Highrock lake, Sweetwater lake, and Coleman lake question

[Woody]

A friend and I are wanting to hike this section that encompasses these three lakes. My question is how is the fishing? Can they be fished from the bank easy enough or is it to steep or overgrown? Are there any good campsites near the lakes on the trail, not in the campground areas? I would really appreciate some input so I don't plan a bust of a trip if you know what I mean!!!!!

[Cuffs]

The trail only goes near Highrock, so I have never really check out access to it.

Sweetwater is fishable in several places.  There is also camping available.  However it is a place also well known to the locals.  The day I was there on my thru, it was redneck nekkid swimming day...  for the whole family!     (I really wanted to warn them of the cotton mouth I had just seen but didnt feel it was all that necessary.)

Sweetwater is also prone to flooding.  I was there this past October (or was it November?) after all the rains we got... I have photos of the trail blazes that are normally head high on me (5' 7") IN the water!!  Much bushwhacking had to be done.

Coleman Lake, the trail is on the west side of the Lake but doesnt really get close to it until its in the draw of the feeder streams.  There is a hike/bike path that circles the lake from the campground that is on the east side of the lake.  Should be accessible fishing spots around the lake.

Lets us know what successes you get!

[pr8hdff]

Best I can remember, Coleman only has a few spots around the shore to fish from but most of it has grown up.  You can fish from the campground side a lot easier at what they call the beach.  Be careful at the lake as there have been a few drownings in the last few years.

[Woody]

Well we only caught two fish at Coleman lake, but one was a pretty nice Bass. Both High Rock and Sweetwater lake were really flooded and we had no luck there. The trail was underwater at both of those too. Especially Sweetwater lake! We did do a lot of buchwacking to get around but we made it with no problems to speak of. We went last weekend and it was pretty cold and rainy all three days except Monday when we left, still cool but no rain. We were pretty proud of the fact that we managed to have a nice campfire both nights even with wet wood and other than the high water the trail was in good shape. We got a good laugh out of forest road 531 being about 10 feet underwater at high rock lake. We had to turn around and find another route but managed that without issue. I think that fishing all three lakes is doable during normal water levels but Coleman is deffinately the easiest with the established trail that goes all the way around it and there were a handfull of other people fishing there as well. We saw no one at the other lakes except the folks at Sweetwater who just drove down to have a look. All in all it was a good trip though.

[jamfan]

We tried fishing this past weekend at Coleman lake over by the dam.  We didn't have any luck.  I thought I got one nibble.  It was a pain in the arse to get down to the lake with all the mud and pricklies. 

[jeep87]

its pretty close to sweetwater lake also