High Sierra Topix

Thanks for the informative report and photos. Such a contrast from my early August 2004 hike through that same country, when there was no snow at all and stream crossings were no more than one foot deep! On that trip, we passed the upper Davis Lake on the south side, and then crossed the peninsula that separates the two halves of the lake, crossing the stream between the lake sections on rocks to head west on the north side of the lower Davis Lake, where we actually found segments of use trail.

-Phil

Awesome report and great fish. This is toward the top of my list of places to travel. Sorry to hear the snow derailed your plans, but looks like you made the most of it.

Do you think an axe + traction would have helped, or were the conditions still too difficult/dangerous being off-trail solo?

Amazing! Thanks for the trip report. Fantastic fish too.

Nice Goldens!!!

Hi Robert: Bravo, stunning report, and partly I'm not too surprised that the snow is still that deep and that the suncups were trying to gobble you up. When we crossed Piute Creek in late June, there were spots where the snow was at least 20 ft deep. Even though Darwin canyon had ample exposed rock, I think that's because lots of the snow had blown down to lower elevations where there were drifts at least 30 ft thick. Even with warm weather, it will take a while to chip away at those monsters. But, as you noticed, it sure cuts down on the number of folks competing for the small number of patches of open ground. Cameron

robertseeburger wrote: The stomach contents of all the fish were the same. Anyone know what kind of grub this is? And how to match with a fly? No surface action at all.
They all were packed with this grub .

I too would like to know what these are. I'm am always curious what the food source is for large fish in lakes above treeline. I've seen a variety of sources including october caddis and ginormous midge hatches, but can never identify the sub surface food (I don't eat the fish or pump stomachs) so this picture intrigues me.

If I had to take a stab, it looks like some sort of stonefly or mayfly. Or perhaps some sort of scud/shrimp.

I'd go with stonefly.

They're not helgrimites http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/67/Insect ... lgrammites.

Virginia lake never had rises and the fish had dull teeth. They were grubbing the bottom. I like that kind of lake. Fish are generally bigger but more elusive.

Nice report!!!

After a little more research I think I'm leaning scud...

hard to tell given the digestion from the picture. The legs on the front looked bigger than a scud, but you might be right. We'll never know, but that lake fished deep would be a great bet..