Fishing

[ryan72]

Im trying to decide if we should bring our fishing gear along. We'll be hiking mid july and heading along the GCT from pate valley to TM and then down to cathedral lakes, sunrise lakes, then after clouds rest and a half dome dayhike, head over to echo valley and then to Bernice lake. We have the option of going to Ireland lake as well or head through Lyell canyon a day earlier and back to TM to ctach the bus to ten lakes trailhead. Do any of these locations have decent fishing? Any we shouldn't even bother to fish (I have read some lakes have no fish)?

if we bring our fishing gear they will be light telecscoping poles with small spinning reels-as minimal as possible.

We like to fish and enjoy spending time after a long hike trying to make dinner a little more tasty. But I don't want to waste our time, lug the extra gear, or blow the $40 for a temporary licence if we aren't going to be in some decent fishing areas.

[AlmostThere]

We pulled fish out of one of the lower Ten Lakes for as long as we fished - every other cast we got another pan sized brookie. Had to turn a bunch of them back. Lyell is a haven for fly fishermen, and seems to be very good fishing. A friend caught a huge brown there and fed four of us with it at dinner.

You will want to visit the fishing rules page:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fishing.htm

[bill-e-g]

Of course it's up to you... but since you're coming so far I'd just
recommend you just enjoy the scenery and leave the fish be.
It's less stuff and weight to carry and get to Calif.
That being said... I'd guesstimate that 75% of the lakes in the park
have fish in them. The higher the elevation typically the punier the
fish are. Since they are actually removing fish from some lakes
to restore frog habitat not so sure if Catch and Release really matters.
(most, if not all, of the lakes were planted)

For your route this is my take:
- Tuolumne River to TM - I never have had much luck in the River
- Cathedral Lakes - Only been here a few times and I was too busy
exploring or trying to get away from people or it was frozen over
to either fish or give it a good look to see the fish size, if any.
- Merced Lake - decent size fish perhaps... dissapointed in this lake fishing
- Washburn - really disappointed in this lake.. fished it for hours and
just small fish...
- Bernice - puny fish
- Gallison - fishless
- Vogelsang - not sure... didn't try.. prob no fish
- Fletcher and Townsley - I had great fishing at Townsley
- Hanging Basket... GO UP THERE (cutthroat) (catch and release there please)
- Ireland - boring... really small fish... but alot

My fav lakes to fish have been: Benson, Smedberg, Kibbie, and Rodgers

Have fun

[ryan72]

I found this site to get your fishing license. For out of state people like me this makes things alot easier and one less thing I have to do when I fly in.

https://www.calicensetofish.com/