September 4, 2000

Greetings Eastern Sierra fans!  Happy day off!  Much of the information in this newsletter is from TJ, one of my friends that I work with at Rock Creek Lakes Resort.  He will probably take over the writing of this newsletter during the time that I'm out of the area.  Now that I've moved to lovely Long Beach and he's still up there, he has more of a first person
perspective on what's happening up at Rock Creek.  Speaking of Long Beach, I spent Saturday at the Long Beach Blues Festival, an event that featured the likes of Bo Diddley, the Allman Brothers, and George Thorogood.  Blues
fans would enjoy this event.  Blues is not my favorite type of music, yet I still enjoyed myself.  Anyhow, as I sat there with 15,000 people on the grass of Long Beach State's athletic field listening to Thorogood sing songs like "I Drink Alone" and "Bad to the Bone", I found myself daydreaming about sitting alone on the shore of one of the Hidden Lakes, taking in the crisp air and listening to the silence that only the backcountry can offer.  That 7 pound rainbow that was caught last week also entered my mind occasionally.  Life at Rock Creek and the Eastern Sierra is so simple, even when work is crazy.  I'm gonna miss it this winter.  Okay, enough of my reminiscence.  Onto the weather...

The weather has gotten pretty interesting in the Eastern Sierra during the past week.  Although Rock Creek escaped most of the heavy rain, the area received about .4 inches of rain during a 3 day period last week.  Much of
the Eastern Sierra around Rock Creek received more precipitation during that time.  Then on Friday it actually snowed some, as a cooler airmass entered the region.  The snow didn't stick, but the cool and damp weather emptied out the canyon.  Since Friday, the temperatures have warmed some and skies have cleared.  This slow warming trend is expected to continue into next week according to the National Weather Service.  In addition, no major precipitation is forecasted for the next few days.  Expect highs in the upper 50's and 60's above 9,000 feet with lows in the 30's.  Check the weather section of the Rock Creek site for the latest forecasts and conditions.

Earlier in August, as the crowds of anglers stood shoulder to shoulder along the shore of Rock Creek Lake, I reported that the fishing pressure and warm temperatures of the air and water were forcing the fish to deeper water and that the fishing was pretty slow.  This is no longer the case.  According to TJ, the fishing has really picked up here in the canyon, especially at the lake.  Since the last full moon on August 15th, the fishing action has steadily increased, peaking on the 24th and 25th of August.  Very large limits were being taken from the lake, including a four
fish, 13 pound stringer which was caught by Pat Duffy of Bay Park.  Other large catches include a couple of the biggest fish I've seen in four or five years.  Scotty Bonar of Redondo Beach caught a 7 pound, 2 ounce lunker using nightcrawlers, and Dave Knott of Palmdale reeled in a 6 pound, 12 ounce monster using yellow Power Bait.  I imagine one of the reasons for all of this great fishing is that on the 23rd of August we put in 500 pounds of Alpers and the DFG stocked the lake with brood stock the next day.  Even with all of the fish that were caught in that three day period, there are still plenty of fish left in the lake.  When you come up try using yellow or chartreuse Power Bait or
nightcrawlers.  If lures are your thing, try red/gold Thomas Buoyants, grasshopper or frog Super Dupers, Gold Kastmasters, or black Rooster Tails.  All of these choices have been working in the creeks as well, especially
the Black "Sonic" Rooster Tail (1/16 oz.).

As for the bears in the canyon, we've experienced a lot less action since the start of bow hunting season, which started the 19th.  For about a 2 week period prior to hunting season, the bears were quite a nuisance, especially in the campgrounds at the lake and East Fork.  Don't get me wrong, the bears are still around and everyone still needs to store their food and belongings properly.  It just seems as though the bears know to hang low this time of year.

Well, the Labor Day Weekend is coming to an end, signifying the end of another summer.  Kids are heading back to school, the amount of sunlight is lessening each day, and soon the aspens will start turning their brilliant colors of yellow, red, and orange in response to the cooler temperatures and shorter days.  The fall is my favorite time of year to be in the Eastern Sierra due to the lack of crowds, excellent fishing, beautiful fall weather, and incredible color in the aspens and willows.  In the next newsletter, TJ will inform you of how the color is progressing in the canyon. 

Until then, take it easy, and THINK CREEK!

Tim and TJ