Golden opportunity awaits at Cottonwood Lakes

Around these parts, anglers eagerly await July 1 like a kid eagerly counting down the days to Dec. 25.
Once July rolls around, every day (at least from July 1 to Oct. 31) feels like Christmas in the Golden Trout Wilderness where heavy concentrations of radiant golden trout race about the depths of the crystal-clear backcountry waters of the Eastern Sierra Nevada.
Reaching the home of the majestic fish is no easy task as nearly all the alpine lakes that hold them require anglers to backpack or horseback in. On average, the quest for gold is going to take unknowing anglers on a trek of more than five or six miles through the oxygen-thin Sierra air. That's why the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead is such a special destination, offering some of the most convenient access to golden trout.
The trailhead is perched higher than 10,000 feet and about 25 miles above downtown Lone Pine - located midway between Reno and Los Angeles along Highway 395. The first Cottonwood Lake can be reached via a 4 1/2-mile hike that can take anywhere between two and four hours depending on your hiking ability. Once you reach the first lake of the basin you're 11,008 feet above sea level, surrounded by pools and creeks brimming with fish that look like they've been sculptured from gold.
For those who haven't been lucky enough to catch the state fish, golden trout have an amazing color scheme that begins with an olive back and blends into a blazing crimson lateral stripe and golden belly that rivals the hue of any other freshwater fish out there.
On top of their beauty, these little guys can fight with the best of 'em. When you finally land one, you'll be surprised at their size. While many may feel like lunkers, don't be surprised when most of them run from 7 to 12 inches. The state record is well over 9 pounds, but don't expect to set any records here. Anything over 14 inches earns bragging rights in these frigid, nutrient-lacking waters. Keep in mind, the water in the basin was probably snow just a few weeks earlier.
So what do these fish eat?
Go lakeside on a calm evening or early morning and you'll see exactly what they're after - mosquitoes, mosquitoes, mosquitoes.
The lakes, creeks and moist section of the trail are plagued by the ravenous insects, so bring plenty of imitations, not to mention repellent and a mosquito mask.
Check with the tackle shops and ranger station in Lone Pine (a wilderness permit from the station is required for camping) to determine what the fish are biting prior to your trip, but anything that resembles a mosquito will probably do.
Start off with a small fly, something in the 14- and 16-size range works fine. Try an Elk Hair Caddis, a light Cahill or a Parachute Adams to determine their mood.
If they're not hitting dry flies, try a dry-and-nymph setup. A standard Pheasant-Tail Nymph dangling below a Parachute Adams is a good call in the afternoon when fish feed along the lake bottom and edges. On bright, cloudless days, try switching to streamers and traditional makes like the Clouser Minnow, Muddler or Wooly Bugger.
Golden trout aren't easy to catch, so if your luck still doesn't change, you'll need to take another approach. Keep in mind, lake-dwelling goldens naturally prefer to sip up flies off the surface - just look at the boils all over the lake in late evening and early morning hours. If they're not hitting a dry fly, it's a dead giveaway something else is wrong.
A delicate presentation is the key. Try a 5X tippet on a 12-foot leader and stick to subtlety, avoiding drag at all costs. Never jerk the fly and stick to long, slow retrieves. Unless you're running out of options, it's best to stay away from flashy or bulky patterns that can spook away any whoppers.
Jeff Brackney at Lone Pine Sporting Goods said goldies still respond well to typical High Sierra patterns such as the Adams, Sierra Bright Dot and Black Ant this time of year.
For the spinning reel anglers, Brackney has just one suggestion.
"Go with something yellow," he said. "A yellow and black (spotted) Panther Martin works great right now."
Spinners also can use a bubble-and-fly combination with the above patterns. Just be sure to crimp down the barbs on your hooks and stick to flies or artificials at the Cottonwood Lakes. Also note that lakes 1,2, 3 and 4 are catch and release only. There are five-fish limits at Cottonwood Lakes 5 and 6, which require a six-mile hike and sit at an elevation of 11,186 feet. South Fork, Cirque, Long, High and Muir lakes can also be reached from the trailhead.
For the record, Brackney, a local who knows the Golden Trout Wilderness as well as anyone, prefers to get away from it all and fish Cottonwood Lakes 5 and 6.
"I always make sure I get up to Cottonwood No. 5," Brackney said. "I have to be able to keep at least one to eat."

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A closer look at Cottonwood Lakes:
Directions: From Lone Pine, take Whitney Portal Rd. five miles to Horseshoe Meadow Rd. Turn left and drive 20 miles to the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead.
Essentials: Fishing is open July 1 to Oct. 31. Cottonwood Lakes 1, 2, 3, and 4 are catch and release only. There is a five-fish limit at Cottonwood Lakes 5 and 6. Only artificial lures or flies with barbless hooks are permitted. A wilderness permit is required for camping and can be obtained from the ranger station. Fires are prohibited in the basin area.
More info: Mt. Whitney Ranger Station (760) 876-6200; Lone Pine Sporting Goods (760) 876-5365.

Avoiding the late summer fallout

August is officially here and summer is nearing an end.
Time to pack away the rod and count down the days until spring, right?
Think again.
The fall season is the time to head out to your favorite river or stream and scout out runs for the following year. A time when you don’t even have to string up your rod to have one of your most productive “fishing” days of the year.
Sure, catch rates are typically down along with the fall water levels, but if you do your homework in the offseason you’re bound to have a field day when winter steelhead runs or spring trout openers roll around.
Adept anglers take advantage of this time of year when rivers are still at their lowest, clearest flows – perfect for taking note of submerged logs, ledges, boulders or other underwater features that are more visible now than they are for much of the year.
Now, most rivers rarely see anglers in this fair-weather state of ours. So fishermen can use the quiet time to their advantage, working the banks of their favorite stretches in total anonymity, studying the flows and tendencies of its resident fish populations.
The key is to pay attention and take note of all the fine details of the river. Bring along a small notepad to help map out what you see. A good pair of waders and a wading staff will make getting from one side of the river to another a snap.
Look for anything that strikes you as different, providing habitat for Mr. Rainbow. Study everything from endless eddies and side channels of your favorite runs, to the foamy edges of the main currents you rarely consider.
Look for rising trout. If there’s a hatch coming off, but you don’t notice any fish, you might not be looking close enough. In the fall and winter, rises are so lazy they barely make a ring. So sit back, and let your eyes do the fishing. Scan for those telltale boils that will only appear today, and will surely hint to good fishing below when the water levels soar in coming months.
One good approach when trying to get a read on large or unfamiliar rivers is to break them up into a compilation of smaller, fishable sections rather than one overwhelming mass of water. I like to call this technique, “pick pocketing.”
First, search the shallow stretches for any places a trout is likely to feel safe. Some ideal holding spots include undercut banks, beneath and beside logs and below overhanging brush or tree branches. These are prime holding when rivers swell with snowmelt and leave the water stained and fast-moving, forcing trout to hug the banks in search of protection from the strong currents.
Second, look for areas that will provide fish with food. Find pockets (behind boulders or at the bottom of pools) where trout can camp out eat without expending a ton of energy. Trout are very sluggish this time of year and aren’t willing to go out of their way for food. Find a concentration of these winter whoppers holding in a food-carrying current and you’ve probably stumbled across that “secret spot” for the rest of the year.
Deep pools are obvious big-fish magnets, but also see plenty of pressure throughout the year. Look past the bottomless holes and waterfalls, and seek out other key strike zones that won’t catch your eye later in the year. Note seams where strong currents flow into slower, shallow-water riffles. Or outside bends (especially below undercut banks) where current, springs or feeder creeks provide a constant supply of food and refuge from harsh current and sun light.
Third, don’t limit yourself to reading the river below the surface. The surface is probably the most telling aspect of the river. Dancing pyramids (where slow water meets fast) can hold nice fish even if cover isn’t present. Standing waves mean there’s big boulders ahead and big fish hiding out beside them. Eddies are easy giveaways for fish.
Don’t forget the importance of boulders and other structure that break that surface given they’ll be completely submerged once the runoff begins. Large rocks provide pockets downstream and will continue to provide tail-end cavities all year long. The same goes for large logs, or concrete slabs and other man-made structure that ends up in the river.
Once you’ve got those stretches scouted, be sure to reward yourself with some time on the water, testing your new spots with your favorite late-season fly.
Find a couple holding trout now and you’ll be on the inside track for a stellar season next year.

Fishing at Camp Roberts

It doesn’t exactly look like the best place in the world to cast a fly, but don’t let the armed soldiers, army tanks and random explosions off in the distance fool you.
Camp Roberts, located midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the border of Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, is home to one of the only fishable rivers the Central Coast has to offer. Look past the bunkers, barbed wire and that tank nicknamed “The Widowmaker,” and you’ll find the Nacimiento River at Camp Roberts is an extraordinary fishery where the rainbows can rise all season long.
The old military post can also make for some stellar turkey, dove, quail, waterfowl, pig, rabbit and buck deer hunts for weekend warriors.
Sure, there are some limitations when it comes to fishing on what is currently a national guard training post:
* it’s only open to anglers on weekends and some holidays from April 24-Oct. 24;
* there’s an annual fee of $15 for the season;
* fishing is only permitted from Gate 3 to the Twin Bridges; and
* the post may be closed on short notice due to military activities.
But once your waders hit the water, the National Guard goings-ons take a distant backseat to dancing fish, tiptoeing whitetail, bantering beavers and even an occasional bald eagle gliding overhead.

History lesson
Camp Roberts lies on the flat and once-fertile juncture of the Nacimiento and Salinas rivers. A land that was originally inhabited by the Chumash and Salinan Indian nations, which hunted, fished and collected in the region until Spanish explorers arrived in the 1760s.
By 1797 the Spanish had taken hold of the area extending the old Mission Trail, also known as El Camino Real or the “King’s Highway,” with the construction of Mission San Miguel Arcangel. The mission would go on to become one of the most prosperous along the trail, which is said to pass through the camp along Bee Rock Road.
The land changed hands numerous times following Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1826 and the U.S. took control when California was admitted to the union in 1850.
Nearly 90 years later, with World War II looming, construction of the Camp Nacimiento Replacement Training Center began. The name of the camp was later renamed in honor of Corporal Harold W. Roberts, a tank driver who died trying to save a wounded gunner during the war. The post had a pair of training centers and served as a compound for German POWs during the 1941-45 war era.
The training facility was commissioned again in 1950 under the command of the Seventh Armored Division to train the state’s 40th Division Infantry and artillery units for the Korean War. By the end of the conflict, 300,000 soldiers had passed through the 43,000-acre site.
Camp Roberts was closed in 1970 and a year later it was given to the National Guard as a reserve component training center. Today, the camp is still used as a national guard training post, although training is at a minimum when the post is open to anglers and hunters.

Hot spots
The Nacimiento, a class I-III river that runs from Fort Hunter Liggett to Turtle Creek, is riffle-and-run stream with few deep pools this time of year. Flows are still cold and swift despite depths of two to five feet in the late spring and summer, so waders are a good idea. Gravel and sandy bottoms provide a good wade-and-walk opportunity for much of the river.
My favorite stretches of the river are some of the easiest to locate. The first is above High Water Bridge, located near check-in Gate No. 3. About a mile upstream, southwest of the entrance, the Low Water Bridge provides deeper pools for bigger fish but also attracts a good chunk of the anglers as well.
Travel two more miles upstream and you’ll run into the Twin Bridges, where the Department of Fish and Game makes most of its plants. Fishing pressure is greatest here, but get downstream and you’ll stumble across riffles that are as gentile and genuine as they were for the Chumash. The only difference is the eight- to 12-inch rainbows that are stocked every two to three weeks.
According to Kevan Urquhart, a senior biologist supervisor for the DFG, trout plants at Camp Roberts have been cut by more than 30 percent due to the state budget cuts this fiscal year. But there should be plenty of fish to go around, including lunker left over from last season, with an occasional bass, catfish, bluegill, carp and squawfish.
But if you’re not into nongame fish, you’d better stick to fly-fishing at Camp Roberts.

For fly guys
The prized fish at Camp Roberts has to be the holdover rainbow trout that have been in the system a year or two. These beautifully colored fish have dark olive tops with sides that look as if they’d been painted with various shades of violet watercolors.
My favorite flies for these exquisite fish stem from the Adams family, which has been catching trout across the country since before the post was born. There are countless variations and adaptations that work at this fishery, although my go-to fly is the Parachute Adams. I’m particularly fond of a pink-topped hi-viz spin-off with a Hare’s Ear, bullhead or beadhead nymph of some sort dangling a couple feet below depending on the water and flow levels.
Nacimiento rainbows, like many Golden State river trout, prefer cooler temperatures and a healthy supply of oxygen and food. Take time to survey the rapids, runs, riffles and pools. Bigger fish seem to hide out under shaded banks or near structure such as rocks, vegetation, tree roots and logs.
Protective pockets are sure to hold hearty survivors that have been turning up their snouts at Power Bait and salmon eggs all season. The bad news? These lies can present all sorts of problems for fly-fishermen.
The bottom line is a stealthy approach when hunting for these very wary trophies. Position yourself so you can cast and drift drag-free for as long as possible. And don’t cast directly at a trout, or you’ll lose the fish and possibly your fly in the branches above.
For the rest
Most of the fish pulled out of the Nacimiento River come on the usual spinners, salmon eggs and various colors and flavors of Power Bait. Another solid bait is Uncle Josh’s cheese-flavored trout bait, which works well in pools protected from the current.
If you’re looking for wildcard bait, toss a nightcrawler or a mealworm. Worms can entice anything from a two-pound sucker to a two-foot squawfish. Anglers in search of carp can have a field day at Camp Roberts, if you take the right approach. Like most carp, Nacimiento River carp are picky eaters and easily spooked.
The good news? Lake Nacimiento, which feeds into the river, is known to carry some of the biggest carp in the state. In 1968 at the lake Lee Bryant caught the state record, a 52-pound lake carp, which still stands today.
You won’t pull any state records out the river, but whether you’re in search of spirited rainbows or feisty carp, Camp Roberts has a little something for everyone.
Not bad for an old military post.

The topwater solution for bass

Tournament anglers often refer to topwater lures as the “10-percent solution,” meaning surface baits can be useless 90 percent of the time.
But during the evening hours in the late summer and fall, the tables turn.
The days are getting shorter and more and more bass fishermen are staying on the lake until dusk, when the topwater bite is just starting to pick up. That’s when topwater becomes the “90-percent solution.”
“It seems like there’s always guys hauling back at closing time this time of year,” said Adam Casey, assistant manager the Lake Casitas marina.
“That’s when the fishing is at its best. The lake usually stays open a half-hour after the sun goes down and the fishing is best right around then. It gets to a point where you want to keep fishing because the topwater bite is so good, but its so dark you can’t stay on the lake any more.”
A majority of the time, evening bass anglers at Casitas and other Central Coast lakes are throwing topwater lures and shallow-water crankbaits. And they’re throwing hard baits for two reasons: They’re as productive as they are fun to throw.
“Topwater is absolutely the most fun way to catch fish,” Casey added. “It’s fun because you’re always on the move. That’s the thing people don’t like about fishing, just sitting there and waiting all the time. With topwater lures and crankbaits, you’re always on the move.”
Noisy hardbaits make lunker largemouth pounce in the fall. And more often than not, it doesn’t matter what you throw once the sun starts to go down. If it hits the surface right, topwater lures and shallow water crankbaits are going to provoke reaction strikes for boat anglers and shore fishermen alike.
In the fall, bass make their seasonal move into shallow breaks, coves and tributary creeks in search of baitfish. So the best baits resemble shad, are fast moving and make plenty of noise. Lipless crankbaits seem to have the best shape, color and wiggle for fishing the lower-level lakes in early to mid autumn. A silver Rat-L-Trap, Strike King Diamond Shad Premier, Cotton Cordell Super Spot or the various patterns made by Lucky Craft are good shad look-alikes. Small-lipped crankbaits like the various Rapalas, the Stanford Cedar Shad, Abu Garcia Tormentors and Reaction Innovations Method Cranks also produce solid results.
The key for all of the above baits is to draw the attention of the bass. Bright colors, like chartreuse or hot orange, are great attention-getters and help baits standout out in a dimly lit environment. Large baits are also a good pick since chunkier baits are easier for bass to spot and strike. The bigger baits also mean bigger fish, although don’t be surprised if you pull up an occasional juvenile at the end of the day.
“You’ll catch all kinds of sizes with big baits,” Casey said, “even the smaller, dumber fish because they don’t know any better.”
As far as topwater lures are concerned, there are three types that come in handy right now: walkers, poppers and weedless baits.
Walkers look like narrow, lipless crankbaits and slide across the surface with walk-the-dog action and rely on this built-in movement to draw strikes. Good walkers include the Rapala Skitter or Berkley Frenzy Walker.