Busman's Holiday Epilogue

 What a great holiday! A week in the really High Sierra; the "eastern-side"...along interstate #395. We camped  at 9550' (Tunbull Lake) in the Virginia Lakes area, northern Hoover Wilderness. Access was west of Conway Summit (8300'). We hiked and fly fished at Blue and Red Lakes; 10,100' and 10,500'. Yes, I was very winded even though the treks were less than 2 miles. 

Hoover Wilderness sign on trail 

                                                           Virginia Lake...a drive to

Blue Lake...10,100'...Brookies

        Red Lake...hike to above 10,000'...looking for cruising Brookies from a high-vantage point

The Brookies...and the fewer Goldens (...from 20 Lakes Basin of SaddleBag Lake area, below) were in the 7"-11" range and they ate both on the surface via dries or sub-surface via varying retrieves. Surface patterns were # 18 ParaChute Adams and #16 Elk Hairs. Effective nymphs were #18 Chartreuse Copper Johns and #20 Black Midge Pupae.

                          Salmo Aqua Bonita (current scientific name?)
                                                         ...California's state fish

 

After three nights of car-camping we went to a friend's very nice condo in Mammoth Lakes. From there we drove to the SaddleBag Lake area (southern entrance to the  Hoover Wilderness) and took the taxi across SaddleBag Lake, disembarking, then a vigorous 1-1/2 mile hike on to Conness Lake

Conness Lake (10,500')

 The short hike through granite...

 

 

There is a great article in the October '12 issue of California Fly Fisher magazine about planning a self-guided trip along highway #395 and accessing all the fabulous, high-elevation waters on the "east-side" of the central High Sierra.