Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: middle fork stanislaus


Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 6
Date:
middle fork stanislaus
Permalink  
 


I've been itching to get up to the sierra for some time, and I finally fished the middle fork stan out of sand bar flat this weekend.  The fishing (and the weather) was fantastic. I pulled in 13 fish on Saturday - one big rainbow (18 inches or so), several medium browns (12-14 inch) and a whole bunch of smaller wild rainbows further upstream.  Almost all of the fish were caught on dry flies in medium sized pools.  I had the most success with size 12-14 march browns and parachute adams.  Typically I was fishing one of the dries with a smaller pheasant tail flashback dropper and the dropper got hit maybe 25% of the time.  I also got had a couple takes on a #18 pmd.  I tried a couple caddis patterns with no luck, and i also tried a few turns with a large yellow stone after seeing a couple naturals but no takes on it.  Copper johns weren't working for me either. The fishing was exhilirating because I was seeing very few rises and virtually no fish at all until a dark shadow would dart across the pool to snatch my fly off the surface. Although it seemed like I was getting a fish in every pool I stopped at on the way up-river I did get stumped near dusk when i stoped to hit one more spot on the way back to camp near a big rock outcropping and under some overhanging maples. The fish started rising more than I had seen all day but there was no visible hatch.  I drifted everything I had over what must have been 4 or 5 rising fish and got several 'bumps' but not a single good take.  I assume there was some type of emerger that i never saw that they were after but i never figured it out - was still something special to see them all rising like that though!  This was my first time on the middle stan,  but it was my favorite kind of stream - lots of interesting pocket water with room to cast, a nice campsite nearby and and a beautiful hike along the way.  I think I only made it about halfway up to the resovoir, but i'll be back up to try it again soon (i'll try not to get lost on the way down from fraser flat next time).  I must admit I was quite suprised how well the dries did given i saw very few rises except at dusk.  The visible bugs were mainly midges with a few brownish mayflies and some smaller yellow sallies (maybe?). I assume the river just hasn't seen that much pressure yet.  Either way it was a blast. Unfortunatley my pictures don't do the experience much justice since I was doing the one man 'try to land the fish with out stressing it too much while taking a picture but making sure not to drop the company blackberry in the river juggling act' but attached are a few. PS,  I should add just to balance everything out that i got up early on Sunday to get in a few hours more on the river before i had back to the city and got only one bite in 3 hours of trying - nothing like a little humble pie to make me want to get right back up there.

Attachments
__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 338
Date:
Permalink  
 

Great place to begin your Sierra season! Glad to read, at least for one day-Saturday, things are starting to pick up.

__________________
There's no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm...




Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 3
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hmmmmm...was thinking of trying that area for the first time this week, since I can't get over Sonora Pass for some Eastside fishing. Thanks for the report!

__________________
Pat


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1808
Date:
Permalink  
 

Sand bar flat is a pretty decent spot biggrin. My first time down there I got lost, got a flat tire, and almost ran out of gas because i got lost. Dont go down there without a map if you dont know the way !



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 338
Date:
Permalink  
 

Captain,

What did you just say last week???

"I've heard some creative excuses to miss a fishing trip but that one takes the cake..."  smile

Yeah, I recall my first trip down to Sand Bar--spent more time in the Jeep kicking up dust than fishing!

-- Edited by Flying Dutchman at 23:25, 2008-05-06

__________________
There's no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm...




Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 6
Date:
Permalink  
 

I drove 38 miles trying to find the right 14 miles from the freeway to the campsite.

__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1808
Date:
Permalink  
 

But its worth it biggrin.

__________________


Newbie

Status: Offline
Posts: 3
Date:
Permalink  
 

Went there last year. 

Imagine a Honda Accord bouncing down those Forest Service roads. 

At night. 

No faster than 10 mph and a bit of backtracking, but the good ol' GPS got us back to the freeway.  smile

__________________
Pat


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1808
Date:
Permalink  
 

Dutchman I still made it, a few problems aint gonna stop me from getting to the ol fishin hole. Hey pkonoske, It wasn't much better in a 2006 volvo s60. I forgot to mention dodging the logging trucks !



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 338
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hey, Captain--got to give you that one! It appears that nothing was going to stop you from fishing that day.

__________________
There's no greater fan of fly fishing than the worm...


Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.



Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse
Powered by ActiveBoard