What's Hot and What's Not™(THE Northern California Fly Fishing Report)

What's Hot and What's Not™
(THE Northern California Flyfishing Report) from

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View the latest flow updates and reservoir release information. NCDAG page number(s) in the comments section of the report refer to the Northern California DeLorme Atlas and Gazetter.

1 July 2008
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Fishery	H2O Conditions	Fishing conditions, Techniques, and Hatches	Flies	Comments
Lake Almanor	Green, Surface temps in high 60’s- low 70’s.	Fishing is good. The hex hatch is in full swing and big fish are being caught. Get in a pontoon or float tube by 7pm and kick around the west shore access or near the dam. Bring 2 rods set up with different lines. A type 3 full sink will get your fly down to the feeding zone. Strip the fly upward and let it settle back on the bottom. Rig a dry rod with a 3x leader and cast into boils and next to naturals for hook ups. The surface action starts in the last hour of light. Rainbows, browns, and smallmouth bass are all showing. Air quality is poor but slowly improving.	Hex nymphs Quigley’s emerging hex nymph, Burk’s hex nymph, Bear’s headbanger hex (#6-8). Hexagenia cripples/dries Quigley’s Hex cripple, Mercer’s poxyback hex cripple, Water’s foam hex, Bear’s foam hex, (#6-8).	Expect moderate to heavy fishing pressure. Access off CA-89 near Chester. NCDAG pg 59.
Butte Creek (Butte Meadows)	Clear, high 50’s F, low flow.	Fishing is fair. Best fishing is from 6pm to dark. Hatchery fish are easily fooled with attractor nymphs along Cherry Hill Campground. Caddis are hatching in shades of tan and gray. Hiking away from easy access will put you on a less traveled section of water and native fish. Cover lots of water to improve your success rate. The area has been impacted by recent wildfires and is very smoky.	Attractor dries irresistible adams, parachute light cahill, Rio Grande trude, Pink & lime trude, yellow humpy, parachute adams, indicator fly, paralyzer, royal coachman, crystal stimulator, renegade, royal wulff. Attractor beadhead nymphs (listed elsewhere). Caddis cripples/dries/pupas (listed elsewhere).	Expect moderate fishing pressure. Access at Cherry Hill Campground. NCDAG pg. 58.
Davis Lake (near Portola off hwy 70)	Clear, low 60s F.	Fishing is very good. The damsels are out in full force starting around 9 AM and continue to 1pm. Start the day float tubing the deeper water until 10am. Then put the tube away and wade the shallows looking for cruisers. Be sure to lead the trout. Use a 10ft leader and 8-10lb tippet. Trout are running 14-22 inches and are very fat and hot. Jenkins Point, Freeman, and Cow Creek are top damsel spots. The water is starting to warm so the fish will head out to cooler water soon.	Damsel fly nymphs/dries Burk’s sierra damsel (tan, olive), Fox’s damsel nymph olv/cinn, mono eye damsel, Burk’s stillwater nymph (tan, olive), No name damsel, foam swimming damsel, Stalcup’s ultra damsel, J Fair wiggle tail nymph (olive, fiery brown), adult blue damsel, Burk’s adult damsel (#12-16). Blood midge pupa desert storm, WD 40 red, red brassie, disco midge red, red and copper zebra midge (#12-14).	Moderate to heavy fishing pressure. Hwy 70 is currently closed due to wildfires and falling rocks - plan an alternate route. NCDAG pg 70.
Deer Creek (above Potato Patch Campground down to Ishi Wilderness)	Slight tint, low 50’s F, 81 cfs at Vina.	Fishing is fair to good, but limited. Fishing is possible approximately 3.5 miles upstream from Deer Creek Falls due to Hwy 32 controlled traffic. Hatches of caddis and small mayflies are bringing many of the fish to the surface in the evening. Indicator nymphing with bird’s nest and prince nymphs is also producing. The meadow section is perfect for a short, light rod. Make note the air quality is very poor right now due to wildfires.	Caddis cripples/dries Hogan’s last call caddis, Henryville, Brook's headlight, elk hair caddis (brown, tan, olive), Cutter's E/C, Overly's spotlight (tan, olive), Hemingway, Goddard caddis, Blue ribbon X2 caddis, Fox’s crowning poopah olv/cinn, Kyle’s better foam caddis (#12-20). Attractor beadhead nymphs (listed elsewhere). Attractor dries (listed elsewhere in the report).	Expect moderate to high fishing pressure around campgrounds along highway 32. Access off Hwy 32 from Deer Creek bridge upstream to Hwy 36. NCDAG pg. 58.
Fall River (Cal Trout access to Spring Creek Rd.)	Clear, normal flow.	Fishing is good. Look for a good trico spinner fall starting around 9am. Break out the #22’s and 7x ! Adding a small #18 parachute adams above your trico will help track your tiny pattern on the water. PMD’s are actively hatching from 10am-1pm. Sight fishing to risers is the way to go. Take a break in the afternoon. The Hex hatch is in full swing in the lower river near the confluence of the Tule River. Best activity is after 8 PM. Fish a nymph on a 10ft fluorocarbon leader stripped back to the boat. A hex dry at last light is getting some big trout.	Tricos triple wing spinner, male poly spinner, twilight trico spinner, Barr’s drowned spinner. PMD emergers/cripples/ dries (listed elsewhere). Hex nymphs and Hexagenia cripples/dries (listed elsewhere).	Expect moderate fishing pressure. Pram with electric motor needed. Public access is at Cal Trout. NCDAG pg 38.
Feather River, N.F. (Beldon Forebay to Lake Oroville)	Slight tint, high 50s F, good flow.	Fishing is not possible due to the closure of Hwy 70 7.6 miles west of Pulga all the way to the junction of Hwy 89 near Greenville. Wildfires and falling rocks are a serious hazard. As the conditions improve, look for rainbows in cooler, oxygenated pockets and runs. Caddis are the main menu item. Plan to nymph during the day and dry fly from 7pm to dark.	Attractor beadhead nymphs (listed elsewhere). Caddis cripples/dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/emergers Mercer’s tungsten swing caddis, Amber wing caddis, pulsating caddis (tan, olive), Fox's poopah (olive, tan), Mercer’s z-wing (green, amber), Fox’s springtime poopah, Amber wing prince, M’s Dirty Bird, (tan, olive) (#12-18).	Expect light fishing pressure. Access along Hwy 70. NCDAG pg 59.
Hat Creek (PH#2 to fish barrier)	Green, low to mid 40s F, good flow.	Fishing is fair. Warmer weather is starting to impact fishing. Tricos start the morning followed by the PMD hatch. Also, keep an eye out for sporadic callibaetis activity. Afternoon fishing is slow. In the evening, dry fly fishing with green drakes and little yellow stoneflies around Carbon Flats is bringing larger fish to the net. Nymph fish the PH2 riffle in the later afternoon and work your way downstream. The area has been impacted by wildfires and air quality is poor.	Green drake dries Green Drake parachute, Neally's green drake, Brook's sprout green drake, challenged green drake (#8-10). Green drake nymphs tungsten hunchback green drake nymph, Poxyback green drake (#8-10). Callibaetis nymphs Janssen’s emerging callibaetis, pheasant tail, Scharantz callibaetis, tungsten skinny nelson (#14-16). Callibaetis dries sparkle dun, CDC callibaetis transitional dun, Brook's CDC dun callibaetis, CDC biot comparadun, callibaetis extended body (#14-16). Caddis pupa/emergers (listed elsewhere). PMD emergers/cripples/dries and Tricos (listed elsewhere).	Expect crowds at the PH#2 riffle on weekends. To escape the crowds, try fishing below Carbon Flat or the Hwy 299 bridge. NCDAG pg 48.
Hot Creek	Clear, high 40s F, moderate flow (29 cfs).	Fishing is good. Flows are up a bit and causing some weeds to drift. This is dislodging scuds and insects, making them available to trout. There is a good trico hatch around 9am followed by PMD’s in the mid morning. Afternoons bring out caddis and yellow stones. Midges are abundant throughout the day, especially in the morning. Make sure to carry fine tippet and tiny patterns. Realistic flies and delicate presentations will con these finicky feeders.	Tricos (listed elsewhere), PMD emergers/cripples/ dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis cripples/dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/emergers and Little yellow stone dries (listed elsewhere).	Expect moderate fishing pressure on weekends. Access at upper parking lot and fish downstream to the hot springs. NCDAG pg 112.
Little Truckee River (between Boca and Stampede Reservoirs)	light tint. Low to mid 50's. Moderate flow (169 cfs)	Fishing is good. The PMD hatch starts around 10am. Fish a PMD nymph prior to emergence and switch to a cripple when the first heads break the surface. A sparkle dun is a go to pattern when fish are taking duns. In the afternoon, fish a small hopper and dropper along grassy banks. There are some caddis and PED's hatching in the evening. Be sure to make accurate casts and good drifts. It is better to get close and kneel down than to struggle with a long cast and impossible drift.	PMD emergers /cripples/ dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere).	Expect heavy fishing pressure, especially on weekends. Fish between Boca and Stampede Reservoirs. NCDAG 81.
McCloud River (below McCloud Reservoir)	Clear to green, low 50's, normal flow (400 cfs at Shasta Lake)	Fishing is fair to good. Water levels are back down to normal. Indicator with a golden stonefly and a small black nymph dropper. In the afternoon fish a terrestrial along the grassy banks. The trout are hanging in the pools, runs, and pocket water. The evening hatch of PED, caddis, and still some golden stones is good. Trout are working the dries, so if you are not catching fish, keep moving. The Conservancy and Ah-Di-Nah are fishing better than Ash Camp.	Golden stonefly nymphs, BWO/Baetis nymphs, Pale morning dun nymphs (listed elsewhere), Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere). River woolly buggers/streamers (listed elsewhere).	Moderate fishing pressure. Access below McCloud Reservoir. NCDAG 36.
Pit River #3,#4, #5 (below Lake Britton to Big Bend)	light tint, mid to high 50s F, controlled release on Pit #3: 150 cfs.	Fishing is good. Caddis will dominate the hatches for the remainder of summer. Tight line nymphing is good all day with small dark nymphs. Be sure to use lots of weight to get your fly down. The evening caddis hatch gets going around 7pm and improves as dark comes on. Little yellow stones are also hatching. Make sure to carry a few size 14 yellow mayfly duns for the evening epeorus hatch. The dry fly fishing can be very good. Concentrate in the faster water where Pit River fish hang out. Air quality is poor due to wildfires in many places.	Attractor beadhead nymphs royal flush, Hogan’s Steelie Caddis, hare’s ear, twenty incher, Eng thing, Fred Gordon amber wing prince, Hart’s dark lord, copper john (red, black, lime, copper) Hogan’s amber wing attractor, Tungsten Hotwire prince (olive/copper & Green/Yellow), Queen prince, bh buggy bird’s nest, black AP (#10-18). Golden stonefly nymphs and Golden stonefly dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere). Attractor dries (listed elsewhere).	Moderate fishing pressure. Access below Lake Britton or from Big Bend. Studded boots and a wading staff are a must for fishing the Pit. NCDAG pg 47.
Sacramento River, Lower (below Keswick Reservoir)	Slight tint, mid 50s, moderate flow (13,000 cfs).	Fishing is fair to good. Fishing is improving since the last report thanks to a steady weather pattern and consistent flows. Nymphing is the way to go with various brown and golden stonefly patterns. Dropping a caddis pupa or s&m nymph off the bend of the stonefly adds a little variety for the fish. Make sure to use a longer leader and more weight for summer fishing - 2 SSG shot is common. Look for fish rising to caddis in the evening along vegetation. A dead-drifted e/c caddis will put a bend in your rod when surface feeders are located.	Golden stonefly nymphs jumbo john, Morrish cone stone, Morrish WMD, Mercer’s raghead, Poxyback golden stone nymph, Mercer's poxyquill golden stone, micro cable stone, beadhead twenty incher, copper back, Burglar stone golden, tungsten rag stone golden (#8-12). BWO/Baetis nymphs (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere). Caddis cripples/dries (listed elsewhere).	With these higher flows, best access is by drift boat. Wade access is limited. DO NOT wade into the rainbow trout redds. NCDAG pg 46, 57.
Sacramento River, Upper (Lake Siskiyou to Lake Shasta)	Clear, mid to high 50’s. Moderate to low flow (291 at Delta).	Fishing is good to very good. There can be consistent dry fly activity most of the day if you are in the right area. Pay attention to the streamside vegetation and select your imitation on what is flying around. Upper sections above Mossbrae Falls are responding to large Stimulators and golden stone patterns (even fishing them blind), whereas lower sections are eating caddis regularly. Nymphing in lower sections below Pollard Flat is producing the largest fish. Don’t miss the evening rise, Pink Alberts (PMD) are still around. Caddis in tan and gray are plentiful in the evening. When targeting individual fish, look for consistent, confident rises - those are the big fish !	PMD emergers/cripples/dries (listed elsewhere). Pale morning dun nymphs (listed elsewhere). BWO/Baetis nymphs (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere). Caddis cripples/dries (listed elsewhere). Golden stonefly nymphs (listed elsewhere). Attractor beadhead nymphs (listed elsewhere).	Expect heavy fishing pressure. Be careful when wading. NCDAG 36, 46.
Truckee River (Trout Creek to CA Stateline)	Slight Tint, high 40’s to low 50’s. Slightly high flow (370 cfs).	Fishing is good. The best fishing is in the early AM and late PM. Start the day working the runs and pockets off Glenshire Drive with green drake and PMD nymphs. Takes can be subtle so set on any movement in the line or indicator. Around 10am the PMD hatch is bringing fish up to sip silhouette duns and floating PMD nymphs. Evening hatches consist of green drakes, little yellow stones, PED’s, and caddis. Some nice sized rainbows and browns are being caught this week.	PMD emergers/cripples/dries (listed elsewhere). Golden stonefly nymphs (listed elsewhere) Green drake dries and Green drake nymphs (listed elsewhere).	Good access at Glenshire and below Boca Reservoir. Expect moderate fishing pressure. NCDAG 81.
Yuba River, Lower (from Englebright dam to Marysville)	Clear, low 50s, moderate flow (1370 cfs) below Englebright dam.	Fishing is fair to good. Get on the water for the PMD hatch around 10am. Make sure to bring a selection of spring creek style patterns. Yuba fish are notoriously selective. Lengthen your tippet if fish are refusing your fly. Afternoon nymphing is productive with caddis pupa and mayfly nymphs. The evening rise is by far the best time to be on the water, but it is only a short window of opportunity. Fish hard and smart with accurate casts and set up drag free drifts. E/C caddis and X caddis are solid producers.	PMD emergers/cripples /dries Harrop last chance PMD cripple, PMD CDC transitional dun, Harrop PMD captive dun, Lawson's PMD emerger, fluttering mayfly cripple PMD, last chance PMD cripple, Quigley’s Hat Creek PMD emerger, Brook's KD dun PMD, loopwing paradun PMD, Brook's sprout PMD, PMD biot comparadun, hackle stacker PMD, PMD hair wing dun, PMD sparkle dun, PMD parachute (#14-18). BWO/Baetis nymphs (listed elsewhere). Pale morning dun nymphs (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/emergers (listed elsewhere).	Water above Hwy 20 bridge is open. Access at the Hwy 20 bridge and Sycamore Ranch campground. NCDAG pg 78,79.
Yuba River, North Fork (between Downieville and Sierra City)	Clear, mid to high 50’s, low flow (212 cfs).	Fishing is good. The best action is during the evening with fish rising to caddis and attractor dry flies. Golden stoneflies are still coming off so don’t be afraid to tie on a big nymph and fish it deep. Throughout the day a dry-dropper combo will keep your rod bent. Fish a high floating dry to stay afloat in tumbling currents. In the evening, good hatches of little yellow stones and caddis are making easy pickings for dry fly anglers. This section is perfect for a 3 wt rod, with plenty of room for casting.	Little yellow stone dries Hogan’s yellow hanging stimulator, Brooks headlight little yellow sally, Cutter’s little yellow sally, Quigley’s little yellow sally, yellow stimulator, yellow crystal stimulator (#14-16). Attractor beadhead nymphs (listed elsewhere). Attractor dries (listed elsewhere in the report). Golden stonefly nymphs and Golden stonefly dries (listed elsewhere). Caddis pupa/ emergers (listed elsewhere).	Light fishing pressure. Access off of Hwy 49. NCDAG pg 70.
Other Reports
Small Stream Clinic- Great clinic for a beginning or novice angler. The streams surrounding Chico are full of hungry and willing trout. Dry fly fishing on these streams is very good. Topics covered include rigging, “reading” water, and techniques to fish both nymphs and dry flies. Most important, students will have plenty of practice learning how to hook, fight, and land trout. Exact stream location will depend on current water conditions. Clinic is limited to 3 students. July 6, 12, 19. Cost is $175 per person. One Day Youth Introduction to Fly Fishing Clinic- Trying to get your son or daughter in to fly fishing? Our instructors love nothing more than seeing a kid hook their first fish on a fly. The day starts with a discussion of the essential elements of fly fishing tailored to a younger anglers needs, with plenty of breaks and snacks. After lunch we will cover the basic elements of fly casting and then students will have the opportunity to catch their first fish on a fly in a stream around Chico filled with trout. Cost is $175 per person and includes a take home book, snacks, and equipment. July 19. Other Reports Feather River (Hwy 70 bridge to Gridley) A few steelhead up to 6 lbs are still showing. PT nymphs and caddis pupa are solid producers. Early morning is best time to catch an adult. Above the CA-70 bridge closes July 15. East Carson is improving. Water levels are dropping to low levels and the fish are getting hungry. A good combo here is a hopper and dropper combo. Caddis and some PED's are out in the evening, providing some dry fly action. The trout are a little spooky with the water levels dropping quickly. Putah Creek is poor. High water levels (652cfs) is making access tough. Some dry fly activity in the late evening on small caddis if you can get to the fish. Stanislaus River below Goodwin Dam is fishing fair to good. Water level is a little high, but fishable. Best bit is during the evening caddis hatch. During the day, small olive caddis pupa are producing in the deeper runs. Smoke has been a problem. West Carson is fishing fair to good. Attractor dries and nymphs is all you need in the Hope Valley area. Walker River, East Fork (below Bridgeport Reservoir) is fishing fair to good. The bite varies from day to day, but overall it is worthwhile. There are PMD's in the morning, and caddis in the evening. While nymphing, small nymphs will definitely out-produce large nymphs. Try fishing downstream of the Hwy bridge to get away from other fishermen. Water levels are good (175cfs), but if there is a rise or drop it can turn the fishing off for a day or two.
Credits
WH&WN™ FREE flyfishing report would not be possible without the help of Victor Babbit/Tahoe Fly Fishers/Tahoe, Keith Kaneco/Guide, Jerry/The Troutfitter/Mammoth Lakes, Truckee River Outfitters, Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters, Motherload Fly Shop, Ted Fay Flyshop/Dunsmuir, Greg/Sweeny’s sport shop, Frank Rinella/Nevada City Anglers/Nevada City, Rob/Reno Fly Shop/Reno, Andy/Kiene's Fly Shop/Sacramento, Angler Edge fly shop, Steve Vaughn/Vaughn’s Sporting Goods/Burney, Val & Randy Aubrey (www.eaglelakefishing.info), Craig Nielsen, Gary McFarland, Mark Harris & Richie. Special thanks to all the WH&WN™ subscribers who have submitted their fishing reports for the fisheries listed in WH&WN, you help keep us honest, accurate, and up-to-date.