Trout Location suggestions needed

So my Father-in-Law has had an opening-day tradition of renting a certain converted log cabin (the cabin itself is probably pushing 100years old) on Upper Twin Lakes, just outside of Bridgeport, every opening day of trout season (eastern sierra season) for the last thirty-something years. The front door of the cabin is about 10 yards from the water, from my fishing spot I get a view onto the backside of Yosemite.

He takes only the men of the family, and an occasional guest. My brothers-in-law practically grew up there, the younger brother-in-law, well, some of his ashes are up there where we had such good times. I have been invited to the gathering for the last 15 or so years, and I have treasured each trip up.

Different issues have recently began cropping up that have caused us to reconsider heading to Twin Lakes for our annual trip.

The fishing has noticeably declined. We normally fish with powerbait off the shores, we sit together and talk about all the things that have gone on over the past year, swap jokes, tell stories, all the great companionship that makes a family a family, but at the heart of it, we go there to catch fish..The last 5-7 years we catch one or two limits (out of the four or five fisherman) the first day, then almost nothing the second or third days. In previous years the more time you spent fishing the more you would catch, but for some reason (possibly less stocking due to budget cuts?) the second and third days are just nap days, and honestly, we don’t drive five hours, and spend a lot of money renting a cabin, to nap.

The management company that runs the cabins has been making increasingly restrictive demands on the spaces. It is no suprise that prices on the cabins have increased exponentially, but the demands that Mono Village are making are ridiculous and antithetical to what we do and how we fish.

They don’t allow anyone under 18 on the grounds at any time. I have two boys at 8 and 10 who should be coming up there with me… They restrict the # of people IN the cabins to very low numbers, we used to fit 8-10 folks in our cabin, now they won’t allow more than four, the cabin next to us, a group of guys from SoCal who we have also seen at Twin Lakes for 30+ years, they won’t allow them to put more than TWO in the cabin that the five of them have been sharing since the 80’s, and if they rent a hotel room for their extra fisherman, they won’t allow more than two to fish the shore in front of the cabin? There has always been plenty of room for all of us btw..

We hate to leave Twin Lakes and all of our history up there, but right now all we are driving for and paying for and living through are for memories of the past, because the present has degraded to a point where all we have are complaints.

We really need to find a place for the opening of trout season, where we can rent a cabin and fish and get back to the good times.

I don’t expect anyone to give up their secret fishing spot, but does anyone have any ideas of a great, family-friendly opening-day type trout fishing location somewhere within 5-8 hours of Sacramento?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hat Creek. They rent cabins up there and are very close to the water. And the fishing is always stellar up there. Stocks and holdovers alike.



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+1 Hat Creek is an annual week stay for me.

My avatar might just be from there....

My dad has been renting a houseboat on Shasta with his buddies for over 30yrs now. Maybe that would be cool for you guys too?

Who is the property management company at Twin Lakes? The Democratic People's Republic of North Korea?!? That's some bullshit dude!

Hat Creek. They rent cabins up there and are very close to the water. And the fishing is always stellar up there. Stocks and holdovers alike.

I am going to look that up! Thank you very much!

My dad has been renting a houseboat on Shasta with his buddies for over 30yrs now. Maybe that would be cool for you guys too?

Who is the property management company at Twin Lakes? The Democratic People's Republic of North Korea?!? That's some bullshit dude!

Another great idea, will have to see if the cost is prohibitive, but Shasta is a pretty amazing place..

Yeah Mono Village, wouldn't recommend using that company at all...

Hat Creek. They rent cabins up there and are very close to the water. And the fishing is always stellar up there. Stocks and holdovers alike.

I am going to look that up! Thank you very much!

If u can't find a cabin available hit up CAVE CREEK CAMPGROUND.
it reminds me of the place that was in the original Parent Trap. The trout are just stacked in there and the walking paths are beautiful. Great bathrooms also. Can't say enough good thins about that place.
There are also two stores- gas stations right there with supplies. And for a special treat try the buffalo burgers they sell. Taste great on the grill!


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And used to have a bar up there. Uncle Runts. Not sure of they are still open but they had some decent whiskeys available after a long day of fishing. A 10 minute walk from the campground. 


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Agreed on all points listed and reasons for looking elsewhere. It seems like Mono Village has been in a steady decline for the last decade. There are other lodging options on Upper & Lower Twin too. One time my friend rented a sweet vacation cabin on Lower Twin and it was perfect. Also, while not ON the lake I still recommend Doc & Al's Resort on Robinson Ck (down the road from Twin).

Here's a couple suggestions for other places close to Twin.
Virginia Lakes: http://www.virginialakesresort.com/
June Lakes: http://junelakeloop.org/
Pinecrest Lake? http://pinecrestlakeresort.com/

On the Eastern Side of Yosemite there is National Forest Areas that have campground areas, no cabins that I know of, but looks ot have stocked and holdovers, very scenic.  One valley reminds of the opening scene to the Ponderossa.  It is mere minutes outside of YNP. 

I was up at the twins in september... and the fishing on the upper lake sucked.  My buddy and I knocked the hell out of them on the lower lake, with a couple really nice fish... but not the "world class" experience I was hoping for at all.  I have heard a lot of good things about Hat Creek as well.

My family has been doing something similar to what you describe at Cedar Lodge in Chester. The lodge is great, casual, affordable, and they don't mind a little ruckus (in fact Al the proprietor may just try to join you) From the lodge you can head to Butt lake and/or lake Almanor. huge lake with plenty of great trout action (look at Clayman's postings if you want to read up on the fishery as well as Brian Raccuci and Doug Neals guide service websites big daddysportfishing.com, and almanorfishingadventures.com) Just to piggyback on some of the other comments...Hat Creek is definitely worth your attention...Almanor is just one more option in case nothing else winds up being a good fit.

 

  I'm sorry to hear that your family get together spot has gone to hell.  It sucks that the management co. there can't reconise it's demise and correct the problem.  Also blows that they won't allow your kids. Robbing them of the experiences you had.
  Hopefully you'll find a place to continue your family tradition to pass down to your kids!

Sweet! I am taking notes as fast as I can, thank you!!

When I was a kid, my mom and dad were family friends with an old WWII vet and his wife, we spent a few summers up around Burney and McCloud, that old guy taught me everything I know about stream fishing using natural local bait, we would turn over rocks for helgramites, pick periwinkles off other rocks, and just before sundown each afternoon we would have a big full-family grasshopper roundups in the nearest field <LOL> nothing like seeing a half-dozen adults with drinks in one hand and butterfly nets in the other running through a meadow at sunset!! Lotsa great memories there..

I have to laugh, I went to Fisherman's W*@rehouse today at lunch, asked an older asian guy there (seemed to be a manager of some sort) the abbreviated version of this post, he told me "go online, and use Google to find somewhere...."

That was the sum total of his vast experience with local fisherman over the years, pound sand and go find a phonebook pal... Good thing that place has a huge selection cause the "customer service" sure won't get them through....