Stanislaus Fly Fishers
A Charter Club of fly Fishers International and Member Northern California Council of Fly Fishers International
OUTINGS
White pines OUTING – may 17, 2025
- Time: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Equipment: 4, 5 , or 6 wt rods with floating or sink tip lines.
- Flies: A long time friend and former resident there recommended the go-to fly is a woolly bugger – size12 or 14. Black or green, sometimes with some sparkle. Sometimes with a dropper – prince nymph, copper john, or midges in sizes 16-18. Nymphs can also be fished under an indicator. Lots of bugs work out there, but those he mentioned are very popular.
- Food: Drinks and a light lunch provided.
White Pines Lake, located only a mile from Arnold, CA on Highway 4. is a quiet little lake, well known to local residents, but often overlooked by visitors scurrying up to Big Trees State Park or Lake Alpine.
White Pines Lake is a nice place to spend a restful day fishing. No motorized boats are allowed on the lake, but little hand-launched fishing boats, float tubes, canoes, and kayaks are perfect for the small lake. The lake is home to both trout and bass as well as bluegill. Among the best places for bass fishing in the lake is around the tulles.
This is a great outing for beginning fly fishers and experienced members will be on hand to assist beginners.
Manresa state beach surf perch outing – June 7, 2025
Stanislaus Fly Fishers will heading out to Manresa State Beach to join Santa Cruz Fly Fishers on a trip to the surf. The Santa Cruz club has graciously invited us to learn the foundations of fly fishing the surf.
– We’ll be meeting at Manresa State Beach upper parking lot at 5:15 am prior to sunrise, which occurs at 5:48 am. Low tide is at 3:18 am and we will be fishing an incoming tide cresting to 3-feet at 9:49 am. Tide flow will be low slack to ebb tide. Moon phase is waxing gibbous on June 7.
– Beaches in Santa Cruz County offer a protected cove which that is less technical than many other area beaches, providing a great learning experience with predictable wave breaks, and a gradual beach face.
– There is a $10 parking fee. Dogs are not allowed
– Species that can be caught are Surf Perch, the rare Halibut, and our main target species; Striped Bass.
– May-early August is the prime time to target Stripers, as they are preparing to make their migration through the delta and can be voracious feeders.
– Small baitfish, eels, sand crabs and clams are the Striper’s primary food source.
Lodging:
– There are many KOAs and RV Parks available in the area. Additionally there are Hotels in the area that range from $160-$180 a night. It is recommended to stay the night before due to the early start time; however, it is not required.
Cost: No cost outside of lodging and parking.
Recommended Gear:
– Rigid stripping basket is an ABSOLUTELY required piece of equipment. There will be some available for purchase; however, it is strongly recommended to purchase one beforehand. No net baskets.
– Sinking lines/ shooting heads, 4-7ips
– Baitfish and Sand Crab imitatations, (Surf Candy, Clouser Minnows, EP Baitfish)
– Heavyweight fast action single hand rods (7, 8, or 9 wt) or similarly weighted two hand switch rods.
– We will be wading approximately knee deep with a gradual sloping shelf. A wading belt is a required piece of safety equipment. Wading boots or flats are fine. Bootfoot waders are ideal but not mandatory.
– We will be moving constantly, so dress in layers and be prepared for fair amount of walking.
– Additional info later as we get closer to the date. Early sign-ups are highly recommended.
Please RSVP with Fish Master: Lance Boiling / clboling@gmail.com / 408-728-0548
SCFFC info page is here: https://www.santacruzflyfishing.org/fishout-schedule/. It’s part way down the page.
After the fish-out, the fishmaster will be making tailgate quesadillas and providing beverages.
Please reach out to Paul Wallace @ pwallace@stanislausflyfishers.org if any questions.
KENNEDY MEADOWS OUTING – JULY 12, 2025
This is a one-day outing, although feel free to turn it into a camping weekend at one of the area campgrounds along Highway 108.
GENERAL PLAN:
- Meet in the parking lot of the Kennedy Meadows Resort and Pack Station at 8:00 am ready to go. The resort is located about one mile off 108. There is a road sign that says Kennedy Meadows 1 to mark the turnoff. It’s a narrow paved road that winds down along the river. There is a large resort parking lot and another trailhead, longterm parking lot across from Deadman Campground. Beware of No Parking signs!
- The earlier you arrive and get situated the sooner we can set out for the meadow, which is about 1/2 mile over a small hill along unpaved Kennedy Meadow Road. Once at the meadow there will be plenty of places to fish the river. You’ll generally be moving upstream with the flow from left to right. The walk along the first part of the meadow is pretty easy and gets a little more rugged towards the upper end, but it’s not challenging at all.
- It is summer and the resort is always busy, so expect crowds at the resort and other anglers along the river. (I checked on the resort’s cabins and they’re already booked full.) Use good river etiquette as you explore your opportunities.
- There is a cafe, store, and bar at the resort. Provide your own lunch or hit the resort options. Bring snacks and water into the meadow as it’s a hike back to the resort and parking lot. If everyone brings some sort of light lunch into the meadow, we could meet at a preset time for a group picnic of some sort there.
- Formal outing in the meadow ends at 1:00 pm, but feel free to stay and fish as long as the light and you hold out. There are other opportunities to fish up and down the river below the lodge and along the campgrounds if and where you can find parking.
- There are rest rooms at the resort. Nothing available in the meadow and cover is scarce. Be mindful! You might need to make a mile hike back out if the situation arises.
GEAR AND FLIES:
- 3wt-5wt rods with floating lines
- 4x-6x tippet
- 7’ tapered leader
- Strike indicators can be handy
- Split shot or other small weight to increase nymph sink if needed
- Waders & Boots (flows permitting)
- Wading staff (recommended)
- Flies
- Dries: (Size 12-18) Elk Hair Caddis, Parachute Adams (and variations), Stimulators, Black Ants & Beetles
- Nymphs: (Size 14-18) PT, Gold Ribbed Hares Ear, Birds Nest, Prince Nymph
- Wets & Streamers: (Size 10-14) Partridge & Orange, Spider, Woolly Buggers.
COST: $0
CAMPGROUNDS:
There are many campgrounds along 108 above Strawberry. Those mentioned below are the closest to Kennedy Meadows.
Baker Campground – 44 sites with a few doubles and 2 walk-in sites. Main road is paved; parking pads are dirt-surfaced. Each site has a table and a fire ring. Hydrants serve several sites as a water source. Toilets are vault-style. Fee charged for extra vehicle parking.
Deadman Campground – Like Baker but smaller. Closer to the resort and pack station.
Call Mike Hewitt if you are interested. 209-606-0424
Fence Creek Outing – August 22-24, 2025
CAMPGROUNDS:
Clark Fork Campground – Water available, no power
Sand Flat Campground – No water available, no power
Fence Creek Campground – Water available, no power
CAMPGROUND NOTES:
No reservations accepted, first come, first serve. Cash only for fee payment. Restroom facilities are vault toilets.
GENERAL PLAN:
I plan to go up and get a site on Thursday evening (August 21). Fence Creek if open, Sand Flat if not. If you want me to save a site, let me know.
Phone service has improved in the area, hopefully I can post an update when I get up there.
Hopefully we can fish the Clark Fork and the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus. If not, we can fish stillwater at either Pinecrest or Beardsley. Or, if you are really adventurous, Donnell Reservoir.
I plan on dinner Saturday evening, I will cook, probably beef stew, cornbread and cobbler. BYOB and anything else you would like to eat.
All other meals will be on the individual.
Gear and Flies:
If fishing the rivers:
• This is great trout water! Mayfly, caddis, stoneflies, midges for aquatics; ants, bees, beetles, hoppers for terrestrials.
- For dry flies: Parachute Adams & variants, caddis imitations in 12-18. Specific mayfly patterns work also in sizes 12-18. Terrestrial sizes 12-18. Ants are my go-to at this time of year.
- For nymphs and wet flies: If I am nymphing, I typically run a two-fly with indicator rig. Large, weighted stonefly pattern with a small 16-18 bead head nymph as a trailer. Ribbed hares ear, prince nymph, pheasant tail, and zebra midges are all effective patterns.
- These rivers can definitely be fished with a 9’ rod, but shorter and lighter weight is preferable. I use an 8’ or 8-1/2’ 4wt glass rod. A 3wt is okay, but I prefer the 4wt if nymphing is going to happen.
If fishing the Lakes:
- Mainly nymphs in the above sizes, again with an indicator.
- Pinecrest is best fished from a flotation device or boat, though shore fishing can be productive.
- I’ve never fished Beardsley, but I imagine it’s the same setup as above.
- From the Fly Fishing the Sierra website:
“Beardsley Reservoir contains both Browns and Rainbows that are planted by DFG. It does not have a sustainable habitat for spawning, although there is some spawning above Beardsley in the MF Stan. Most of the forage are minnows, crayfish, and invertebrates. Above Beardsley Reservoir , the stream is a freestone-type that is heavily planted with rainbows. Early Season hatches include the Golden Stoneflies, size 8, starting in May and ending in June. Although stonefly nymphs can be used at any time, the adult patterns are best during the dusk part of the day. The river is very susceptible to high flows from discharges of Beardsley Reservoir during June and July, check on conditions prior to fishing. Caddis hatches will occur throughout the Summer months starting in the late morning until mid-afternoon. Patterns such as Z-wing Caddis, Elk Hair Caddis, and Goddard Caddis are suggested. For Mayflies, try Pale Morning Duns and Light Cahills. The PMD’s will start hactching in June and continue through August. Small Mayflies start hatching in March, try #18 and #20 Adams. Nymphs such as Bird’s Nest, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, and Zug Bugs are popular. Pheasant Tail Nymphs dropped from the dry works well as do #6-10 bugger patterns. A good October Caddis hatch usually starts in mid-September and continues through October.
- Cost: $0
If you want to participate, please let me know.
Email: flylink48@gmail.com Phone: 209-864-1121
STANISLAUS RIVER FLOAT – SEPTEMBER 20, 2025
- Start time: 8:00 am
- Cost: $20.00 per person plus parking
This will be a no-motor, boat float, no float tubes. Pontoon boats, kayaks, rafts, canoes, shallow draft craft.
Trip will be limited to 10-12 people. I will use a Sign-Up Genius sign up, date published TBD.
Experienced boaters please! PFD use is required!
Trip will be flow limited. If the river is flowing more than 1100 cfs, the trip will be cancelled. There are several sections of rapids in the first mile of the river that at flows above 1100 cfs become challenging. As a backup plan, we could launch from Horseshoe Rd. That does reduce the amount of river we can fish.
- Start point: 17968 Covered Bridge Rd, Knights Ferry, CA 95361.
This will be the launch point, parking up the hill in the rafter parking area. $10.00 parking fee**.
- End point: Orange Blossom Recreation Area. Alternatively, the Honolulu Bar or Horseshoe Road can be a take out.
General Plan:
- Advertised as 3.5-5 hours float from KF to OB, straight through.
- Fishing can easily make this an all day float
- Launch in groups of 2-4, 15-20 minutes staggered
- Pack your own lunch, Honolulu Bar and Horseshoe Recreation area are good stops for a break. We may have drinks/snacks at one of those locations, TBD.
- Arrive at Orange Blossom around 5-6 pm.
Transportation will be arranged from OB back to KF to pick up vehicles.
Species: There are nice trout in the first 1.5 miles or so of the river. Stripers should be running, they tend to run in pods, appearing and disappearing quickly. Lower section of the river has carp and rumor of smallmouth bass.
Flies: Trout: Nymphs and small streamers, maybe mayfly pattern dries. Striper: larger streamers/baitfish patterns. Smallmouth: if you catch one, let me know! Carp: wish I knew!
Rods: I run a 5 wt for trout and a 6 wt for stripers. 7 or 8 wt for stripers would be acceptable; however, I do not think that the stripers are of a size that would need a larger wt rod. I would love to be proved wrong!
Lines: I run a floating line for trout regardless of dry or wet. I will run a sink tip in some of the deeper runs for striper, but mostly will use a floating line and maybe add some weight if I feel I need to get deeper.
FYI
Sunrise: 6:50 am Sunset: 7:03 pm
**Parking is aggressively enforced
Bring plenty of water
Fall river OUTING – April 24-26, 2026
The Fall River is part of a vast complex of springs that well up around the Fall River Valley mostly due to volcanic geological formations surrounding the valley.
The Fall River complex includes Spring Creek, Crystal Springs, Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, Big lake, Eastman lake and the Tule River all of which are primarily spring fed. The only tributary that is primarily fed by precipitation is Bear Creek which flows into upper fall river.
The Fall River flows a little over 23 miles through the valley and is the largest Spring Creek in California and one of the biggest in the western United States.
Due to the consistent bountiful flows of natural spring water, the Fall River boasts one of the highest populations of wild trout of any of California’s waterways making it a paradise for trout fisherman. The cold consistent flows support a vast network of aquatic vegetation which in turn supports a huge quantity of aquatic insects. The legendary hatches of Fall River are famous among fly-fisherman.
Circle 7 Ranch is situated perfectly below the Island Rd. bridge on Fall River, centrally located with just a short boat ride either upstream or down to some of the best fishing on Fall River, one of the West’s largest and most renowned spring creek systems, and is just a short drive to the main sections of Fall River, or other regional streams like Hat Creek, the Pit River, and Burney Creek.
August and September is “trico time” on Fall River. These tiny mayflies hatch most mornings and provide a couple of hours of action casting tiny dry flies on even tinier tippets for some of the most challenging and rewarding spring creek fishing anywhere.
Callibaetis mayflies and small caddisflies are also prevalent at times on Fall River throughout the late summer months and early fall. Hatches are less consistent, but nymphing and swinging wet flies and streamers on intermediate lines is very productive and angling traffic is light.
Lodging:
– We’ll be staying at the Circle 7 Ranch, in the White House: The largest of the four rental homes, sleeping up to 11 guests in well-appointed four bedroom, two and a half bath style.
- We’ll be doing our own cooking, with a lot of camaraderie.
- April 24-26, 2026 Friday & Saturday, two nights.
Cost:
– $225 for the two nights.
– $100/day boat rental ($50/half day)
Recommended Gear:
– 5-6wt rods
– Floating and sinking lines
– Nymphs: Size16-18 PTs, Two-bit Hookers, Zug Bugs, Prince Nymphs, Red Copper Johns, Norman’s Wiggle Tail, Callibaetis nymphs.
– Pine squirrel leeches (size 10-14) & woolly buggers (size 8-10)
– PFDs strongly recommended. Accidents can happen.
Additional Notes:
– Attendees should be proficient in handling small pram-style boats with outboard motors.
– Fall River is encased by private lands and brushy banks so there are no opportunities for bank/wade fishing.
– A public launch area for personal craft (kayak, small pram) is available, but requires hand launching. No ramp!
Additional info later as we get closer to the date. Early sign-ups with payment are highly recommended.
If interested, contact:
jdriver@stanislausflyfishers.org