Pupa
08-20-2011, 01:43 AM
I have fished the MF Feather several times in the canyon stretch and, on my drive back to the bay area, have always been intrigued by the long riffles and big boulders of the NF Feather. I felt like I had done ample research on the area (Harris' book on Plumas. NW Flyfisherman, Kiene's forum archives, fly shop advice, etc.), and was ready to tie into some of the big browns which seem to inhabit these waters, at least on paper. So, with my wife and little girl away in Europe, I felt I finally had my chance.
I targeted the upper reaches below Lake Almanor my first day. Alone in a VW golf, I descended the long gravel road into the NF Canyon to the Seneca Bridge. Stopped by a game warden along the way (strange, the first warden in 10 years in a completely remote dirt road), I was warned of the prolific rattlers and gun-toting miners. Nonetheless, I continued my journey to the bridge only to find a small stream, choked by poison oak, with very difficult access. I did not feel altogether comfortable being alone in such conditions bushwacking solo. I noticed a cross mounted in the middle of the creek below the bridge. This sealed my fate and I high-tailed it out of the deep canyon.
As it was getting late, I decided, instead of heading down to Belden, to hit the river just below Almanor where there must be some pond smelt and lunker browns. I was amazed at how low the water was and full of algae. I tried a dry dropper combo in the slicks and just below the tailwater with not a single hit. I tried downstream again with no success. I pulled some rocks and did not see a single insect. No rises. Nothing.
As time was running thin, I decided to drive up to the Upper NF Feather above Chester. I could not find a place that looked fishy. As I was driving up river, I perused FlyFishing Nor Cal, book which mentioned a volcanic feeder stream with sizable trout. Perfect! I drove onwards for another hour on a wagon wheel dirt road until my car was about to vibrate into oblivion. Alone in the middle of nowhere (and after passing a stink-eye harley rider), I decided to turn back and try closer to Chester. I finally found a spot which read 'no trespassing' and was infested with mosquitoes. Had to leave. No repellent. With about a half hour of visible light left, I figured my best best bet was to try the "pasture stretch" of Chester which I assumed would be near the inlet into Almanor. I was wrong. 20 min of trespassing and mosquito attack led me to a swampy marsh thicket with no access. As my luck would have it, the elusive hex hatch was ON that nigh on lake Almanor, but was just finishing as I walked out on the dock to check things out on my way back to the motel.
Next day I drove to Belden. Discouraged from my fruitless ventures upriver, I had grand visions for the lower sections. The water up from Belden was nice, but small and full of planters and campgrounds. I drove 1/4 of the way to Caribou but turned around in search of bigger waters. I tried the immaculate long riffles below Yellow Creek inlet but was rewarded with a smelly squawfish. Perfect water, seemingly perfect conditions, but no insect life. I turned over some rocks which revealed absolutely no insects. I tried a bit further out and found only a few green caddis (maybe I wasn't far enough out, due to the flow fluctuations?). Assuming there MUST be a blizzard evening caddis hatch on this riffle in the evening, I decided to explore the lower Yellow Creek canyon for a few hours and then return. I fished at half-mast for an hour with no luck and hiked up the trail. Beautiful, McCloud-like inaccessible gorge with turquoise water and granite cliffs. Has anyone ever ventured into this area with success?
I returned to the immaculate riffle at 7pm. No rises, no insects, no hits.
Desperate, I drove down to the Tobin bridge area. Beautiful swirling foamy water and herculean boulders - witching hour. I was excited. No bugs, no rises, no hits, no trout to be seen. I did catch a pair of squaw chubs. I was literally swarmed with a blizzard of bats which drove me off the river. I had to drive back to SF, dejected, with the smell of squaw on my hands.
Could someone please confirm that there are indeed both fish and insects on this river? I was disappointed with my choice of the NF Feather, especially after passing-up such choice rives as the MF Feather, NF Yuba, and Big and Little T. Despite this, I'm sure I will be back sometime in the future. Will post images tomorrow.
BT
I targeted the upper reaches below Lake Almanor my first day. Alone in a VW golf, I descended the long gravel road into the NF Canyon to the Seneca Bridge. Stopped by a game warden along the way (strange, the first warden in 10 years in a completely remote dirt road), I was warned of the prolific rattlers and gun-toting miners. Nonetheless, I continued my journey to the bridge only to find a small stream, choked by poison oak, with very difficult access. I did not feel altogether comfortable being alone in such conditions bushwacking solo. I noticed a cross mounted in the middle of the creek below the bridge. This sealed my fate and I high-tailed it out of the deep canyon.
As it was getting late, I decided, instead of heading down to Belden, to hit the river just below Almanor where there must be some pond smelt and lunker browns. I was amazed at how low the water was and full of algae. I tried a dry dropper combo in the slicks and just below the tailwater with not a single hit. I tried downstream again with no success. I pulled some rocks and did not see a single insect. No rises. Nothing.
As time was running thin, I decided to drive up to the Upper NF Feather above Chester. I could not find a place that looked fishy. As I was driving up river, I perused FlyFishing Nor Cal, book which mentioned a volcanic feeder stream with sizable trout. Perfect! I drove onwards for another hour on a wagon wheel dirt road until my car was about to vibrate into oblivion. Alone in the middle of nowhere (and after passing a stink-eye harley rider), I decided to turn back and try closer to Chester. I finally found a spot which read 'no trespassing' and was infested with mosquitoes. Had to leave. No repellent. With about a half hour of visible light left, I figured my best best bet was to try the "pasture stretch" of Chester which I assumed would be near the inlet into Almanor. I was wrong. 20 min of trespassing and mosquito attack led me to a swampy marsh thicket with no access. As my luck would have it, the elusive hex hatch was ON that nigh on lake Almanor, but was just finishing as I walked out on the dock to check things out on my way back to the motel.
Next day I drove to Belden. Discouraged from my fruitless ventures upriver, I had grand visions for the lower sections. The water up from Belden was nice, but small and full of planters and campgrounds. I drove 1/4 of the way to Caribou but turned around in search of bigger waters. I tried the immaculate long riffles below Yellow Creek inlet but was rewarded with a smelly squawfish. Perfect water, seemingly perfect conditions, but no insect life. I turned over some rocks which revealed absolutely no insects. I tried a bit further out and found only a few green caddis (maybe I wasn't far enough out, due to the flow fluctuations?). Assuming there MUST be a blizzard evening caddis hatch on this riffle in the evening, I decided to explore the lower Yellow Creek canyon for a few hours and then return. I fished at half-mast for an hour with no luck and hiked up the trail. Beautiful, McCloud-like inaccessible gorge with turquoise water and granite cliffs. Has anyone ever ventured into this area with success?
I returned to the immaculate riffle at 7pm. No rises, no insects, no hits.
Desperate, I drove down to the Tobin bridge area. Beautiful swirling foamy water and herculean boulders - witching hour. I was excited. No bugs, no rises, no hits, no trout to be seen. I did catch a pair of squaw chubs. I was literally swarmed with a blizzard of bats which drove me off the river. I had to drive back to SF, dejected, with the smell of squaw on my hands.
Could someone please confirm that there are indeed both fish and insects on this river? I was disappointed with my choice of the NF Feather, especially after passing-up such choice rives as the MF Feather, NF Yuba, and Big and Little T. Despite this, I'm sure I will be back sometime in the future. Will post images tomorrow.
BT