Dave's Sierra Fishing

Fishing Sandpiper Lake, Fresno County, CA

Sandpiper Lake Overview:

Hidden away deep in the John Muir Wilderness, Sandpiper Lake is a great place to visit if you are anxious to get away from the crowds along the John Muir Trail and want to try your luck catching those magnificent golden trout. Sandpiper Lake is best visited as part of a multi-day backpacking trip that includes stops at other excellent fishing destinations in the area.

Approach to Sandpiper Lake:

To get to Sandpiper Lake follow the directions to the Bear Creek Diversion Dam for the Bear Creek outing. A 4-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance is required for the final two miles of the drive, although there are other alternatives for reaching this area. Hike 12 miles up the trail to Rosemarie Meadow on the John Muir Trail, a climb of about 3,000 feet. I usually like to split this hike into two days and then set up a basecamp somewhere along Bear Creek. From your basecamp you can access Sandpiper Lake and the lakes around it as a day trip out of your basecamp. (See also the Rose Lake trip.)

The turn to Sandpiper Lake is easy to miss because the sign is set about ten feet back from the John Muir Trail. Going south on the John Muir Trail watch for the turn to Sandpiper Lake about ten yards past the sign which marks the 10,000-foot elevation level. If you come to the Rose Lake turn, you have gone too far. After turning off the JMT, hike .7 miles to Lou Beverly Lake where you will find good fishing but will have to contend with grass that has begun to invade the lake. The next mile up to Sandpiper Lake is steep in places, but you do pass a lively waterfall along the way to brighten your day.

I found the best fishing at Sandpiper Lake at the far end near the inlet. If you continue up the inlet creek you will soon arrive at Medley Lake (actually a cluster of lakes), many with catchable size trout. Another mile of hiking will carry you to Three Island Lake. A pair of anglers I met there were doing well fishing in the deep pools just below the lake itself.

In My Creel:

For lake fishing I carried several lures, but by far my best luck was fishing with flies, especially the little black gnat that some scoundrel of a fish stole from me:

Recommended Books for Sandpiper Lake

• Trout Fishing the John Muir Trail, Charles S. Beck, Steve Beck. This handy guide lists Bear Creek as one of its top 20 trout fishing streams on the John Muir Trail. Includes fly suggestions. A resource well worth reading before you venture out.
• High Sierra Fly Fishing, Basics to Advanced Tactics, Billy Van Loek. This is the book I go back to again and again to improve my technique fishing the high Sierra. A great resource on which flies to use and how to fish the high lakes and streams.
• California Fly Fisher The best magazine available for local fly fishing information. Packed with great articles by leading California fly fishers.

Accommodations and Supplies:

Before or after your wilderness trip to Sandpiper Lake you can find lodging at nearby Vermilion Valley Resort, Mono Hot Springs Resort, and Florence Lake Resort. Plentiful lodging, including vacation cabin rentals, can also be found at Huntington Lake or Shaver Lake. If you're staying over in Fresno before heading up into the mountains, check out the Holiday Inn Express there.

Several campgrounds are located in the area: Mono Creek, Mono Hot Springs, Ward Lake, Jackass Meadow, and Bolsillo. Others are found along the way back to Huntington Lake. Campsites can be found among the trees along the southern and eastern side of Sandpiper Lake, but as I mentioned before, I would select a base camp lower down along Bear Creek and use it to explore the more than 30 lakes in the area.

On your way to the Bear Creek Diversion Dam trailhead you can pick up fishing supplies at

• Fishermans Warehouse, 4320 W. Shaw Ave, Fresno
• California Bait and Tackle, 4516 E. Belmont Ave, Fresno
• Buz's Fly and Tackle, 110 W. Main St., Visalia (also at 1220 Oak St., Bakersfield)
• Valley Rod and Gun, 2704 Clovis Ave., Clovis
• Friant Trading Post, 17142 N. Friant, Friant
• Sierra Anglers, 700 McHenry Ave., Modesto
• Shaver Lake Marina, Shaver Lake