# Grandaddy Basin Questions



## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

Hadn't logged in for a while...but then again I hadn't been fishing in a while either. This summer flew by! Me and a couple AF buddies are going to Hike Grandaddy Basin mid sept. The plan is to camp out a couple days and fish some of the lakes in that region. My question is which lakes are must hits? what kind of tackle should we take? We will be using spinning rods because none of us can Fly Fish worth a darn and its will be easier to pack some collapsable rods. 

This is likely be a once in a lifetime trip with my AF buddies moving on and me living hours away(I have never did this hike before either), so please be confident in knowing that I wont be hijacking somebodies honey hole aside from one day of fishing there. I appreciate any info i get via this forum or PM. Thanks!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

One night? Two nights?


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

wyogoob said:


> One night? Two nights?


Planning on taking the loop to Grandaddy Lake. spending the night. Then hiking to whatever fishing site or sites we decide on the next day. Back to our base camp for a 2nd night and hike out on day 3. In conjunction with a weekend but we havent decided whether to start friday or end on a monday.

All of the guidebooks I've seen said weekends can be busy so We aren't nessesarily hard set on putting up base camp at Grandaddy Lake either if there is another place in that area that offers a little more solitude or scenery. Also just to mention, I can speak for all three of us when i say we are the very respectful of the environment types of outdoorsmen and there definately won't be any traces of us left behind.

Thanks


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

I prefer to enter grandaddy basin via Marshel canyon it brings you in between Pine Island and lake Farney. There could be some killer edible mushrooms left up there during that time you might want to bring a pocket guide the Botles are easy to identify and tasty. I have caught a lot of fish up there but no lunkers. Any mosquito nymph will work towed 6ft behind a partially filled clear bubble.


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## Ton_Def (Dec 23, 2008)

Pine Island. It's worth drowning a worm.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I haven't been up there since they put tiger trout in the basin. How's that working?

Given the amount of time you have I would camp on the north end of Grandaddy and then day hike into the other lakes from there.


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks for the input!. I appreciate all the info we can get. I was just telling one of the hiking buddies today I really think the Education the UWN can offer will help give us the greatest experience we can get and its exciting that you folks are proving me right. Call me sadistic but I love the thought of drowning worms  I am pretty pumped about this trip!!! pkred you have had me searching on edible mushrooms all afternoon, Ton_Def I am flooding google with "Pine Island" with thoughts of worm genocide. And Wyogoob your thoughts, as always, of where to camp/go is more like a how to than just advice. Hope I get pics of Tiger trout to show! Thanks much and keep 'em coming!


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

If I remember correctly there is a lake called "Fish Hatchery" up there that had some brutes cruising the shore lines looking for Black Ants.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

pkred said:


> I prefer to enter grandaddy basin via Marshel canyon it brings you in between Pine Island and lake Farney. There could be some killer edible mushrooms left up there during that time you might want to bring a pocket guide the Botles are easy to identify and tasty. I have caught a lot of fish up there but no lunkers. Any mosquito nymph will work towed 6ft behind a partially filled clear bubble.


I've never been that way. Looking at it from the road it doesn't look all that bad. Please tell me more. Is the trail maintained? PM if you feel the need.


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

Goob - The Murdoc basin road is bad but not horrible. If you drive down to the river there is a well maintained trail for 3/4 of the 2 miles to the mouth of Marshel canyon. Mostly game trails up the back, pretty walk. I tried this cause there are to many people in on and around Grandaddy lake. I have found some tasty mushrooms along the way. It's odd the one place I have spent time in the Unitas is the only place you haven't been. :shock:


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

pkred said:


> Goob - The Murdoc basin road is bad but not horrible. If you drive down to the river there is a well maintained trail for 3/4 of the 2 miles to the mouth of Marshel canyon. Mostly game trails up the back, pretty walk. I tried this cause there are to many people in on and around Grandaddy lake. I have found some tasty mushrooms along the way. It's odd the one place I have spent time in the Unitas is the only place you haven't been. :shock:


Duh....I had to look at a map. I don't use the Murdock Basin Road anymore. I can get into Hoover or Echo faster from the highway at Murdock Mountain than driving all the way up that bumpy road.

Hey, I think I 'm gonna organize a UWN mushroom field day. Whaddaya think?

sorry 'bout the hijack


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## pkred (Jul 9, 2009)

It's not so bumpy if you in a jeep. 95% of the people I see by Hover/Marshel/lily pad have walked in and are surprised I drove there. I have never tried to walk in, i hear it's all down hill.

I think a UWN mushroom field day would be a great idea. I have found attendance to such events are very few in number. But hey, that is there loss. if you want I can get a hold of the Utah mycology society, chances are these guys will be doing some kind of foray on any given weekend during the season. They have a annual in Francis usually the first weekend of the bow hunt. It may be wise to combine your efforts with these folks. They have been doing it a long time and are experts on the local fungi. You prolly already know them.....LOL.

+1 on the high jack


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

wyogoob said:


> Hey, I think I 'm gonna organize a UWN mushroom field day. Whaddaya think?


That sounds fun. When would you be doing it?

I don't know if I'd be invited however. I fear I might have jinxed you last time.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Catherder said:


> wyogoob said:
> 
> 
> > Hey, I think I 'm gonna organize a UWN mushroom field day. Whaddaya think?
> ...


1st or 2nd weekend of September. It may to have to be impromptu, like after a good rainstorm.


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

Thanks for the Advice Everyone, I will post a bunch of pictures after our trip.  Hopefully with some pictures of fish and other wildlife !


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Will Alice and the Mad Hatter be there? *(())* *(())* :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

Stupid question, but does every lake up there have fish in them or are some of them the equivilant of tossing a line into the Great Salt lake?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

A few lakes don't have fish in them at any time, and a few don't have fish in them because of winter kill or they had a couple pictorial threads on some outdoor forum. Then there's the ones that appear to have no fish but are full of finicky trophy Golden Trout. *()*

Don't use the depth of the water as a gauge to a viable fish population. Some of the shallowest lakes have some of the best fishing.


Stop worrying, go already, explore, answer your questions yourself, hell use bait, and remember, load your backpack 15 minutes before you leave, trust me.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Grandpa D said:


> Will Alice and the Mad Hatter be there? *(())* *(())* :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:


 :mrgreen: I hope not.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Not all Lakes have fish. Some are very small and hard to stock. These lakes tend to 100% winter kill.
There used to be a set of booklets that you could buy from the DWR.
They were all the Drainages of the Uintas.
These booklets showed which Lakes were stocked.
I don't know if you can still purchase them.


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

do to scheduling issues Our trip is pushed to the 17th weekend, better make sure i pack the long johns


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

You'll do fine at about any lake in the Grandaddy area. If one doesn't produce, just head over the hill to another.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> I haven't been up there since they put tiger trout in the basin. How's that working?
> 
> Given the amount of time you have I would camp on the north end of Grandaddy and then day hike into the other lakes from there.


+1

we used to go to the grandaddys at least once a year but work schedules got crazy as well as us having kids

i would suggest camping more on the north end the south side usually gets very soggy out about halfway if your walking around from the west end near the lake there are also a few springs over there to get some water from if you need to we have always used that water there are some good camp areas if you take the trail to the left towards betsy lake there are some places out there plus it flattens out along that trail as well as opens up as soon as you get past the lake

now if you were to go past grandaddy there is lodgepole down there its not to far past grandaddy but it is a steep walk back up to grandaddy from lodgepole we have never fished lodge pole so i cant help you there

fishing grandaddy the best luck we have had before was on rooster tails or just about any spoons or spinners for that matter and the occasional leech works at times if you can catch them and get them on the hook

good luck to you if you would like more info feel free to let me know i can get you some more at a later time


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