Putah Creek Fly Fishing Report

Richard Loft Reports on 5.25.2016

So todays fishing was much better that previous days- we hiked into access 5 and got into fish right away, I think at these flows fish are on the edges and you need to put on your stealth pants and fish the edges.  All in all we only landed 2 fish but we only fished 2. or 2.5 hours and theres always high sticking the edges so just put in the time and use the same flys as you always do. One fish was 11 to 12 inches the other about 7 to 8. For me it was a good day overcast and not overly warm. Let’s fish while the fishin’s good! www.napavalleyflyguides.com  . Richard Loft 707-294-4738

Report for 5/17-5/21

Hey Everyone!  Started my first teaching gig–my Intro to Fly Fishing Class at the Los Flores Recreation Center in Napa Tuesday showing a couple of videos and then how to tie some basic knots so my student can go out a rig their leaders on the water and not need any help. Also talking a little about Tailwater rivers and where to find Dream Flows Data. The class went well so this comming week we will order rods for whoever needs them and cover reading rivers IE where fish like to hold  and a little more about rigging nymphing leaders.  > On 5/18/2016 , I Spent the day showing clients around access 5 and how to make a cast rigged for nymphing small flys. Dave is one of the best students ive had in a long time as soon as I showed him the advantage of adding a haul to his cast he was casting another 20% further and a short time later landed a small fish. And thats how its been lately mostly small fish. It will come around I just need to keep searching and adapting my techniques and search out where the bigger fish are holding- most likely deeper water or hidden remote riffles and less fished sections.

So all in all fishing seems slow right now so I will be hunting for a while until !! I  really explore some of the places i think there might be a big fish or two; Putah Creek has never been quick to give up her secrets But I know from fishing her over and over If you quit fishing because fishing is slow you never over come the slump.

In terms of my recent conservation work……Yesterday 5/21/2016 I Met Steve Karr amd Mark Silva both members of Putah Creek Trout and we surveyed a section of side channel at access 2 for the Putah Creek spawning restoration project TU is doing in collaboration with PCT; PCT is doing the surveying and some of the other duties. Anyways there are some really nice sections that I am sure hold fish the at these flows but these sections are very technical and will require some time or may not be worth it because of the canopy overhead just making it to dificult to cast and fight fish unless i go with a shorter rod like a 7.5 foot 3 or 4 wt and shorter nymphing leader.

I am starting to book for the summer months so keep it in mind for a fly-fishing day! www.napavalleyflyguides.com 707-294-4738 Richard Loft