Eastern Sierras - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Saba Slayer · 08-19-2015, 06:14 AM

It looks like everyone else has more than filled your vacation plans with some great stuff to do and see in the Eastern Sierras....so...here's a little Crawdad info.
If you can get a back copy of KayakFish Magazine for the fall issue of 2014 you'll find plenty of "how to" info in an article I wrote called "Buggin Out in the Sierras".

Gull lake was the best spot on the Loop for these little mini lobsters although June and Silver also have some spots that hold em too. At June we dropped the traps along the south side by the main road. At Gull the best spots seem to be along the trees and the campground as well as in front of the marina at the east end. We used chicken parts for bait and cans of cat food with holes punched in them as an attractant.
The traps were from Promar. I like the square and the round expanding traps the best...easy to bait-up and store. This square one is the TR-501...but the TR-502 has a little larger opening and a piece of netting attached to the opening that prevents the Crawdads from getting out of the trap.

We let the traps soak overnight and they usually have plenty of critters in them the next morning.
Feel free to contact me with anymore questions...? O
Oh yea...one more thing...the breakfasts at Silver Lake Resort are GREAT!
I believe the smokehouse in Bishop is called Meadow Farms...it's on the right side of the road as you go north out of town. Be sure to get some smoked Louisiana hot links to put in the crawdad boil.
Good Luck

Whiteboy · 08-19-2015, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

It looks like everyone else has more than filled your vacation plans with some great stuff to do and see in the Eastern Sierras....so...here's a little Crawdad info.
If you can get a back copy of KayakFish Magazine for the fall issue of 2014 you'll find plenty of "how to" info in an article I wrote called "Buggin Out in the Sierras".

Gull lake was the best spot on the Loop for these little mini lobsters although June and Silver also have some spots that hold em too. At June we dropped the traps along the south side by the main road. At Gull the best spots seem to be along the trees and the campground as well as in front of the marina at the east end. We used chicken parts for bait and cans of cat food with holes punched in them as an attractant.
The traps were from Promar. I like the square and the round expanding traps the best...easy to bait-up and store. This square one is the TR-501...but the TR-502 has a little larger opening and a piece of netting attached to the opening that prevents the Crawdads from getting out of the trap.

We let the traps soak overnight and they usually have plenty of critters in them the next morning.
Feel free to contact me with anymore questions...? O
Oh yea...one more thing...the breakfasts at Silver Lake Resort are GREAT!
I believe the smokehouse in Bishop is called Meadow Farms...it's on the right side of the road as you go north out of town. Be sure to get some smoked Louisiana hot links to put in the crawdad boil.
Good Luck

Not to hijack thread but what type of crawdads are in grant lake. I caught one that was 10 plus inches. A mini lobster and bright blue.

Whiteboy · 08-19-2015, 04:54 PM

Go to laurel lake most beautiful lake in the area. You can camp for free below it. Just outside of mammoth. Hit hot tubs near benton crossing. Check benton crossing out. (That's a very regulated area make sure you check the dates carefully) check out the mono craters. There's a lot more to see in that area. There's jess farm (think that's the name) alpers breeders. Make sure you hit lundy lake. There is so much history in those montains lots of old mines. My favorite is above Lee Vining. Once you turn off 395 and head up tioga pass look for the signs to boy scout camp. It is one of the coolest mines and views in the entire area. Then don't skip bridge port. There's a lot to see and do there. Go to Bodie it's a bit out of way but best preserved ghost town in the country. Twin lakes. On Tioga pass there are a few lakes. Have had 60 trout days up there. And by day I mean couple hours. June lake loop is cool but follow the streams inbetween the lakes. There's also a lot of rough camp sights around grant lake that are free and very secluded. If you want a trophies brook trout go to walker lake and head up trail head to little sardine. It has produced trophies brookies the past 3 times Ivery been there. All in the 4lb range. Beautiful fish. Grant lake has big German trout. Not many people bother to fish it. Go to Lee Vining campground head to power plant fish stream below that. Also good place to camp. I could just keep going. Spent a whole month there one year riding dirt bikes and fishing best month of my life.

Whizz Bang · 08-20-2015, 09:59 PM

Thank you all for the thoughtful and insightful replies. I have taken many notes and cannot wait to start my own family memories up there. Thanks for coming through again guys.
I will post for sure.

Saba Slayer · 08-21-2015, 07:03 AM

Whizz Bang...PM me your email address and I'll send you an e-mail copy of the magazine article...

Deamon · 08-21-2015, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saba Slayer

Whizz Bang...PM me your email address and I'll send you an e-mail copy of the magazine article...

Jim's info was good to go...Gull Lake. One over-night set, two traps. 12' of water. Macks for bait. We had 100's of XL dads. Released most. Very cool experience. Jim

Rambo · 08-21-2015, 01:29 PM

Dam those are some huge crawdad, i'm not even sure there crawdad or crayfish anymore. It's more like mini lobster to me.

08-19-2015, 06:14 AM	#1
Saba Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Palos Verdes Posts: 1,871	Crawdads It looks like everyone else has more than filled your vacation plans with some great stuff to do and see in the Eastern Sierras....so...here's a little Crawdad info. If you can get a back copy of KayakFish Magazine for the fall issue of 2014 you'll find plenty of "how to" info in an article I wrote called "Buggin Out in the Sierras". Gull lake was the best spot on the Loop for these little mini lobsters although June and Silver also have some spots that hold em too. At June we dropped the traps along the south side by the main road. At Gull the best spots seem to be along the trees and the campground as well as in front of the marina at the east end. We used chicken parts for bait and cans of cat food with holes punched in them as an attractant. The traps were from Promar. I like the square and the round expanding traps the best...easy to bait-up and store. This square one is the TR-501...but the TR-502 has a little larger opening and a piece of netting attached to the opening that prevents the Crawdads from getting out of the trap. We let the traps soak overnight and they usually have plenty of critters in them the next morning. Feel free to contact me with anymore questions...? O Oh yea...one more thing...the breakfasts at Silver Lake Resort are GREAT! I believe the smokehouse in Bishop is called Meadow Farms...it's on the right side of the road as you go north out of town. Be sure to get some smoked Louisiana hot links to put in the crawdad boil. Good Luck __________________ Jim / Saba Slayer Last edited by Saba Slayer; 08-19-2015 at 07:06 AM.

08-21-2015, 07:03 AM	#5
Saba Slayer Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Palos Verdes Posts: 1,871	Whizz Bang Whizz Bang...PM me your email address and I'll send you an e-mail copy of the magazine article... __________________ Jim / Saba Slayer

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08-19-2015, 04:54 PM	#3
Whiteboy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 37	Go to laurel lake most beautiful lake in the area. You can camp for free below it. Just outside of mammoth. Hit hot tubs near benton crossing. Check benton crossing out. (That's a very regulated area make sure you check the dates carefully) check out the mono craters. There's a lot more to see in that area. There's jess farm (think that's the name) alpers breeders. Make sure you hit lundy lake. There is so much history in those montains lots of old mines. My favorite is above Lee Vining. Once you turn off 395 and head up tioga pass look for the signs to boy scout camp. It is one of the coolest mines and views in the entire area. Then don't skip bridge port. There's a lot to see and do there. Go to Bodie it's a bit out of way but best preserved ghost town in the country. Twin lakes. On Tioga pass there are a few lakes. Have had 60 trout days up there. And by day I mean couple hours. June lake loop is cool but follow the streams inbetween the lakes. There's also a lot of rough camp sights around grant lake that are free and very secluded. If you want a trophies brook trout go to walker lake and head up trail head to little sardine. It has produced trophies brookies the past 3 times Ivery been there. All in the 4lb range. Beautiful fish. Grant lake has big German trout. Not many people bother to fish it. Go to Lee Vining campground head to power plant fish stream below that. Also good place to camp. I could just keep going. Spent a whole month there one year riding dirt bikes and fishing best month of my life.

08-20-2015, 09:59 PM	#4
Whizz Bang Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 396	Thank you all for the thoughtful and insightful replies. I have taken many notes and cannot wait to start my own family memories up there. Thanks for coming through again guys. I will post for sure.

08-21-2015, 01:29 PM	#7
Rambo Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: West Covina, CA Posts: 434	Dam those are some huge crawdad, i'm not even sure there crawdad or crayfish anymore. It's more like mini lobster to me.