THE IRIDEUS - DECEMBER 2019
GONE FISHIN’ Reports From the Field Middle Fork of the Stanislaus Article & Photos by Todd Pond
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ver since I read about the middle fork of the Stanislaus River, (see:http://www.flyfishingthesierra.com/ nfstanis.htm ), I’ve wanted to explore it. I read that it is one of the best fisheries on the Western Slope due to its rich aquatic insects, wild trout, and location. I also learned the Stanislaus is one of the wild trout fisheries closest to the Bay Area.
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o much for reading, I was hooked. I packed a lunch, set my alarm for 4 am, filled my tank, and twisted up a couple of flies. I was off to see the river for myself. Somewhere in the middle of the Central Valley, I met the sunrise. I continued heading east on highway 108, past Sonora and then past Pinecrest. Finally, I found the road that goes to the China Flat day use area, just below Beardsley Reservoir. When I arrived, my odometer showed that in three hours and fifteen minutes of driving I had traveled 173 miles from El Cerrito. It was a 20 minute walk from the China Flat day use area to where I started fishing. Most of the walk was alongside a utility dirt road, next to the Beardsley Afterbay, which is beautiful. At the end of the Afterbay, there is a
nice angler’s trail. For the most part, the trail is safe and easy to hike with the exception of a couple of steeper areas where extra caution must be taken. The walk/hike is pleasurable because of the amazing landscape. There is plenty of river to fish. From the Afterbay Dam to Sandpoint Campground (one of many campgrounds in the area) is about three miles downriver. There is an angler’s trail at the end of the Afterbay that goes all the way to the campground. It is similar to the one on the McCloud Conservancy. I fished about 1.5 miles down from the dam.
I quickly realized how similar this river is to the McCloud and the middle fork of the Feather River. The water flows were about 200 cfs. In many sections of the river, there are large pools between the runs and the ripples. Generally, I feel that huge pools are not productive, so I do not spend much time fishing them. On the Stanislaus, some of the runs and
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