We moved back up under a overhanging bush away from the water and packed up while talking about the place and how even though it was handing us our backsides, it was still beautiful. Once we were packed up Jeff took point and I glassed for game. We didn’t see anything until Jeff stopped me and silently pointed into a gulley. At first I didn’t see anything but dead wood then I noticed 1 piece was actually a Grouse crouched down. They weren’t in season so we just sat watching it and it stood up and walked away after a few minutes. Jeff whispered “That was Cool! I’ve only seen those on TV.” Shortly after that I found some old empty shot shells. Hmm. After that we checked out the fish at the other lake as we passed by, they were going absolutely crazy on the west side of the lake making splashy rises at something. I watched the show for at least an hour while Jeff alternated between glassing for game and watching the show. 3 flights of geese came in while we watched.
This next part I already posted about on another thread here:
I recently found a new deterrent to theft.
On a hunting/fishing trip I took w/ my son recently, (TR to follow as soon as I finish writing it) we left an open empty scoped rifle case laying across the front seat of our truck. At dusk we were rerturning to the truck from a place that has Pork Bellied Brookies and at about 600 yards out we crest a hill and I see a mostly black and primer, late model Trans-Am-ish car pulled up next to my truck. 2 guys hop out and 1 drops my tail-gate and proceeds to start going through our camping gear. I took the rifle from my son and was about to get in position (for a warning shot) when the other guy saw the gun case through the window. He looked up in our direction, and then both jumped in their car and left. In Bridgeport the next day I let the Sheriffs Deputy know. He said he thinks he knows whose house to visit to find some fly rods and other stuff. Somebody want to check the Bridgeport papers for a followup? I talked to the Deputy at the gas station 7/3.
When we got back to camp it was after night fall and dinner was waiting. We told Mom about everything that had happened and she suggested going to see the Sheriff in the morning which was already the plan. Jeff fell asleep at the table after dinner, waiting for desert of canned pear pie. At a muscley ~130#, he was hard to carry to bed, but he wouldn’t wake up. The bear(s) didn’t visit us that night but did get 2 other campsites for a pound of bacon among other things. In the morning, after Jeff ate the remaining ½ of the pie, Mom headed home to Fallon NV and we headed into Bridgeport for gas and met the Sheriff’s Deputy while getting gas.
Just before leaving the gas station my phone got signal and I had a message from my buddy Ron, to go to the cabin at June Lake Loop. Sweet! For the last 4 years I have been invited to his churches “Fishers of Men” outing there the 1st weekend in June, and I’ve attended 3 of them. This year it was cancelled for that weekend with only tentative plans to reschedule as far as I had heard. It was rescheduled for the weekend we happened to be going through there, but Ron didn’t know since he moved up near Sacramento a while back. Good food, decent fishing, good fellowship even if we are Baptists at a Lutheran outing, a real bed and a real SHOWER for the 1st time in 8 days! I won’t bore you guys with the lure and bait fishing that was done while here. Saturday nights steaks were delicious. Sunday morning Jeff and I did stop at Gull lake and FF from the tube and kickboat for a Brown and a Bow each. Jeff got his dragging 2 buggers and I watched an indicator with 2 BH midges under it for my 2.
We hit the road at about 1 and the next stop was the Sierra Trout Magnet shop in Bishop. Talked w/ David and Stretch for a while then hit the road again. Stopped to rest at a place where the creek goes a different direction and fed the tiny Browns more of our sandwiches than we ate. It was relaxing watching them fin in the current and not trying to catch them. If anyone knows of another place to access this water that might be worth trying PM’s would be appreciated. We made it home by 9:30 and were asleep by 10:30 with the truck unloaded.
All in all, this was 1 of the best trips I can remember even though it was 1 of the worst in terms of fishing. I got to see my son take some real steps towards growing up to be a good man, had some good laughs, saw friends I hadn’t for too long, and even got to see my Mom.