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where is she planning on staying, a campground or the wawona hotel? the merced's south fork is ok. you'll have fun, especially if you fish upstream of wawona. but better fishing (and bigger fish) is found on the main fork of the merced from just within yosemite valley (pohono bridge) downstream to the arch rock (west) entrance and then again from just within the park's boundary through the town of el portal and further downstream to briceburg. some smallie action too i hear the lower you go. the road winds along the main merced for quite a ways so it's relatively easy access but few actually fish it. it's worth checking out though. if stationed at wawona, it's about a 60 minute drive to reach the main merced as described (35-40 mins from wawona to yosemite valley itself), considering summer traffic . and yes, several nice feeder streams too. you can stay in el portal at the yosemite view lodge but there are few services. for travelers, a gas station, market, restaurant. still, the main merced flows along the perimeter of the modern hotel. there's also the cedar lodge, though i'm always hesitant to even consider staying there due to a solitary incident there a few years ago, google cary stayner.

check out charles beck's yosemite trout fishing guide, chock full of information.

if you're interested in hiring a guide, contact jimmie morales: http://www.sierraflyfisher.com/
he just opened a fly shop in the town of oakhurst which is on the route to yosemite through the south entrance (from the fresno area).

if you've got some time, you should drive the tioga pass road to tuolumne meadows (90 mins from the Valley?). check out the dana and lyell forks of the T upstream from tuolumne meadows. plenty of willing small to medium sized rainbows and brooks. it's a relatively easy and very pleasant FLAT walk from the dog lake parking lot along the john muir trail (20-30 mins?) crossing the dana to the lyell. many you'll see are hiking as fast as they can to make up miles and few actually fish the area which is incredibly beautiful and well worth the drive. if you were to continue on the tioga pass road beyond (east) of tuolumne meadows another 5 -10 minutes, you'll find the dana running alongside the road. pull off anywhere you can.

i know of a few other places you could fish in the park between wawona and yosemite valley and if you want some company let me know. i live in fresno and consider yosemite my playground, as well as kings canyon and sequoia national parks.

eric
fresno, ca.

thanks DPR! ;-) i'm not as knowledgeable as i should be but i'm working on it. eric fresno, ca.