6.21.2019

Putah Creek flows have been steadily rising for the past two weeks. This hopefully cut down on the number of people fishing this small creek. Fishing will be tough as fish find their high water lies. You will need to use a little more weight to get your flies in the zone and focus on the pools as fish start to get adjusted. For flies use your favorite midge pattern and think outside the zebra midge. For a fun day on the water try swinging leaches on the upper stretch of the creek. 

Richard Loft reports on 6.14.19 

The Grass is always Greener
It seems like every summer mid-day fishing slows down; temps spike and the new underwater grass growth make doing any serous nymphing problematic as flows ramp up. On the good side, the days are so much longer and that means that much longer time to seek and catch beautiful rainbow trout. On the tougher side, you need more and more weight with longer leaders and then, of course, I start picking up tons of new growth grass. So, in these summer months, I sometimes start my fishing sessions later in the day while fish are relatively active or and using a balanced amount of weight to lessen dragging the bottom and getting all that grass. I see this every year. As a guide I am obligated to fish under conditions that aren't always optimum but by persevering I still usually find a fish or two willing to play ball regardless of temps, flows and other adverse conditions including heavy fishing pressure but all these can and do affect the bite so I am starting to bring different rods and a good selection of heavier flys to get into sections of pocket water not easily fished with an indicator. Not that I don't bring my usual rod I do but it pays to have a few tactics and a willingness to fish in spite of the current heat and higher flows, 500 cfs as of today.

I've included a picture of one of the fish of my clients hooked and landed and was caught around 3 pm in the afternoon during the hottest time of the day so that just goes to show a great example of those surprises that I love about fly-fishing.

The grass is here to stay as long as we have spring and summer it actually helps the fish by providing cover for fish habitat for bugs and is just part of a healthy river and ecosystem; furthermore, it forces me to explore sections of the river I would otherwise pass over.

If you want to get out there, feel free to give me a call or email

Putah has been flowing at 360 CFS and fishing great. As expected it has been crowded if you want to get the guide hole you need to get there early. Remember its light at 5:30 right now!

Richard Loft reports on 5.27.19

Spring Putah Report

Hey everyone, I want to report my latest intel over the last few months. Starting in March, Winter flood waters started to come down and flows fluctuated in the 600 cfs to 400 cfs range. The side channels did not disappoint me or clients; after a few attempts, we found a few really nice 15 inch Rainbows willing to play two days in a row both days on a midge pattern but not under an indicator, instead of utilizing high sticking techniques.  <*)()(>< On one of my days, we missed seeing an 18 before I could tempt it with a fly and it moved away, sensing our presence and became unwilling to play so it pays to really slow down and scan the shallow edges of any run.  I am continually reminded how elusive and on guard these wild Putah fish can be--remember they are a prey species and food for many other animals so they are really good at spotting threats sneaking up on them from the sides or from behind especially in shallow water riffles.

Being sneaky is the rule when working your way up to head of a run and having a second rod for high- sticking pocket water really helps by not adding an indicator to the mix but high-sticking has its limitations as well; covering distance being the biggest ones so don't get rid of your indicators yet. While I'm talking about indicators, they can spook fish and if not set properly create a delay fish can exploit and you may not ever see the take so I carry several different sizes and colors to match conditions like glare from the sun or them being pulled under by hydraulics, either way, they have a few pros and cons.

April and May brought much lower flows and one of the nice side channels became a great spot to spend a few hours and I was pleased when a few clients landed some decent fish; also with the lower flows a lot more of the river opened up and fish became much easier to locate in one 4 to 5-hour session we hooked 12 or 13 fish  all but one were directly in the main stem on an indicator  and one just upstream high sticking All OF THOSE FISH WERE IN THE 16 TO 17 INCH RANGE .. so keep in mind you will get better results as you fish different spots.

 If you want to find a spot to fish you might need to get an early or very late start as the pressure is fairly heavy so be prepared to fish water you need to spend time finding a way into; after eleven years I am still seeing sections I have never fished but want to fish. Lastly, Late May brought much lower flows so the side channel just below the resort is almost dry now and the fish have moved on to another hole.

So if you've been waiting to book a trip for yourself or a family member, now is the time; give me a call/email and let's get you out on the water!

Fish on!

Richard Loft 707-294-4738

Rob Russell reports on 05.23.19

     Putah Creek is fishing well this Spring. High water finally subsided in April and fishing has been consistently good.

It seems as if it may be the year of the pig! Putah trout are extremely healthy this year, and as fat, as I've seen wild trout anywhere

High praise for such a small creek perhaps, but Putah is a true gem. A resource to be enjoyed just an hour north of the city (SF), a more interesting trout fishery you may not find. Biased yes, but the opportunity for world-class trout fishing exists here at Putah Creek!

     If you would like to learn more about Putah Creek, or are interested in a guided trip, please call 707-888-2571. Cheers! 

 -Rob

Rob Russell Fly Fishing

Santa Rosa, CA

russellrob5@gmail.com 

Instagram... @robrussellflyfishing 

Putah Creek Report 5.16.2019

Putah Creek flows are absolutely perfect right now which is probably why we have been hearing such great things about the fishing and bad things about the crowds. A variety of midges is important on the creek, but san juans in squirmy and non-squirmy varieties. Small Streamers and dead drifted leaches have been a solid bet. 

Rob Russell reports on 2.28.19

PUTAH CREEK UPDATE 2/27
Putah is dangerously high and blown out! The torrential rain over the last 48 hours has caused Lake Berryessa to spill. The creek is dangerous at these flows and should not be approached. It is difficult to predict when Putah Creek will be fishable again. With very similar conditions in March 2017, the creek remained unfishable for most of...

Jordan Romeny reports on 2.14.19

Putah Creek Unofficial Opener March 1 st
The unofficial Putah Creek opener is just around the corner. Last spring the fishing on the creek was outright incredible. I remember having a new guide shadow me one day on the creek and he was blown away. We had two guests with us that each put 10 fish to hand and a couple of big fish mixed in there
too. I turned to him at...

Rob Russell reports on 9.6.18

An amazing Summer is coming to an end at Putah Creek. Flying full-speed into Fall, more great fishing is very near. Flows will drop as irrigation demands decrease. Fish will be concentrated in riffles and runs, much easier to target now in the lower water. Wading will become easier and more areas will be accessible. September and October are PRIME-TIME at Putah.

Jordan Romney reports on 8.28.18

Putah Creek Fall Options

Do you feel the nip in the air? That is Fall breathing down our necks. I am getting really excited about the current water situation and what is around the corner. Fishing is always better if it involves a sweatshirt. Think about it: trout are cold blooded. They prefer cooler temperatures and feed more regularly. Most people fish during the...