- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,003
A full stringer Tremendous opportunity for trout in High Sierra
By Pete Ottesen, Stockton Record Staff Writer
July 2, 2003
PINECREST -- If there is a better place to take a child fishing, it would have to be a trout hatchery. That's how local anglers describe Pinecrest Lake -- known as Strawberry Lake -- to the old-timers.
''Trout fishing is tremendous and for good reason,'' said Rich Davis at Rich and Sal's Sports Shop. ''The truck just left today (Tuesday) after stocking 4,000 rainbows. That brings our total fish plant to more than 39,000 since the snow melted. It's like a trout farm out here.''
A stroll along the shoreline proved his point. There were folks either dunking red eggs or Power Bait just past the swimming beach or on either side of the dam, catching fish. A 45-minute walk to the back end of Pinecrest found anglers tossing spinners and bait and hooking rainbows at the mouth of the Stanislaus River and in the cove to the right of the inlet. A five-fish limit seemed like a slam dunk.
Back at the shop Davis said, ''If people aren't catching fish, they aren't asking enough questions before they go out. There are simply no excuses for not hooking fish.''
Pinecrest is a good value, located off Highway 108 just 90 miles from Stockton. There are no fees at this U.S. Forest Service impoundment that provides free access and boat launching. As a bonus, a well-maintained fish cleaning station is provided just opposite the marina.
The plan is to fish during the morning hours until 11 a.m. and then allow the afternoon breezes to buffer the lake's surface and cater to powerboaters and sailboats. After 5 p.m., the fishing takes off again and there is a good bite until dusk.
Trollers find trout in the upper layers of the water, down about 5 feet at first light and dropping to 15- to 20-foot depths as the sun's rays heat the water. Flasher units aren't necessary now, just small lures like Triple Teaser, Wedding Ring, Phoebe and Kastmasters.
At Pinecrest Lake, expect plenty of company over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Developed campgrounds are jammed already, though there are some dry campsites scattered about the forest.
For more veteran anglers who want to avoid the crowds, Beardsley Reservoir seems to be the preferred spot. They are hooking about half and half, rainbows and browns, and most of the fishing is done from boats.
The winning combination at Beardsley is a dodger with a 10-inch leader, trailed by either a nightcrawler or a lure such as Uncle Larry's Spinner, Needlefish or Z-Ray. Anglers in the know, so to speak, use a Wee Tad in the rainbow pattern, which seems to entice mostly brown trout into striking.
Forks of the Stanislaus River just became fishable over the weekend. Barely.
''Before that when you tossed in your line it almost ended up in Sonora, the flows were so high and roily,'' Davis said. ''Currently there are pockets of slower-moving water you can try and actually catch something. Red eggs are particularly effective.''
Off Highway 4, the hottest trout fishing in these parts is found in Alpine Lake, where limits are common. In fact, a small flasher trailed by a nightcrawler will produce such fast results, anglers must quickly resort to catch-and-release angling or be forced off the water within an hour. There are some larger trout, too, such as the 25-inch, 4.3 pounder -- the largest trout of the season -- hooked by Paul Madsen of Arnold who was trolling a worm in the top 6 feet.
''Most of the trout are in the 12- to 14-inch range,'' said Marla Allison at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods in Arnold. ''Of course, there is the occasional 3- to 5-pound rainbow in the mix.''
White Pines Lake is another alternative, but only for anglers who try very early or very late in the day. Keith Vargem of Lodi put a 241/2-inch, 63/4-pound rainbow on his stringer there recently. The trophy sucked up Hatchery Formula Power Nuggets. Other larger trout fall to float tubers or spin-casters who use woolly bugger flies, some behind a clear plastic bobber.
Wet fly patterns are connecting with stocked trout in the Stanislaus River north fork and Beaver Creek, which have finally slowed down after some intense runoff. The Stanislaus is a crap-shoot because of fluctuating releases from Spicer Dam. Union Reservoir received its first plant of the season this week and for drive-to angling, Mosquito Lake upper and lower also have been loaded with trout for the weekend.
Off Highway 88, the road to Blue Lakes is open and the popular waters have been stocked. Far-flung lakes about 8,000 feet are fishable and free of snow. Carson River west fork is more fishable than the east fork, but the latter has received more fish this week.
Roadside fisheries such as Caples Lake and Silver Lake will be crowded, but the much better angling is found at Caples. Field scouts say trolling the past weekend at Silver Lake was arduously slow. Better alternatives are Red Lake, Burnside Lake and Summit Lake because it takes a bit more effort to fish them.
Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station said Kinney Reservoir is another viable option. Some of the trout will likely be pulled from Indian Creek Reservoir, where the Alpine County Fish and Game Commission is releasing broodstock.
Ottesen covers the outdoors for the Record. Mail: P.O. Box 900, Stockton, CA, 95201; Phone: (209) 546-8282; Fax (209) 547-8187; E-mail: sports@recordnet.com
High Sierra Trout Fishing
* Highway 108 -- Rich Davis, Pinecrest, 965-3637.
* Highway 4 -- Marla Allison, Arnold, 795-1686.
* Highway 88 -- Dave Kirby, Woodfords, (530) 694-2930.
By Pete Ottesen, Stockton Record Staff Writer
July 2, 2003
PINECREST -- If there is a better place to take a child fishing, it would have to be a trout hatchery. That's how local anglers describe Pinecrest Lake -- known as Strawberry Lake -- to the old-timers.
''Trout fishing is tremendous and for good reason,'' said Rich Davis at Rich and Sal's Sports Shop. ''The truck just left today (Tuesday) after stocking 4,000 rainbows. That brings our total fish plant to more than 39,000 since the snow melted. It's like a trout farm out here.''
A stroll along the shoreline proved his point. There were folks either dunking red eggs or Power Bait just past the swimming beach or on either side of the dam, catching fish. A 45-minute walk to the back end of Pinecrest found anglers tossing spinners and bait and hooking rainbows at the mouth of the Stanislaus River and in the cove to the right of the inlet. A five-fish limit seemed like a slam dunk.
Back at the shop Davis said, ''If people aren't catching fish, they aren't asking enough questions before they go out. There are simply no excuses for not hooking fish.''
Pinecrest is a good value, located off Highway 108 just 90 miles from Stockton. There are no fees at this U.S. Forest Service impoundment that provides free access and boat launching. As a bonus, a well-maintained fish cleaning station is provided just opposite the marina.
The plan is to fish during the morning hours until 11 a.m. and then allow the afternoon breezes to buffer the lake's surface and cater to powerboaters and sailboats. After 5 p.m., the fishing takes off again and there is a good bite until dusk.
Trollers find trout in the upper layers of the water, down about 5 feet at first light and dropping to 15- to 20-foot depths as the sun's rays heat the water. Flasher units aren't necessary now, just small lures like Triple Teaser, Wedding Ring, Phoebe and Kastmasters.
At Pinecrest Lake, expect plenty of company over the Independence Day holiday weekend. Developed campgrounds are jammed already, though there are some dry campsites scattered about the forest.
For more veteran anglers who want to avoid the crowds, Beardsley Reservoir seems to be the preferred spot. They are hooking about half and half, rainbows and browns, and most of the fishing is done from boats.
The winning combination at Beardsley is a dodger with a 10-inch leader, trailed by either a nightcrawler or a lure such as Uncle Larry's Spinner, Needlefish or Z-Ray. Anglers in the know, so to speak, use a Wee Tad in the rainbow pattern, which seems to entice mostly brown trout into striking.
Forks of the Stanislaus River just became fishable over the weekend. Barely.
''Before that when you tossed in your line it almost ended up in Sonora, the flows were so high and roily,'' Davis said. ''Currently there are pockets of slower-moving water you can try and actually catch something. Red eggs are particularly effective.''
Off Highway 4, the hottest trout fishing in these parts is found in Alpine Lake, where limits are common. In fact, a small flasher trailed by a nightcrawler will produce such fast results, anglers must quickly resort to catch-and-release angling or be forced off the water within an hour. There are some larger trout, too, such as the 25-inch, 4.3 pounder -- the largest trout of the season -- hooked by Paul Madsen of Arnold who was trolling a worm in the top 6 feet.
''Most of the trout are in the 12- to 14-inch range,'' said Marla Allison at Ebbetts Pass Sporting Goods in Arnold. ''Of course, there is the occasional 3- to 5-pound rainbow in the mix.''
White Pines Lake is another alternative, but only for anglers who try very early or very late in the day. Keith Vargem of Lodi put a 241/2-inch, 63/4-pound rainbow on his stringer there recently. The trophy sucked up Hatchery Formula Power Nuggets. Other larger trout fall to float tubers or spin-casters who use woolly bugger flies, some behind a clear plastic bobber.
Wet fly patterns are connecting with stocked trout in the Stanislaus River north fork and Beaver Creek, which have finally slowed down after some intense runoff. The Stanislaus is a crap-shoot because of fluctuating releases from Spicer Dam. Union Reservoir received its first plant of the season this week and for drive-to angling, Mosquito Lake upper and lower also have been loaded with trout for the weekend.
Off Highway 88, the road to Blue Lakes is open and the popular waters have been stocked. Far-flung lakes about 8,000 feet are fishable and free of snow. Carson River west fork is more fishable than the east fork, but the latter has received more fish this week.
Roadside fisheries such as Caples Lake and Silver Lake will be crowded, but the much better angling is found at Caples. Field scouts say trolling the past weekend at Silver Lake was arduously slow. Better alternatives are Red Lake, Burnside Lake and Summit Lake because it takes a bit more effort to fish them.
Dave Kirby at Woodfords Station said Kinney Reservoir is another viable option. Some of the trout will likely be pulled from Indian Creek Reservoir, where the Alpine County Fish and Game Commission is releasing broodstock.
Ottesen covers the outdoors for the Record. Mail: P.O. Box 900, Stockton, CA, 95201; Phone: (209) 546-8282; Fax (209) 547-8187; E-mail: sports@recordnet.com
High Sierra Trout Fishing
* Highway 108 -- Rich Davis, Pinecrest, 965-3637.
* Highway 4 -- Marla Allison, Arnold, 795-1686.
* Highway 88 -- Dave Kirby, Woodfords, (530) 694-2930.
