Looking for Help with Vacation Plans

[McFlyfi]

Hello friends!
Man, I haven't been here in a long time. Hope all is well with those that I have conversed with in the past.
Things are going well with our family- with the exception of being able to go fishing! Karen and I used to get our fishing licenses on Jan 1 and go fishing 40 of 50 days a year. This year I bought my license on July 25th when we went camping at Mammoth.

Which brings me to this post:
I am planning a solo camping trip the first week of October. I was originally planning on going to Kennedy Meadows on the Stanislaus river. I fished there once when I was about 16 or 17, that would have been around 1977 or 78. I've always wanted to go back. We had been fishing really hard then, and hadn't caught a thing. Later, In camp, this kid walks by with a stringer of fish, he must have had 8 or 10 on it. We were incredulous. "Where did ou catch those?" we asked.
"Oh, up by the store. A man drove up in a truck and put them in the river, everybody's catching them".
And so I caught my first trout on a fly.

Everything was lining up as I researched the area- The main Stainsluas, the Clark Fork, Deadman Creek, Relief Reservoir, maybe even a hop over Sonora Pass...

Sadly, the Donnell Fire has consumed much of the area. It has burned up the Clark Fork drainage, and has slowly marched towards Kennedy Meadows itself. I don't imagine that any of it will be open to visitors by early October.

So I am looking for suggestions on where to spend my week.
I am taking my tent trailer, so it can't be a 4x4 destination.
I would prefer a forest service type campground either on or very near a body of water (river or lake). Obviously, it should have decent fishing. I'd like to have multiple, close by fishing opportunities- lakes, a river, small creeks. Hiking to lakes/creeks form the main campsite should be a consideration as well. And I need to keep the travel time to abut 8 hours or less from the general LA area. My first inclination is either the June lakes area or Bridgeport. I know little about the West slope, and would certainly like to explore that side.
Any ideas?

Matt

[huntingtheriverking]

I'm pretty biased towards Little Lakes Valley. Tons of campsites to pick from, plenty of streams with varying conditions, and drop-dead gorgeous lakes and ponds.

Actually close enough that a motivated individual could pack a raft into.

Size of the fish may be the only downside, never caught any trophies back there, but plenty of fish, even a goldens.

[NorcalBob]

If I still lived in SoCal (glad I don't!) and had a week in early OCT to go camping, no doubt where I would go. The Kings River in Kings Canyon NP. However, I live in NorCal now, and if I was going fishing I'd be pounding the Lower Sac in Redding since that's the salmon spawn and fishing during the egg drop can be downright silly!!!!

[stanbery]

I am no help on the west side. East side you have plenty of options.
June lake area (Oh Ridge Campground) would be a good choice for your base camp with plenty of places to fish and hike close by. If that is the option you choose little lakes valley out of Rock creek is nice, Saddle bag lakes is nice as well.
Parker and Walker lakes can be very productive that time of year as well

Jon

[Gary C.]

Glad to hear from you again Matt.

Not from my own experience but from things that I've read. I would think early October might be a good time to do a little searching for big Browns as they head for the inlet/outlets to perform the dance. Lots of interesting options between Virginia Lakes and Bridgeport. Specially if your trailer has a heater to help keep the family warm and happy.

[FIGHTONSC]

I would stay at Brown's Upper Owens campground (at Benton Crossing), put on a size 2 conehead olive/black crystal woolly bugger and drag the banks from the Monument on up to Long Ears for the spawning browns coming upstream out of Crowley.

My $0.02 worth.

Regards,

Jeff

[McFlyfi]

Thanks for all the input guys.
Campground availability is an issue, as in that area, the campgrounds don't stay open much longer than the middle of September. I reached out to the Forest Svc, and got good info on open campgrounds, There will be a couple open at Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Virginia Lakes, and a few others.

I think for now, I'm going to Twin Lakes. It seems to have everything I need- Twin, the Walkers, a few small creeks, a couple of cutthroat/brookie lakes, I can even hop over Sonora Pass and fish the Stan near Kennedy Meadows.

Thanks again for the input!


Matt

[McFlyfi]

So the jinx strikes again...
There is now a fire just north of Bridgeport. Campsites along Sonora Pass and the Marin Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center have been evacuated. 108 is closed. 395 is closed just north of Bridgeport. Fire is moving fast, and increased from 3000 acres to 4200 acres overnight.
The only good news is that at this time, they expect full containment by Sept 14.