Ben Thompson Reports on 5.9.2024

River Stripers- Fish are spread throughout the rivers with the majority around Colusa. It can get crowded until the end of May when most of the conventional boats thin out. The pre-front bite last had some quality fish on the chew and we were fortunate to land some of them. Standard Adachi style rattle clousers have been the go to lately. I still have availability in June and July to chase linesiders.

Lower Feather River- The low flow section is at 592cfs, with the high flow around 10,000cfs. Fish have been primarily eating caddis with some on worms and baetis. Good time of year to swing birds nest or leeches, high flow not recommended for bank anglers.

 

 

Lower Yuba River- 5,670 cfs as of today, not recommended for wade anglers and only seriously proficient rowers. At these higher flows, fish will sit in the soft edges. Big attention getters like rubberlegs and large caddis are a go to in big water. When the flows come down a bit we look forward to a good hopper season throughout this summer!

530 Outfitters Reports on 5.8.2024

McCloud River: The McCloud River has started off with a bang and the color of the river is looking like the normal McCloud we are accustomed to. Late April and early May was a little chilly in the McCloud river canyon but a couple extra layers and good fishing solved the chilly weather.

I think the cold weather is behind us and the weather forecast is looking great! I have been finding better fishing on the shallower rigs, dry dropper,  than the deeper indicator rigs. There haven't been many sightings of the big salmon and golden stoneflies yet, but there has been some--this warmer weather should help! I've mostly seen Yellow Sallies, PMDs, and Baetis.

Capt. Bryce Tedford Reports on 5.8.2024

Half-day excursions and prime Summer fishing for Largemouth & Smallmouth is just around the corner (June-Sept.). For Largemouth we use 7-8wt rods, floating lines & large poppers or Gurglers. For Smallmouth we use 4-5wt rods, small poppers & jig flies if they don’t eat topwater. These trips are a great way to get new people into the sport or just fun in the sun for seasoned anglers to chase topwater Bass!

 

 

Finally, come Fall (Sept-Dec), I turn my attention back to Stripers to finish the year. I still have plenty of openings in the Summer for 1/2 day Bass trips as well as Full day trips in the Fall for Stripers! 

 

Matt Heron Reports on 5.8.2024

Jarrett Coons Reports on 5.08.2024

 

Clayton Ono Reports on 5.8.2024

Putah Creek: Putah is fishing great right now. The fish have fattened back up post spawn, and are in prime fighting shape. The bigger fish will take you for a serious ride, have your drag and knots dialed in.

 

 

Flows are absolutely perfect for wading, around the 300cfs range and lower, flows will begin to increase any day as the weather heats up here. Remember to always wade with caution, and check the flows before fishing. The fish are eating size 18-16 PMD nymphs, 20-18 BWO nymphs, 22-18 midges, and the occasional 16-14 caddis. Fish under a strike indicator or euro nymph, whatever you have more confidence in and feel you can make the best drag free presentation with. The drag free presentation is the key to success on Putah. PSA: The ticks are out with a vengeance right now, check your waders when you get to the water after long hikes through brush, it’s pretty easy to flick them off and prevent bringing them home with you.

 

  

Now is the time to get some great easy fishing and wading in before the summer heat sets in.

Some of my favorite patterns right now:

#18-16 Juju Baetis 

#18-16 Mercer’s Micro Mayfly

#22-18 Zebra Midges & Midge emergers

#16-14 Beadhead Caddis Larva 

#18-16 Bird’s Nest

#12 San Juan Worms

 

 

 Robert George Reports on 5.8.2024 

 

Putah Creek: Putah is in full spring fishing mode right now. The fishing has been great! Flows are right under 300cfs and the water clarity is perfect. I predicted we only have a few more weeks of these perfect conditions before the summer flows start to ramp up. PMD’s, BWO’s, caddis and midges are hatching throughout the day. Fishing emerger patterns about 2 1/2 feet to 3 1/2 feet down from your indicator is producing grabs. Some go to flies on Putah right now are Flashback WD40s, Hogan's S&M, Pheasant tails, San Juan worms, Barr emergers, zebra midges, micro mayflies, split cased PMDs, and fox’s caddis pupas.

Aaron Gabriel Reports on 5.08.2024

Lower Sacramento River:

The fishing on the Lower Sacramento River is truly exceptional right now, with the bite heating up significantly over the last week. Anglers are experiencing 20 to 30 hookups per day, a number that's expected to rise with the ongoing warm weather. The river's flows have been fluctuating, but they're stabilizing around 11,000 to 12,000 cubic feet per second (CFS), setting the stage for even more consistent and phenomenal fishing from mid-May through June. The fish have been chewing Pale Morning Duns (PMDs), smaller sizes, 16-18, proving to be more effective. These flies, beaded, featuring a subtle flash, or even beadless, have been highly successful. Additionally, patterns such as caddis, Yellow Sallies, and rubber-legged flies are also enticing strikes. Depending on the specific spot along the river, anglers are finding success using a 6 to 8 foot leader with a setup of two to three AAA split shots to perfectly balance their presentations. Call Harvest Wild for an outstanding fishing experience on the Lower Sacramento River.

Shasta Lake:

Shasta Lake is offering phenomenal fishing experiences this season! The bass are just beginning to spawn, and we’re catching incredible numbers of fish. Shad balls are starting to appear, though the surface temperature isn’t quite perfect yet. With another week of solid warm weather, we expect an all-out frenzy on the lake. Fishing should remain excellent through June, with July promising exciting topwater bites and opportunities to strip small streamers. The fish this year are in exceptional health, and two to three-pounders are becoming much more common than in recent seasons. We’ve even landed a few in the four to five-pound range using fly rods. Join Harvest Wild for an incredible and well-rounded trip on Shasta Lake. Experience the best of local fishing with us and make unforgettable memories on the water!

Pyramid Lake-January/February '24

We have experienced a slow start to the action at Pyramid Lake in 2024, but great fish are being caught by those willing to persevere. Lately the most effective tactic has been running various colors of balanced leeches 8-11 feet under an indicator. As the water begins to warm up come March, the bite should shift over towards midges. Top patterns have been classic balanced leeches in olive, black, purple and white, pine squirrel leeches and moo minnows.  

Between passing storms that make it over the Sierra Nevada, the lake can be dead calm. During glassy conditions, the bobber bite can be tricky, and stripping can be much more effective. Guys have been sticking quality fish stripping smaller beetles and tadpoles as well as leech patterns. Top patterns have been Popcorn Beetles, Foam Boobies and Midnight Cowboys. 

As far as gear goes, we have been doing it all with the LCO Golden Gate rods. Switch rods have truly revolutionized the way Pyramid is fished, and the Golden Gate has performed perfectly. The ideal line setup for indicators for us has been the #6 420gr Rio Elite Switch Chucker with a Light 10ft floating Rio MOW Tip. It perfectly loads the Golden Gate rod. It is easy to hold onto, and even with frozen fingers, it turns over long and heavy bobber rigs like nothing. The Golden Gate is a great option for a stripping rig as well, in our experience the Rio Outbound Shooting Head in ST9S6 has been perfect combined with the Airflo Ridge 2.0 running line. 

Big indicator rigs can be challenging to cast. We like to start out with twenty inches of 20 lb Maxima Chameleon with a large loop on one end, large enough to pass a sizable indicator through without too much trouble. Using a blood knot, attach 6 ft of 15 lb Maxima Ultragreen and slide on a Large Size Jaydacator. On the opposite end, attach a Rio Micro Swivel. From the swivel you can attach different lengths of tippet depending on how deep you'd like to fish. For example, add 3 feet to your first fly and then 2 feet to the second fly. As for tippet we recommend, Rio Fluoroflex in 1-2 x. Pyramid fish can be a bit picky and unpredictable, especially the big ones, so it’s best to cover as many bases as you can to up your odds at a hog. It’s a big rig, but Maxima Chameleon is stiff.  A switch rod will make quick work turning over, even in the wind and chop. Consider adding a heavy split shot above the swivel, size SSG is ideal. Adding weight has a few advantages. It gets your flies down quick, but will also make your indicator sit a bit lower in the water. This allows the indicator to become a hair trigger, and will exaggerate the most subtle of takes. Very helpful in calmer conditions. 

Stripping rigs are much simpler, to the end of your shooting head,  attach 6ft of 1x Rio Fluoroflex. Then, with a loop knot, attach your fly of choice. 

Another option is to strip a two fly rig. Attach 4ft of 1x Rio Fluoroflex to your fly line, and create a small dropper loop about 18 inches from the end. Next, attach 6 inches of 2x Rio Fluoroflex to the dropper loop and with a loop knot, attach a weighted fly of your choice. We recommend the Beldars Bugger in black or olive. Finally, attach a buoyant fly of your choice off the other end of the tippet. We recommend a JF Popcorn Beetle or a similar pattern with plenty of movement. 

This time of year, where to fish on the lake can be a bit of a crapshoot. Just about anywhere on the lake can produce. Crowds can suck to fish in, but typically don’t mean there aren’t fish in the area. Find a rock or beach you like and grind it out. Fish are on the move and will make an appearance eventually. If not, roll a fatty, and enjoy the view.

Need help getting out on the water? We have the connects to get you dialed in! Give our friend Autumn Harry a call. As the first female Paiute Guide in the area, she has done a lot for the fishery and community locally. Furthermore, she is incredibly knowledgeable on where the fish are throughout the season, and how to get them to hand. 

https://kooyooepaaguides.com/ 

If you are a member of the Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club or Peninsula Fly Fishers, We highly encourage you to take them up on a fish-out they may be hosting up at the lake! 

Fishing the Trinity River: Bobber or Spey

No matter how you approach it, both fishing techniques offer an angler a multitude of opportunities in wrangling up their own ghost on the coast. Steelhead are such a special target species along our California Coast Line.

Now that the seasons are going to start changing on us we can expect to see more Steelhead showing up in our favorite rivers.

Whether you're dead drifting a nymph to a holding steelhead, or swinging a fly across a greasy tailout, the Trinity River has something to offer for the eager angler. 

Summer Time Bass Fishing 

Just like Baseball and Apple Pie bass fishing is as American as it gets. A pastime that offers a simple outlet for beginner and advanced anglers alike. We have lakes available all throughout the Bay Area and are accessible for a fun day of fishing.

With the Dog Days of Summer is in full swing one of our favorite things to do is walk the banks of our local lakes and throw some big bugs at aggressive bass. A great resource we wan to share with is from our local bass guide and friend of the shop, Max Garrison.

When going fly fishing, you want to make sure to have the correct flies that imitate what fish will be interested in eating. As Anglers we focus on the food supply of the fish, and how / where they are hunting.  This can change multiple times throughout the year.  Dropping and rising water levels cause changes to the structures that fish live in, especially during the Summer.  It also changes the areas they feed, the ways they hunt, and what they eat.

Our goal here is to choose the right fly that imitates what the fish are most interested in eating. My two go-to flies, the Popper and the Woolly Bugger, mimic food sources found both on top of the surface of the water as well as below.

A Popper is a common type of dry fly or top-water fly. It is designed to float on the surface and make a distinct bubbling/ gurgling noise when it breaks the water's surface tension.  Bass are able to sense low-frequency changes in water, commonly caused by the movement of their prey (learn more in this blog). The popper is intended to mimic the frequency changes and appearance of frogs, bugs, birds, and struggling baitfish that bass feed on.

When fishing a Popper, the angler pulls in their fishing line with an abrupt motion causing the popper to dive and quickly push water. This motion brings an air pocket, that bubbles at the surface making ripples. It is important to make pauses of varying duration to allow the fish to come and inspect the potential prey moving through its territory. 

I recommend having a variety of poppers ranging from size #2-#10 that are made with different materials including foam, plastic, and natural material like deer hair.

These different sizes and materials will have a different sound, motion, and appearance in the water and light. I currently recommend fishing a size #8 popper starting with darker colors in lower light and moving lighter as the day goes on. 

A Woolly Bugger is a famously diverse type of wet fly or streamer that is fished subsurface. It can be used in fresh or saltwater to target countless types of fish. Much like a popper, it comes in many different sizes and colors, but the shape of the Woolly bugger typically remains uniform. The Woolly buggers we use at Garrison Fishing Guides have varying weights of beads on the head (or front of the fly) that allows it to fall deeper into the water at varying speeds. 

When the angler pulls their line, the streamer rises up in the water column and falls again when the angler stops. This creates a rise and fall “swimming/ twitching motion”, that depending on the buggers size and color, can imitate baitfish, large nymphs, leeches, drowning terrestrial bugs, crayfish, or endless other food sources.

To be prepared for anything, I recommend a variety of woolly buggers; primarily in size #6-#8. My favorite colors are black, olive green, and white/brown. Nearly all of my Woolly buggers have bead heads or cone heads to help them sink.  I typically start with a classic black, which in my opinion, imitates the largest variety of food types. If I am not getting bites I will move to other colors.

Poppers and Woolly Buggers have been the winning flies when targeting Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, and even Bluegill in the reservoirs and lakes of Marin. Recent clients of Garrison Fishing Guides have been extremely successful with both of these flies and methods because the fishing is so interactive and visual. 

When going fishing, be sure to switch up your flies, tactics, and methods to find where the fish are and what they are most interested in eating. Humans and fish are similar in that variety is the spice of life!

Now that you know what to fish with let's give you some ideas on where to fish!

San Francisco

• Lake Merced

Marin

• Bon Tempe Lake
• Lagunitas Lake
• Phoenix Lake
• Nicasio Reservoir

Sonoma

• Spring Lake
• Lake Ralphine
• Lake Wilson (Riverfront Regional Park)
• Russian River
• Stafford Lake

Napa

• Lake Berryessa
• Lake Hennessy

Contra Costa

• San Pablo Reservoir
• Lafayette Reservoir
• Los Vaqueros Reservoir

Alameda

• Lake Chabot
• Lake Temescal
• Shadow Cliffs
• Fremont Quarry Lakes

Santa Clara

• Coyote Reservoir 
• Lexington Reservoir
• Del Valle Reservoir
• Shadow Cliffs

...Just to name a few.

The Same 5wts and 6wt fly rods you already have are perfectly applicable at these places. In addition to bass and bluegill; Carp, Crappie, the occasional trout and gluttonous catfish are all on the hunt for your fly.

Short stocky leaders like the 7.5' 2x 10lb Rio Powerflex Trout are perfect for bass poppers. Longer leaders like the 9' 3x 8lb Rio Powerflex Trout are preferred for leeches and streamer fly patterns!

Book a Day with Max Garrison