JMT and fishing advice

[PorterTockMan]

Hello all,
As you can see I just joined. I've been wandering this site for a few weeks now and I think it's great. All the members seem really knowledgeable and helpful. I've found tons of great info.

Anyway, I'm hiking the JMT this July with some family members. We'll be taking about 18 days. I'm am so revved up for this trip. I've read some trip reports and saw that many people are very successful fishing along the JMT. So I decided to give it a try while I'm there. I've never been fishing while backpacking before and so I'm looking for some advice.

What do you find are the most convenient times to fish on the trail? The best fishing times in general are morning and evening, but there are usually other camp chores to take care of during these times, and you're not always going to camp near water. When do you find is the best time to fish?

I would also like to eat some of the fish I catch (hopefully I don't get skunked) but there could be a problem here too: We plan to have our biggest meal at midday, so we rest and relax during the hottest part of the day. We'll have smaller meals at breakfast at dinnertime, and continue walking a little ways after dinner so we don't camp where we eat. Eating fish at the midday meal would be great but I'm afraid the fishing won't be good during the middle of the day. Has this been your experience? Any advice here?

Also, I saw in another thread that I can buy a 10 day license at Yosemite Valley or Tuolomne. Is it worth it to buy two 10 day licenses (at $40 each) so it'll cover the entire trip?

I have an old, short and light ugly stick and a lightweight spinning reel that I'll be bringing. I don't plan on buying a new rod or reel, I think it'll do fine (I'll see for sure on my shake down trips) but if anyone has advice on lures I'm all ears. I'm by no means an expert fisherman but I'm thinking spinners and maybe a bubble and fly setup (never used a bubble before). What do you carry your lures or flys in anyway?

Any other thoughts or advice you have are appreciated as well. I'm open to learning something new.

It's a beautiful day today here in Virginia so I'm heading outside.

I apologize for the lengthy post...but thanks for all the help!

[Desert Reprobate]

I always used a yellow panther martin. It worked very well all through the Sierras. There will come a time when you have to decide Am I out here backpacking or out here fishing. I spent so much time fishing I never got past Tahoe.

[UnkaJesse]

Sounds to me like you've got one critical decision to make first.....
Are you going on a hiking trip and planning to do a little fishing?
or
Are you going on a fishing trip and plan to do a little hiking?

Truly, you can't go wrong either way, but you'll need to be realistic about the time each pursuit will take. As I write this, I'm remembering one of my best days fishing Lonesome Lake in the Cirque of the Towers. Sadly, I had to pack up and quit because we had to make it over Texas Pass before the nightfall. I was on a hiking trip doing a little fishing. I went back the next year and did it the other way around. Both trips were excellent. Just decide before you leave the house.

As for equipment, I'm a fly fisherman, so understand I'm biased. Fly gear is very light and four piece rods are common. I carry a very small tackle pack, one reel, and a four piece rod. You can skimp on lots of other stuff, but get a good rod, especially for Western fishing. You will be making much longer casts than we do here in the East. My advice for doing it on the cheap would be to hit Craigslist for some top shelf used gear. Lots of folks buy high end fly rods, but end up selling them because they get frustrated or decide that they'd rather lay on the sofa and watch football.

PM me if I can help you further.

[hoz]

I've used a spin rig with flies and a bubble casting bobber in the Winds many times with good results. Once I forgot a casting bobber and ended up using a 35 mm plastic film container and STILL caught fish! Using leader material for the section from the bobber to the fly, seems to help.

I tried fishing with a fly rod and reel but I'd rather "catch" than "cast". A spin rig is so much easier to use.

[randyg45]

My "secret weapon" for trout in western rivers is a Rapala Original Floater, gold, 2 3/4" or 3 1/2". I cut off 5 hooks, leaving only one in the middle of the lure. I miss some strikes, but they don't get hooked too badly or deeply.

I also got into a weird deal with this lure on some high small lake east of jackson, wy. There were a bunch of small brookies scattered around practically on the surface. They wouldn't hit spinners, and I didn't have any flies, but they would hit the Rapala the second it hit the water- and hit it hard enough that they either hooked themselves or knocked it a foot into the air.

Dinner was served!

[UnkaJesse]

I tried fishing with a fly rod and reel but I'd rather "catch" than "cast". A spin rig is so much easier to use.

While I'd clearly disagree with your imagery of a fly fisherman uselessly slinging his line around while the spinner hauls in a trawler load of trout, fly fishing does require at least a minimal commitment to learning how to cast. This is why I suggest shopping for used gear.

Different lures, plugs, flies, etc. work sometimes and not others. It's all dependent on what the fish are doing at that moment. Rooster tails and other flashy things like a Royal Coachman fly work when trout are being territorial or opportunistic. i.e. They make a quick, rash, decision to bite either before the prey gets away or to run off a potential rival. This is the most fun you will have fishing. Smaller flies that mimic tiny insects or larvae work when trout are more selective. They also work much better on older, smarter fish. The key is to have what they want when they want it.

Fish on, regardless of your choice of equipment. Tight lines!
UJ

[hoz]

My "secret weapon" for trout in western rivers is a Rapala Original Floater, gold, 2 3/4" or 3 1/2".

I'm surprised, that's a pretty big lure for trout. Were they big? I'm planning a hiking/fishing trip to the Winds for this summer. Thot I'd bring my old flies and some small Rooster Tails. Maybe I'll include a few Raps now...

[hoz]

While I'd clearly disagree with your imagery of a fly fisherman uselessly slinging his line around while the spinner hauls in a trawler load of trout, fly fishing does require at least a minimal commitment to learning how to cast.
UJ

No insult intended Unk, but I've seen it happen and you probably know the place.

Billy's lake just under Texas Pass. We were bringing small brookies every other cast with our Lt wt spin cast rigs when two guys came up with fly outfits. They literally frothed the water trying to beat their flies out in the wind with minimal results. We wound up sharing our catch with them that evening.

And as for making a commitment, I could roll and also double pump my fly casting rig but just found it too much trouble.

[UnkaJesse]

I'll go out on a limb here and guess that they were outfitted head-to-toe in brand spanking new gear from either Orvis or LL Bean. You can find that guy on just about any trout stream in America. He has all the right gear and no clue how to use it.

I didn't pull anything out of Billy's myself either. The west bank was too shallow and silty to hold fish and after coming up and over Texas Pass, I just didn't have the energy to hike to the deeper water on the east bank.

How did you get there? The Highline trail? or the Cirque?

[hoz]

We were doing a Father and Son "Cirque Circumnavigation" Starting Big Sandy, up Highline/Fremont, Shadow, up and over Texas Pass, Through the Cirque and out over Jackass Pass.

We spent a night at Billys before climbing Texas.

[UnkaJesse]

I did the same hike in reverse. It would have been safer to do Texas the way you did it. That scree slope was frightening with a pack on going down.


http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qocxs1HFbn5-TI4TJ3KwrQhttp://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qocxs1HFbn5-TI4TJ3KwrQ?feat=directlinkhttp://lh4.ggpht.com/_axziEtjPJdI/RybLwfQYiDI/AAAAAAAAA2w/YOZblxJjNMY/s720/387-Chris%20Making%20Good%20Progess.jpghttp://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qocxs1HFbn5-TI4TJ3KwrQ?feat=directlink

[fiddlehead]

About eating your catch, why not just carry the fish in a zip lock to where you will be having your big meal of the day.
In July, you should still have some snow on the ground to put in with it and keep them cold.
We caught many (small) trout on one of my hikes of the JMT. I think it was 2000.
They were hungry. Which lure didn't seem to matter.

[take-a-knee]

About eating your catch, why not just carry the fish in a zip lock to where you will be having your big meal of the day.
In July, you should still have some snow on the ground to put in with it and keep them cold.
We caught many (small) trout on one of my hikes of the JMT. I think it was 2000.
They were hungry. Which lure didn't seem to matter.

Yes, just gut the fish and remove the head and gills and place it in a ziploc, it'll keep for a while that way. I'm a catch-and-release kayak fisherman on southern rivers, if I guthook a bass or catch an introduced spotted bass on certain rivers where they shouldn't be, that is exactly what I do with them. With the trout you don't need to scale them, just eat the skin.

[PorterTockMan]

I always used a yellow panther martin. It worked very well all through the Sierras.

Yep, I've seen several reports where this was the case. Its a popular choice and I'll have to try it out. Thanks.

[PorterTockMan]

Sounds to me like you've got one critical decision to make first.....
Are you going on a hiking trip and planning to do a little fishing?
or
Are you going on a fishing trip and plan to do a little hiking?

Well, it's the JMT so our main purpose is to backpack. Just thought I'd ask what other people's experience has been when fishing too.



As for equipment, I'm a fly fisherman, so understand I'm biased. Fly gear is very light and four piece rods are common. I carry a very small tackle pack, one reel, and a four piece rod. You can skimp on lots of other stuff, but get a good rod, especially for Western fishing. You will be making much longer casts than we do here in the East. My advice for doing it on the cheap would be to hit Craigslist for some top shelf used gear. Lots of folks buy high end fly rods, but end up selling them because they get frustrated or decide that they'd rather lay on the sofa and watch football.

PM me if I can help you further.

Thanks for the advice. At this time I'm happy with my spinning gear and that's what I'll be bringing. Down the road maybe I will learn to fly fish but not at this point in my life. I'm on neither side when it comes to the the fly vs spin debate. They both have their pros and cons the way that I see it. It's got no bearing to this particular topic at the moment. I just happen to have, and know how to use spin fishing gear right now.

[PorterTockMan]

About eating your catch, why not just carry the fish in a zip lock to where you will be having your big meal of the day.
In July, you should still have some snow on the ground to put in with it and keep them cold.
We caught many (small) trout on one of my hikes of the JMT. I think it was 2000.
They were hungry. Which lure didn't seem to matter.

That's a great idea to keep the fish for later in a ziplock with some snow. I'll have to try it out. Thanks!

[rumps]

my friend did a lot of fishing last summer as we hiked around Tuolomne and we met this one guy that had been up there for weeks going to all the different lakes and ponds that he could find. What I learned from all of this was there are not many fish, especially ones big enough to eat near the trails. I'm not sure about the whole JMT, but just make sure your gear is light and small and you're just bringing it for fun and not expecting to catch fish ...

[randyg45]

Anywhere from 8" up- and that one time with the brookies they probably weren't that big. Try it in larger creeks and rivers.... say, at least thgh deep.
If you can't keep your fish on ice at least keep them wrapped in something wet. Evaporation works wonders..

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

we carried a fishing rod last year but only spent about 3 hours fishing on the entire trail. I wasn't going to bring the rod again this year but then I read this article and I may just go back and try to take more time around the lakes, given we are doing a yo-yo hike and will be spending a month up there

http://www.thru-hiker.com/articles/thru-fishing.php

[garbanz]

An 1/8 oz black rooster tail worked for my telescopic spinning rod. Took about 5 small trout for breakfast. They were out of this world on the taste scale!
If you're tired from hiking and have camp chores to do, just check out the lake in the evening . Then try to catch breakfast before you break camp. Ran into a fisherwoman who had done good on a Mepps spinner. Watch for trout surfacing eating bugs.

[Dogwood]

Get the Cal fishing license in the same place as U get your JMT hiking permit in Yosemite Valley at the Backcountry Office. Don't know if the 2 10 day licenses will fly but give it a try. Do buy the license. Rangers are out in July and have a way of sneaking up on U. Besides, most of the money goes to supporting a underfunded good cause. Keep it simple. A small UL pole and reel w/ 4 lb test and a handful of trout size spinners(Panther Martin, 0 Mepps, 1/32 oz Rooster Tails, tiny spoons, etc, will do, consider buying single hook spinners or filing off the barbs on treble hooks so any unwanted fish or deeply hooked fish can be safely released, also the bubble and fly combo should be fine unless U R a fly fishing purist or attempt to lure some of the harder to catch fish). Brookies and small Rainbows are relatively easy to catch! Saw someone at Rae Lakes make 33 casts w/ a small spoon(I was counting) and catch 29 fish! Mostly small Brookies. Fresh trout in the Sierras is pink to red, clean, and delish!

Clean your fish away from where U camp. Cook away from where U sleep. Dispose of the remains in deep water.

Early morning and evening tend to be the best times, but I've had success on overcast days too.

Plenty of fishing and camping opps along the JMT. Enjoy!

[PorterTockMan]

we carried a fishing rod last year but only spent about 3 hours fishing on the entire trail. I wasn't going to bring the rod again this year but then I read this article and I may just go back and try to take more time around the lakes, given we are doing a yo-yo hike and will be spending a month up there

http://www.thru-hiker.com/articles/thru-fishing.php

I read that article too, that's what got me thinking about fishing on the trail! Thanks for the help.

[PorterTockMan]

Get the Cal fishing license in the same place as U get your JMT hiking permit in Yosemite Valley at the Backcountry Office. Don't know if the 2 10 day licenses will fly but give it a try. Do buy the license. Rangers are out in July and have a way of sneaking up on U. Besides, most of the money goes to supporting a underfunded good cause. Keep it simple. A small UL pole and reel w/ 4 lb test and a handful of trout size spinners(Panther Martin, 0 Mepps, 1/32 oz Rooster Tails, tiny spoons, etc, will do, consider buying single hook spinners or filing off the barbs on treble hooks so any unwanted fish or deeply hooked fish can be safely released, also the bubble and fly combo should be fine unless U R a fly fishing purist or attempt to lure some of the harder to catch fish). Brookies and small Rainbows are relatively easy to catch! Saw someone at Rae Lakes make 33 casts w/ a small spoon(I was counting) and catch 29 fish! Mostly small Brookies. Fresh trout in the Sierras is pink to red, clean, and delish!

Clean your fish away from where U camp. Cook away from where U sleep. Dispose of the remains in deep water.

Early morning and evening tend to be the best times, but I've had success on overcast days too.

Plenty of fishing and camping opps along the JMT. Enjoy!

29 fish on 33 casts! Wow, I read a similar report online somewhere (don't remember at the moment) and it made me think that even might be able to catch a fish. By the end of his trip he caught over a hundred fish!

I'm definitely getting at least one license, I strongly believe in supporting the park system and good causes.

Thanks for the great advice.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

This thread may be valuable too:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3243

basically, there are a number of places where fish were removed to allow some frog populations to recover. I recall vividly from last summer how different those lakes are - hundreds of frogs at this unnamed lake in Le Conte Canyon south of Muir Pass:

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/muir2008/photos_HDcam/gallery/tape4/images/067_frogs_on_the_rocks.jpg

so when you see a lot of frogs, don't even bother with the fishing rod - there's nothing in those lakes.

[HikerDave]

For my 2009 JMT hike, I also checked into the out-of-state fishing license choices.

You can purchase multiple 10-day licenses for $40 each. You must declare the exact start date for each at time of purchase.
Or purchase a 2009 annual license for $110.
Since I plan to take my time on the trail, don't want to be tied to particular dates, and plan to do a shakedown hike also in California, I opted for the annual option.

Sure it's pricey, but don't try to go without... The only time I have ever been asked for my fishing license in my life was in California (Sequoia National Park).

Happy fishing,
Dave