Camp Lake Fishing
Emigrant Wilderness
Pretty little Camp Lake is only a little more than an hour's hike from the Crabtree Trailhead south of Pinecrest. Because camping is prohibited along the shoreline most backpackers continue on another mile and a quarter to larger Bear Lake, leaving Camp Lake to the anglers.
Camp Lake's 7,600-foot elevation makes it a good choice for an early summer trip soon after the snow melts. Hungry trout are feeding all day long, making enjoyable targets for fly fishermen. Shallows, points, and coves offer a variety of places to test your luck for the resident rainbows.
Sidetrips:
- Bear Lake is the obvious sidetrip from Camp Lake, only a little more than a mile of easy terrain separates the two. Fish for rainbows and brook trout. A good spin casting lake.
- To reach Grouse Lake, backtrack a mile and a quarter and take the Pine Valley trail. Drop 600 feet over 3.6 miles. Fish for brook trout in Grouse Lake.
Other Featured Trips in Tuolumne County
- Buck Lakes - 11 miles via Pine Valley trail from Camp Lake
- South Fork Stanislaus River - fish your way from Fraser Campground all the way upstream to Strawberry
- South Fork Stanislaus River above Strawberry - fish your way from Strawberry up to Pinecrest Lake.
- Herring Creek Reservoir - Enjoyable fishing at a quiet reservoir off Herring Creek Road. A good spot for children to learn to fish.
In My Creel
- #16 barbless Adams
- #12 barbless Blue Wing Olive
- #14 barbless Royal Wulff
- Mepps
- Thomas Buoyant
- Panther Martin
I recently received my new barbless flies from Big Y Fly Company, and I was anxious to put them to another test. So much better than trying to crimp the barbs myself. The Adams, Blue Wing Olive, and Royal Wulff all produced strikes. I did toss in a several lures with my spin rod, but after a few less than encouraging casts I went right back to my fly rod.
Recommended Books, Maps, Lures, and Flies for Fishing Camp Lake
- High Sierra Fly Fishing : Basics to Advanced Tactics A great book for fishing Sierra lakes and streams. Covers everything from beginning to advanced tactics.
- Emigrant Wilderness Trail Map, a shaded relief trail map by Tom Harrison. Includes contours, camping spots, trails, and more. Scale: 1 inch = 1 mile
- Panther Martin Best of the Best Trout Lures Kit. Three of their most popular colors in two of our most popular sizes. Razor sharp treble red hooks mimic wounded fish.
- FISHINGSIR Fly Fishing Flies Kit - 64/100/110/120pcs Handmade Fly Fishing Lures - Dry/Wet Flies,Streamer, Nymph, Emerger with Waterproof Fly Box - Large selection of flies includes trusted patterns (such as Adams, Woolly Bugger, Elk Hair Caddis, Griffith's Gnat, Stimulator, Egg Fly, etc.) used by anglers around the world.