Morons, New Section, Nice Fish, and Drying Out

An absolutely stellar local specimen.

It seems lately my original plans always are changing.  Chul suggested a few days ago that we make a commando run and hit the South Western part of the Sierras for one Saturday.  I agreed initially but when I thought more about it, I decided that that trip required more than a day.  We pondered our choices and decided to stay local.  With the thought of losing that big fish during our backpacking excursion still on our minds we decided that would be our destination.

The only people ever dumb enough to get stuck here.

Half a mile to our destination we were somewhat sidetracked while going through the dirt road when we saw a SUV somewhat blocking the road.  Gathered around it were a bunch of emo-tight-jean wearing, jersey shore look-a-like idiots trying to unfuck themselves.  These idiots that should not be allowed to breed.  They quite possibly be the only people stupid enough to ever get stuck on a fire road.  There attempt to offroad down a section caused them to get themselves high centered and buried the front tires not to mention they were cross axled.   I guess they weren't smart enough to just go in reverse 50 yards and take the road down to where they wanted to go.  Erika suggested that we just leave these stool samples but since I've been stuck in the wild a few times we decided to try and help them.  We need the good karma.  Suggesting the worst possible way to extract them, we didn't argue and tried.  Normally I would have taken a more diligent approach to recovery but since I was half dead from lack of sleep and the fact that these guys were likely armed we just tried to pull them out and get away from them.  Lets just say it didn't work.  It didn't work cause these guys had about three brain cells among the 4 or 5 of them.  We told them they need to call a tow truck and left them there.  In reality if they had any idea how to off road was to dig themselves out, jack the truck, place some rocks under the tire and go in reverse.  I didn't even want to bother with them after they proved too stupid to be helped.  We left them and wished them luck, hoping there was no damage to Chul's truck.

Prickly Poppy

Plummer's Mariposa Lily

From the parking lot, normally we climb the mountain via the trail but today I suggested that we bypass the hill and follow the water instead fishing the way up as we go.  I wanted to do this for a few reasons.  Mainly it was because I was too lazy to climb that trail today but also because its hot I wanted to be near the water to be cooler.  We reached the water and began fishing.  On my first cast I hooked up with a solid fish about 9 inches.  Because of its proximity to the parking lot, we had always bypassed it thinking that it would only contain small fish.  We were proved wrong today.  The trout in this portion were impressive.  I caught my largest fish on this water here today.  It must have been at least 13 inches.  This fishery never ceases to surprise me.  As we moved up, we continued to catch solid fish.  But soon the water began to trickle and then dry up completely.

The now empty pool that was several feet deep the last time.

Hopper about a size 6

Little Sally Stonefly

The last time I was here I managed a solid fish in a big deep pool.  That hole is now completely dried.  It must have been at least 4 feet deep.  Shocking. Continuing upstream, we noticed it was more the same.  Large pools that existed only a month ago are now just a trickle.  Chul managed a solid 12incher that eluded us the last time we were here.  I managed to see a 13 inch fat beast still in his pool.  Unfortunately the pool is covered with fallen logs and would be impossible to cast into.  I'm not sure if these fish will survive the rest of the summer.  If not that would be a shame.  With our hearts slightly broken to see what the river has become we decided not to reach the waterfall, if it even is a waterfall still, and head back out.  This fishery has been the best waters locally this year and if we do not get a good water year, I'm afraid this fishery will die.  Let's hope that is not the case.

Lunch Korokke Sandwich

Most likely my last sight of this place this year.