San Joaquin River
This freestone creek is nestled in a picturesque
pine tree filled valley lying at the base of 13,000 foot mountains. It is
the most gorgeous setting you could imagine to fly fish for trout. The
Joaquin offers a variety of fishing opportunities for both novice and
experienced anglers. Wild trout thrive in the river sections away from
the campgrounds. The Cal DFG plants fish along the banks of the many
improved USFS campground facilities and they are easy to fool on a number
of rigs.
The San Joaquin can be a monster during high
run-off and you do not want to wade this river when it is raging. During
the mid-summer and fall months this river can get very gentle with ideal
riffle/pool scenarios that are a blast to drop most dry fly imitations
into. Pocket water abounds during this period and the trout are very
“opportunistic” and will aggressively hit most dries and nymphs in the
#14-18 range. During lower flows the water will be gin clear and longer
upstream casts may be necessary to fool the wild fish.
Attractor patterns such as Trudes and Royal
Wolfe’s; caddis and may fly imitations will all get looks. There are also
plenty of hoppers, ants, and beetles for the summer month terrestrial
patterns. Dry dropper nymph rigs are deadly here in the deeper pools and
these will get you the larger wild and holdover fish.
Take Hwy 395 and exit at Hwy 203 to Mammoth Lakes
CA. Follow the signs to Devils Post Pile National Monument and Reds
Meadow. You will pass the Mammoth Mountain Ski area. There are vehicle
restrictions and a daily use fee that goes to the USFS.
