Held in late spring, the Lake McSwain Trout Fishing Derby provides the opportunity for skilled (lucky?) of the specially tagged fish. From Modesto, drive about 50 miles east on Highway 120 to the junction of Highway 108. The tailwater section below Hetch Hetchy Reservoir flows into Lake Don Pedro. And the first Golden Stone Flies will appear in February also. How can your vacation be more than just a vacation? These require a four-wheel drive and a bit more time to access. Bring your boat? Accessed by numbered Forest Service roads, these streams are off-the-beaten-path at elevations ranging from 2,000 feet to 3,500 feet and require a reliable vehicle not to mention food & water. The South Forks originates in the "Chain Lakes" area and then flows 30 miles East to West, to its confluence with the main Fork. There are hundreds of thousands of trout in the region available to anglers looking to toss bait and spinners, troll or fly fish. Fishing information is available by calling the Strawberry Store 209-965-3597 . Five per day (all trout species) Ten at one time (all trout species), except as noted below. Some can be easily accessed by car along Tioga Road, while others require hiking/backpacking from any number of Yosemites trailheads. Anyone interested in fishing Tuolumne River or waters within the wider area around Salida should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. Catch and release, of course. There are brook trout, brown trout, Chinook salmon and steelhead. Fly Box - What You'll Need Those in search of trout hideouts can park along Highway 140 in the small lots of day-use picnic areas such as Red Bud, Cranberry Flat, Indian Flat, McClendon Beach and Briceburg Put-In, or numerous turnouts along the way (careful to pull completely off the road). Located in wooded foothill terrain at approximately 2,500 feet, Bean Creek gets low and warm as the summer progresses, so spring/early summer is best. Some areas are tight with obstructions such as Lodgepole Pines and you need to use bow-and-arrow casts to present the flies to the proper areas. DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Upper Tuolumne River in California, The Upper Tuolumne River Map and Fishing Access Sites, Best Places to Fish the Upper Tuolumne River, Best Time to Fish the Upper Tuolumne River. You can fish the river at a number of locations including Rainbow Pool Day Use Area, Berkeley Tuolumne Camp and Carlon Day Use area. Fishing Location - Tuolumne River (Stanislaus County) Tuolumne River (Stanislaus County) Stanislaus County Car Accessible Driving Directions Nearby: Winter runs of coastal Rainbow Trout (steelhead) and resident Trout available below La Grange Dam. I like to wet wade this section starting in late June or early July, after the runoff waters recede. A trail will take you to a footbridge across the Dana Fork and onto another footbridge on the Lyell Fork. Nestled in the oak-studded Sierra foothills on the western edge of Mariposa County, sun-soaked Lake McClure and its little brother Lake McSwain are the way station for the Wild & Scenic Merced River as it journeys towards the Central Valley. Tucked away in a grove of mountain pines and seated just outside of Yosemite National Park, Fish Camp is a tiny mountain town that boasts dozens of activities nearby. The wild trout in Upper Tuolumne are not too picky when it comes to flies since they have a relatively short window to feed on the aquatic insects that hatch in the summer. Unlimited access to the best fishing spot finder in the game. The rest of the lakes are fishless. You'll get amazing views into an awesome . Discover Yosemites magnificent geology. Tuolumne River, from Wards Ferry Bridge upstream to the boundary of Yosemite National Park, excluding tributaries (Tuolumne County). The Upper Tuolumne River can be reached from two directions. You do have to compete with River Rafters within According to Dr. Peter Moyle, native trout apparently did not reach Hetch Hetchy Valley. Fly fishing the Tuolumne River can range from easy to very difficult, depending on which section of the huge river system you choose to fish. You can also find success fishing in the early fall. Remember to adjust these times based on barometric pressure, and weather changes. Side streams such as the Clavey River, Big Creek, and the North Fork of the Tuolumne River offers side hikes, fishing holes, and warm swimming pools during the summer months. We fly fish the Merced river, Tuolumne river, Stanislaus river and the Mokulmne river. Trout are the name of the game here, and fishing destinations within striking distance of Tioga Road include Tenaya Lake, Dog Lake, Lukens Lake and Tuolumne Meadows.Tenaya Lake fishing is accessible by car and is known for abundant brook trout. So grab your favorite fly fishing rod and reel, and head out to North Fork Tuolumne River. The discharges vary greatly and the fishing methods depend on the flows. Can you fish in the Merced River in Yosemite? There's a great downhill section behind Buck Meadows with a relatively low grade 5 mile uphill climb out. Following Briceburg Road as it spurs off Highway 140 brings anglers to campgrounds such as McCabe Flat, Willow Placer and Railroad Flat. The Dana and Lyell Forks converge to form the main Tuolumne river. With pristine lakes (both high and low country), National Forest streams and the mighty Merced River weaving through Yosemite Valley before plunging down the steep Sierra Foothills, fishing in Mariposa County provides a unique array of breathtaking backdrops for flicking a line. Nowadays, you are more likely to find rainbow, brown, and brook trout. Theses are listed below. Up Rodgers Canyon, 9 miles from Pate Valley with a 5,000 foot gain in elevation. Again, stealth is key here as opposed to matching the hatch. Highway 140 from Merced is another western entrance but you will need to go north on Big Oak Flat Road once you've entered the Yosemite Valley to connect to Tioga Road. Small yellow stoneflies (yellow salley's) also show themselves at this time of year. Catfish . This area is particularly popular with white water rafters, as there is Class IV whitewater in this section. These forks join in the Tuolumne Meadows inside Yosemite National Park. Brown trout have a limit of 5 per day or 10 in possession. The season for trout fishing on the Upper Tuolumne River is from the last Saturday of April through November 15. What is the limit on Kokanee in California? It can be very difficult to fish the River in the spring, particularly during dry years. You can also find success fishing in the early fall. Full Day Fishing Trip on the Truckee River with Jay Clark Fly Fishing, Enjoy a day fishing the Truckee River near Sierraville, California. From the East, take Hwy 395 to Highway 120 just north of Lee Vining. Fly fishing in Yosemite for brown trout and rainbow is available along the Merced and Tuolumne rivers, the South Fork of the Merced River, Merced, Tenaya, Eleanor lakes, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Lyell, and Dana Forks. It flows through Stanislaus National Forest and as well as more private and public land before joining the main stem of the Tuolumne above Don Pedro Reservoir. Upper Mattie is fishless. During the early 1970's, only a few hardy souls tried to float the river, but by 1975, an estimated . Lake Griffin State Park. Sign in to your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy. The Merced offers enjoyable fishing all summer and into the winter. The first segment starts at Yosemite National Parks boundary at the Arch Rock Entrance (4 miles east of El Portal) and runs to the Foresta Bridge (Red Bud Picnic Area). No restrictions. The easiest way to tell these species apart is by looking at the lower fins which will have white edges on a brook trout but not on brown trout. Fishing spots and baits to use at Middle Tuolumne River? From White Wolf Campground, its a seven mile hike. Mirror Lake is considered a stream and is only open to fishing during stream fishing season. Dry Flies:Parachute Adams #12-18Parachute Ants #14-16Cutter's Perfect Ant #14-16Elk Hair Caddis #12-14Yellow Humpy #12-14Dave's Hopper #10-12Royal Wulff #12-14Purple Haze #16, Nymph Flies:Pheasant Tail Nymph #12-14Copper Johns #12-14Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear #12-14Prince Nymph #12-14Bird's Nest #8-10Zebra Midge #18. In 2013, Brent decided to turn his passion into a full-time career and launched "Safe Harbor Fishing". 67. . This river begins to warm up around March, but visitors aren't allowed to fish in these waters until the season opens in late April. You will need to hike about a mile upstream as the river section is usually crowded with swimmers from the campground. Goldens were planted here in the 1930's, so some of the rainbows may have the characteristic parr marks of a Golden. With the Brown Trout going up to approximately 14 inches. Fishing in the Tuolumne River has different regulations than fishing in Yosemite Valley. The stream fishing season in Sierra National Forest runs the last weekend of April through November 15. Recommended Fly Fishing Gear for Yosemite. The river runs through the Tuolumne Meadows and offers the best Yosemite fishing around. Hughson, Stanislaus County, California, United States 95326. Covering 1,169 square miles and with elevations ranging from 3,000 feet to 13,000 feet in the High Sierra, the water features runneth over creating a fishing mecca the size of Rhode Island and Luxembourg where anglers can cast to their hearts content. Our guides Izzy, Zander and Isaac were outstanding and the best in the business. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Maximum size limit: 12 inches total length. 209-962-7825. Fishing the Wawona/Yosemite South area brings anglers to the less-visited but equally babbling South Fork of the Merced River. Its headwaters are only accessible by hiking. Clarke Broadcasting recently talked with the Don Pedro Project partners, who this month completed a milestone by filing their 6,000-page amended final dual-license application and proposed . It flows over Nevada and Vernal Falls, and. 2023 Fishidy. The Merced River fishing season runs the last Saturday of April through November 15 from the Foresta Bridge near El Portal all the way down to Lake McClure with a rainbow limit of 5 (limit of 2 remainder of year), while the section from Arch Rock to Foresta Bridge is open year-round but catch and release only. There are a number of dirt roads with access to the Middle Fork just above Rainbow Pool Falls. Then the Merced, picks up water from Tenaya, Yosemite, Bridalveil, and Pigeon Creeks near the end of the valley, and meeting up the water from Cascade Creek before the river flows through the Merced River Canyon and then outside the park. All Rights Reserved. Pm me if interested. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. With over 55 combined years of experience fishing the Madison River, we have the deep knowledge needed to guide you down this Blue Ribbon River. 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