Pine Grove, CA. gold panning and fly fishing?

[browndude3649]

Saw this place and thought it might be good for family and my fly rod, but b4 plunking down money I'd run it by yous guys.
Has anybody done this and got fishing in the immediate area the same week? Looking at a trip in May.
Appreciate the info.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Lots of fishing in the Mokelumne river around Pine Grove, CA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alhcqwh2rJw

[browndude3649]

Also saw a gold panning spot (state park) and the S F of the American River around near Greenwood creek west of Coloma. Any tips for that area would help.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We fished the SF of the American river in that area years ago and it is not a great trout fisheries.

During the drought years and late summers the river just gets too warm.

[browndude3649]

We fished the SF of the American river in that area years ago and it is not a great trout fisheries.

During the drought years and late summers the river just gets too warm.

I read about a yearly plant or something. The local websites paint a pretty picture always.
So which fork of the AR is a better bet? Or is it all a wash?

[Jeff F]

I read about a yearly plant or something. The local websites paint a pretty picture always.
So which fork of the AR is a better bet? Or is it all a wash?

The SF is the easiest to access. But as Bill said, the fishing is spotty at best. The flows fluctuate drastically daily for whitewater rafting and irrigation.

The MF and the NF have very limited access for cars. Only down low near Auburn and Iowa Hill on the NF. But if you fancy hiking down 1500+ feet into a remote canyon (and back up), you can find good fishing. The NF has lots of trails down into the canyon on both the south and north rims. Not so much on the MF where there are hardly any public trails with the exception of the Western States Trail. But nothing is easy to get to and there are whitewater flows all summer which make fishing times limited.

If you're looking for easier access, try the NF Stanislaus River up Hwy 4, or the MF Stan up Hwy 108.

~Jeff