Minaret Creek / Mammoth Area / Devils Postpile Area

Name of creek: Minaret Creek

Road condition: Paved to gravel   Note: Read about the Mandatory Travel Restrictions noted on Sotcher Lake

Region: Mammoth Lakes Ranger District    Area: Devil’s Postpile / Red’s Meadow / Middle Fork, San Joaquin River

Description: A very small creek

Species: Small Brookies along with a few Rainbows

Closest town or supplies: Mammoth Lakes

Contacts: Red’s Meadow Resort and Pack Station (800) 292-7758 Stop! Here is a must see web site with video streams of pack trips offered by Red’s Meadow –

http://www.redsmeadow.com/

Mammoth Lakes Visitor Bureau (888) 466-2666 / (760)-924-5500; Rick’s Sports Center (760) 934-3416; The Trout Fitter fly shop (760) 934-2517.

Nearest campground: Minaret Falls Campground; Devil’s Postpile Campground

Fishing season: General       

Tips:

Favorite lures or bait: Most Sierra creeks are too small to fish effectively with lures and spinners.  Your best bet is to poke and dab using salmon eggs or worms.  Small weighted jig patterns, especially grubs and very small tube worms work very well, and do not over look live terrestrials if they are allowed.  If you are partial to lures bring along small Panther-Martins in a variety of colors. (See Category: Fishing Tips – Best Lures and Bait)

Favorite fly patterns: Using a poke and dab presentation, small Woolly Buggers, Girdle Bugs, Yuk Bugs and terrestrial patterns always work well on creeks.  Dry fly patterns include Royal Wulffs, Parachute Adams, Humpies, Renegades, Stimulators, hoppers, ants, beetles and sometimes a Bead-head San Juan Worm. (See Category: Fishing Tips – Best Fly Patterns and Techniques.  Also read the article on fishing creeks if you are new to the sport of angling.)

Stocking information:

Nearby fishing: Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River

Additional information:

Directions: From Highway 395, turn west on Mammoth Lakes Road and drive three miles to Minaret Road.  Turn right on Minaret Road which leads to Agnew Meadow and the Devils Postpile Monument.

Map courtesy of mytopo.com.