Fishing Report

Learn to Fly Fish with
Kaweah Fly Fishers

Thursday Afternoons 6 pm-dusk.  March – October

Classes are Free!  Gear Provided. Bring Glasses

Instructors: Mark Cave and Aaron Taylor

Valley Oak Golf Course Pond Visalia (near airport)

• No experience needed; beginners and intermediates are welcome.
• Children welcome but should have adult companion.
• The local National Parks and Forests have fishing spots that are best accessed with a fly rod.
• Kaweah Fly fishers promote catch and release and conservation of natural resources.
• Trout live in beautiful places; enjoy the gorgeous Central Sierras’ many hidden treasures.
• Meet other avid fly fishers and learn where to go and local tips.
• Try gear before you buy and make the right choices.
• Tune up for trips, new challenges, and learn new skills.
• Find out how to cast farther, easier and catch more fish.
• Get help in setting up and tuning your gear.
• Learn about lines, rods, reels, flies, leaders, and what you need to get started.
• Meet local guides, learn about local clubs, and other flyfishing skills.
• Learn about local rules and regulations.
• Find out about local outings and opportunities to use what you have learned.

Questions : contact Mark Cave

(559) 623-5338

mdcave@sbcglobal.net

Nov 10, 2019

Jim De Swarte personal best on the South Fork of the Kings River by Cedar Grove.
It’s been so long, I forgot I’ve got measurements on the other side of the net handle. I measured the net at home, and if this guy was straightened out, I think he’d be at least 15”. Sipped a #16 BWO.
Jim De Swarte

Submitted by an anonymous angler.

Brown parachute Adams dry fly.
John Pagendarm.

May 1, 2019  Lower Kings River below Alta Weir

Check out the trout I caught on the Lower Kings River in the riffles just below the Alta Weir (when the flows were about 4800cfs earlier this month).  It was built like a salmon and was at least 22in….

The fly is what we call a “skinny PT” below a strike indicator.  I had been fishing down below the riffles where the sycamore tree hangs out over the water with various patterns and no love whatsoever.  Then I got to the riffles and switched out to the skinny PT and immediately got into fish.

Brian Loven.

May 2019.   The annual trip to Ruby Marsh was good. Bob Engleheart, Hank Roldan, Bill Winn & I went. We stayed in Elko at a VRBO arranged by Bob and drove to the Marsh each day. The VRBO was comfortable, warm and dry. Tuesday was a blizzard with snow and fierce wind. Wednesday and Thursday were nice. Everyone caught fish with the size between 14”-24”. Most were in the high teens.

Lower Kings has been fishing really well this past week. The storm that rolled in this afternoon might put the fish down and off feeding though 🙁

Here’s Boggess with one that was very camera shy.

Tie on streamers or nymphs for best results.

The Marble Fork of the Kaweah River is (finally) wadable! Lots of small rainbows, brookies, and brown trout are easily visible in the gin-clear water. Since you can see them, they can see you, so stealth helps. They’re mostly taking dry flies, and are picky about presentation.

Yesterday we hit the Sequoias. If you’ve fished Kings Canyon or Sequoia in other years, you might be surprised at the water conditions. Many of the small creeks that are almost done in late June and July are still really hot. The larger streams and rivers are still very treacherous- especially with the melt from this heatwave filling their banks. Marble Fork was blown out, and Clover Creek near Wuksachi Resort nearly so.  Please check flows before you go.

What we caught: brook trout and rainbow trout.

What we used: a variety of dry flies – some Parachute Caddis, some Adams, and I used leggy foam beasties. Wet wading is doable- the water temps don’t immediately freeze your legs, but they’re still cool enough to keep the trout happy.

As we were driving by Lake Kaweah on the way home, we noticed that it’s full- really, really, full. Like, you can’t see the high water line at all, and the outhouses are nearly covered- all you can see is the roof! Some kids had floated over to one of them, and were standing on the roof, fishing. Got a boat? There’s a lot of lake to play on right now.

Added benefit: the temps in the park are much, much cooler than they are here. When we got home, it was after dark, and it was still warmer than it had been all day long up in the mountains. It was a great way to beat the heat.

The water was pretty high, but not quite blown out on the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. We had success in multiple pocket waters that we found heading north from the campground. We caught rainbows mostly, with some brown and brook trout as well. Fish hit on parachute caddis, and some leggy foam flies. Water is clear and very cold.

Nymphing is good in the morning, streamers in the afternoon