Next week is my annual camping trip with my brother and his kids, we usually head to Sourgrass on the NF or Sand Bar Flat on the Middlefork Stan. Any one been up there recently, like in the last week or so? I'm trying to determine if flows will be OK or if we should consider a backup location.
I was up on the MF Stan a couple of weeks ago, the flows were very fishable with the releases from Beardsley at around 600 cfs. Looks like they've dropped to 500 cfs now. Should be killer!
The north fork is not an option in my opinion, Its totally blown out right now and will continue to rise this week. the flow is currently over 1,000 cfs I will not even give this river a thought until its under 300. Middle stan. below bearsdly the flows rarely change and its almost always fishable unless the reservoir spills and its unlikely that will happen this year. I'd highly recomend sand bar flat. Middle stan. fish can be finnicky, Cover lots of water and fish hard. Good luck.
Middle fork is looking like the spot at this point. Like you say the fish can be picky, I love it in the late season, haven't quite cracked the nut on the early season though but it's definitely worth the effort.
As for bears, the last time I took the kids there we arrived after dark and missed one of the turns and went down the wrong way, when we figured it out and turned around we noticed a couple of big steaming piles of bear poo in the road, from the spacing and splatter pattern it looked like they were dropped at full gallop.
I think the only option now is a tailwater or a lake. Theres alot of red on the dreamflows flow charts. All the sierra rivers are pretty much raging now with runoff. Some pretty impresive numbers on there.
I have had several board members wonder what has happened to te best handle on the board . .. Dr. Bombay???? I am at a loss for words. This is comptelely dissapointing to me? I know you worked extremely hard to receive this appropriate handle, and then to just abandon it??? I am at a loss for words??? You slept through an entire day of fishing on the Truckee to earn this fabled handle.
If needed, I can supply a picture of the soldier you left in Truckee with letters of authenticity from Leicaish, SK60, Lahontan, Emeger and Otter verifying the authenticity of this picture. I cannot begin to understand your decision to abandon this handle. Don't be a weenie. Please rrespond and help us all understand this irrational decision Dr. Bombay????
The Dr. B login stopped working ??? I'll look into it ! Dutchman, I beleive the 2,700 cfs is BELOW the sandbar flat diversion dam downriver from the campground, the tri dam projest site still has beardsly outflow at 140 cfs.
Shaun, I sure hope that's the case to leave an area open. I have vacation plans, too! But, the most recent information from TriDam was the first of June -- with "No Data Available" for the last few days.
Back in May of '09, TriDam listed "No Data Available" before the spill and sudden spike, certainly changing my plans upon arrival at the spillway.
Like I said, I hope it is just below Sand Bar Flat...
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I think the only option now is a tailwater or a lake. Theres alot of red on the dreamflows flow charts. All the sierra rivers are pretty much raging now with runoff. Some pretty impresive numbers on there.
Just drove home over Hwy 108 from the e side. West and Little Walkers are both brown. Both Carson's are gone and everything flowing west from the pass down was brown, except the Fork of the Stan that you cross at Strawberry (is that the SF or middle??) which was green but very high. It was warm and windy at high elevations, but even so there is TREMENDOUS snow pack above 8,000 feet.
I'm going to continue enjoying my tube til the flows come down. September will be epic.
I think it all comes down to the flows out of Beardsley. Anything measured by the diversion dam will reflect all that water that comes in from the diversion just upstream of Sand Bar Flats. The outflow hasn't been updated since 6/1 though. I'll try calling the ranger district, another option might be Pinecrest Campground, I'd prefer the wilderness experience though.
Rats, Beardsley just blew out, 3200 CFS at BRD (gps coordinatesa of the afterbay). I'm thinking a flat water camping trip at Cherry Lake is the most likely plan at this point.
But, the most recent information from TriDam was the first of June -- with "No Data Available" for the last few days. 
