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Directions: From Fresno, take Highway 41 north to North Fork Road. Turn right and go 18 miles to the town
of North Fork. Turn right on Minarets Road and go northeast to Mammoth Pool Road. Turn left and continue to the reservoir. The reservoir
is 42 miles from the town of North Fork.
Notes:
Mammoth Pool Reservoir was created by Southern California Edison by damming the San Joaquin River within a steep 3000 feet canyon. It
lies at 3,300 feet elevation. The reservoir is a popular recreationist destination with campgrounds, store, and boat ramps. The road to
Mammoth Pool is often blocked by snow until early April and the lake is stocked with about 24,000 10-12 inch rainbows and brookies each
season. The lake and it's tributaries are closed from May 1st to June 15th for deer migration. It is a popular trolling area during the
Spring and early Summer. During late Summer, the lake is drawn down considerably for
hydroelectric power. The lake is known for it's large Browns up to 15 lbs. The flyfishing opportunities of the lake a quite limited due
to the depth and expanse of the lake. Some of these big Browns do get into the San Joaquin River below the dam and the flyfishing
opportunites are quite good there as well as other neighboring streams. Rock Creek Campground, off Minarets Road, has a 4 mile dirt
road that goes close to the river. From there you can work your way up with a good exit at the dam 3 miles upstream. Also try fishing
Rock Creek upstream from the campground. It consists of Rainbows and Browns.
Taking the Hell's Half Acre Trail off Minarets Road, you can reach the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin above Hell's Half Acre. The river
consists of Rainbows and Browns. From there you can work your way upstream.
Other areas to try are:
Kaiser Creek: Numerous access points along Stump Springs Road. Consists of Rainbows and Brookies.
Chaquito Creek: Off Minarets Road. Consists of Rainbows and Browns.
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