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- Jul 20, 2012
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I have this exact thread in SC surf fishing forum if anyone by chance is a member there (my user is Ficherkrit). Don't want people thinking I'm just jacking pictures and saying that I was there.
It has been roughly 4 years since I hiked these mountains. We began the trip at Cottonwood Pass. A well maintained camp-ground with clean restrooms and bear vaults. We would spend the first night car camping, adjusting to the thin yet clear Sierra air.
Our first day we hiked a net of roughly 11 miles. Hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail our first stop was at Chicken Spring Lake. I walked around apart of the lake, but as far as I could tell, there were no fish and I didn't have an opportunity to cast a line anyhow.
We then proceeded to leave the PCT and head on a junction towards Soldier Lake. I had intended to fish there; however, a water source proved available 0.7 miles before Soldier Lake and my fellow peers (non of whom fished) wanted to rest.
(some shots resting, no campsite pics sorry :/)
A deer (one of many) was spotted near a creek at our campsite)
Our 2nd day campsite was at 10,880 feet. For our 3rd day we were taking New Army Pass had to climb up to 12,330 in 2 miles >.>With most of the elevation gain occuring in the last mile...
Some shots on the way up
There were marmots everywhere up here. They're as big as a house cat and pretty darn fat too. (he was kinda far away in this pic, its the little brown ball in the center)
Finally, we reached the top of the pass and the high elevation was beginning to take a small toll on me. Nothing like Tylenol or Excedrin can fix
Looking down the valley at High and Long Lake
Finally we reached long lake. Our campsite for day 3. To my dismay, I only stayed there for 2 hours with only 1 hour to attempt fishing. We had arrived at long lake at noon and most of the individuals of our group said might as well push an extra 6 miles to get back to cottonwood pass. That aside, in that hour I did snag something special--though not a true golden, close enough for me. The fish was released. I tried to keep it in the water while another member grabbed his camera for the shot. I was a little concerned that I hurt the fish, but after moving in the lake back and forth to get water through its gills, the fish swam off.
That aside, I owe the fish I caught to one man in particular.(I'll say more on this later as I know you want to see the pics
)
The creeks were very beautiful in this area, and many of them--full of fish. Only that I didn't have an opportunity to fish them >.> I took some shots of sizable trout that I could spot.
From the last picture, it was only 3 or so miles till Cottonwood Pass and our trip was finished. Now back to what I was saying earlier about the man who I owe the fish to.
When stopping at lone pine, the other individual who was fishing needed to buy a fishing license. This gave me an opportunity to get some flies and ask what the fish were currently biting on. We stopped at this store called Slater's Sporting Good. An older gentleman greeted us, hooked us up with maps and chatted a bit. As I forgot to mention, we're Boy Scouts. The owner of the store, Dan was very supportive of the organization and said his son was an Eagle Scout. He showed us some pictures of other scouts who've visited his shop and chatted with us about Scouting in general. I asked him
what flies the fish were biting on up in the Cottonwood area and he said, "Black Ants." He gave me 2 small flies then looked at me and said, "I'll give you a discount." A discount at his expense--he gave it to me for free. To repay him, I would visit him if I caught fish and I did. Unfortunately we decided to leave a day early as we pushed an extra 6 miles. It was around 7:00 PM or so and when I arrived at Slater's Sporting Goods, it was closed!
The following day I tried to contact the store. It doesn't even exist on Google maps, but I still found a number from miscellaneous sources. Upon calling it though, the number was not in fact for Slaters. Confused, I called the Sporting good stores near and next to Slater's and all of whom answered told me that Slater's has been closed for years! I had just visited the store yet it seems as if it doesn't exist. I just want to pay my respects to the elderly individual who helped me out so if anyone by chance on this forum can put me in contact with a Dan from Slater's Sporting Goods, I'd appreciate it. I know its a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Anyhow sorry for that nonsense and I hope you enjoyed the pics!
- BN
It has been roughly 4 years since I hiked these mountains. We began the trip at Cottonwood Pass. A well maintained camp-ground with clean restrooms and bear vaults. We would spend the first night car camping, adjusting to the thin yet clear Sierra air.
Our first day we hiked a net of roughly 11 miles. Hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail our first stop was at Chicken Spring Lake. I walked around apart of the lake, but as far as I could tell, there were no fish and I didn't have an opportunity to cast a line anyhow.
We then proceeded to leave the PCT and head on a junction towards Soldier Lake. I had intended to fish there; however, a water source proved available 0.7 miles before Soldier Lake and my fellow peers (non of whom fished) wanted to rest.
(some shots resting, no campsite pics sorry :/)
A deer (one of many) was spotted near a creek at our campsite)
Our 2nd day campsite was at 10,880 feet. For our 3rd day we were taking New Army Pass had to climb up to 12,330 in 2 miles >.>With most of the elevation gain occuring in the last mile...
Some shots on the way up
There were marmots everywhere up here. They're as big as a house cat and pretty darn fat too. (he was kinda far away in this pic, its the little brown ball in the center)
Finally, we reached the top of the pass and the high elevation was beginning to take a small toll on me. Nothing like Tylenol or Excedrin can fix
Looking down the valley at High and Long Lake
Finally we reached long lake. Our campsite for day 3. To my dismay, I only stayed there for 2 hours with only 1 hour to attempt fishing. We had arrived at long lake at noon and most of the individuals of our group said might as well push an extra 6 miles to get back to cottonwood pass. That aside, in that hour I did snag something special--though not a true golden, close enough for me. The fish was released. I tried to keep it in the water while another member grabbed his camera for the shot. I was a little concerned that I hurt the fish, but after moving in the lake back and forth to get water through its gills, the fish swam off.
That aside, I owe the fish I caught to one man in particular.(I'll say more on this later as I know you want to see the pics
)
The creeks were very beautiful in this area, and many of them--full of fish. Only that I didn't have an opportunity to fish them >.> I took some shots of sizable trout that I could spot.
From the last picture, it was only 3 or so miles till Cottonwood Pass and our trip was finished. Now back to what I was saying earlier about the man who I owe the fish to.
When stopping at lone pine, the other individual who was fishing needed to buy a fishing license. This gave me an opportunity to get some flies and ask what the fish were currently biting on. We stopped at this store called Slater's Sporting Good. An older gentleman greeted us, hooked us up with maps and chatted a bit. As I forgot to mention, we're Boy Scouts. The owner of the store, Dan was very supportive of the organization and said his son was an Eagle Scout. He showed us some pictures of other scouts who've visited his shop and chatted with us about Scouting in general. I asked him
what flies the fish were biting on up in the Cottonwood area and he said, "Black Ants." He gave me 2 small flies then looked at me and said, "I'll give you a discount." A discount at his expense--he gave it to me for free. To repay him, I would visit him if I caught fish and I did. Unfortunately we decided to leave a day early as we pushed an extra 6 miles. It was around 7:00 PM or so and when I arrived at Slater's Sporting Goods, it was closed!
The following day I tried to contact the store. It doesn't even exist on Google maps, but I still found a number from miscellaneous sources. Upon calling it though, the number was not in fact for Slaters. Confused, I called the Sporting good stores near and next to Slater's and all of whom answered told me that Slater's has been closed for years! I had just visited the store yet it seems as if it doesn't exist. I just want to pay my respects to the elderly individual who helped me out so if anyone by chance on this forum can put me in contact with a Dan from Slater's Sporting Goods, I'd appreciate it. I know its a long shot, but it doesn't hurt to ask.Anyhow sorry for that nonsense and I hope you enjoyed the pics!
- BN
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