20 Lakes Basin June 25-28, 2015

[Gary C.]

I had a hard time getting my buddy Mike to commit to the GTW opener until the reserve permits were all gone. By then my two grandsons decided they wanted to come so it was time for a new venue. Even though I had never been there I decided on the 20 Lakes Basin because of the unlimited overnight permits and relatively easy hike. Thursday morning we drove to Lone Pine and got the permit then headed for Saddlebag Lake. Rather than hike around the Lake we took the water taxi to the back of the lake. When you step off of the boat you are already over 10,000ft in elevation. Once off the boat we hiked to Steelhead Lake and then cross country to Cascade Lake to set up camp.

The boys and I on the trail to Steelhead Lake.


Once we set up camp we decided to fish Cascade Lake until Dinner. I didn’t actually get to fish much because David decided he would rather fish my fly rod which was quite alright with me.
     

Friday we all hiked back down to Saddlebag Lake to meet some friends that had to work on Thursday. By the time we got back we fished the lakes close to camp until dinner.

Chad at Steelhead Lake.


Saturday morning we got up early to fish our way around the loop hitting as many lakes as we could. The problem was that everyplace we went we caught fish and it took forever to get the boys to keep moving. We ended up only going as far as Shamrock Lake. By the time they were done at Shamrock they wanted to go back and re-fish the spots that they had done well earlier in the day. I was OK with it because this trip was all about the boys having fun anyway.

Chad and David at Shamrock lake.




David and I at Shamrock Lake.


Some pictures from around the basin.










My friends Vince and Tania that we had to go meet at Saddlebag on Friday.


My buddy Mike.


On our way back down to Saddlebag lake.


David sitting in the front of the boat on the way back to the truck,


Even if I didn't get to explore the valley the way I would have liked this was a great trip. It is a fairly easy hike through alpine country with great fishing for small to medium fish. Highlight of my trip was when 9yr old David was getting pretty consistent casting the spinning rod and he looked over at me and said that even if he wasn't catching anything this was pretty fun. Always before it was only fun when they were biting.

Now it's time to get on to planning other things. I've a backpack bow hunting trip in the works and our week long trek through Yosemite is coming up too.

[Little Hardrock]

yay!    another successful trip!    love that david said fishing is fun even if the fish arent biting...

love 20 lakes basin,,, 

humm,  i think you are going to need another teeshirt...  2015, another summer for gary!

[wshawkins]

One of my favorite places in the Eastern Sierra, 20 Lakes Basin has a lot to offer.  Thanks for sharing!

[fishdad]

Great trip thanks for posting!

[wshawkins]

Gary, how would you rate the pesky mosquito's in 20 Lakes Basin?  How family headed up there next week.  Thanks.

[Gary C.]

I expected the skeeters to be at their worse and went prepared with all kinds of repellent. I had Bullfrog w/sunblock, 40% DEET, and 100% DEET. Everyone including the folks at the resort said they would be very bad for another couple of weeks. I was very pleased with the level of aggravation caused by the little blood suckers. I would rate them a 3 on a 1 -5 scale. They were present all day but worse early and late in the day. I didn't use the DEET on myself the entire time we were there, the Bullfrog kept them off of me. I used the 40% a couple times a day on the 9yr old and he only had 4-5 bites that bothered him after 3 nights and 4 days in the basin. Vince's wife Tania got bit quite a lot and she was using everything. She also baths and cleans up more often than us guys and I think she pays the price for doing so.

[fishpole]

Good report and great pics. Thanks for sharing.

[saudust]

Gary, cool trip report and really enjoyed seeing David with his fish.  Looked like a Kasmaster with that one Brookie, one of my go-to's with the spinning gear.  Some people, I swear, must have skeeter attractant in their blood.  My wife gets bit unmecilessly, maybe Tania has those same chems.  20 Lakes Basin is our target fishing area this October, though I'll probably pass on Conness Lakes Basin this time.  Even though you didn't get much time on the rod you had what looks like a great family and friends time.  Thanks for the pics and post.

[Gary C.]

Saudust, it is a Kastmaster. One of my favorites also, just love the way they cast. At first I had hooked both boys up with a fly-n-bubble but that caused too many rats nests to deal with.

[RockToad]

Beautiful pictures Gary!  Thank you so much for sharing them with us

[Obi96]

Thanks for the report. This is our first stop on our trip this summer. July 25th can't come soon enough.

[bstolton]

Great Report!!

You and your boys and friends look like you had a great time, lots of smiles all around. That's an area I want to revisit myself.
Stopped there once a few years ago with the wife, only made it to the third lake, before we had to head back to catch the taxi.
Hope to go back and do the entire loop.

Thanks again for sharing.