HI
I just got my son interested in FlyFishing and would like to plan a trip in the Central-Nothern Califorina region. He is going to take some casting lessons at a local fly shop to improve his skill. However, I would like to hear of some recommendations for places that are not overly technical and where he can walk away with a “WOW” feeling. Type of fish or location not an issue. Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Dave
Greetings Spike,
I live in the far northwest corner of California. The various news agencies have a habit of referring to the Sacramento area as being northern Calif. Anyways, If you could be a little more specific as to what area you might be referring to and what time of year you will be coming. Try a Google search, lots of info. Sundance
[This message has been edited by Sundance (edited 13 April 2005).]
Spike
You didn’t say where you were planning to fish in California. I am located in the Eastern Sierras about 120 miles North of Bishop and 50 miles South of Carson City, Nevada. If you are coming this way let me know.
xfc
If you plan to get up around Redding ( which is a great starting place) check out The Flyshop (http://www.theflyshop.com/) for lots of good advice. If you only get as far as Sacramento both Keine’s and The American Flyfishing Company are great flyshops. The Yuba River always seems to have good fishing without being as technical as Hat Creek or the Truckee or some of those…
Thanks. He lives in Los Gatos. Drive time is not really an issue as we would no doubt find a motel. Thanks for the input.
Dave
Los Gatos is at the southern end of the San Francisco-San Jose Bay Area. Tons of places to fish around here but I have only found big numbers of fish at one place close…Loch Lomond in the Santa Cruz mountains.
There’s another Loch Lomond north of San Francisco so make sure you get the reservior that serves Santa Cruz.
They rent row boats (bring your own battery and trolling motor if you don’t like rowing) or shore fish.
Blue gill, large mouth bass, and stocked trout. That’s my favorite Blue Gill spot (so far).
Don’t keep any fish around Los Gatos itself…the waters are mercury poisoned thanks to mining for mercury during the gold rush era.
Which local shop is he taking lessons from? The one in Los Gatos costs more than joining the local fly fishing club and signing up for their casting lessons (every spring starting in early April so he just missed the first couple).
If you want more info on places very close to Los Gatos to fish, let me know. Plenty of parks around there many with stocked trout plus native crappie, blue gill, bass…
There’s also a casting pond in Campbell that’s pretty close to Los Gatos (a few minutes drive depending on traffic). It’s maintained by a local fly fishing club and open to the public (no hooks allowed).
So if you want to get some on-water casting practice with targets, distances, etc that’s the place to go. Not the prettiest place around, but can’t beat the price (parking fee for the park it’s in is the only cost).
If you’re in town the 2nd Wed of any month, you can drop by the San Jose Fly Casters’ monthly meeting. More info can be found at [url=http://www.flycasters.org/:e4070]http://www.flycasters.org/[/url:e4070] .
Right by the casting pond are some perculation ponds that are stocked from time to time and lots of folks fish there (but few fly fishers). You can float tube on the one closest to the parking lot.
Another FAOL recently visited this area and asked for info…he found a few bass waiting for him at Calero. That’s on the south edge of San Jose and a very reasonable drive from Los Gatos. Bring your own float tube, waders, or fish from shore.
Watch out for rattlesnakes during hot summer months. I prefer being on the water. 
Calero has power boaters most of the time so factor their noise and waves into the fishing there. Loch Lomond doesn’t allow gas powered boats (no float tubes either).
When are you due out? How far do you want to travel for fly fishing? Lots of local choices and lots of not so local choices.
Ever fish from a kayak? Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a local kayak shop rents 'yaks by the hour/day/whatever on Stevens Creek Reservior (in Cupertino near Hwy 85…a few miles up the road from Los Gatos).
I’ve had decent luck with crappie there (got lucky and was on the water all by myself during a feeding frenzy one evening). They have bass and blue gill there plus stocked trout. From the boat ramp, head away from the dam and keep going when the reservior turns 90 degrees to the left…when it turns right, you’ll see lots of branches in the water (and you passed up some buried trees just before the first turn which are great underwater structure if the water level is up).
I don’t promise any “wow” spots…I’m still looking for those (except for one good blue gill spot I found on Loch Lomond but haven’t had a chance to try again lately).
Thwack
Dave,
You can also watch the weekly fishing reports from the local newspaper for your son’s area. Here’s a link to the current report:
[url=http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/outdoors/11391128.htm:0a207]http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/outdoors/11391128.htm[/url:0a207]
They show up in the Sports section on Thursdays during fishing season. The current one is usually available without registering at that site.
Also, if your son hasn’t seen a copy of “Fishsniffer”, he should drop by Mel Cottons (a sporting goods store in San Jose…not far from where he lives)…they carry it back in the fishing dept. Or, you can drop by their web site. Lots of online maps for places to fish in CA and their printed version carries summaries of most of the state…
Thwack