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Calaveras River Overview

Published on Sunday, 09 October 2011 22:53 | Written by Bill Heger |

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The Calaveras River starts in Eastern Calaveras County and flows west into New Hogan Reservoir. New Hogan Reservoir is impounded by New Hogan Dam. The dam serves primarily as flood control, but the water is also used for domestic and agricultural purposes. Below New Hogan Dam lies a tailwater fishery that sees little pressure when compared to other local trout streams. This scenic river flows down through the foothills and the eastern central valley until it joins San Joaquin River west of the town of Stockton.

Category: Rivers / Calaveras

Lower Calaveras Fly Fishing

Published on Thursday, 01 January 2009 08:00 | Written by Bill Heger |

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I focus my guiding efforts on the tailwater below New Hogan Dam. I have lived near the Calaveras River for quite a while and I am very familiar with it. This stretch of the river is artificials-only, barbless, with a limit of 1 hatchery trout or one hatchery steelhead. This helps to ensure a healthy population of resident fish. I have heard reports of a trout population of 5000-6000 fish per mile.

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While the size of the fish usually runs 8-14", fish to 20" are routinely caught. The largest I have caught was 22". These fish are very acrobatic and even the little fish will put on a show for you.

All full day trips include lunch.

Category: Rivers / Calaveras

Mokelumne Overview

Published on Monday, 10 October 2011 02:17 | Written by Bill Heger |

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The Mokelumne River (North Fork) starts high in the Sierra near Ebbetts Pass at Lower Highland Lake. It flows down through Salt Springs Reservoir, Tiger Creek Afterbay, Lake Pardee and Lake Camanche. Below Lake camanche the Mokelumne is a tailwater fishery. This tailwater stretch, from Camanche Dam downstream to the town of Clements, is where I focus my guiding efforts on the Mokelumne.

Category: Rivers / Mokelumne

Lower Mokelumne Fly Fishing

Published on Thursday, 01 January 2009 08:01 | Written by Bill Heger |

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I have a Hyde Drift Boat that I use to float the Mokelumne from below Camanche down to the town of Clements. This is pretty much an all-day trip. The size of the fish usually run 12-16", but my clients have caught fish up to 24". These fish are quite acrobatic and even the smaller fish will challenge your tackle and your handling abilities.

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The Mokelumne River, below Camanche, offers an angler a variety of choices. There are places where indicator nymphing works well, others where swinging a streamer pattern on a shooting head or sinking line can really produce some nice fish. Sometimes dry flies can be the ticket.

The river has riffles, runs and pools. Fishing the runs at the top and bottom of the pools can produce nicely as well. A nice time to float the river is when the release from Camanche is around 400 CFS. This allows the drift boat more depth to clear the bottom, and gives the fish a little more cover in the riffles.

Next time you are looking for a quick get-away or day trip, consider the Mokelumne!