Now and Then,
The Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River below Sonora Pass has a reputation for its numerous trout fishing holes for both the fly or bait fisherman. The river and its little sister, the sparkling Clarks Fork, have attracted fishermen for years.
Both rivers are accessible by car, so it is easy to just pull off the highway to park and walk to a fishing hole. Ice-cold deep water in the thundering river gorges abound with trout, as do the more quiet holes tucked under logs and behind boulders. A fisherman's paradise.
To fish the lakes requires riding a horse or hiking with the exception of Leavitt Lake in Mono County, which is accessible by a high clearance vehicle.
It is the Emigrant Basin at the Sierra crest that holds these remote pristine lakes. Trails to them are marked, and the lakes well stocked by airplane drops which, amazingly, most fingerlings survive.
The eastern brook trout, native to the East Coast, were particularly desirable for planting in the Sierra's landlocked lakes. Their eggs do not require flowing streams to propagate and can hatch in the clean gravel beds.
Rainbow trout, a fisherman's favorite that's native to the Sierra, is a fighter on the line and strikes at flies as well as other bait and lures.
The German brown trout arrived in Massachusetts from Europe in 1884 and were introduced into California streams by the early 1900s. The German browns, which grow large, are still plentiful and are the hardest to catch. The big browns hide under brush in quiet water or under logs and are a crafty fish that puts up a good fight.
Trout fresh from the frying pan are high in the omega-3 fatty acids, mild in taste and one of the healthiest fish due to its mountain environment. An essential part of the experience when visiting the mountains is to catch a trout fresh from the river, fry it up and enjoy.