Freestone · Mixed · Northern California, US

East Carson River

Rafting the East Fork of the Carson River
Today · A proper day on the water
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Today
A proper day on the water
A proper day for it. Work the seams with an upstream nymph, switch to the dry when they show.
75% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.67 m
Water temp8.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather11°C
WindN 8 km/h
Pressure1024 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11h

12h(now) — Western Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 45%
Also:Black Midge37%
Peak emergence window5 food groups active

Peak activity at 11h — Western Blue-Winged Olive (Western Blue-Winged Olive, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Brown Trout
SD
Sex Dungeon
2-6 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW Sierra district season (last Saturday in April through 15 November); verify reach-specific rules and the CA/NV state line, which the river crosses.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Heenan Lake
6.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Upper Truckee River
34 km
82
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
West Walker River
37 km
74
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
North Fork Mokelumne River
49 km
78
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Bridgeport Reservoir
59 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Rafting the East Fork of the Carson River
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Carson River, East Fork' (CAR6321007219980803164808), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Nutrients, Oxygen Depletion, Toxic Inorganics, Turbidity, Pathogens. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · CAR6321007219980803164808

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 90%
How the 78 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature72 × 28%20.2
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time80 × 13%10.4
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity62 × 12%7.4
Conditions total= 78
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout Dernier Saturday in April → 15 November
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts