Fly Fishing - Going to California- Gualala any good?

Matt1515

I'll be out there next week and was curious to know if I should hit the coast or the river. Anyone out there know this area well?

mro · Newbie Joined: Mar 07, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: Hayward, CA

Sorry to post late, have not been around lately.
Too early for the Gualala and rain needed. Enough rain needed to bust open the bar and then 3 to 5 days for the water to become "fishable". Can happen before Christmas and have in the past caught fish as late as April.
This time of year good bets steelhead/salmon are the Trinity and lower Feather rivers. A shot at some nice size strippers happens this time of year on the feather too. A few others but the prospects change day to day (water flow/weather).
Gualala is a short but beautiful river. In the past has produced some of the best and largest steelhead fishing I've ever had. In the last 6/7 years the fishery has declined and it's become hit and miss and a two or three fish day is considered very good if you hook any at all. There are but a half dozen "holes" which a wader can easily access that are excellant fly water. Seldom use less than a #3 sink shooting head and a couple of the holes require 70 foot plus casts to be in the "bucket", but to hook a hot fish on such a cast is flat out great.

mro

Matt1515 · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:15 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info. I just returned from my trip at the begining of last week. You're right about fresh water fishing. I was way too early. I was there for a wedding so the timing wasn't really my decision. I hit some of the "gulches" and caught a few small perch. If I had more time I think I could've done much better. I hit a spot on the north side of anchor bay and hooked into something big but broke it off on the run. Not sure what it was, the locals said prob. a lingcod? I didn't think they bit flies. More of a bottom dwelling fish. I think the area was called schooner gulch. Know it? I also hit the pier area (down below it) at point arena. Just more perch. I have to go back in January so I'm hoping the fresh water will be better. I'd like to spend a day at the little town that sits on the Russian.