Craig's Corner
By CRAIG BALLENGER
CalTrout Ambassador
Among the great high Sierra trout streams is the South Fork of the San Joaquin, above Florence Lake. This is an easy backpacking trip that can be followed to it's headwaters near Martha Lake at around 10,00 feet.
Designated a California Heritage Stream by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). It covers, as they claim, 156 miles of perennial stream. This includes Paiute Creek, with it's headwaters in the Humphrey Basin.
For over 40 years CDFW has added unique California waters with designated protection for "aesthetically pleasing and environmentally productive" streams and lakes under the Heritage program.
Don't look for big fish here, except in the lower reaches when brown trout of Florence Lake make their way upstream to spawn during the autumn.
The South Fork of the San Joaquin offers an easy introduction to the many streams found within the range, along with off the chart scenery.