Twin Lakes

Upper and Lower Twin Lakes sit end to end on Robinson Creek, about 10 to 13 miles southwest of Bridgeport, under the Sawtooth Ridge at a little over 7,000 feet. Both are natural glacial lakes raised by small outlet dams, and both are deep: about 120 feet in Upper Twin and about 160 in Lower Twin. They are known for one thing. The last two California state record browns came from here: Jon Minami's 26 lb 5 oz fish from Lower Twin in 1983, and Danny Stearman's 26 lb 8 oz fish from Upper Twin on April 30, 1987, which still stands. The browns grow that big on kokanee, tui chub, crayfish and planted rainbows. Be honest with yourself about the odds, though. Most days you catch planted rainbows, a 5 pound rainbow is a good fish, and a big brown is a project, not a given.

Fly fishing here is a float tube or small-boat game along the shoreline drop-offs, early and late in the day. For rainbows and kokanee, work the banks with buggers, Matukas and Hornbergs in sizes 8 to 10, or hang chironomids under an indicator off the shelf. For the browns, fish streamers 6 inches and longer, dark on top and light below, on a fast-sinking line. Fish shallow in spring and fall. In summer bright sun pushes the browns below 10 feet, and a crayfish pattern on a short leader deep along the ledges is the better bet. The best water on both lakes is where Robinson Creek moves: the inlet at Mono Village on Upper Twin, and the channel between the lakes. Fish them right after the late-April opener, when both record browns were caught, and again in fall as the browns stage to spawn before the November 15 close.

The two lakes do not fish the same. Lower Twin is the quieter lake and the better one for a float tube, with a free Forest Service hand-launch at the east end. Upper Twin gets ski boats and jet skis in the middle of the day. Expect company everywhere: Annett's Mono Village on Upper Twin and Twin Lakes Resort on Lower Twin both run marinas, rental boats and big campgrounds, and the opener is a crowd. Most of that crowd trolls or fishes bait, so the shore edges and the evenings are mostly yours. Wind comes up most afternoons. Ken's Sporting Goods in Bridgeport covers the lakes in its weekly report. When the wind blows you off, the East Walker below Bridgeport Reservoir is about 20 minutes away.