Fall 2023 Little Lakes Valley: Fishing, Hiking, and Camping

Little Lakes Valley is located across from Crowley. What makes it special is you start out at elevation. So it doesn't take much effort to get to the "backcountry". There are A TON of lakes with fish up there as well. This trip, I decided to bring my tenkara and trout spey rod...so lots of action and scenery.

[@jn1olimol]

amazing clear views and great fishing! great content.

[@newflyfishingodyssey]

Thank you!

[@UncleSumoDT]

NFFO, it was great to be able to hike and fish with you. It was sure fun sight fishing that clear water drys and streamers. Nice job with the trout Spey. You really are the Hail-meister. Let’s do it again. DT2

[@newflyfishingodyssey]

Read the fishin trails 2 section on the area. Some of the other lakes look decent as well.

[@chili1593]

New sub. We travel in the same places. Hope to see you out there some time. I’ll be the guy with my fly in the tree behind me…

[@zzww9483]

Nice trip! You didn't go further for golden?

[@newflyfishingodyssey]

Thought about it…but spent too much time fishing long lake. Next time.

[@mrepix8287]

Do you think there are bigger brook trout in Little Lakes Valley or Bishop Pass area?

[@newflyfishingodyssey]

Long Lake in bishop pass prob has slightly bigger ones. But I don’t think any of the lakes in those areas are known trophy brookie lakes. Maybe one of those labeled fish less in little lakes could have some holdover that has no competition.

[@Light-Lines181]

A lot depends on what one considers "big" up in the High Sierra, where the fish are under the constant pressure of short growing season (with long ice-over period), nutrient-poor water, predation, and difficult reproduction. A percentage of those smaller Brookies being pulled out of those Rock Creek area lakes get eaten by large Brown trout, which you don't see during the day very often . . . but they're in there! The South Fork of Bishop Creek has the Weir Pond just below South Lake, a section of tailwater that stays cool all summer, and there are some decent Brookies in there. It's no secret. Nice Browns, too. Up the trail, yes, Long Lake has a few, though the star of the show there are the high-flying Kamloops Rainbows. And then there is Ruwau for nice, boot-sized Brookies, though that's an additional 300' climb off the main trail. That's the theme -- hike off the main trail for quality. Big Brookies in the Rock Creek area? Absolutely, but this place works a bit differently than a lot of other Sierran waters. The lakes of Little Lakes Valley form a chain with short interconnecting streams . . . the outlet stream of Long Lake becomes the inlet to Box, and Box drains into Heart, and Heart into Marsh, etc. And so with a lot of nutrients getting funneled down into this moving water, bigger fish don't have to swim around and work constantly for food . . . the conveyor belt of the current brings it to them. The Caloric Law in action. Yes, you'll find some big surprises in those little steams.