OK, so you just want to catch some fish to eat? Or you want your 5 year-old to catch a fish? Or your new girlfriend? Or you want to take a handicapped person fishing? Or...? The bridges along the West Carson are the hot spots for CATCHING. Both DFG and the Alpine County Fish Commission plant fish in the West Fork. The plantings tend to be in the areas more easily accessed by hatchery trucks, so that means BRIDGES! And remember all those little 8" hatchery trout you once caught this way? Times have changed, and many of the planted fish exceed 12", with some well above 2 pounds. The Alpine County Fish Commission has started thinking "Fewer, but BIGGER planted fish", which seems to make people happier.You can't see the fish in this photo very well, but the opening to my oversized net is 19" long and I had a very hard time netting this 25" Rainbow. The clipped fins told me it was a planted hen fish from a hatchery, and it weighed nearly 6 lbs! I released this one onto the barbeque that night! YUM !

HERE ARE THE BRIDGES OF ALPINE COUNTY:

• Hope Valley at Pickett's junction (intersection of Highways 88 and 89). Planted heavily, and most fished, there are even plans for installing fishing platforms and handicapped access at this bridge. Be careful of traffic, since the bridge is at the end of a long downhill section on HWY 89, and an acceleration point going uphill the other direction.
• Bridge on HWY 88 one mile West of Pickett's Junction. Hiking upstream from this bridge a half-mile can be productive, and you'll usually see small beaver dams downstream. Most of the planted fish hide in the shade under the bridge. When the Hope Valley Aspens turn color in the Fall, and we get a little snow, this rivals Colorado for sheer beauty.
• Bridge on Blue Lakes Road, approximately 4 miles beyond the turnoff from HWY 88. This one doesn't get planted as frequently, but it is seldom fished (or should I saw WAS?). The fish do spread out downstream of this bridge, and I have caught planted cutthroats here to 20".
• The bridge at Hope Valley Store. The river slows here into a big pool before plunging over the rocks below. Planted fish have no way of moving downstream, so tend to remain here until caught. Very easy access, and a cold brewski can be purchased only 50 yards away!.
• The abandoned bridge 2.8 miles downstream from Picketts Junction. That's where the photo above was taken. I caught the Rainbow on a pale egg-pattern fly (which I refer to as the "round nymph"), but I'm sure that a worm or Powerbait would have worked as well. The trick was getting the drift (without any slack) right where the Rainbow was hiding..under the bridge in the background.

TIPS AND TRICKS:
A long fly rod is easier to use drifting bait than a short spinning rod.
Use a good pair of polaroid sunglasses. You can spot the fish and watch your bait easier.
Use a floating strike indicator on your leader. If it stops, twitches, or moves in the wrong direction, set the hook! It's also a rush to watch a crazed Rainbow hit the strike indicator instead of the bait!
Use small bait hooks, like #14 or smaller. Learn how to correctly bait a salmon egg hook.
In most water, one small split shot is enough weight.
Best fishing is when water level is less than 100 cfs. Click here for current water level.
Please don't hog a spot all day. Let someone else have a chance too!

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No rights reserved..Feel free to use the info or photos!. . . .last Updated 3/12/00

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Created by Dennis Morgan (Click on my name to send me email)

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