Dave's Sierra Fishing

Fishing Marie Louise Lakes

Near South Lake in California's Eastern Sierra

Marie Louise Lakes Overview

Less than 2 miles up the trail from South Lake are the quiet Marie Louise Lakes. Just off the main hiking trail leading up over Bishop Pass into Kings Canyon National Park, Marie Louise Lakes see few visitors. They are easy to overlook. But the fishing is great for pan size trout that are eager to snap up your fly.

Situated in the John Muir Wilderness, Marie Louise Lakes are protected by light forest and granite cliffs. Off in the distance 12,000-foot Chocolate Peak glistens in the clear morning light. While the lower lake offers a variety of fishing locations and challenges, it is the unassuming upper lake that will keep you busy. These lakes make a great place to bring children anxious to catch their first fish.

Approach to Marie Louise Lakes

The trail to Marie Louise Lakes begins at South Lake, a 20-mile drive east from Bishop on Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra. The Weir Pond just below South Lake is a popular fly fishing destination, as are the South Fork of Bishop Creek and South Lake itself.

The trail set out along the south shore of South Lake for a short distance, climbing steadily. Then it swings south and continues to climb. Don't make the mistake I did by cutting over to little Hurd Lake for some fishing. I saw nothing there. However, maybe someone else will have better luck than I did. There is no marked trail to Hurd Lake, but by using Hurd Peak as your signpost, you can pretty easily pick your way there. I did stumble on a use-trail.

The trail to Marie Louise Lakes turns off the main trail after hiking about a mile and a third from South Lake. There is an obvious sign. The trail dips across a creek and then climbs up a stiff rise to the lakes. The entire hike was about an 800-foot climb, 1.75 miles.

As I mentioned above, it was the upper lake that was teeming with fish. Parts of the shoreline are a little marshy, but nothing to deter you. The lower lake was good fishing also, but required a little more effort. The fish I caught were all brook trout, none big enough to brag about. Catch and release.

Recommended Books for Fishing the Eastern Sierra

• Fly Fishing Eastern Sierra Streams, Where to Go, What to Use, and How to Get There, Mike Brown. Great book detailing the best streams in the Eastern Sierra. Color Photographs.
• California's Best Fly Fishing: Premier Streams and Rivers from Northern California to the Eastern Sierra, Chip O'Brien. An up-to-date guidebook, complete with maps, detailed descriptions of fishing locations, analysis of the seasonal differences which affect fishing, and fly patterns.
• Fly Fishing Mammoth: A Fly Fisher's Guide to the Mammoth Lakes Area, Mark J. Heskett. Information about fishing the Mammoth Lakes area of the Eastern Sierra.
• The Definitive Guide to Fishing Central California , Chris Shaffer. The book details more than 380 lakes, rivers and streams around Central California. The full color guide has more than 500 color photos.

In My Creel:

Smaller flies worked the best. The fish in the upper lake didn't seem to care what I tossed their way, they were eager to strike.

Accommodations and Supplies:

There are possible backpacking campsites near the lower lake and between the two lakes, but they are so close to South Lake it hardly makes sense to backpack unless you are planning to continue deeper into the wilderness.

There are a number of resorts in the Bishop Creek drainage below South Lake and its neighbor, Sabrina Lake. Among them are Bishop Creek Lodge, Cardinal Village Resort, and Parcher's Resort by South Lake. Campgrounds abound along Bishop Creek: Sabrina Campground, Forks Campground, Bitterbrush Campground, Big Trees Campground, and others. Dispersed camping is not allowed along Bishop Creek.

Fishing supplies can be purchased locally at the following places:

Sidetrips:

There are a dozen other lakes sprinkled about the area, many of them looking very promising. Among them are Bull Lake, Chocolate Lakes, and Treasure Lakes.