Stanislaus River Pictures

The North Fork of the Stanislaus River starts at Mosquito Lake located near Pacific Grade Summit on Highway 4. The Middle Fork Stanislaus River starts near Kennedy Meadows at the junction of the Clarks Fork and Kennedy Creek. The South Fork of the Stanislaus starts in the mountains east of Pinecrest Lake (Main Strawberry Reservoir) on Highway 108. This scenic river flows down through the foothills and into New Melones Reservoir. Tulloch Reservoir, located downstream from Melones, serves as a diversion point for irrigation, below Tulloch lies an awesome fishery. This section is under special regulations so read & head the warning signs! The Stanislaus River flows from here through the eastern central valley until it joins the San Joaquin River west of the town of Stockton.

While the size of the fish usually run 8-14", fish to 20" are routinely caught. The largest I have caught was 22". These fish are quite acrobatic and even the smaller fish will challenge your tackle and your handling abilities.

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These photos were taken on recent Stanislaus River fly fishing trips this year.