LOWER STANISLAUS
Headed east down Highway 108, towards the Central Valley, you can access the meandering bends of the lower Stanislaus River, below Lake Tulloch. Salmon, Steelhead, and Striper Bass come into the system which is primarily comprised of deep fast riffles and long slow runs. Drift boats and inflatable rafts are a popular way to cover this fishery.
LOWER TUOLUMNE
At La Grange (J59 / HWY 132) you will come across the lower Tuolumne River, below Don Pedro Reservoir. ZZ Top did not write their 1973 hit about this California town, but we like to think they did. Drift boats are popular method for fishing this section. Watch out for spawning salmon in the fall.
UPPER MIDDLE FORK STANISLAUS: forms in the Emigrant Wilderness and flows down the west slope of the Sierra Nevada paralleling Highway 108 from Kennedy Meadows to its confluence with the Clark Fork. It contains both rainbows and browns and is heavily stocked with trout annually. Tributaries and outlying portions of the stream can contain 9-12in wild trout. The river consists of deep pools, riffles, and runs. Spring runoff can make for dangerously high flows with low clarity making it difficult to fish until mid June.
SOUTH FORK STANISLAUS:
NORTH FORK STANISLAUS: Accessible while traveling west on Highway 4 trough Calaveras County from the towns of Murphys (wine tasting) and Arnold. The North Fork flows from Union and Utica Reservoirs down to New Melones and Lake Tulloch where it merges with the other branches. Popular access points are Big Trees State Park, Sourgrass Day Use, Camp 9 Rec Area.
Flowing from Yosemite National Park, access the forks of this river traveling south on Highway 49 to west on Highway 120 towards Groveland and Yosemite. Fish stocking occurs during the fishing season.
Most of Tuolumne County shares land with the Stanislaus National Forest. If you are fishing up HWY 108 or HWY 4 you are most likely in the Stanislaus National Forest. You can read the US Forest Service fishing rules and regulations for this forest at the link below.
Yosemite National Park is a great location to fish and experience the natural wonders of Tuolumne county. Check out the National Parks Service fishing regulations for Yosemite at the link below.