Northern California Fly Fishing Report

Dax Messett Reports on 7.21.2016

Fishing has been really good most everywhere this pas week in Northern California.  

Fall River: The hex hatch is still happening on most nights.  If it’s windy, find somewhere with a good wind break and you will find the fish.  During the day you can find a good calibaetis hatch on lower parts of Fall, which has made head hunting with drys for large fish a fun game to play if you have the patience and casting skills to pull it off.  If it gets windy, switch to full sink lines and fish damsel nymphs and leaches and you will find fish.  Lots of weeds in the river so make sure you rig is clean before every cast regardless of technique. 

The McCloud has been fishing excellent most days.  They have been looking up, so you can fish a dry dropper rig for much of the day and find players.  Nymph deep if they aren’t looking up, but they are always looking up the last hour of daylight on this river, so fish until dark if you can.

The Pit has fished excellent this week.  High stick nymphing is the most productive technique here during the day.  Use enough lead to get deep, and cover water.  Presentation, rigging, and positioning is more important than fly selection, (like it is everywhere else).  The evenings you can switch to a dry dropper rig, or just fish an elk hair caddis for some exciting dry fly fishing.  Bring a wading staff and charge, and you will find plenty of fish.

Hat Creek is fishing excellent in the mornings and evenings.  The Trico spinner fall has been excellent.  You can target specific rising fish from about 8 to 10 am.  Make sure you are using a leader at least 13 feet long tapered to 6x with perfect drag free presentations if you want to hook one of the bigger fish.  Epic caddis hatch in the evenings, along with some scattered mayfly hatches of various varieties. 

The Lower Sac has been on fire.  All of Confluence guides who have been working it this past week have been absolutely crushing it. 

Steelhead season is upon us!  Heading up to the Upper Rogue later this week to start chasing steelhead.  Confluence Outfitters Spey camps on the Lower Klamath start August 1st,  We have one open spot remaining.  I am totally booked for my multi day float trips on the Grande Ronde in October, but we have some available spots left for Speywater Lodge. Contact me for info on the Ronde and upper Rogue steelhead fishing this fall.