Shepherd Pass

Dry Flies:
Parachute Adams #14
Elk Hair Caddis #14-16
Stimulator #14

Nymph Flies:
Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18
Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear #16-18
Prince Nymph #16-18

Streamers:
Muddler Minnow #8-10
Woolly Bugger, Black or Olive #8-10

Directions:

To Shepherd Pass Trailhead from Highway 395, in Independence, CA:

Turn west on Market Street. Travel 4.3 miles to Foothill Rd.

Turn south on Foothill Rd and travel 2.8 miles to the Shepherd Pack Trailhead.

Approximately 1/2 mile past the Shepherd Pack Trailhead, turn west on a small, rough dirt road.

Follow the main track approximately 1.3 miles to the Shepherd Pass Trailhead. This road in unpaved may be quite rough.

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Notes:
The Shepherd Pass trail climbs a demanding 6,000 feet from the Owens Valley to 12,000-foot Shepherd Pass. Then, it enters Sequoia National Park and joins the John Muir Trail near Tyndall Creek. Due to a persistent snowfield, steep terrain and talus, the Shepherd Pass trail is frequently impassable to stock above about 10,800 feet.

Symmes Creek: This small cool water creek is planted from March through April with about 40 hatchery rainbows each week. Fish are often planted within the pond at the trailhead gage station and the campground.

Shepherd Creek: Small cool water creek also planted with 50 to 100 hatchery rainbows each week from March through July. Fish are mostly planted within the sand trap on the west side of Hwy 395 where Foothill Road meets the creek.

Over Junction Pass, the old JMT trail drops into Center Basin. This is the headwaters of Bubbs Creek and used to have a good population of Golden Hybrids. This area was set aside for Mountain Yellow Leg Frog restoration and the Goldens have been removed from both the creek and the lakes through gill netting in 2013-2015.

Golden Bear Lake: Fishless

Fishing Regulations (Effective March 1st, 2021)

Inyo County, Southwestern portion, in all waters bounded by the Inyo County line on the south and west, Independence Creek on the north (open to fishing), and Highway 395 on the east.

From the last Saturday in April through November 15, 5 trout daily bag limit, 10 trout in possession; and, from November 16 through the Friday preceding the last Saturday in April, 0 trout bag limit, artificial lures with barbless hooks only and trout must be released unharmed and not removed from the water.

All other lakes within John Muir Wilderness:

All creeks and tributaries: