San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

San Gabriel Mountains South Fork Trout action( video). With all the recent rains this year, this area should be prime for a fall trip and its only around 2 hours away Off I-210. Back when I did this trip, I managed 5 or 6 in a few hour session all on Berkely Power worms. It would also make for a nice Tekara stream for you fly lovers.

I love fishing the upper San Gabriel River... Unfortunately (Years ago) I tore my ACL rock-hopping up there, while fly fishing with my Grandson... So no more rock-hopping for me... But I really enjoyed it while I did it... Thanks for the video...
Butch

I once was up on the South Fork in January. The dew was frozen, and there was a thin sheet of ice along the shoreline. Made a little misstep and slid off a rock and dunked my foot into 18 inches of water. I didn’t quite land in a stable position and my leg slid out dunking my whole right side. I tried to turn over to get in a better position and slid all the way in the water. At first a comedy of errors. It was cold, really cold, and kinda windy. I started to chill and was at least a mile up the road from my truck. I took off on a quick paced jog, back down the road, teeth chattering and body shivering. I made it to my Truck and got inside. It took 3-4 minutes for the heater to kick in. Oh man. I thought I was gonna freeze. All for those pretty little trout that jump 3 feet out of the water.

Nice vid! I think that's the West Fork tho. I don't think there's a South Fork, unless you call the tailwater out of Morris Dam the South Fork, i guess.

DarkShadow wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 1:24 pm Nice vid! I think that's the West Fork tho. I don't think there's a South Fork, unless you call the tailwater out of Morris Dam the South Fork, i guess.

Yeah you could be right. Really curious about the conditions for this year. any reports from anyone?

BassHound905 wrote: Sun Nov 03, 2024 5:34 pm

DarkShadow wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 1:24 pm Nice vid! I think that's the West Fork tho. I don't think there's a South Fork, unless you call the tailwater out of Morris Dam the South Fork, i guess.

Yeah you could be right. Really curious about the conditions for this year. any reports from anyone?

Because the West Fork is a tailwater, it usually maintains a constant CFS most of the year, except for when they release water from the dam, or you get more water coming in from its tributaries during the run off.

I fished it a few times last year, and got some nice fish to go, but word around the campfire is that the 15 inch fish that I was catching were transplanted from San Gabriel Reservoir when they drained it to complete the project to get rid of all the sediment that had built up throughout the years. According to my source, the fish that were caught on the East Fork were transplanted higher up in the East Fork and the fish that were caught on the West were transplanted further up on the West Fork.

For what it's worth, the further you get from the parking lots, the better. I don't remember the last time I caught a fish in that first mile section from the bridge that crossed the 39, to the bridge near the Bear Creek confluence. I usually peddle 4 or 5 miles and start fishing upstream. Watch out for the thorny bushes and the stinging nettles!