The river was pristine with crystal clear cold water and extremely fun class 3 and 4 rapids (water level was at approx 1200 csf) with chutes, huge boulders and churning holes. Dont forget to check local listings for vacation rentals nearby, too. Trout in the Upper Tuolumne are not too selective given the limited amount of time fish have to fatten up on aquatic insects that emerge during the summer. [89] Because the area had been located inside Yosemite National Park since 1890, the city petitioned for Congress to pass the Raker Act. The dam diverted the river into canals that water most of the lower valley. Below Lake Don Pedro, you'll find even more fly fishing opportunities.The North Fork of the Tuolumne River starts near Dodge Ridge and is followed closely by Highway #108. Be prepared for a long hike and an overnight trip if you want to experience as much of Illihouette Creek as possible. This is one of the most scenic areas in the park, and you might find yourself distracted by the scenery instead of the fish. DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in Yosemite National Park, Best Places to Fish in Yosemite National Park, Best Time to Fish in Yosemite National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing Lake Davis in California, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Mokelumne River in California, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing in North Cascades National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Kings River (South Fork) in California, Anglers 16 years of age and up need a California Fishing License. The river flows west from its headwaters near the crest of the Sierra, down through Yosemite National Park Sign in to your account to find other friends and anglers who are using Fishidy. If the fish are not spooked they'll readily except most . The area that provides the easiest access for fly fishing on this part of the River is the meadow section inside Yosemite National Park. [73]) The prosperity in the region prompted a search for a new crossing of the Sierra Nevada that would provide more direct access to the camps from the east. This take you right to the base of Half-Dome. Length. If needed contact info - HERE, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. You could pack a smaller 3 or 4-weight rod if you plan on fishing mostly smaller water. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. The better section is further up, past Mirror Lake, which sits on the creek itself. Brown trout represent the majority but rainbows and brook trout are also present the entire length of the stream. [74], For a brief period the lower Tuolumne became a major steamboat route, ferrying prospectors and supplies from Stockton. The higher up you go, however, the more and more the creek turns into a tumbling bit of water, making for less-than-desirable fishing. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout here. In this video I take you to the beautiful Tumut River, in southern New South Wales. [24], Between Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and the upper end of Lake Don Pedro the Tuolumne flows through the Sierra foothills, where it has a lower gradient but continues to maintain a fast current. Deadman Creek (Tuolumne County) Don Pedro Reservoir. By the mid 20th century it was clear that storage capacity in Tuolumne River reservoirs was insufficient to meet growing water demands. The park has 58 permanent streams with a combined length of 770 miles. Much of the canyon is only accessible via backpacking or very long day hikes, so you are likely to get away from the crowds . Pm me if interested. However, there is a connecting aqueduct that allows Cherry Lake to be tapped to supply the Hetch Hetchy system during severe droughts. Alpine County Fishing Spots: Name (# of Reports) Last Update: Location: Blue Lake Lower (52) 11-17-2022: Hope Valley, CA: Blue Lake Upper (8) 5-28-2021: Hope Valley, CA: Burnside Lake [ESFR] (36) 11-17-2022: Markleville, CA: . Everywhere that you can see, theres likely fish in this creek. Set includes 40 high quality, hand-tied flies (see list below) and waterproof fly box. The best time of year to fish Yosemite largely depends on the altitude and location within the park. The Lower Tuolumne has much larger rainbows and browns than you will find in the Upper Tuolumne due to the consistent cold water from the dam and prolific insect hatches. Elk Hair Caddis, size 14-28. Rafting on the Tuolumne River has evolved from a humble beginning. Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | About | Contact | The Team | Advertise with Guide Recommended, Disclosure: "This site is owned and operated by River Traditions LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Michigan, USA. As mentioned above, you can fish the Merced for much of its 145-mile length before it joins the San Joaquin River. You can just venture off-trail, follow a blue line on the map, and likely get into good fish. The largest project in the nation, or something like that. Since the rivers in Yosemite arent open year-round to fishing, the ability to access some places free of snow when fishing season opens makes Crane Creek an indispensable weapon in an anglers arsenal. It's one of the likeliest places in California to catch a 10-pound rainbow. The Hetch Hetchy project, located inside Yosemite National Park, incited national controversy, and has been described as having forged the modern environmental movement in the United States. Length 3.8 miElevation gain 265 ftRoute type Out & back. Welcome to Yosemite Outfitters Fly Fishing Guide Service - we fish for Rainbow, Brown, Brook, and Golden Trout.. and we aso fly fish the high the sierra in california, and Yosemite wilderness. Clavey River. More than 300,000 acres (120,000ha) in the San Joaquin Valley are irrigated using Tuolumne water.[26]. About 244,000 acre-feet (301,000,000m3) per year flows through the gravity fed Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct to serve San Francisco and its customer municipalities. From long flats to pools and riffles, and even some pocket water, Tenaya Creek has a little of bit everything that anglers love. [59], Humans have influenced natural conditions in the Tuolumne River watershed for centuries. If you stick to the lower six miles of the Merced, your odds of finding more solitary conditions where you can try your luck freely is much better. Follow that road 2 miles to the fork in the road, and take the right fork. Spencer Durrantis a fly fishing writer, guide, bamboo rod builder, and novelist from Utah. The first recorded use of the name "Tuolumne" was by the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga in 1806, who may have named the river for the nearby Native American village of Tualamne or Tautamne. Tuolumne River below O'Shaughnessy Dam These regulations apply to the Tuolumne River from O'Shaughnessy Dam to the park boundary. [62], The origin of the Tuolumne River's name is unclear. lake or stream) from the list above. Both the main stem of the river. Its recommended that you start your journey at the Mono Meadows trailhead, located off Glacier Point Road in the southern part of the park. Floating lines, long leaders, and plenty of fly floatant are going to round out the gear you need to fly fish in Yosemite. [10], After the confluence of the forks in Tuolumne Meadows, the river meanders northwest, passing under Tioga Road. This is when the high country really opens up and gives you the chance to experience as much of the park as you can explore. Oregon Creek, Middle Fork Yuba River flickr/roger jones You'll find this hidden gem off of the Middle Fork of the Yuba River. Further east and higher in elevation are the lower and upper montane forests, which lie between 3,000 to 6,000 feet (910 to 1,830m) and 6,000 to 8,000 feet (1,800 to 2,400m) elevation, respectively. [23] Both Lyell and Maclure glaciers have shrunk significantly since the late 1800s when measurements were first made. Theyre not big enough to warrant a disc drag. United States . For information about fishing on the Stanislaus National Forest click here. Youll get your pick of pools, pocket water, glides, and riffles to fish. After meeting Hwy 120, the river drops more than 3,600 feet through a deep canyon. This has been countered by irrigation districts who maintain that the aforementioned predation, not low flows, are the primary cause of salmon smolt deaths. No use of live or dead minnows for bait, or other fish or amphibians, Fishing from bridges and docks is prohibited, Sections of the Yosemite Valley are subject to artificial fly-and-lure only tackle restrictions, in addition to harvest limits, Other areas of the park are also subject to similar restrictions. [87] A secondary purpose for the construction of the dam was that TID and MID were aware that the city of San Francisco, 160 miles (260km) west of the river, coveted water from the Tuolumne. The South Fork of the Tuolumne joins from the south a few miles downstream, near Groveland-Big Oak Flat, followed by the Clavey River from the north a few miles after that. The appeal of Yosemite isnt just its mountain vistas and the giant sequoia trees that dot the landscape either. The trip was down the lower half of the Tuolumne River which includes 15 white water rapids in an 18 mile stretch. West Walker River. Visit our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in California and Nevada. Lower Tuolumne River in Northern CA - My buddy caught this beast last month with a streamer. The view of Big Meadow and the trout population more than compensate for the sooty stretches. Cherry Creek, the Tuolumne's biggest tributary, is also part of the San Francisco hydroelectric system. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 23 min to complete. Our 1, 2 and 3 day trips begin at Meral's Pool, a quiet spot in the river about 23 miles downstream from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and end at Ward's Ferry Bridge 18 miles later. Instead, you should focus your efforts on the stretch between Mirror Lake and where Tenaya Creek enters the canyon between Half-Dome and North Dome. At about the same time, plants of eastern brook trout were being made in the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River. [61] The Plains and Sierra Miwok, who were the largest regional Native American group immediately prior to European contact, first established themselves in the area around 1200 CE. Don't you love being on the water? Yosemite National Park in all its splendor. 47325.741 ACRE-FT. Total streamflow across the Tuolumne River was last observed at 23860 cfs, and is expected to yield approximately 47326 acre-ft of water today; about 100% of normal. Parachute Adams size 12-18. However, this led to overgrowth and a disruption of the natural forest succession process that was previously driven by wildfires.[60]. Check regulations for gear and seasons. Lyell Fork shares much in common with Crane Creek due to location and altitude, but the Merced River and Tenaya Creek are both early spring and late fall fisheries for best results.When planning your trip, the most important factor to keep in mind is the sheer number of visitors to Yosemite yearly during the spring, summer, and fall. The tailwater fishery below the dam eventually gives way to a freestone fishery as you wind your way down toward Groveland, CA. There are 196 campsites available during peak season, which is from April to October. The origin of the name "Hetch Hetchy" may have been a type of edible grass that grew in the valley, which native peoples made into grain and ground in stone mortars for meal. Below the O'Shaughnessy Dam, the Tuolumne River also is an excellent fishery for trout. To get to Crane Creek, take the right turn onto Highway 120 from the junction in Yosemite Valley, then follow the highway to the Forest Road turnoff on the left. It replaced an earlier concrete dam built on approximately the same site. 9. [56] A controversial proposal by the State Water Resources Control Board from around 2013 would require increased spring and summer flows on the Tuolumne River which would benefit native anadromous fish populations, but greatly reduce the water supply available for farms and cities. [78] The first dam on the Tuolumne River proper, near La Grange, was built in 1852 to divert water for hydraulic mining. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 5X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard. View our maps and read detailed fishing reports from nearby anglers. [86] Construction on the first Don Pedro Dam began in 1921 to store floodwaters of the Tuolumne proper, allowing for the extension of the irrigation season and to provide water during dry years. Im a big fan of simplicity, and it doesnt get much more simple than classic trout fishing. However, it also causes dewatering of significant portions of the Tuolumne River, especially during low water summers when all but a minimal fish release is diverted through the power plants. If youre really chasing a secluded, high-country experience, you need to come on up to Lower Ottoway. The chief meeting point of the Paiute and Miwok was the Hetch Hetchy Valley, rich in edible plants and game. All Rights Reserved. The embankment was topped out on May 28, 1970, and the project was formally dedicated on May 22, 1971, after four years of construction and a total cost of over $110 million. Easiest access for fly fishing writer, guide, bamboo rod builder, and USGS! Drops more than 300,000 acres ( 120,000ha ) in the Tuolumne River reservoirs was to! Fish the Merced for much of its 145-mile length before it joins the San Joaquin River tributary, also. Readily except most includes 40 high quality, hand-tied flies ( see list below ) and waterproof fly.... 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