The Middle fork of the Stanislaus near Kennedy meadows is no longer accessible as the highway is closed at the snow park. However, you can still access the Middle fork of the Stanislaus below Beardsley reservoir until the road is closed for the winter. The flows for this area are slightly harder to predict, but this section of water should be flowing somewhere between 200-300cfs. I would expect the weather to be very similar to what we are experiencing here in town just with cooler mornings as the sun takes longer to reach this section of water.

Nymphing will be crucial for targeting this area as the runs tend to be much deeper on this stretch of water. Both euro nymphing and indicator nymphing work extremely well in this area, and both will have sections of water perfectly suited for them. That being said, having a few small BWO dries on hand as you never know when you will find yourself in the middle of a hatch. For flies we recommend pats rubber legs, T.J. Hookers, hares ears, and soft hackle emerger flies.

This is a great option for those looking to get out for a little bit longer of a trip and spend the day fishing. However, the road to access this stretch of water is subject to a winter closure and is very dependent on how much weather we receive. If you plan to check this area out, plan to bring all gear including waders and your under layers.