The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

I've been in the East Bay for about 25 years now, am getting ready to retire, and am trying to figure out what places ought to be on my short list for relocating. I'm originally from MI, love being in and around the water (particularly, but not exclusively, freshwater), love trout and salmon (though my CA Buddhist friends have moved me a bit more towards the observer/admirer/advocate end of the spectrum than the frenzied fisherman I once was), and am eager to make trout water, or whatever is the nearest thing to it, part of my short list of relocation criteria.

The notion of, e.g., living on or by a trout stream or river is extremely appealing to me. So is the very temperate and activity-friendly coastal climate. (Again, I'm from MI, and have already done a lifetime's worth of shoveling snow... and, I'm as much of a serious year-round swimmer as I can manage to be at my age) I'm really eager to know whether there might be some nice places on or near the coast with some flowing trout water, or the possibility of anything like it in the near future.

Since the Bay area now feels like home base, I've been looking up the coast from SF through Mendocino County. And, since I have good friends in the Ventura-Santa Barbara area, I've been looking down the coast from SF through Ventura County. I'd really like to know where there are such streams, rivers, etc., and any thoughts anyone might have on the areas by/around them as places to live. I've gone on line some, and gone through at least a couple of books that I thought might be of help (e.g., Tom Stienstra's California Fishing), but, though helpful, everything I've read so far seems either pretty incomplete pretty old, or both.

Does anyone have any recommendations/tips/thoughts on promising locations? Please feel encouraged to send anything relevant along: Any information is helpful, and will be genuinely appreciated.

Thanks for any assistance.

Well, it depends on what type of fishing you're talking about: trout exclusively or stream fishing in general. North Coast has better access to steelhead and salmon, and driving East a couple of hours can take you to prime trout fishing around the Mt. Shasta area and farther east. In SoCal you're really limited locally in terms of stream fishing, and probably have to head towards the Owens Valley for quality trout fishing consistently. There's always ocean fishing and lake fishing for bass down there. If it were me, and some day it will be and hopefully well before I'm unable to get around a trout stream, I'd consider New Mexico.

for quality trout fishing. Costal streams are best for steelhead and salmon.

Tailwaters provide year round trout fishing. Some of the areas in the foothills are close to great fishing, but still under the snowline.

I like Chico for it's central location to so many rivers and lakes. During the summer it can be hot, but the upper Sac is just 90 minutes away as it hat creek, Pit river, etc.

best of luck

Paul

I'm retired in Sacramento. I pretty much fish for trout only, but right here in town is the American River with Steelhead, Shad, Stripers. I prefer the Sierra streams which are only about 1 to 2 hours away. Even in Winter the valley tailwaters have plenty of trout fishing within an hour or so's drive. Then there's I-5 which will take you up to Redding and all the trout you could ask for in that area.

Besides, Sacramento has most of the amenities of a larger city --good restaurants, museums, opera, theater, etc.,-- and congestion. And since some of our kids and grandkids live back East, having a major airport is a bonus.

One additional note. At retirement age, access to good health-care facilities becomes more and more important. Sacramento has it all. And no, I'm not a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Well, I retired on the Monterey peninsula, for a number of reasons. Good local fishing was sure not one of them. I spend a lot of days driving to the Sierra or the Redding/Dunsmuir/Mt Shasta area to fish for trout.

I think the real estate market is pretty depressed in Dunsmuir, but it is NOT below the snow line.

Not sure about Redding, but is is NOT above the 105 degree line.

Good luck. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Good luck with your retirement in California.

I can fish (and hunt) anywhere, it's the quality of life that I'm looking for and California is not a contender for my residence during retirement. I'll return once a year to comply with certain rules that require qualification for a privilage I enjoy as a result of my profession however, I see no benefit to living here any longer than I have to.

I'm getting close to full retirement (686 days until the 1st Social Security Check will be directly deposited in one of the accounts) and this Native Son of California is hoping to sell the home (no mortgage) for a price (if you have a lousy $600K sitting around, the house is yours) that will allow the person to whom I'm related by marriage and I, to take the money and run out of California...there are excellent cultural, health care, fishing, & entertainment oportunities as well as providers of necessary supplies (not to mention great housing values) in many states where the cost of living is less than that in California due to the existance of fewer !@#$%^&* freeloaders along with fewer useless politicians who depend on the !@#$%^&* freeloaders to get elected (over and over) to spend more money than the state takes in. Life's too short to stay in California.

Paul