The older you are, the more prepared one has to be, and many of the serious creekin’ warriors will often train at the gym (now the home gym thanks to covid) just so they can enjoy the day. Fueling your body every few hours and staying hydrated is just as important as being in good physical shape. Training for fishing? Yeah, it’s needed if you really want to be at the next level of maximum performance. You won’t find prolific hatches on the creeks like the Middle Fork Feather River, but mostly caddis flies, a few stone flies, and the occasional mayfly like the chocolate dun. The wild trout that inhabit these waters have a very short feeding season, so they are very eager to most anything you offer them. Terrestrials will become very important in the next few months, namely ants, hoppers, and beetles. Reading water correctly and presentation is by far more effective than the latest and greatest fly. Your leader set up and rigging is fairly easy for creekin’, but the length is really important when it comes to shorter rods. I first take a factory 7.5 foot mono tapered leader to 5x and cut the last 36” or so off (where it starts the transition to a thicker diameter). I’ll then attach a 2mm tippet ring, and then reattach 24 to 36” of 5x tippet. That way you’re only replacing the last section of level 5x tippet throughout the season. I never go lighter than 5x either due to the fish being so eager and not leader shy, plus it takes the abuse of hitting rocks and streamside vegetation so much better than 6 or 7x. For rods less than 7.5 feet, chop off a foot of the butt section on the leader.

Here are a few tips that will keep you in the game and be more successful while plying the creeks:

1) Keep your fly as dry as possible when making surface presentations. This includes false casting more, blotting the water from your fly with an absorbent cloth, then using your shake and bake desiccant. Those trout like it high and dry! Also when walking from spot to spot, don’t drag your dry fly though the water. Take care of it like a newborn child. Lastly, treat your fly as if you’re managing a hockey team. When your player is tired (sinking frequently) put it on the bench (your fly patch), and put in a fresh player (tie a new fly on).

2) You got to be quick with the hook set. At the same time, once you hook into a little one, you must back off on the power and follow through or you will launch it to another universe. Be careful when you go back to fishing for larger tout, especially big brown trout as they ingest your dry fly so much slower. Quick hook sets will not work with them.

3) Often the bigger fish will be in a small pocket or a slot next to the side of the creek. They prefer their own private lie. I look for dark water with depth, not matter how small it is. Pin point accuracy is often needed for the nooks and crannies.

4) A wading staff is a must no matter your age. I always think I can get away without using one, but in the end you’ll be much safer if you use one. The third leg is the missing link…

5) Use good wading boots with ankle support that are thickly padded. I use my regular wading boots with neoprene socks, and for good reason. You’ll be wedging your feet in between cracks both below and above water on dry rocks. Those skimpy creek shoes that most companies make will not cut it in the watersheds of the Northern Sierra. You need something hardy and durable. You’ll also want studs and not the smooth kind, but studs that have a roughed up surface to adhere to dry granite and basalt rock.

Town has been busy with folks, like way too many. Campgrounds are full and the roads and highways are buzzing with traffic. Even so, on our last couple of creek trips we saw no other anglers, the further you hike away from the access points, the more solitude one finds, with better fishing.

See you in the land of canyon water…

Capt. Bryce Tedford Reports on 7.1.20

Smallmouth season has been very consistent the last few weeks on the Delta. I have been finding eager fish on Topwater poppers. Most of the fish are smaller but some larger fish are mixed in as well. It is such a pleasure to get newer anglers into the sport or watch seasoned anglers enjoy the Topwater action! Many guests have brought their kids & getting them into their first fish on a fly is a treat for all in the boat! I will be focused on Smallmouth/Largemouth through August & the return my focus to Stripers come fall.

Smallmouth 1/2 day trips offer Topwater fishing with light rods such as 4 or 5wts. We cast small poppers towards rock banks & eagerly awaiting Smallmouth. This fishery is a great way to introduce beginners to the sport & fun for seasoned anglers who like Topwater poppers on light rods.

Largemouth 1/2 day trips offer Topwater fishing with heavy rods such as 8 or 9wt. We cast large poppers such as frog patterns to ideal holes in the weeds until a largemouth explodes on the fly!

If you are into Largemouth/Smallmouth Topwater or just trying to get someone into the sport give me a call for a summer date. Also, if you want to get a jump on a Fall Striper date just let me know as well.

Jim Stimson Reports on 7.1.20

One of the most important tools in your summer fly fishing arsenal should be a thermometer. In these hot days of summer, I LOVE putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and heading outside. However, trout don’t feel the same…. they thrive in cold conditions. When the river starts feeling tepid, take the time to use your thermometer and get some readings throughout the course of a day. You might be surprised. It is amazing how much the temperature can fluctuate in just a few hours. If your morning reading is in the mid-60’s, raise a yellow flag because by afternoon there is a good chance that the temps may climb close to 70º, which is not good for the trout or the fishery. Trout love water that is in the 50’s. Once you climb into the upper 60’s and beyond, the fish get lethargic, they don’t feed as much, and their mortality rate goes up if they get hooked. If you must fish, tie on heavier tippet material so you can land the trout quickly. Because of the reduced dissolved levels of oxygen in warm water, trout can get stressed and die — basically by suffocation. This is only a recommendation, let your conscious be your guide. I tend to pull the plug once my thermometer reaches 68º. I will give the river a break and seek out the high country or water that is cooler. 

All of the mountain passes are open including Tioga Pass but check with the Park Service for details and restrictions. These are tenuous times with the pandemic. Enjoy the Eastern Sierra but please respect the fisheries and each other. Be prepared to wear a mask if you are grocery shopping or visit a retail store. And finally, please refrain from open campfires if you are camping outside of a developed campground. Fire season is already here. Thank you.

East Walker

Fish have definitely started showing up on our coastal beaches.  Been noticing a lot more birds hanging around Ocean Beach and Stinson which means they're chasing the same thing the Stripers are, and that's baitfish.  

Get out there early in the morning to avoid wind and keep an eye on tides.  Remember out there that a long cast can help but even if you're casting 40 feet you have a solid chance at fish.  Make sure you are keying in on rips, buckets, and troughs out there and make sure as always that you are covering water efficiently and not staying in one spot for too long. Most of our local beach parking lots are officially open as well but feel free to give us a call if you have any specific beaches in mind and are wondering if they are open.

AC Fly Fishing Reports on 6.20.20

We are smack dab in the middle of a great Summer of fly fishing here in Northern California. Conditions on all of our favorite rivers are as good as they get and fishing has been good to great for our guests. Our main Summer haunts include the Lower Sac, Fall River, Pit River, McCloud River and Upper Sac. From the smaller streams to the bigger rivers there are some excellent opportunities to get out this Summer. Continue reading below for a more in depth report and forecast on these rivers. 

The Lower Sac -

Those of you who have experienced it know just how awesome an evening spent on the Lower Sac can be. July and August can offer some phenomenal trout fishing on the big tailwater. The warmer the day, the stronger the Caddis hatches can be.. a strong hatch of Caddis can equate to a very aggressive trout bite. Checkout the short video above and get psyched for some Summer fishing! 

The Pit River -

This is our favorite time of year to fish the Pit. July and August can be AWESOME and can offer a great cool down from the Valley heat. Wet wading here in the summer is a nice reprieve from the heat while staying busy with those scrappy Pit River trout. For those who want to test their wading skills and get into a mess of healthy, wild rainbows - this might be a venue you'll want to explore with us. 

The McCloud River -

One of our favorite walk and wade streams in the area.. by mid-summer we can start to see pushes of migratory Brown trout move up the river from Lake Shasta. It's not a guarantee you'll run into them every day, but when you do - it can be quite rewarding. The McCloud will remain a great walk and wade option from now through October. There are very few rivers in the country that provide the beauty that the McCloud does. 

The Fall River -

The largest Spring creek in the country has been fishing EXCELLENT since the trout opener back in April and is showing no signs of slowing down. The evening Hex hatch is starting and adding another very cool element to the fishing here. If you have any desire to checkout Fall River - this is the year you want to jump on it. We are always thrilled to get good feedback from our guests. Below is kudos to Jay and testament to how good the Fall River has been this year. Put it on your list!! 

The Upper Sac -

We had a great Spring on the Upper Sac. Flows are excellent right now on the Upper and wade fishing has been good. During these hot summer days, our best fishing usually happens early and late in the day. The evenings usually give up some pretty good dry fly opportunities as well.. 

Jon Baiocchi Reports on 6.20.20

Well…It took nearly 4 weeks to finally see prime conditions for the damsel game and this year it’s going to be short lived. In the last week water temperatures have spiked upwards from 60 in the morning to 65, and in the afternoon I have recorded 70 degrees at 2pm – Just like that. Damsels will keep on hatching, and some fish will come into the skinny water to feed in the next few weeks but with the warmer water temps your catch and release will most likely not live. So you’ll be looking at a catch and keep scenario. Lake Davis is a “put and take“ fishery – you make the call on what is the right thing to do.

The lake levels are just about perfect with the slow drop of minimal releases from the Grizzly creek dam, where the shoreline has more character including flats, peninsulas, and natural fish traps. Currently Lake Davis is at 75% of capacity. Though the fluctuating weather and high and low pressure systems were challenging in the last month for consistent fishing, it sure has been fun being on the water in the last week. When you’re on a body of water nearly every day you can really clue in on the slight variances in fish behavior, including holding patterns, and food selection. Observations and understanding what each unique day brings is the key to your success.

Last Monday was the best day for tracking targets and presenting damsels to selective and wary feeders in 2 to 5 feet of water. It’s more than just trolling around in a float tube, or fishing from a boat while casting. From the bank, time slows down and you’re honed in on the hunting aspect of the damsel hatch. I’m stoked for my guests who have never experienced this and get to live it, it is indeed one of the greatest things you can do with a fly rod in your hand. 

Now that the region of the Northern Sierra is in a typical pattern of high pressure, and hot weather, Lake Davis will see a lot of glass in the morning hours. When it’s flat calm those trout are on edge and super wary. As Jay Fair use to say “they’re scared…They really are!” You’ll get a slight East wind in the morning too and most often it’s perfect with just a ripple to give the trout some cover to feel more secure, and hours later the wind will shift to the South West or a Westerly flow.

Just a few reminders for the damsel game – Your patterns should be brown, dark olive, olive, and light olive in color. They should also be sparse and about an inch long. Commercial ties are way too long and bulky. 4X tippet at a minimum, and always check your knots for strength, and your leader for casting knots frequently. When you finally get the chance to make a hook up you’ll want your operating system the best it can be. The takes can be subtle (your line just stops), or on the aggressive side. You just never know if it is the bottom, a weed, or what not - so always strip set on anything you feel different.

The Aquatic hatching cycle is such at these times – in the early pre sunrise look for scum lines in deep open water where trout will resort to being dumpster divers eating the garbage from the previous night. Then the blood midge and other chironomids will begin hatching soon after. By 9am the damsel nymphs begin swimming to the shoreline or anywhere they can crawl out and hatch into an adult. The hatch may last to 1pm, but every day is different with the amount of nymphs hatching, and even the amount of active feeding fish to a particular flat or shoal. Callibaetis spinners will appear mid-day, look up into the sky and you’ll see dozens upon dozens aloft in the breeze. As the water temperatures peak out in the afternoon, the fish go down to 10 to 18 feet of water, or the first good ledge that has weeds and food where they can dine in their air conditioned restaurant. 

The last hour of light and the Hexagenia mayfly appears. The population is all over the lake now, but I see more near the east side of the lake where there is more clay – This is nymph’s preferred habitat due to the simple fact that the tubes they create to live in will not collapse like soft mud will. With lower light levels you can use much heavier tippet, and in my opinion the best pattern while fishing the surface is using a cripple or a stillborn pattern. It’s been so cool just observing all the critters feasting on the Hex. The bass and the trout are really putting on the feed bags with this substantial food supply, and come fall we are going to see those fish with huge shoulders and girth.

I’m done guiding on Lake Davis for trout, but open for poking around in the early mornings and late evenings for bass while I’m in the area doing creek trips of the Lost Sierra. It’s been really awesome to see the largemouth bass eat the same patterns we use for the trout – they have adapted to the natural food source well from tiny midges to damsels. As of right now, these are my only available fall dates for the lake: 9/19, 20, 24-28. 10/4-6, 28-31. All other dates are booked up. If you want a spot, let me know ASAP! Thanks to Lake Davis for an incredible fly fishing experience over the past 3 decades, and also a big thank you to J&J’s Grizzly Store and Campground for supporting me. I leave you with this, and it happens all the time, and why I have been writing and sharing my experiences and knowledge on this blog for so long. I’m walking back from the Honker Cove boat ramp after a day on the water to fetch the truck and yank the LillyBob. I met an elderly man whom I’ve never met before and he stares at me and says “you’re the guy the blog right?” I say yes, that’s me, I’m Jon (LOL). He then says “Thanks for sharing, I really look forward to your reports!” We smile, wish each other well and go about our business. Here’s the cool thing…The man doesn’t’ even fly fish, he’s a troller.  

Middle Fork Feather River 

The water levels have come way down, and it is imperative to fish downstream of the Jamison creek confluence. I’m only allowed to guide in the Recreational zone per my 1997 issued Special Use Permit from the US Forest Service, which is between  the A-23 bridge 4 miles east of Portola downstream to Nelson creek. During this time I like the confluence down to Sloat, colder water and some really cool runs, riffles, and pools. Water temperatures last Friday were 63 rising to 67 in the afternoon. It’s a morning to mid-day game, and of course the last couple hours of light for the evening hatch.

Most of the big fish are have left, but you’ll find a few if you can decipher the type of habitat they hold in – deeper slots, shady lies, undercut banks, the bottom of a big hole, and under the streamside native grasses of a high bank. We are still using two rods. The tight line rig, and a dry fly set up. With the tight line rig, many fish have come on the swing at the end of the drift. Those Middle Fork Feather rainbows do not have to be rising in order to take a dry fly. Many times just blind casting a dry will surprise you more than once, like a dozen of times! 

Caddis are the most profuse aquatic insect out, and a heavy spinner fall of BWO’s in the morning when air temperatures are between 57 and 67 degrees. The cool find last week were a few Green Drake spinners. There is not a big population of them on the Middle Fork Feather, but enough to get a bigger fish looking up for them. As the water temps rise  during the day there is less oxygen and the trout will move into faster water looking for the white water and bubbles, don’t be shy about casting a bushy elk hair caddis in that type of water – they’ll find it too. 

I’m done guiding the Middle Fork Feather too with increasing water temps and rock snot. Unlike Lake Davis, the MFFR is not a put and take fishery and the resident wild trout are extremely special. These trout are some of the most pristine specimens I’ve ever laid eyes on, and too valuable to accidently kill while fishing for them. The available dates I listed above for Lake Davis are the same for the MFFR in the fall. Again, get a hold of me now to secure your date. It was such a rad spring season for the river, chunkier fish, good numbers, and profuse hatches. The Middle Fork Feather River is truly the “Jewell of the Lost Sierra.”

See you on the water…

John Rickard Reports on 6.21.20

The McCloud River has seen a lot of anglers since the State started opening up. The entire stretch has fished great for weeks and continues to be good as we enter our first really hot weather. We are at the tail end of the Golden Stonefly hatch but are starting to see lots of Yellow Sallies and PMD’s. Some big browns have showed themselves and You’ll be seeing some show off pictures soon. We hope everyone comes up and enjoys this magnificent river, just not all at once.

Capt. Hogan Brown Reports on 6.21.20