fishing for words

(and tossing out random thoughts)

Category Archives: Sierra Nevada


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our first opening day

What a learning experience! Chris and I approached this as more of a learning experience, and it was a good thing we did so. After getting up at oh-dark-thirty, we headed up the Lyons Canal in Twain Harte (Nick and Nathan, that’s were we have taken you fishing.) and found nothing going on, so we departed for Moccasin Creek. It’s about thirty minutes away, and because we though the only access was through a gate, we delayed our arrival until about 7:00 a.m.

We found out upon arrival that there was a trail that allowed access around the gate, and from all appearances, some folks set up prior to the 6:00 a.m. opening. Most were bait fishing right around the dam, so we headed downstream a bit. Targeting pools, Chris and I had some good strikes on spinners. A gold/red Panther Martin for me, a gold Mepps for Chris. Devin, Chris’ friend who had come with us, also had a few. Devin hooked one fish but lost it; Chris hooked quite a few and landed five. I hooked three solid fish.

Though I didn’t land any (using barbless lures for the first time), I did hook one that was probably the biggest trout I’ve ever had the opportunity to play. Using 4 lb. line, I didn’t want to be too aggressive, so had my drag set low. Then, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. The line peels off the reel as this fish takes off for one side of the stream (about 15-feet across), then back again. It did this six or seven times, then took off downstream, again taking line. Then it was upstream. I figure this went on for about four, maybe five minutes. I finally gained some ground, edge him in…four feet…three feet…and he raises his head and throws the hook. What a fight! Know I understand these folks who year after year chase after that one big fish they hooked by never landed.

Mid-morning we headed out to check a few other places, again don’t some reconnaissance for future trips. One stream had terribly limited access. We drove up to Lyons Reservoir, and while a beautiful place, the action was limited to bait. Devin hooked another fish here. We made one last visit to Lyons Canal, figuring the crowds had died down. We saw a few fish, but they were a bit cagey and the neighborhood dog wasn’t helping by jumping into the water. (Ask Chris about that.)

All in all, it was a good experience, and we gained some good knowledge that will help us in the future. And I’ll be back to Moccasin Creek looking for that bruiser…


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A Great Side Trip to Tuolume Meadows

During a visit to the cabin during July 2005, we – Pat, Sean and Chris – decided to take a long day trip over the Sonora Pass and to Tuolumne Meadows. If you browse through the photos below, you can see there was quite a bit of snow covering the mountains around the pass and up to the roadway.  We made good time and soon were climbing up Tioga Road (Hwy 120) in Lee Vining Canyon.  By the way, at the base of the road there is new Mobil station with a restaurant – pretty convenient though it is quite expensive. It was a nice drive, though, as very few people seemed to be in this neck of the woods. For those who are observant, you’ll see a one or two pictures the gathering clouds of an afternoon thunderstorm.

The water was high everywhere through the canyon and Tuolumne Meadows.  It was quite amazing. Even the various agencies (National Forest, National Park Service and state park system) had posted temporary signs warning of high water and the possibility of hikers having to cross swollen streams.

Exactly three hours later, we arrived at the Tioga Pass Entrance Station. The sky was clear, snow was all around and the water was high. I had forgotten how beautiful it was. The pass only opened on June 24, a tad bit more than two weeks prior to our visit and the campground would not open for another two days.

One of our first stops was Tioga Lake. While we were there, two fly fisherman were floating on tubes, with their legs in the very cold water. During our stop, Sean just had to assemble a snowball – a bit of a novelty in July. The snow was different from what one might be accustomed to seeing as there was no human activity interfering with its melting…at least until we arrived!

Striking a pose similar to one in a photo of my sister and brother and I with a stringer, probably in the mid 1970s.

Striking a pose similar to one in a photo of my sister and brother and I with a stringer, probably in the mid 1970s.

And for my immediate family members…does this picture of the boys with the stringer of fish look familiar? It was taken near one of the campsites at which we stayed. Sure, it has asphalt laid down in the parking spot now and the koisk has been moved, but the Tuolumne Meadows campground is much the same.But out trip was about fishing. We started fishing the Tuolumne River, just outside the campground, but didn’t have any luck. Next, we tried Tioga Lake, where Sean and Chris had a few strikes and saw a few trout follow lures in, but no bites. Then we stopped at Ellery Lake, where Chris pulled in a few trout. Sean also had a few hits, but dad was skunked.

I think the whole day was made worthwhile for Sean (and me) at Lee Vining Creek. During all of our visits to the streams of the Sierra, the trout seemed to know Sean was coming. But Chris, during a previous visit to the Lee Vining Canyon with Boy Scouts, directed us to this little bend in the Lee Vining Creek – which is more of a small river. Sure, they were prob’ly hatchery trout, but they sure were fun to catch. Near as we can recall, without “fisherman’s exaggeration” creeping in, Sean pulled in about six fish, Pat about ten and Chris maybe a dozen or so. Five are in the freezer awaiting their fate.

The nice thing about this jaunt is that we weren’t in a hurry. We took our time on the return leg, driving through June Lake Loop about five-ish and finally reaching Bridgeport close to six. After gobbling down some grub at the ‘Jolly Cone’ we then headed up the road, passing the Marine Corps’ Mountain Warfare Training Center. Along the way we stopped to take in a few vistas – the slowness forced by the twists and turns of the road force one to take in the beauty along the way.

After cresting Sonora Pass, Chris wanted to use his new camera, so we stopped at the East Flange Pass overlook. (Apparently, this pass used as a landmark by the pioneers and Forty-Niners as they descended from Sonora Pass.) Chris jumped out, scrambled around the granite formation and found a small tree for his subject. The photo in the album is looking towards the southern Sierra Nevadas and Yosemite.

Our last stop was at the Dardanelles Reservoir, about thirty miles from Twain Harte and viewed from a fantastic overlook. We arrived about 8:30 p.m., just as the sun was setting. From the overlook one peers down into a deep canyon at the reservoir, which I have read has little accessibility because of the steep canyon walls, but does harbor some trout.  I hope to return during daylight hours as one is offered a tremendous view up and down the canyon and to the mountains north. About forty minutes later we were ‘home’ at the cabin, just in time to wash the smell of fish from our bodies (I even had fish stuff on my shirt).  Yeah, it was a long trip but a great trip that I would gladly undertake again.


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At the Cabin One Warm July

After months of planning before our June wedding, we weren’t much for picking up the kids and traveling too far from home. Besides, Sean and Chris for a few years had wanted an extended stay at the cabin that would allow them to play bingo at the lake, which is held every Tuesday and Thursday. This visit to the cabin included some of the best weather I have experienced in Twain Harte. Warm enough during the day for swimming, but cool enough at night to allow for a good night’s sleep. (The lack of insulation puts one at the mercy of the weather…if it’s hot during the day, it’ll be hot that night!)

Sean, Chris, Nathan, Adam and Nicholas on the trail.

Sean, Chris, Nathan, Adam and Nicholas on the trail.

During part of our visit, my sister, her husband and my two nephews (notice, not their sons – my nephews) joined us for a few days. In the album below is a photo of the boys heading down a trail that leads along side the Lyons Canal in Twain Harte. We hiked for quite a while and never reached the end! I probably would have kept going, but Nathan had to take three strides for my one, and it was warmish. Then again, I think my sister was a bit apprehensive about the nearby shooting range.

One way to escape the heat in Tuolumne County is to head underground, and there are three or four various caverns or mines within a hour’s drive or so. We headed for Moaning Cavern, just outside of Vallecito. The cavern was first discovered in approximately 1851 by miners prospecting for gold, but they didn’t have enough vision to understand tourists might offer up gold to see this natural wonder. It was rediscovered in 1919. Legend says tourists were lowered into the huge chamber in ore buckets with only the light of candles. The cavern got its name from the sound created by drops of water that fall into holes in a flowstone formation with a bottle-like shape. This drumming sound echoes throughout the cavern, and sounded like a distant moaning to early explorers.

Some Moaning Cavern statistics:

  • In the cavern one can find stalactites, stalagmites, draperies and dripstones.
    Large enough to contain the Statue of Liberty.
  • 234 stairs descend to a depth of 165 feet below ground level.
  • Above-mentioned stairs were built from salvaged materials from a World War 1 battleship and was built in six months.
  • Bones of prehistoric people who had fallen into the cavern thousands of years ago were found on the cavern floors.
  • The cavern’s current total depth is 410 feet.

Other formations in the cavern include the “Chocolate Waterfall,” “The Meat Grinder,” “The Lasagna Factory” and “The Fruit and Vegetable Market.” Seems the early cave explorers were a bit hungry. The oddest name for a formation is probably “Godzilla’s Nostril;” though one can see it after staring for a bit.

One of the things we enjoy quite a bit while at the cabin is nearby fishing. The same irrigation ditch I mentioned earlier is also stocked with pan-sized rainbow trout (about 11-12 inches and ½-¾ pound). About a year ago we took my nephews there and lucked upon newly stocked fish, and they had a blast. Between five of us we must have pulled in 15 or so fish!

Well, figuring lighting might strike twice, Chris and I took our friends’ son to the same spot. Sure enough he hooked into a very decent size fish with a decidedly undersized pole. It was so very cool to help him reel in that first fish. And I hear that his mother enjoyed it for lunch shortly thereafter!

In between all of the above, we went swimming almost daily, hit the annual barbecue dinner at the lake on the fifth of July, visited Covers’ Apple Farm, enjoyed miniature golf, bowled (to get out of the heat) and generally just spent time as it should be when on vacation!


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Donner Lake ’99

August 1999 found us boys taking a chance on camping at Donner Lake. We all love the Tahoe area, but thought this less-visited campground might be a nice change of pace. And nice it was! We had our campground loop pretty much to ourselves, enjoyed fishing at Donner Lake and a pond behind the campgroud, hiked, biked, toured the visitor center and had an all-around great time. The weather was great…shorts during the day and most of the evening, as long as we warmed ’em up around the campfire. Chris and Sean are enjoying this early-evening fire, while dad, no doubt, slaves over the camp stove, perhaps frying up a freshly-caught trout.

As hinted above, we did catch fish. (Surprised?!) This was the boys’ first experience catching the ubiquitous rainbow trout. It was a great time, even if we only caught two or three fish a day. (On our return to civilization, we had the opportunity to reel in some bluegill at a friend’s pond. Way cool!)

Chris even prepared our catch for dinner one night. With Chris it was not so much as cleaning the fish, but more of a dissection. After a few attempts, he was almost an expert at gutting those trout. (Next stop for Chris: an Alaskan fishing trawler!)

Of course, no visit to Donner Pass and Donner Lake would be complete without learning of the area’s history. Sean and Chris looked like ants standing at the base of the main memorial to the Donner Party. Look carefully at the photo album. The snow at the time of the Donner Party’s ill-fated trip was as deep as the top concrete edge of the statue base! The visitor centers is to what would be the right of the statue (as you are looking at it), and there’s a great self-guided trail starting at it’s back door. Well worth a visit! That’s about it…


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Lake Tahoe ’97

On Aug. 16, 1997 we staked our temporary claim to a campsite at Eagle Point at Emerald Bay State Park.  This is probably one of the best campsites we’ve had at this campground – across from the showers, within easy walking distance of a small beach and Eagle Point, where we were able to watch ospreys feeding their young in a nest. 

One of the highlights of this trip was a 1½-mile hike to Eagle Lake, and in the photos below you can that the boys were happy to make it. (Sean is hamming it up!) Guess it shows either my age or that of the boys; they pretty much kept up with me during all of our hikes throughout the area. Eagle Lake rises about 1,000 feet above the 6,229-foot elevation of Lake Tahoe, so it was a good hike. There was still snow in some of the crevices up and to the right of the rear of the lake. BTW, Eagle Lake is where part of Star Trek: Nemesis was filmed.

Our 1¼-mile hike behind Fallen Leaf Lake was also very enjoyable, though it followed what appeared to be a goat path on the side of granite mountains. And upon reaching our destination, the boys cooled off by dipping there toes into that awfully cold water.

Another highlight I would recommend that any visitor to the Tahoe area – worth the time to visit (and find) – would be Echo Lakes.  Pay a measly $6 for a U.S. Forest Service tour of the two lakes. The lakes and surrounding mountains are incredibly beautiful. The two-hour tour, in an old U.S. Navy launch, takes in the natural and human history of the area. (There is a community of 100 or so seasonal homes on the shores of both lakes.)

As usual, Sean and Chris made some friends (from Irvine and the city of Orange, BTW). It is nice to see some things haven’t changed in the many years I have been camping! Check the album to and another friend take a few seconds to sit still by and on the neighbor’s hammock.

If you look through the photo album, you’ll see Chris standing front of Emerald Bay. Our campsite would be just to the left of his head, on the point. The photo was taken at the top of Eagle Falls, and near the trailhead for a trail leading to Eagle Lake and other destination in the Desolation Wilderness.