Mammoth area July 19, 20

[YakityYak]

Headed up for the weekend for a little fly fishing. I was planning to stay until Sunday, but the fishing was a little slow and I hit everying I wanted to and then some.

On Thursday I got home from San Diego and got to bed around 11:30 pm. Woke up and was out the door by 2am to meet some friends to fish in Friday. Friday morning we headed into Yosemite NP/ Tuolumne Meadows and hit the Lyle creek and hike the Muir upstream about 3 mile before cutiing over to the Lyle and started to fish. Worked upstream fishing the ripples, pools and banks until about 6pm. It was a little slow at first until I got my technique down and got the the stream wired.

I don't really midge so it was purely dry flies for me. The hot flies in 18 and 20 were elk hair caddis, ec caddis and royal wufts. Others had luck with the sierra brite spot, but I had trouble seeing it. I had a miss for every hooked fish. I ended up with about 12 brookies and browns to about 10". There were some that got more srikes than me, but I landed more than most.

The weather was awesome with a little more wind than needed, but luckily it was blowing upstream in the direction of the cast. Fish were native and beautiful as was the area. I had only been to the valley before. I forgot my camera in the truck so no pictures from me, but if I get any from my friend I'll add them.

I got back to Mammoth Lakes late and the wife actually called the Mono sherrif's dept cause she hadn't heard from me. I quess she forgot I was going to be fishing in the wilderness.

Saturday I hit hot creek and had rouble convincing the fish to eat. Hot creek is a tough place for a novice like me to fish. I had one miss and resorted to midging with a dry fly indicator for one landed 11" rainbow (my pb on a fly) on a beaded midge just before lunch.

I then headed for easier waters and hit Mammoth creek ( I heard fish were stacked on top of each other and they almost were, but the water was so shallow the fish spooked easily. All I got was one miss in the shadows a cut bank.

Next up was convict creek a little below the lake. On my first cast I had a hit but the fish turned downstream toward me, I couldn't keep tension and it came unbottoned at my feet. It looked like a nice fish. It surprised the bait guys that were nearby. I quess they had been there a while without so much as seeing a fish.

I really need to land something so I headed to a spot were I pulled 30+ fish in an afternoon last year. I can't believe how little water there is! It didn't even cover my wading boots in the deeper pools. I did see a few fish, but they saw me too. Some of those that suck round struck and missed. I only managed one tiny brown that was only about 2" wider tahn my palm.

My original plan was to stay another day, but with water levels so low than it made the fish skittish and the winds making casting difficult I decided to head home a day early. I still had fun and I may go up next month and do a little spinning on the lakes. maybe a turn around trip.

[spooky007]

Great going and thanks for the report!!


Al

[FishSlayer]

thanks for the report, I cant wait until I'm up there Friday!

[YakityYak]

I'm hoping to get back up there sometime next month. Maybe do the lake thing this time around.

[NulodPBall]