Double Haul In the Fall 06 report

[Paddle and Flies]

I left Fresno about 11.30 am my destination was Mammoth Lakes. I drove up 41 into Yosemite then on to 120 and up over Tioga Pass. Then I headed south on 395. I enjoyed breathtaking scenery and had the hell scared out of me by treacherously high hairpin curves. I hate heights, a lot. 5:00 pm that evening I took the exit to Crowley Lake drove down to Fish Camp to pick up my paperwork for the Double Haul In the Fall Fly Fishing Tournament.
The Double Haul has been a popular Tournament for float tubing and pontoon boating fly fishers going on 14 years now. Three years ago I made the trip over the mountains for the 2003 Double Haul…the first Double Haul to be open to Canoes and Kayaks. Five other yakers and my self showed up for that 2003 tournament.
For the 2006 Double Haul I would be a judge. Saturday morning 6:00 I picked my paperwork and measuring board. An agreement had been made that I would do my judging from my kayak, as long as I did it in McGee Bay. By 7:30 I was sitting in the middle of McGee bay surrounded by float tubers and a few pontoon boats. Somewhere around 8:00 I measure the first fish a sixteen-inch Rainbow, a foot boat shaped beauty. By 9:30 I’d lost track of the fish I’d measured and I was deeply regretting the decision to be a judge. The biggest fish I measured was 17 1/2 inches, qualifying length was 18 inches. Another judge in a boat measured a 20 1/2 inch fish. Most of the winning fish came from the other tournament waters alligator point. The biggest fish of the day being a 23 inch Brown.
I was the only yaker at McGee Bay, I heard there where a few yakers casting flies at Alligator Point, I never to speak with them. Up until 11:00 the waters were smooth then the winds came and the water got rough quick. About 11:30 The tournament was called. I spoke to a couple of anglers at the dinner that said they caught their big fish after the water got rough. I spoke to a lot of angers…benefits of being a judge. The winning fish were caught on Hornbergs, and bugger patterns, about size 10’s and 8’s. Crowley trout are not leader shy. Most of the fish were caught in less than 12 feet of water.
At the dinner winners went away with fishing trips, fly rods. Gear, at least one kayak and full bellies. Now for any kayak fly fishermen or ladies this could be an excellent tournament and kayakers are more than welcome. Crowley Lake are excellent waters for the kayak and offers some of the best trout fishing in California. With legendary waters in the area like The Owens River, Hot Creek, June, Mono and Convict Lakes who knows how many others, Mammoth Lake’s is a Fly fisher’s Mecca I’ll be back next year as contestant not a judge. For those of you that like to fly fish for trout from a kayak this could be a prime destination.

[dwest]

Thanks for the excellent report. When my new 'yak arrives I will be at least haulin' - my coordination for double hauling tends to breakdown under fire. Great fun and a nice change of pace from spin or conventional casting.

[PerryC]

Rickey,
Thanks for the DH report. Of all the times I have been there, I only fished McGee once in my kayak and I caught something on my 6wt rod that I could flat not bring up. As soon as I would get it to the butt of the leader, it would go down again and rufuse to come up. After about 5 times like this, it was gone. The area's by alligator point are some of my favorite area to fish as Layton Springs and Six Banks has been good to me over the years. With the drive though, if I can't go for a solid 5 days, the trip just seems too short. When I have gone for just 2 or 3 days, it seems I always get blown off the water for a day or two, then the trip seems like it was wasted. Hopefully some year soon the timing will be better. TC&TL,
Perry

[Paddle and Flies]

heY Perry, I hear what your saying. I'm planning now for the trip next year.
what s the drive like from your direction? Are there as many Mountains as there are from mine?

[PerryC]

Rickey,
It's about a 5 hour drive from here, and it takes a few hours to blaze through LA. In the early am it's not too bad, but after 8am it's the usual first gear blues. I catch the 395 off the 14 (Antelope Valley FWY) which isn't too bad of a climb, real gradual.

I think you have the right idea to plan it a year in advance. Without doing that, there are too many things and other trips that can come up. I'd like to take a week off and fish the lakes and streams and just be a trout bum and throw the Double Haul into the mix. If it's a blow out on Crowley, Rock Creek and the other loops you could stream it for a day or so and still have an awesome trip. TC&TL,
Perry

[Scott Shaw]

Dam shame it takes a year of planning. O'K , how about next year , a week with some of it spent using a condo at Mammoth.It didn't seem expensive the last time.I would like to try the bass pond on the way up. By the way , Santa margarita was slow.I like it much better in the spring . Scott Shaw