Vee Lake & Orchid Lake TR

[sierramel]

It seems as though for the most part only the "fishly determined" are the ones to see many of the lakes off the JMT.
Back in the mid-'90's a friend of mine and I did an "angelers survey" for the Dept. of Fish and Game in Bishop (this was several years before the official survey was finally done by Roland Knapp a few years later) of the lakes off the JMT. We took along a sheaf of forms to fill out about gravel beds, aquatic vegetation, available food, and a H20 thermometer to record temperatures and conditions. Seeing how it was a low-snow year, we had the whole summer to explore the lakes and streams in the side canyons and along the trails off the JMT for the whole summer, which for us began in mid-June and lasted until the middle of September. We spent 73 days between Yosemite and New Army Pass, fishing our brains out.
The intent for us, besides garnering informal information for F and G, was to find where the best fishing for Goldens was. Needless to say we got to as many places as there was time for before the temps fell for good, and the snow flew.
The best I ever did that summer was at Upper Crabtree Lake. I caught a female golden ( have the picture) who was close to 2 lbs. and as long as my forearm. She fought like a little marlin. What a thrill.
It seems like the consistantly best fishing we found was south of Forester Pass - although I have to admit that there were some lakes, like Bench, out of Taboose, where there is a mix of goldens, browns and a few brookies, and those lakes in the Rae Lakes Basin (all brookies) were highly sucessful. Sometimes lakes along the trail, like Sally Keyes, were good as well.
We found Orchid Lake, Rose Lake, Italy Lake, Bear Lake and Teddy Bear a lot of fun. Lake South America was a grunt to get to, but the fishing was fine up there in the middle of nowhere.
We went out of the way a little to get into the Wrights lake basin - it seems a though nobody ever gets in that way much, and the numbered lake below Versteeg Peak was a blast- great big bookies that would hit on every cast in that lake, and smaller goldens in the little lakes scattered around the basin. But Wallace Lake was a true prize. 20 inch goldens were pretty common back in the late 80's and early 90's. Boy, I sure miss fishing down there.
In total we fished 33 lakes (this wasn't counting the smaller ones - like Lou Beverly) in 73 days. It seems like the only way I'll ever get get back there again is by air.
Chuck Yeager was the consumate golden trout fisherman. He wrote a lot about fishing for goldens in the sierra, and even named several of his favorite lakes in one of the books he wrote. But unfortunately for the rest of us, he never named his favorite high lakes (for obvious reasons) so we'll never know where the great big trophy sized goldens are hiding.

[calipidder]

Beautiful pictures. I know what you mean about the "every place I've been in the sierra ends up being the most beautiful place I've seen in the sierra" thing. I spent several days in Bear Lakes basin last month - camped at Big Bear and had the most incredible view of Seven Gables from my tent. Spent some time touring the lakes of the basin then we climbed Seven Gables from the east side - glad we had a nice day and not that crazy lightning. Wow!

Came home and told the Mr it was the best place I've been. He just rolled his eyes and said that I always say that. Well it is true for now! I think the views from Vee are just amazing, I took hundreds of pictures of seven gables reflected in its surface from all kinds of angles.

[maverick]

Thanks Calipidder, it is a beautiful location, and Seven Gables is impressive from all
sides, wish I could say that about myself.