Wade · Best fit76/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
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Fly fishing report · West
Tuolumne River below La Grange Dam
A lower Tuolumne report for anglers checking regulated flows, public access, warm-water limits, and conservation guardrails below La Grange Dam.
Check flow & weatherToday's river scoreHigh source confidence
76
Good
Best option: Wade.
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
Updated Jul 23, 4:21 AM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes
Recommended approachWade
Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.
Bank / edge76/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float76/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Confirm before you leave
Flow and weather right now.
Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.
Loading current flow and weather.
River strategy
Fish this as regulated lower-river water, not as a Sierra trout stream.
Below La Grange Dam, the Tuolumne is shaped by releases, warm Central Valley weather, public access limits, and salmonid conservation. The right plan starts with the LGN/USGS flow, CDFW rules, and posted park access before flies or timing.
- RiverReports is used as the quick chart, backed by USGS 11289650 Tuolumne River below La Grange Dam and CDEC LGN metadata.
- Turlock Irrigation District identifies La Grange Dam as the controlling dam just above this lower-river reach.
- Stanislaus County park facilities provide public-access context, but posted local rules can be stricter than broad statewide fishing assumptions.
- Treat salmon, steelhead, and habitat details conservatively. Check CDFW and current notices before fishing or handling any anadromous fish.
Why this score moved
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 305 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (1971-2025, 55 readings) puts normal around 108 cfs and the upper quartile near 311 cfs; today's flow is on the high side for the date. This is near the high side of normal, so be careful about wading, clarity, and pushy current before calling it good.
SeasonHelps score
Summer: Often limited by heat, lowland temperatures, and ethical fish-handling concerns.
Water temperatureHelps score
USGS water temperature is about 55F, with no heat stop triggered.
Public alertsHelps score
No active NWS alert was returned for this forecast point.
Fishing usefulnessHelps score
Skip during hot low-water trout-stress windows, unsafe release changes, closures, or unclear public-access status.
Read the water
What changes the plan.
The reach is most useful when releases are stable, temperatures are reasonable, and public access is clearly open. It loses value during hot low-flow periods, high release changes, poor clarity, or when posted local restrictions make a bank plan impractical.
Stable release
Best for reading banks, current seams, and legal public access without sudden wading changes.
Hot low water
Usually a reason to skip trout handling and treat the river as a conservation-first plan.
High or changing release
Back away from wading and re-check park access, flows, and safe footing.
Cooler shoulder-season water
The best window for cautious nymphing or streamer work if regulations and access allow.
Field plan
Fish it with intention.
Best flows
Stable releases that leave safe public-bank edges and readable seams without creating warm, stagnant, or suddenly changing conditions.
When to skip
Skip during hot low-water trout-stress windows, unsafe release changes, closures, or unclear public-access status.
Local plan
Check LGN/USGS, confirm CDFW and posted park rules, then fish the safest public edge with a short plan rather than roaming private banks.
Backup water
Move to the Stanislaus or an upper Tuolumne reach when the lower river is warm, restricted, or operationally awkward.
Hatches & flies
Bring a flexible box.
TimingWhat to watchUseful flies
WinterMidges, BWOsZebra midge, BWO emerger, small pheasant tail
Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed family · report says “BWO emerger”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide ↗+ 1 more reviewed guide in the Fly Box SpringCaddis, mayflies, small baitfish activityCaddis pupa, soft hackle, small minnow
Reviewed family · report says “Caddis pupa”Caddis Pupa PatternsCaddis pupa is a life-stage family. Curved bodies, wing pads, legs, beads, and soft-hackle collars differ among exact patterns and must be labeled.See family guide ↗
Reviewed family · report says “soft hackle”Soft-Hackle Wet FliesA slim body and sparse webby feather collar define the family. Body material, tail, bead, and insect-specific color create different named patterns.See family guide ↗+ 1 more reviewed guide in the Fly Box SummerCaddis, terrestrials, warmwater forageFoam ant, caddis dry, small streamer
Reviewed family · report says “Foam ant”Ant PatternsAnt patterns can be foam, fur-bodied, winged, or sunken. The narrow waist and paired body lobes matter more than one material recipe.See family guide ↗
Reviewed family · report says “caddis dry”Caddis Patterns by StageCaddis is not one fly. Larvae live below, pupae and emergers rise through the column, tent-wing adults ride or move on top, and spent forms create other silhouettes.See family guide ↗+ 1 more reviewed guide in the Fly Box FallMidges, BWOs, baitfish windowsBWO emerger, zebra midge, olive bugger
Reviewed family · report says “BWO emerger”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide ↗Reviewed pattern · report says “zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗+ 1 more reviewed guide in the Fly Box 01
Check the LGN/USGS flow first, then decide whether the release is safe and useful from public access.
02
Use signed public sites and posted park rules. Do not turn private banks or restricted areas into informal access.
03
Fish cooler windows and stop when water temperature or fish-handling risk becomes the main issue.
04
Avoid unsupported salmon or steelhead targeting assumptions; CDFW rules and closures come first.
Access & responsibility
Know the entry. Know the exit.
Check CDFW's current freshwater regulations and any emergency or local posted restrictions before fishing. Do not rely on a broad statewide assumption for this regulated lower-river reach.
Basso Bridge area
Use Stanislaus County and posted local rules to confirm access and allowed activity before fishing.
Fox Grove area
A lower Tuolumne public-access reference that still requires current park and river-rule checks.
Signed public river parks
Use only clearly public access with legal parking and posted fishing permission.
Recent reach reports
What anglers are seeing.
Moderated, river-level updates for Tuolumne River below La Grange Dam. Exact spots, private access notes, and private media never appear here.
No verified reach reports yet.
Be the first to share a generalized river update through the moderated BSF app flow.
Transparent sources
Check the facts behind the plan.
Last material review: 2026-05-31
Active maintenance check: Jul 14, 2026. BlueStreamFly checks report sources, links, live fishability inputs, and page rendering on a recurring maintenance schedule. This check does not change the material review date unless public guidance or sources changed.
flowRiverReports: Tuolumne River below La Grange DamflowUSGS Tuolumne River below La Grange DamflowCDEC LGN station metadataregulationCDFW freshwater sport fishing regulationsaccessStanislaus County parks and river facilitiesbackgroundTurlock Irrigation District La Grange DambackgroundState Water Board La Grange FERC projectsafetyNational Weather Service forecast point below La Grange
Common questions
Before you leave.
Is this the same as the upper Tuolumne?+
No. This page covers regulated lower-river water below La Grange Dam, not the Sierra or Hetch Hetchy reaches.
What flow should I check?+
Use RiverReports/CDEC LGN for the quick chart and USGS 11289650 as the official below-dam flow reference.
Can I fish anywhere below La Grange Dam?+
No. Use signed public access only and follow posted local rules plus current CDFW regulations.