The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Last Friday, April 17, my friends, Kate, MaryAnn and I droveto Bridgeport, Ca to fish the East Walker. In the cars with us were our dogs, Ruby, Vamp and Livie. Livie is a 2 year flat coat retriever who loves the water. Ruby and Vamp are not water dogs but they love the smells. I found a great pet friendly lodge, the Walker River Lodge, Bridgeport, Ca. Because it was off season, we got the AARP discount.ROFLOL We stayed in the 2 bedroom family apartment that had a wood-burning stove along with a full kitchen. The east walker river runs along the backyard of the lodge. Livie was in 7th heaven with the retrieving the ball after it was thrown in the river. Wet doggie wet. LOL

It was a great fishing trip. MaryAnn caught the largest fish on her life there, a 20 inch brown trout. We all caught fish, mainly browns, but not always landing them. We all caught fish on dries also, including stimulators and humphies. Most were caught on zebra midge, wd-40, other midges etc. Most fish were caught in the early morning or late evening.

The river was crowded but we fished down from the reservoir. We drove down the turnoff after the reservoir and parked in a big dirt parking area. We climbed over a ladder to get the fence to get to the river. We found a bend in the river with deep pools. The fish were jumping here. Some of them were hawgs!!! The water level was just right for wading. I never waded higher than mid-calf. Of course I wore my pfd just in case. The weather was changing with it being cold on Saturday, warm on Sunday and colder again on Monday. It was 36 degrees when I left Bridgeport on Monday and 93 when I arrived in Oakland that afternoon.

Gas is EXPENSIVE in Brigeport with the loest at $2.99/gallon. I called the lodge on Thursday and asked where to buy gas. They told me Garderville where the gas at ARCO was $2.09/gallon. It was $2.07/gallon when I filled up on Monday for the ride home.

Loretta

thanks for the report

Paul

Sounds like the trout were definitely on the bite. Good times!

I've stayed in that same "suite" at the Walker River Lodge before. It was pretty plush, and almost like a small house, more than anything else.

Bridgeport is known to gouge the folks that travel through or stay there, and the gas stations there routinely have fuel for a dollar or more per gallon than places North or South of there. I like the place and the East Walker River, but I try and not spend my $$ there, due to the fact that they seem to be 'sticking it' to the anglers that travel to their town.

Cheers!

--FlyGuy (Dave)

Thanks for the post Loretta! Good to see someone is out fishing...

Nice report Loretta! Haven't been over to that part of the Sierra in awhile. It is time!

Great report! My fly club is having an outing in the Bridgeport area in July and I can't wait.
So may places to fish, so little time


Buzz

I Agree!

The Walker River Lodge is one of my favorite places to stay- anywhere!!! I first went there with my Dad in 1974. One of the owner's daughters broke (destroyed) my 8'6' Leonard Graftek back in the early 80's. Their backside( The Lodge - not the daughter, although....) is one of the MOST pleasant place to relax after a day on the water...and there is all kinds of water to fish up there besides the East Walker...Glad you had a great time and Tony IS one nice DUDE!!!

PT/TB

planettrout wrote:
One of the owner's daughter's...backside

Tony is cool, He's a lawyer in Calaveras now and someone else is running the Lodge.The lawn in the back is pretty sweet.River has been low this year,It will come up when the wind stops.Wind blows the irragation of before it soaks in.