Getting There

To reach The Goethe Lakes, park at the North Lake Trailhead. North Lake is located outside of Bishop in the Lake Sabrina basin area. The trail leads to Piute Pass and the Humphreys Basin Backcountry.

The Hike

We set up base camp at Lake Muriel. The trail to Lake Muriel (Piute Pass), which starts in a wooded area (North Lake Trailhead), works it's way westward and uphill for the first 1.4 miles. When you reach the first switchbacks you will be exposed to the sun for much of the rest of the way. After passing Loch Leven Lake on the left, the trail climbs gradually to Piute Lake. This is a good place to rest before you hike over Piute Pass. Continue from Piute Lake over Piute Pass and veer left from the trail that leads down to Summit Lake. Hiking southward, cross country, will take you to Lake Muriel. There are some good camping spots along the east shore. Looking at elevation profile #2 will describe the approach to the Goethe Lakes from the east shore of Muriel.

The Fishing

The Goethe Lakes are known for their crystal-clear waters and they do not disappoint. The fishing this year at Lower Goethe was great. We caught and released many fish in the 10-12 inch range. The fish are hanging in the shallows during the morning and then moving out into deeper water in the afternoon. The spawn is over but larger fish are still haning close to shore.

We fished fly patterns like Humpys, Hare's Ears, and Pheasant Tails with good success. We saw grasshoppers buzzing around on the walk up to Goethe, and later had luck using a grasshopper pattern as well. We fished the west and north side where we could observe the most fish. I did not see any fish activity near the outlet. The Goldens appeared to be in their silver phase not only in Goethe, but also in Muriel, and in the Lost Lakes.