Don Q Outdoors: Go high to fish before it's too late

It’s now officially Fall and it's that unique time of the year again.
This is when the days are very noticeably shorter, the weather is much crisper and Old Man Winter is lurking just around the corner, with all of his cold, frost, snow and ice.

If you were not aware of it, The Sierra Nevada Mountains got their first snow of the year this last Saturday! Winter is on its way!

So, if you would like a last try at fishing some of our higher altitude lakes before they freeze up or are closed for the 2013 season on November 15, here are some suggestions on where to go:

Convict Lake and Convict Creek:
They are located just west of U.S. 395, between Mammoth and Bishop, and are a popular destination for anglers, mostly from Southern California.
The reason for those big crowds is the frequent plantings of Alpers Trophy Rainbow Trout, which can run up to the 10-pound class.

Shore fishing with bait (Power Bait), lures (Thomas Buoyants) and flies (large dark ones) is good just about anywhere, but most of the anglers concentrate at either the inlet or the outlet.

Boaters usually troll flasher blades with either lures or nightcrawlers.
Do not miss an opportunity to have dinner at “The Restaurant” at the lake.
It is a dining experience that you will remember for a long time.
For fishing information, lodging or dinner reservations, call the Convict Lake Resort at (800) 992-2260 or go to http://www.convictlake.com.

Lundy Lake:
It is about 20 miles south of Bridgeport, near the south foot of Conway Summit. Look for the signed, paved road on your right. Take that road for another five miles to reach the lake. Just about anywhere at this high-mountain lake is excellent for nice-sized rainbow, brown or Eastern brook trout.

Lundy is prone to becoming windy, very quickly, as the sun comes up.
You can fish, equally well, from shore, a float tube or a boat.
From shore, use nightcrawlers or orange-colored Power Bait or spincast with small lures, such as TOR-P-DO, Kastmaster, Mepps, etc.

From a float tube, near the inlet stream, fly fish with small flies, such as an olive-colored Woolly Worm, soft hackle (Carey Special), bird's nest, Prince Nymph or Zug Bug.  

If in a boat, troll along the shore, across from the paved road, with silver-colored flasher blades and worms or with Flatfish or Rapala lures. 
     
Kinney Reservoir, Lower Kinney Lake and Upper Kinney Lake:
These three bodies of water are located just off of California S.R. 4.
Kinney Reservoir is near the top of Ebbett’s Pass.

Upper and Lower Kinney Lakes are a short walk from the reservoir.
Be advised that S.R. 4 is very narrow, steep and winding; and if you are someone who does not like that combination or if you are afraid of looking down at sheer drop-offs, you better go somewhere else.

Kinney Reservoir:
It is next to the highway and contains Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout.
If you want to fish from a boat, you will need a small, light boat that can be hand-launched from shore as there are no boat launching facilities.
If you fish from shore, a good location is way around on the other side of the reservoir in the far corner. Bait fishermen have had good success in that area with inflated nightcrawlers or Power Bait.

If you fish from a float tube or inflatable raft, try trolling with flies or small lures, along the highway side of the reservoir, at that same far end.
This reservoir is also prone to getting windy in the afternoons, so fish early.

Lower Kinney Lake:
This is a short and a little bit steep, half-mile hike from Kinney Reservoir. Just walk across the dam and keep going on the old dirt road. When you reach the fork in the road, the right-hand fork takes you to Lower Kinney Lake and the left-hand one takes you uphill to Upper Kinney.

At Lower Kinney, if you are a fly fisherman, use a float tube or inflatable raft for a chance at nice-sized Cutthroat Trout (up to 20 inches in length). Paddle up and down the south side for best results.

Upper Kinney Lake:
It is a short, steep walk from Lower Kinney Lake on the old dirt road or a very short, very steep hike along the stream that flows into Lower Kinney.
If you fish from shore, try the east side and use small lures or Power Bait.

If you are a fly fisherman, take your float tube for a chance at nice-sized Cutthroat Trout (also in the 20-inch class).

As a bonus, from the dam, you have great photo opportunities of Upper Kinney, Lower Kinney Lake and the countryside way off in the distance.
When you are done fishing, it is an all-downhill hike back to your vehicle.

Mammoth Lakes:
This recreational area is located west of U.S. 395, just north of Bishop.
The City of Mammoth has all kinds of great choices for overnight accommodations, eating, shopping, clothing, sporting equipment, etc.
The Mammoth Lakes area offers everything from outstanding trout fishing in the summertime to world-class downhill skiing in the winter.

Try fishing at George, Mamie, Mary or Twin Lakes, as they are routinely planted with eye-popping Alpers Trophy Rainbow Trout.

Heck, when was the last time that you caught a beautiful rainbow trout (5+ pounds) and no one else got excited about your catch, except you?
For information, go to http://www.visitmammoth.com.

Virginia Lakes:
A complex of lakes (including Big Virginia, Little Virginia, Trumbull, Red, Blue, Cooney, Moat and Frog all connected by Virginia Creek) that is about seven miles west of the top of Conway Summit on U.S. 395, which is approximately 15 miles south of Bridgeport, Calif.

You will be at high altitude (from 9,700’ to more than 11,000’), so be sure to take it slow and easy when hiking.

The Virginia Lakes Canyon has ten crystal-clear, alpine lakes, some containing native brook and brown trout along with stocked rainbows.
Little Virginia, Big Virginia and Trumbull Lakes are stocked with rainbows, and also have brook and brown trout. Moat Lake has brookies and is the only lake in the drainage that has a few remaining golden trout.

Fly fishing is extremely popular in this area with the use of float tubes.
For fishing information or camping information, call the Virginia Lakes Resort at (760) 647-6484 or go to www.vir@qnet.com.

Winnemucca Lake:
This lake is located in the Mokelumne Wilderness Area of California, and it is my all-time favorite, walk-in, trout fishing destination. Winnemucca is reached by an easy, two-mile hike from the U.S. Forest Service parking lot at the top of Kit Carson Pass.

That parking area is about 40 miles south of Carson City, via a combination of U.S. 395, Nev. S.R. 88 and Calif. S.R. 88. Be advised that you need to pay a U.S. Forest Service parking fee.

Winnemucca Lake contains Brook Trout and Kamloop Trout, and you can quickly tell the difference between the two species when you catch one.
The Brook Trout will fight your line deep in the water, while the Kamloop Trout will jump, tail-dance and splash across the top of the water.

Shore fishing (bait, lures or flies) is normally rated as slow, but you can do very well by fishing from a float tube or inflatable raft, especially in the area on the backside of the lake between the islands and the shore.
Fish in that back area by trolling with a combination of small flasher blades and small lures or with your choice of artificial flies.

That means that you will have to carry that float tube or inflatable raft for about two miles while hiking at high altitude of about 8,500-9,000 feet, so you would be well advised to be in good physical shape. You should fish early in the morning, because when the wind comes up (almost every afternoon), it can become very fierce.

Frog Lake:
If you’re lazy and don’t want to hike all the way into Winnemucca Lake, then stop at little Frog Lake, which is only about a half-mile hike from the parking area at Kit Carson Pass.

Don’t let its small size fool you because it contains rainbow trout that can go up to 18 inches in length (I’ve caught them that large!). Frog Lake can be very productive for shore fishermen with bait, lures or artificial flies. We have had great success in the past by spincasting with small red/white striped lures or with red Salmon eggs on the bottom.

This lake, unlike Winnemucca Lake, does not get hammered when the afternoon winds come up. As a bonus, if you go to the side of the lake opposite the hiking trail, you can walk to the top of the ridge and get great photos of Red Lake, down below.

There you have it:
Some selected locations for end-of-the-season fishing.
Pick one or more and go have fun in the high country...while you can.

Bet Your Favorite Pigeon
Bet your favorite pigeon that he can’t tell you about a special lake between the Virginia Lakes complex and Summit Pass.
If he grins and says, “It is Burro Lake, which is reached by a very steep hike on very loose shale, south of the Summit Pass Trail,” he could have been one of the persons who hiked in with me to fish for Brook Trout.

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Photo No. 01:
A windy day in early summer at Convict Lake.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 02:
Lundy Lake in the fall.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 03:
Looking toward Ebbetts Pass from Kinney Reservoir.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 04:
Upper and Lower Kinney Lakes.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 05:
The Virginia Lakes Resort.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 06:
Winnemuca Lake on the Fourth of July.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 07:
Frog Lake.
Photo by Elaine Quilici

Photo No. 08:
Looking down on Red Lake from Frog Lake.
Photo by Elaine Quilici