Author Lance Sawa’s roots in Southern California meant he was a regular visitor to the Eastern Sierra’s fisheries. As the trout opener beckons this month, Sawa, now living abroad in Japan, recalls one such successful trip with his now wife. (LANCE SAWA)
MEMORIES OF EASTERN SIERRA TROUT… AND RABBITS ... AND CRICKETS By Lance Sawa
W
e left at midnight to head north. My then girlfriend – now wife – Yumi and I were headed to the Bishop area to fish in October before the trout waters closed for the year. Granted, it was mostly my idea and I had only asked her just after dinner, but she was up for the trip.
The amount of fishing equipment on hand was limited, as I borrowed most of it from my dad, but we had enough to go. We packed the car and left. It was a four-hour drive from the Southern California apartment we were renting at the time. With only a stop in Mojave to get gas, we continued on our way and drove through the night, talking so we could stay awake.
This was the first trip we took together to Bishop. Yumi had been to Mammoth Mountain to snowboard, but never to fish. I was excited to show her around an area that I grew up fishing.
THE MORNING LIGHT By around 4 a.m. we got to the outskirts of Bishop and were both tired. We turned before reaching the town
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