Welcome to Horseshoe Bar Preserve!
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The Horseshoe Bar Fish and Game Preserve is located on the Middle Fork of the American River just below Oxbow/Ralston Dam. Just one hour from Sacramento or two hours from the Bay Area, Horseshoe Bar offers true wilderness fly-fishing in this thousands of acres preserve in the American River Canyon Watershed.
The property includes five miles of river where wild rainbow and brown trout abound. The Middle Fork of the American River at Horseshoe Bar is a “free stone river“. The water is supplied by snow runoff from French Meadows and Hell Hole Reservoirs. Although the property elevation is only 1,000 feet, it is like fly-fishing on an upper-elevation Sierra river because the water from the upper reservoirs is delivered to Ralston Afterbay, (Oxbow Dam) via a tunnel system. The water is cold and clear. Better yet, the area is open to year round fishing. Hatches are numerous and include BWOs, caddis, October Caddis, Golden Stones and Yellow Sally’s to mention a few. The various beats contain great runs of deep holes, big tailouts, pocket water, and perfect seams that hold lots of wild trout.
While fly-fishing is the major activity on the property, camping, hiking, gold panning and just having a picnic in the solitude alongside the river are a few of the other activities members enjoy. The campground overlooks the incredible Tunnel Chute, a Level-5 rapid that takes rafters through the tunnel created by miners in the early 1900’s.
We have a limited membership of fly fishers who enjoy this pristine, gated preserve. Our mission is to preserve this property in its natural state for the enjoyment of our members and guests.
We are now in the process of accepting applications for the 2009 calendar year. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in joining.
Tight Lines
Thomas G. M. Bartos
President and Founder
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Copyright 2008 Horseshoe Bar Fish and Game Preserve, Inc.