Independence

• Spots

  • Kearsarge Pass

  • Shepherd Pass

  • George Creek

• Flies

  • Kearsarge Pass Flies

  • Shepherd Pass Flies

  • George Creek Flies

• Resources

Spots

Kearsarge Pass

• Kearsarge Pass Area Maps

  • Kearsarge Pass Area Map

• Golden Trout Lakes

  • Location:Golden Trout Lakes Location

  • Trailhead:Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails:Golden Trout Lakes AllTrails Map

    • 1.5 to 2 miles from trailhead with 2100 foot gain, trail branches off at 1.35 miles to the north lakes 1 & 2

  • Lake 1 is at 11,264' and is the only lake to hold Goldens

  • Lake 2 is 1/4 mile farther at 11,264', 2 total miles from the trailhead, and is the largest of the 4 lakes

  • Lakes 3 & 4 are at 11,374', may be no fish in lake 3 -Little Pothole Lake

  • Location: Little Pothole Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Little Pothole Lake AllTrails Map

  • 1.5 miles from trailhead at 10,045' elevation

• Gilbert Lake

  • Location: Gilbert Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Gilbert Lake AllTrails Map

  • 2.25 miles from trailhead at 10,450' elevation

• Flower Lake

  • Location: Flower Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Flower Lake AllTrails Map

  • 2.5 miles from trailhead at 10,531' elevation

  • Good campsites on the north and east end of the lake

• Matlock Lake

  • Location: Matlock Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Matlock Lake AllTrails Map

  • 0.5 miles from Flower Lake at 10,547' elevation

  • Fishless

• Bench Lake

  • Location: Bench Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Bench Lake AllTrails Map

  • 0.75 miles from Flower Lake at 10,881' elevation

  • Fishless

• Heart Lake

  • Location: Heart Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Heart Lake AllTrails Map

  • 3.5 miles from trailhead at 10,850' elevation

• Big Pothole Lake

  • Location: Big Pothole Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Big Pothole Lake AllTrails Map

  • 4.2 miles from trailhead at 11,341' elevation

• Bullfrog Lake

  • Location: Bullfrog Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Bullfrog Lake AllTrails Map

  • 5.5 miles from trailhead at 10,660' elevation

• Kearsarge Lakes

  • Location: Kearsarge Lakes Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Kearsarge Lakes AllTrails Map

  • 1 mile from Bullfrog Lake, 6.3 miles total from trailhead, at 10,900' elevation

• Charlotte Lake

  • Location: Charlotte Lake Location

  • Trailhead: Kearsarge Pass Trailhead

  • AllTrails: Charlotte Lake AllTrails Map

  • 6 miles from trailhead at 10,400' elevation

  • Ranger station is on site with camping areas

Shepherd Pass

• Shepherd Pass Area Maps

  • Shepherd Pass Area Map

• Symmes Creek

  • Location: Symmes Creek Location

  • Trailhead: Shepherd Pass Trailhead

  • Fish are often planted within the pond at the trailhead gage station and the campground

• Shepherd Creek

  • Location: Shepherd Creek Location

  • Fish are mostly planted within the sand trap on the west side of Hwy 395 where Foothill Road meets the creek

George Creek

• George Creek Area Maps

  • George Creek Area Map

• George Creek (Sand Trap)

  • Location: George Creek Sand Trap Location

  • Located about 100 yards upstream of the aqueduct

  • Great for fishing in March/April

• George Creek

  • Location: George Creek Location

  • Above the sand trap up to the intersection of Foothill Road, George Creek is similar to Goodall and Taboose as a small stream with a lot of riparian cover

• Williamson Lakes

  • Location: Williamson Lakes Location

  • Trailhead: George Creek/Mt. Williamson Trailhead

  • AllTrails: not on AllTrails

  • The lower three lakes within the Williamson Bowl contain Colorado Cutthroats

  • George Creek trail is a steep, unmaintained cross-country route that climbs more than 6,000 vertical feet into the area near Mt. Williamson, Trojan Peak, and Mt. Barnard

Flies

Kearsarge Pass Flies

• Dry Flies

  • Parachute Adams #14

  • Elk Hair Caddis #14-16

  • Stimulator #14

  • Madam X #12-14

  • Royal Wulff #14

• Wet Flies

  • Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18

  • Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear #16-18

  • Prince Nymph #14-16

  • Bird’s Nest #14-18

  • Bird’s Stonefly Nymph #8-10

  • Copper John, Black #18-22

• Streamer Flies

  • Muddler Minnow #8-10

  • Woolly Bugger, Black or Olive #8-10

Shepherd Pass Flies

• Dry Flies

  • Parachute Adams #14

  • Elk Hair Caddis #14-16

  • Stimulator #14

• Wet Flies

  • Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18

  • Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear #16-18

  • Prince Nymph #14-16

• Streamer Flies

  • Muddler Minnow #8-10

  • Woolly Bugger, Black or Olive #8-10

George Creek Flies

• Dry Flies

  • Parachute Adams #14

  • Elk Hair Caddis #14-16

  • Stimulator #14

• Wet Flies

  • Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18

  • Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear #16-18

  • Prince Nymph #14-16

• Streamer Flies

  • Muddler Minnow #8-10

  • Woolly Bugger, Black or Olive #8-10

Resources

• Fly Fishing the Sierra Kearsarge Pass

• Fly Fishing the Sierra Shepherd Creek

• Fly Fishing the Sierra George Creek

• Lone Pine Chamber Fishing Info

• Dave's Sierra Fishing Gilbert Lake