Lone Pine Creek has a way of pulling you in with its quiet beauty and steady trout population, making it a favorite spot of mine. With the cooler weather settling in, I figured it was time for another visit. The conditions were calm, the air crisp, and the sky partly cloudy—just what I hoped for to bring the trout out of hiding.
Starting near one of the deeper pools, I set up with a light spinner to test the waters. The creek was flowing smoothly, with just enough speed to give the trout some cover. Within a few casts, I felt a nibble. A small rainbow, around 8 inches, was my first catch. Not a record-breaker, but it’s always nice to get something early on.
I moved a bit downstream, where the creek widened and slowed, creating pockets that trout love to hang around. Switching to a worm setup, I cast into a shaded area and gave it a minute. Soon enough, I felt another tug, this one with a bit more fight. I reeled in a 10-inch rainbow with bright colors, a true beauty for a creek trout. After a quick look, I released it, hoping to find a few more.
Mid-morning brought a slight change in the weather as the clouds thickened, dimming the light a bit more. This seemed to work in my favor as the trout became more active. I decided to try a small spoon lure in a silver shade, casting close to some rocks where the water was a bit choppier. Sure enough, I hooked another one, just under 11 inches, a feisty fish that gave me a good fight for its size.
Lone Pine Creek isn’t known for big fish, so I wasn’t expecting anything huge. But every now and then, this creek can surprise you. As I made my way to a narrower section, I cast a few times without much luck. Then, on what was going to be my last cast in that spot, I felt a strong pull. This trout put up a real fight, and I could tell it was bigger than the others. After a careful reel-in, I brought in a solid 13-incher—a great catch for this creek. Its colors were stunning, and it was one of those fish you can’t help but admire for a moment before letting it go.
With the afternoon approaching and the trout still biting, I wrapped up with my limit of five, each one in the 8-13 inch range. It was a worthwhile trip to Lone Pine Creek, with the cooler weather creating great conditions and enough action to make every catch feel like a win. This creek isn’t about landing huge fish, but if you’re looking for steady bites in a beautiful setting, Lone Pine Creek is hard to beat.
