My friend Rick can fish from sun up to sun down and that is perfect with me. We both enjoy the fishing, scenery, the sounds of a creek coursing swiftly over rocks and boulders, and the general feel of being in a most magnificent place. Here are some photos of the area from last year.
Those mountain range scenes in old western movies were largely shots of the eastern side of this 600 mile north-south running mountain range. The western side of the range gently slopes downward into the San Joaquin Valley, but the eastern side is one huge long fault block which has been forced upward by geologic forces that continue raising the range even now. The Eastern Sierra has the highest mountain top in the contiguous United States. Mt, Whitney, 14,505 feet.
In the past, our fishing trips have focused on the Mammoth Lakes area: a group of small, scenic lakes around 9,000 feet. The elevation and the terrain make for great hiking and fishing. This a popular ski/snowboard area in the winter.
Below the community of Mammoth Lakes is Long Valley with the Owens River running through it. The valley floor is actually the remnant of a very large ancient volcano. The Long Valley Caldera, which is what the area is referred to by geologists, is the largest caldera in the world and there are indications that the volcano may be working itself into another period of eruptive activity.
This year we are fishing based in Bishop because of the time constraint. Bishop is a small friendly town located in the Owens Valley which lies below the Long Valley. Google map view.
We’ll probably head up State Highway 168, which intersects US 395 mid-town, toward Lake Sabrina, 9,138 feet. In that area there are North Lake, South Lake and Weir Pond. Of course there are all the streams that feed those lakes too. Early fishing reports make it sound like this should be a very successful trip.
