The lower Stanislaus is currently running at 500 cfs, which is down significantly from last weekend. However, this drop will be short-lived, as flows are expected to spike to over 1,000 cfs by Thursday and remain elevated through the weekend. The weather this week is expected to warm up, with highs reaching into the low 80s.

Fishing Conditions & Tactics

At 500 cfs, wading will be somewhat limited, and certain runs will still be moving swiftly. That said, there is still plenty of quality water accessible, and conditions are shaping up well—especially before the scheduled increase in flows.

Between favorable weather and improving conditions, now is a great time to get out early in the week. We’ve been having consistent success on this stretch, and reports from other anglers have been equally positive.

The best approach is to bring both a euro nymphing setup and an indicator rig, as there is a wide variety of water suited for each technique. It remains difficult to favor one method over the other.

As always, getting your flies down quickly will be key to success. Running thinner tippet such as 5x or 6x will help improve sink rate without needing to add additional weight.

Recommended Flies

• Hare’s Ear Nymphs
• Prince Nymphs
• GTI Caddis
• Frenchies

Overall Outlook

This window of lower flows provides a great opportunity before conditions change later in the week. Fishing has been solid, and this stretch continues to produce both numbers and quality fish.

Use caution when wading, as currents will still be strong in certain areas. Plan accordingly and consider bringing layers for early mornings before temperatures warm up.