BISHOP - Spend a little time up here at the gateway to the
Eastern Sierra and soon you feel the buzz and excitement that
only this natural wonderland can provide.
This is, as the new slogan here proclaims, “the other
side of California,” the other side of the Sierra Nevada
range. Fishing actually starts about an hour's ride south of
here, at Diaz Lake, and continues at Independence, 20 miles
north of Lone Pine on Highway 395.
This year will be my 15th straight year attending the annual
Eastern Sierra Trout Opener and covering it for the San Diego
Union-Tribune. And though that may seem like so many Groundhog
Day-type experiences, I look forward to every opener with the
same excitement as I did my first one in 1992.
Yes, I'm getting as old as dirt, or as Bill Becher so eloquently
put once, one of the group's "elders."
Anyway, Gary Graham asked me to put together some information
about Bishop, being that I'm such a veteran of these trout openers
and such. Many other media members stay in Mammoth or other
places when they cover the opener, but me, I'm a Bishop guy.
I like the blue-collar, cowboy texture of Bishop. Too many tatoos
and body piercings in Mammoth for this elder.
For me, the Eastern Sierra experience starts shortly after I
make the turn onto Highway 395 from Interstate 15.
It starts with the heat of the high desert, and pretty soon,
I've got the snow-capped Sierra in my windshield, maybe a bug
or two to tell me fly-fishing might be pretty damn good, some
good tunes playing (maybe a turkey calling instructional CD,
never know) and I'm leaving the city and its stress behind.
When I was up at Bishop for the special catch-and-release trout
opener on March 1, I got to meet our host, Tawni
Thomson, the new executive director of the Bishop Area Chamber
of Commerce and Visitor's Bureau.
Thomson, who attended San Diego State and then returned to her
roots and married a Bishop guy, will fit in well with our group.
This area has four really big events, the Tri-County Fair (Labor
Day Weekend), Mule Days (May 22-27), the Eastern Sierra Trout
Opener (last Saturday in April) and the California High School
State Finals Rodeo Championship (June 17-24).
"The winner of that rodeo goes to the West Regional and
then could go to the National Finals," Thomson said. "It's
as good a rodeo as you'll ever see. And our Fair is a good old-fashioned
country fair with a fishing derby, pie contest, barbecue contest
and homemade ice cream."
Tawni detailed how all the towns from Independence
north are working together to present "the other side of
California."
"Visitation is the lifeblood of our economy," Thomson
said. "What's unique about our customers is they've been
coming up here for generations. You see grandfathers bringing
grandkids up here. I think what sets our area apart is that
we're a good old-fashioned family-friendly area. Our people
are still friendly here."
Here are just some of my favorite places or areas around Bishop.
Keough's Hot Springs is something
you have to experience. There's a real hot pool (probably 95
to 100 degrees), and there's a medium hot one that is the full
pool, complete with a cool spray that is a great relief. But
beware, on warmer days this is the beach for Bishop, and then
there's the tattooed, body-pierced set that arrives from Mammoth
on their way back to LA and points south. But go early, or on
really cold days, and it can be pretty peaceful. If you're adventurous,
there are unregulated hot springs around here, too, but me,
I like someone watching the thermostat.
If you're a golfer, the Bishop Country Club is
a nice, challenging 18-hole course. When I play it in April,
it's still a little rugged and shaking the winter coat, but
it's a lot of fun to play, and being at 4,000 feet or so, you'll
get a little extra distance off your sticks. Good bar and cafe
there, too. Reasonable prices all around.
West of Bishop (I have a block on this and always think it's
east) and 23 miles or so up Bishop Creek Canyon
is this area's version of the Alps, snow-covered
peaks overlooking North Lake, South Lake and Lake Sabrina. All
three usually are frozen for the opener. Good ice fishing stories
here, with the anglers using augers to drill holes and the whole
deal, just like the Midwest. Two of my three favorite couples
in the Sierra are up this way, Ron and Donna Scira
at Creekside RV and Gary and Suzie
Olson at Bishop Creek Lodge, but unfortunately,
they're like the Hatfields and McCoys. They don't get along,
but they both have quality operations. They're right on the
South Fork of Bishop Creek. Sciara even has a private pond that
is loaded with Alpers trout. He's the founder of Adopt-A-Creek,
a terrific grassroots program that raises money to stock trout
year round down below and during the trout season up above.
How good is this place? Richard McWilliam, founder of Upper
Deck, has been a regular here since coming up to the Sierra
for the first time when he was 6 years old with his dad. This
is a guy who has a $21 million suite in New York City's Ritz-Carlton
Hotel, where the cleaning bill alone is $9,000. But he loves
to hear the clanging of the cow bell on the door of the bait
and tackle store at Scira's Creekside RV Park.
Olson is a former San Diego County resident who has done really
well here. His cabins and lodge are a favorite spot of Bart
Hall's of the Fred Hall Fishing Tackle and Boat Show.
And since Bart gets to go wherever he wants, that's a great
testimonial.
As for restaurants, you can't leave this place without trying
a sandwich or some other goodies like the incredible breads
at Erick Schatt's Bakkery (that's
the way the Dutchman spells it) or a waffle at Jack's
(with great fishing information next door at Mac's or across
Main Street and south at Gary Gunsolley's Brock's
Fly Fishing Specialists).
Up 395 toward Crowley Lake, where you must go if not just for
the experience of the fish-cleaning area around noon, is Tom's
Place, bar none the best fishing bar in the United
States. Owners Mark and Michelle Layne have
done a great job refurbishing this treasure of a bar and grill,
blending the historic values of the place and area with some
modern touches. Comfortable and cozy cabins to go with the best
soups, burgers and hearty meals in the Sierra. It's a zoo for
the opener. Tom's Place celebrates its 90th anniversary this
year, and think about that. How many American businesses have
lasted that long?
If you're up for some adventure, there's the Owens
River Gorge north of Bishop off Highway 395 for
fishing, hiking, rock climbing, good adentures, or the Buttermilks,
for bouldering or rock climbing to the West of Bishop.
And what of fishing, you ask? When I cover the opener, I don't
fish at all that Saturday, but I usually try to get out and
fish the Lower Owens if I arrive early and then Crowley Lake
on Sunday the day after the opener. This year's opener at Crowley
should be exceptional. The lake has been thawed for at least
a month, and the trout should be active and gorging by the time
April 28 comes along.
I have another tradition of driving the June Loop and fishing,
making one last cast late Sunday night at a secret spot that
rewarded me with a 5-pound Alpers rainbow a few years back.
It's the largest trout I've ever caught and one of my favorite
memories of the Sierra. Unfortunately, the next year, when I
visited that spot, I sunk in quick-sand type silt and gravel
and almost died in Rush Creek. Not my favorite memory of the
Sierra, but ask me about it and I'll tell you more if you like.
As for activities during the conference, since I get to fish
here any time I come up, I'm probably going to go with that
ATV adventure with Kyle and Russ Markman of Bishop
Motorsports. Never been to Silver Canyon, so that
looks like quite the adventure. That, and I'm in the market
for a ATV so I can join all my Alabama and Pennsylvania brethren
for some off-road hunting. It's either that or join Dr.
John Wehausen on that bighorn sheep adventure.
That sounds awesome, and just being in bighorn country will
be a thrill.
Ed Zieralski
