Fly Fishing East Fork Carson River

Here’s everything you need to know about Fly Fishing East Fork Carson River. Find all the information it in this article.

The Pit River is located in Northeastern California and is a long tributary of the Sacramento River. The Achumawi Tribe dug pits along the river in hopes of trapping animals that used the river as a water source. It flows through the Modoc National Forest and through the town of Fall River Mills. There are plenty of access points for anglers to choose from throughout the 207-mile long tributary.

The Carson’s headwaters are in the Sierra Nevada and flow eastward to drain into the marshes of the Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. Eventually the water terminates into the Carson Sink. Roughly eighty-five percent of the watershed lands are in Nevada. However, some of the prime trout water is located near the headwaters in California. Drive east on U.S. 50 to the junction with Highway 89.

Bodies Of Water Near East Fork Carson River

Brown trout do inhabit this section of river but not nearly in the same numbers as rainbows. There is also a healthy population of mountain whitefish too. Most of the trout are in the 10”-16” range but bigger fish 20”+ are always a possibility. Over the years we have seen and hooked fish of truly epic proportions, these fish have survived and grown to amazing size for a reason.

There is quite a bit of public access along the Yuba River. You can also find Chinook salmon and sea-run brown trout all averaging about six pounds. It’s possible to wade fish, but a drift boat is your best bet. Be sure to use at least a 7-weight rod on the Trinity. Swing some heavy streamers (Meg-A-Egg Sucking Leech, Conehead Bunny Muddler) or egg patterns. It’s a great river with a wide-variety of water to fish.

East Fork Carson River Wild Trout

The river is canyon water from Hangman’s Bridge to Wolf Creek with large plunge pools. At the junction of Wolf Creek, the river becomes a pool and riffle stream until the trail reaches Gray’s Crossing. In 1989, the East Fork of the Carson River was selected by the State as a “Wild and Scenic River”. The East Fork Carson River became a State designated Wild Trout Stream in 1992. The “trophy trout” sections of the river starts at Hangman’s Bridge about 1.5 miles south of Markleeville and continues for 14.5 miles to the CA/NV border.

The water above Carson Falls is closed to all fishing Below Carson Falls and the area upstream from Wolf Creek is most difficult to reach and least fished. Hatchery trucks never leave tire marks in this area and the native rainbows and browns live free of genetic intervention. Buying a good recent topo map or hiring a savvy guide is the way to fly here. North of Klamath and Crescent City, the Smith River is a premier chinook salmon fishery and is also known for steelhead. The 175 mile Smith is the longest undammed river in the state. Its headwaters are in the Siskiyou Mountains and it drains all the way down to the Pacific.

What Other Mapping Data Is Available And Useful To Anglers?

Fishing supplies can be picked up locally or at The Angler’s Edge, 1506 Hwy 395, Gardnerville, Nevada. There are 76 campsites available in the park, usually open from May through September. During the winter the picnic area is opened for camping.

The one today was a little Rainbow about 7 inches and sent home for another day. The plan for the rest of the day was to fish the East Fork on the way back so I packed up and headed for the River. Just as I hit the stop sign for the turn back to the East Fork I crossed a small creek.

What About Fly Fishing Forums?

OK, plan for the day was to drive a lot of miles to where Wolf Creek meets the East Fork of the Carson River. Like the West Fork it’s called River, but this time of year it’s more creek than river. Before casting into any bodies of water in the Silver State, be sure to get yourself legal with a proper Nevada Fishing License. Grab one in advance on the Nevada Department of Wildlife’s website, and if you’re already here, get yours at one of the state’s many license agents. For the most up-to-date info on the Carson River fishing regulations and a current fishing report, click here before you hit the water. Fishing reports and forecasts for ~10,000 streams and lakes and rivers across North America and the United Kingdom.

The main fish to target in the lake is rainbow trout. These rainbow trout are particularly special due to their ability to withstand high alkalinity. They’re usually 17 or 18 inches and can live for over a decade.

East Fork Of The Carson River & Wolf Creek

An additional boat launch exists in Morgan Mill Park, also in Carson City. Beyond Dayton State Park, more access points await at Fort Churchill State Historic Park, which is also the easiest place to launch a canoe or raft. The headwaters can be reached by taking trail marked “Dumont Meadows”.

Rainbow Trout From The East Fork Carson River

If there is still a decent flow, bug life continues to thrive and gives way to continued caddis hatches. Access to the East Fork is great in some areas, and more difficult in other places. In the upper sections, access can be tricky when there has been heavy snowfall. The stream above Carson Falls is not available to anglers. Below Carson Falls, the section upstream from Wolf Creek is very difficult to access, and consequently very few fishermen visit this area. The East Fork is a 61 mile long tributary of the Carson River, and is the largest of the Carson’s tributaries.

Eagle Lake

The Species– Rainbow trout make up the majority of the fish population. There are a mix of wild and hatchery trout in the Carson though wild fish outnumber their hatchery counterparts. Rainbows are stocked around Hangman’s Bridge, so if it is wild bows your after a little hiking will increase the number of wild fish caught.

Description For East Fork Carson River, Douglas County, Nevada

Immediately below Bridgeport Reservoir is known as “the miracle mile”, as it can offer some great fly fishing. Unfortunately, the drought and fishing pressure on this section taken a toll on this section. But there’s still some nice trophy fish in this mile… Fish mid-week to avoid the pressure, check for decent stable flows. Franktown Creek is the outlet stream of Hobart Creek Reservoir. It offers mostly brookie fishing but tiger trout can occassionally be found in the creek near the reservoir.

The East Carson Is Home To Some Handsome Rainbow Trout

A yellow Elk Hair Caddis pattern in size is a good pick. Some Brown Sedge and slate sledge caddis emerge in late spring to mid-July.Try using a Goddard Caddis #14-16 to match this fly. As an Attractor Dry, the Royal Wulff #14-16 is the most popular on the river.

Fisheries

You won’t need anything more than a 6-weight rod to handle any of the fish you catch in the creek. With 9 days left until winter regulations set in, you may want to get out there while there are a lot of fish and very light pressure. A portion of the east fork, from the town of Markleeville downstream to the state line, is included in California’s wild and scenic river system. Some of the upper segments (e.g., below Hangman’s bridge) are designated as wild-trout waters and special regulations apply. Please refer to California DFG’s Regulations for further details. As with other high elevation streams, it’s important to know the current and prior flows when fishing the East Fork of the Carson River.

While most of the lower portions of Pleasant Valley Creek are on private land, a small stretch on public lands can be accessed using Pleasant Valley Road. Be sure to know the applicable fishing regulations before heading out to fish. For Northern California streams, Caddis, Mayfly’s, Terrestrials and Stoneflies are great options. I agreed that it was and I’m hoping it will last for a few weeks. I wish I knew where, exactly those holes are, but I don’t.

How Do I Use The Fishing Maps?

Above the confluence of Wolf Creek, the river once again is a designated Wild Trout fishery of rainbows, browns, and brookies. The general fishing regulations of a 5 fish limit still apply. A trailhead, the Carson River Trail, starts off Wolf Creek Road where the East Fork merges with Wolf Creek. This trail will take you to either the Silver King Creek fork or along the East Fork of the Carson.