Need help with 1st Cali fly fishing trip!

[gunnison_country]

Hello all-
I'm excited to be heading west (from CO) this summer (July 4th week) to visit family in Santa Cruz for a couple of days. I am going to extend my trip for 10 days in order to fly fish CA for the first time ever. Only previous west coast trip was the Deschutes around Maupin a couple of years ago. I'm asking for a bit of help here as I'm hoping to hit the best of the best available water while I'm in CA, as I'm not sure when I'll ever be able to come back. I'd prefer to fish moving water for trout (I'd love to cross goldens off of my life list) and I'm open to anything in Nor Cal or Southern Oregon. Would someone be willing to make a few suggestions to help me get started with my trip research? Thanks in advance and much obliged. Doug

[FIGHTONSC]

I’ll bite.

Take the 152 from Santa Cruz to the 99 north to Merced then head east on the 140 to Yosemite National Park. You can try fishing the Merced River first if you can’t contain your urge to fish until you have gotten over Tioga Pass. After going through the park and over the pass you will come to a little town on the shore of Mono Lake called Lee Vining at the junction of highway 395. From there you can head either north on 395 towards Bridgeport and fish both the east and west forks of the Walker River or head south towards Mammoth and fish the San Joaquin, Hot Creek, upper Owens River, McGee Creek, and numerous other creeks along 395 as you proceed south. If that is not enough for you, then continue south along 395 to Bishop and fish the lower Owens River. If you still need more fishing continue down 395 to route 178 and head west towards Kernville and fish the upper Kern River and several of her higher elevation tributaries which do hold some small Golden’s.

Hope this helps you!

Regards,

Jeff

P.S. You don’t have to go to NorCal or Oregon to get some great fishing!
P.S.S. If your heart is set on fishing Northern California look into the Upper Sacramento River, Pitt River, the McCloud, Hat Creek and the Fall River.

[BobK]

If you are going to get as far



south as Bishop, I can turn you on to some pretty good fishing For Goldens. You do need to be able to hike at altitudes above 10,000 ft for the day. This would be lake and small stream fishing. Also the possibility for Rainbows, Brookies and Browns on the same day. BobK

[NorcalBob]

If you seek a golden trout, and are unable to hike for hours at 10K+ elevation (like me!), take the road up from Lone Pine to the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. Lotsa little creeks a short distance from the road that are stuffed full of golden trout that you don't have to do the "death march" for. Plus there's a nice campground at the end of the road should you decide to spend a few days exploring and hiking above 10K+ feet should you be a young'un (unlike me!) that's into that sort of thing.

[Artin]

Goldens are pretty. California at one point traded 25,000 golden trout eggs for 30,000 Colorado Cutthroat eggs. Then when Colorado's wild population was in trouble, California gave Colorado some to use as brood stock. We keep them hidden from view (KInd of). Location is not disclosed to most. Cool story. As far as getting into golden trout, Lone Pine may be your best bet.
Welcome to Cali.
Artin

[stanbery]

If you are going to get as far



south as Bishop, I can turn you on to some pretty good fishing For Goldens. You do need to be able to hike at altitudes above 10,000 ft for the day. This would be lake and small stream fishing. Also the possibility for Rainbows, Brookies and Browns on the same day. BobK

Doug

Take Bob up on the offer!!

Jon

[BobK]

Thanks Jon. Are you up here or down south now?... It's abpout Pyramid time!

[stanbery]

Thanks Jon. Are you up here or down south now?... It's abpout Pyramid time!

Going March 3 to March 7 to Pyramid will you be there?

Jon

[BrownBear]

If you want an encounter with the distinctive Kern River Rainbow, go upriver from Kernville to the Johnsondale Bridge, park, and hike upstream. It's easy walking on an improved trail, and the further you walk the generally better the fishing. It's one of my favorite rivers to fish in all of the West, and in my experience tops the Merced by miles. Lots fewer people with more and bigger fish, and you don't have a road running right beside you as with most stretches of the Merced.

[gunnison_country]

Fellas-
Thanks so much for your responses. I'm overwhelmed with the choices and I'll begin to do a bunch of research based on what you've told me. One thing I can say, you Californians are WAY more helpful to this out-of-stater than most Coloradoans are when someone comes on our forum asking for info. I have absolutely no guess as to why that is, but for that I'm really thankful. Doug

[BobK]

Jon:
My plan is to be up there then, or close to it. I'm getting stitches out of my elbow tomorrow and will see when my surgery is on my wrist. Hopefully that will do it,. but ido have some tears in my shoulder. It depends on how close together they want to do the surgeries, if at all. Bob

[stanbery]

Jon:
My plan is to be up there then, or close to it. I'm getting stitches out of my elbow tomorrow and will see when my surgery is on my wrist. Hopefully that will do it,. but ido have some tears in my shoulder. It depends on how close together they want to do the surgeries, if at all. Bob

Ok sounds good. Hope the surgery goes and you hela up quick it would be awesome to meet up on the "P"

Jon

[lucfish]

Jon:
My plan is to be up there then, or close to it. I'm getting stitches out of my elbow tomorrow and will see when my surgery is on my wrist. Hopefully that will do it,. but ido have some tears in my shoulder. It depends on how close together they want to do the surgeries, if at all. Bob

Best of luck with your surgeries Bob. Luc

[BobK]

Thanks guys. Just got back from Carson City. Stitches removed. Cortizone in shoulder. Holding off on wrist uintil they see how the elbow went. Most feeling is back in the fingers. The little one is the only hold-out. I'm going fishing (Owens) between rain storms to try it out. Bob

[Artin]

Thanks guys. Just got back from Carson City. Stitches removed. Cortizone in shoulder. Holding off on wrist uintil they see how the elbow went. Most feeling is back in the fingers. The little one is the only hold-out. I'm going fishing (Owens) between rain storms to try it out. Bob

That's good to hear Bob. Hope your complete recovery is in the near future and you're at a 100%. Have fun on the O.

Artin