31-2013, 04:38 PM

Spent the last week in the Eastern Sierras fishing Rock Creek Lake with a few friends. Most of the campgrounds were very uncrowded in advance of the Labor Day Day weekend.

Fishing was steady all week with lots of stockies in the 10-13" range. Breakfast, Day 1.

Campsite on the lake.

The launch at Rock Creek Lake is very easy and there are sand beaches on either side of the launch. Lots of parking too.

We managed to get a half dozen good sized Alpers. Most fish were caught on Kastmasters, Thomas Buoyants and Mepps Spinners. Others had good success with a variety of flies.

Hold the fish closer to the camera!!

By day 3, I was pretty tired of eating trout, but our designated chef and his wife whipped up some pretty tasty trout tacos with black beans, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, cheese, avocado and Tapatio. Cooking the trout in bacon grease didn't hurt either!

Chef hard at work!

Misplaced my fishing license and had to make a run to Convict Lake to get a replacement. Views of Convict.

Made a couple of short day hikes to surrounding lakes and released a few small rainbows and brookies.

This guy had the lake to himself for several hours.

View of Mt. Thomas and John Muir Wilderness in the distance.

Hit some wild weather on the way home with T-storms, lightning and high winds. I was hauling two x-factors and had a tense moment when one of the J-bars broke. I'm really glad I had the bow tied down securely.

All in all a great trip and already looking forward to next year!

beef78 · 08-31-2013, 06:59 PM

That's my favorite kind of fishing, there! Nice fish!

lamb · 08-31-2013, 08:14 PM

awesome trip,
thanks for a great report!!

MrPatrick · 08-31-2013, 08:19 PM

The Aspens are starting to change. Love that yellow color they turn.

steveooo · 08-31-2013, 10:32 PM

Awesome report and Pics. Thanks for sharing

Aaron&Julie · 09-01-2013, 04:51 AM

Those are some beautiful pictures, with great clarity, and it both looks and sounds like a great trip. Nice campsite, and view of the lake, too.

We went to surrounding areas, and over to Yosemite a few years back on our last great camping adventure. Your story and pics, made us "jones" to go again

, ASAP, which will probably be next year, at the earliest.

I can totally relate to getting burned out on eating trout. As a young kid my Grand-dad, made me eat a lot of trout on camping trips to Idaho. His rationale, "You catch & keep it, you gotta be eating it". I/we live by that now with everything we keep, although we occasionally give some fish and other seafood away to family and friends.

On occasion, we fish in the winter at Lake Poway, since they stock quality trout. A great fight on light tackle, what we keep, we usually smoke, and there's one other method of cooking, which I find tolerable. Those trout tacos sounded pretty decent with all the ingredients and how the trout was cooked. But, if I never ate trout again, that would probably be too soon. In fresh water I'd rather eat catfish, crappie, bass, bluegill, etc. In salt water, I can think of probably 50 or more species of fish I'd rather eat, just off the top of my head.
Aaron

DanaPT · 09-01-2013, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrPatrick

The Aspens are starting to change. Love that yellow color they turn.

x2 if you've never seen it, you should. Convict lake in color is pretty awesome.

kaya_one · 09-01-2013, 08:55 PM

That's where I put in my time before hitting the inshore - Eastern Sierras. Rock Creek has always been my go to. I love fishing the creeks as well. Beautiful pics - thanks for sharing - brings back memories.

CalicoCody · 09-01-2013, 10:01 PM

Ahhhh... Convict looks stunning. Been several years since I've made it up there. Before I had a kayak even. I need to make a return sometime soon with the yak. Awesome pics and nice going on the trout.

Hammerhead_77 · 09-01-2013, 11:12 PM

^this...is why we named our daughter Sierra.... thanks for the pics.

Wayne_R · 09-02-2013, 11:15 AM

Thanks for report. I just got back from June Loop. Hit Gull lake and Silver on the yak. Not too many fish, but I'm never disappointed with a trip to the Eastern Sierras. Hopefully hit Twin Lakes Bridgeport in the fall.

In another life, I'd move up there, work in the warm months and come back down here or AZ in the winters...

T-Rex · 09-02-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron&Julie

we usually smoke, and there's one other method of cooking, which I find tolerable. Those trout tacos sounded pretty decent with all the ingredients and how the trout was cooked. But, if I never ate trout again, that would probably be too soon. In fresh water I'd rather eat catfish, crappie, bass, bluegill, etc. In salt water, I can think of probably 50 or more species of fish I'd rather eat, just off the top of my head.
Aaron

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.

Wish I'd thought about smoking some of the bigger ones while I was up there. Smoked trout is pretty delicious and versatile.

GHOSTHUNTR · 09-02-2013, 01:13 PM

I took my 7 yr. old son to Convict lake in early August for 4 days of camping and fishing. Although it was hot and the fishing wasn't so good, our first trip without Mom and the older brother was nothing short of awesome. God's country up there......

08-31-2013, 04:38 PM	#1
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Eastern Sierras Spent the last week in the Eastern Sierras fishing Rock Creek Lake with a few friends. Most of the campgrounds were very uncrowded in advance of the Labor Day Day weekend. Fishing was steady all week with lots of stockies in the 10-13" range. Breakfast, Day 1. Campsite on the lake. The launch at Rock Creek Lake is very easy and there are sand beaches on either side of the launch. Lots of parking too. We managed to get a half dozen good sized Alpers. Most fish were caught on Kastmasters, Thomas Buoyants and Mepps Spinners. Others had good success with a variety of flies. Hold the fish closer to the camera!! By day 3, I was pretty tired of eating trout, but our designated chef and his wife whipped up some pretty tasty trout tacos with black beans, scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, cheese, avocado and Tapatio. Cooking the trout in bacon grease didn't hurt either! Chef hard at work! Misplaced my fishing license and had to make a run to Convict Lake to get a replacement. Views of Convict. Made a couple of short day hikes to surrounding lakes and released a few small rainbows and brookies. This guy had the lake to himself for several hours. View of Mt. Thomas and John Muir Wilderness in the distance. Hit some wild weather on the way home with T-storms, lightning and high winds. I was hauling two x-factors and had a tense moment when one of the J-bars broke. I'm really glad I had the bow tied down securely. All in all a great trip and already looking forward to next year! __________________ Last edited by T-Rex; 08-31-2013 at 04:54 PM.

08-31-2013, 06:59 PM	#2
beef78 Large Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 316	That's my favorite kind of fishing, there! Nice fish! __________________ "I shall not tiptoe through life to arrive safely at death."

08-31-2013, 08:14 PM	#3
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	awesome trip, thanks for a great report!! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

09-01-2013, 04:51 AM	#6
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Those are some beautiful pictures, with great clarity, and it both looks and sounds like a great trip. Nice campsite, and view of the lake, too. We went to surrounding areas, and over to Yosemite a few years back on our last great camping adventure. Your story and pics, made us "jones" to go again , ASAP, which will probably be next year, at the earliest. I can totally relate to getting burned out on eating trout. As a young kid my Grand-dad, made me eat a lot of trout on camping trips to Idaho. His rationale, "You catch & keep it, you gotta be eating it". I/we live by that now with everything we keep, although we occasionally give some fish and other seafood away to family and friends. On occasion, we fish in the winter at Lake Poway, since they stock quality trout. A great fight on light tackle, what we keep, we usually smoke, and there's one other method of cooking, which I find tolerable. Those trout tacos sounded pretty decent with all the ingredients and how the trout was cooked. But, if I never ate trout again, that would probably be too soon. In fresh water I'd rather eat catfish, crappie, bass, bluegill, etc. In salt water, I can think of probably 50 or more species of fish I'd rather eat, just off the top of my head. Aaron __________________ "Never say die" Last edited by Aaron&Julie; 09-01-2013 at 04:53 AM. Reason: Add-ons

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08-31-2013, 08:19 PM	#4
MrPatrick Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Waiting to launch Posts: 1,381	The Aspens are starting to change. Love that yellow color they turn.

08-31-2013, 10:32 PM	#5
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Awesome report and Pics. Thanks for sharing

09-01-2013, 08:55 PM	#8
kaya_one Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Encinitas Posts: 257	That's where I put in my time before hitting the inshore - Eastern Sierras. Rock Creek has always been my go to. I love fishing the creeks as well. Beautiful pics - thanks for sharing - brings back memories.

09-01-2013, 10:01 PM	#9
CalicoCody Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Lakewood, California Posts: 46	Ahhhh... Convict looks stunning. Been several years since I've made it up there. Before I had a kayak even. I need to make a return sometime soon with the yak. Awesome pics and nice going on the trout.

09-01-2013, 11:12 PM	#10
Hammerhead_77 Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: San Diego - North County Posts: 82	^this...is why we named our daughter Sierra.... thanks for the pics.

09-02-2013, 11:15 AM	#11
Wayne_R Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Riverside / Temecula Ca Posts: 92	Thanks for report. I just got back from June Loop. Hit Gull lake and Silver on the yak. Not too many fish, but I'm never disappointed with a trip to the Eastern Sierras. Hopefully hit Twin Lakes Bridgeport in the fall. In another life, I'd move up there, work in the warm months and come back down here or AZ in the winters...

09-02-2013, 01:13 PM	#13
GHOSTHUNTR Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Poway Posts: 160	I took my 7 yr. old son to Convict lake in early August for 4 days of camping and fishing. Although it was hot and the fishing wasn't so good, our first trip without Mom and the older brother was nothing short of awesome. God's country up there......