East Carson

Spent the day on the East Carson yesterday, I arrived to find the water off color with about a foot of visibility. I hadn't been yet this season, but I did notice the muddy bottom from the slides over the past few years persisted despite normal(ish) spring flows that I had hoped would have flushed out the river.

Not sure if there was rain somewhere Saturday night that caused the river to muddy or if it has been running off color all this summer. Accessed from the airport and Hangman's, ended up doing more hiking than fishing. I have a feeling its going to take a few years for that river to come back to what it was 5-6 years ago.

I fished there at the second bridge in the rock gorge, on the 17th and encountered grey water. In about 20 to 30 minutes it cleared, I worked about 400 yards of stream toward the SE. Only some small rises. At my location, it was clear... that few Trout were present. Not at all like the West Fork later that day and the next where I caught over 60.

Regards,

Don

That river has got so much mud and silt these days from the lack of forest (erosion) due to the fires. Rain creates mud falls and slides and can really impact the clarity during T Storms. And really its become such a follow the "stocking truck" fishery that I try to avoid it unless I'm fishing with my younger children or I hike into the canyon. I fished it in late July with my 13 year old son and I literally saw more people on that Thursday than I have on the Truckee in 2 years. But it was fun at dusk for rising trout hitting caddis, stimi's, and ants. Good place to teach a young person or beginner in the put and take section. The #'s in the wild section are so far down from the drought. I completely agree its going to be 3-4 years or so assuming we have winters before it gets back to what It was.

The west seems to hold a lot more wild fish on the small side. It can be really fun.

Head a few miles up the 4 and it clears up.