TIME TO GRAB YOUR FISHING POLE TROUT SEASON OPENS TO LIMIT CATCHES IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS.

Byline: STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOHN MCCOY Staff PHOTOGRAPHER

Blue skies, and temperatures in the 80s welcomed anglers to the Eastern Sierra for the opening of trout season.

At Crowley Lake, hundreds of fishermen in boats and several hundred more lining the shoreline tossed a variety of lures and baits while stalking the various species of trout who have been slumbering the winter away.

Many thought recent storms that piled as much as 20feet of snow on Mammoth Mountain would hinder anglers seeking their limits of fish on the last weekend in April. However, wet weather that has plagued Southern California this month had no effect on the summer-like conditions that shined down on the mountain lakes.

Phil Angel, 85, from Palmdale, wasn't going to let the prospect of any inclement conditions put a damper on his weekend.

He rarely has missed a trout opener since April 1973, and was determined this would not be one.

Angel's daughters, Maria Ginocchio, 57, of Long Beach and Marcia Waterman, 58, of Santa Clarita were happy to keep the streak alive.

And with their husbands, a few of their kids, and a dog named Max, they rented two 26-foot long house trailers, and had them delivered to the shore of Crowley Lake.

"Boy, let me tell you one thing. I'm 85 years old, and I feel like a million bucks," said Angel who reclined in a folding canvas chair as his daughter, Maria, put a fish on the stringer. Angel pointed up a steep incline to where his trailer was parked, and added, "But, I made it down here. I don't know if I'll make it back up there, but I'm fishin'."

Anglers who ventured out in the dark before dawn were able to catch several limits of trout by casting needlefish, rapalas, and Berkley baits. By 10 a.m., many boats had returned to the marina with limits of fish.

Eight miles north on Highway 395, the action was heavy at Convict Lake with several dozen fish weighing in at more than 4 pounds. Early morning limits were recorded by anglers throwing Power Bait, and Berkley Gulp baits.

For one lucky fisherman, the day was extremely rewarding.

Jarren Klohr, a 28-year-old carpenter from Yucaipa, walked away from Convict Lake with a 2-pound rainbow that was worth $10,000.

Fishing tackle company Berkley tagged 250 Alpers Rainbow trout for a derby. The fish were then planted at six lakes: Convict, Crowley, June, Upper and Lower Twin Lakes and Bridgeport Reservoir. A drawing made the night before assigned the winning tag number for the fish who was officially named "Jake," in Berkley's "The Pursuit of Jake" fishing derby.

Further up Highway 395 on the June Lake loop, one family of fishermen had given up the pursuit for fish flesh, and worked on bronzing their own hides.

Alan Sagot, 31, his son Marcus, 3, step-daughter Mae-Alisha Hernandez, 15, and Sagot's wife, Yolanda Hernandez, 30 something, stripped down to swimsuits to bask in the sun on an 80-degree day at June Lake.

Sagot, originally from Glendale but now residing in June Lake, got skunked while fishing in the morning. But unlike the thousands of other Eastern Sierra anglers visiting the high country this weekend, he has the rest of the summer to catch fish.

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Chad Emery, 19, of Fillmore shows off a 5-pound, 1-ounce rainbow trout he caught at Convict Lake on Saturday.

(2 -- color) Fishing started early in the morning at Crowley Lake. These fishermen are carrying gear to their boat at about 5:30 a.m.

(3 -- color) Several fisherman work the waters of Crowley Lake from their boat on the opening day of trout season.

(4 -- color) Maria Ginocchio, 57, of Santa Clarita holds the fish just reeled in by her 85-year-old father, Phil Angel.