One of the places they took me to fish was a little lake that they called Lily Pad Lake. I gather the name came from all the lily pads floating around the lake. Last time I was up that way I stopped at the information center and got a map of the Mokelumne Wilderness which encompasses a vast amount of area around Hope Valley. As I was perusing the map, I stumbled across none other than Lily Pad Lake. It was in the right place where I remembered it (keep in mind that I've not been to that lake since the summer of 1976) being. When I went there, it was hidden away from the road and was reputed to be a good Brookie Lake. We fished it and yes it was a good Brookie Lake.
Aiming for Lily Pad Lake, I drove down a dirt road for what seemed like a hundred miles although I think only 5 or 10 and passed what I thought was Lily Pad Lake, but it was dry as a bone. Had to be the wrong place so I continued. Oh, did I mention I didn't bring the map with me? Of course I didn't. Why would I make myself look stupid like that.
I got to a T in the road and veered left and dropped down to the lake in the picture below.
Across the lake |
To the right |
On to Upper Blue Lake, yeh the same place as last Friday and they were still biting. Now comes the oddity part. Last Friday I used two rods with rainbow Power Bait. I got all the hits and caught all the fish on the same rod. OK, not all that unusual. Today I got all the hits and caught all the fish on the same rod. The same rod as last Friday. Now it's starting to get to the odd part.
When it began again, I reeled in both rods and made both exactly the same. OK, I did a little experimenting. Both rods have the same line (Trilene XT 4# blue), same egg sinker (3/8 oz), same swivel (#7 gold barrel), same leader (4# Fluorocarbon 18 inches long) and same hook (#18 gold treble), same rainbow Power Bait. I placed them within 2 feet of each other and one rod got all the fish. How odd is that?
I brought 4 to hand (stocker Rainbows) and missed another 4 or 5. They weren't biting very hard and I think they were gumming the Power Bait and taking off with it. I dropped them off at Bob's for his stash.
On the way out I stopped and took a couple of shots across and down the valley.
Nothing special just across the valley |
Down the hill toward Hope Valley |
The Nipple |
Till next time.
Mark
That lake where you didn't catch anything is really nice looking water.
ReplyDeleteI could spend days there and not catch a fish and still enjoy myself. Beautiful country.
ReplyDeleteHi Mark....man you live in a beautiful part of the country.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have been to Muir Woods, I would have never have guessed CA had such beautiful landscapes. Most of my visits to CA have been to SF or LA. One of these days........
Thanks.