Putah

[E.Drucker]

Went out to fish Putah for the first time in three years yesterday. I could NOT believe the amount of pressure going on. Anglers in every single run. One of my harder to reach spots that I never found anyone fishing in the past had 4 dudes fishing a run that only has room for 1 angler. Mind blown.

Def the fires improved access to spots that historically required serious bushwacking. COVID also pushed so many more people outside. What else? Social Media? Guides that post about tiny waterways incessantly? Seems like alot of factors have contributed to jam up this tiny fishery.

Such a bummer :(

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Starting in the late 1960s many were fly fishing Lake Solano from round float tubes

We had a serious mid-day Callibaetis mayfly emergence that brought up every fish in the lake in the summer.

All we needed was a day with low wind and the hatch was wonderful.

Back then we were just learning to fly fish stillwaters and matching the hatch on top and just under the surface.

Most size 16 medium colored classic dries worked well on 6x tippet. This was kind of pre-parachute dries.


Guys from the Bay area like Hal Janssen were there and some of the guys in the 'Flyfishers of Davis' too.

Some of us from the 'California Fly Fishers Unlimited' like George Farrell, Galen Geller, brother Dick, etc. enjoyed it.


Then somehow back then we lost the Callibaetis population in Lake Solano? Some think it was spraying Lake Solano for weeds (copper

sulphate ?) and others thought it was crop dusters that over sprayed from the orchards?

We fished from the split at the island above the camp ground down to the dam.


I don't remember many wade fishing Putah Creek back then.


I believe Mark Pinto was the first to guide Putah Creek in the low flows of the winter.

He tied size 20 nymphs on an 18 hook.......super sparse ties.

I think Mark lived in Stockton, CA and stopped by coming from or going to Putah Creek.


I have hundreds of stories about Putah Creek and Lake Solano.

[Rossflyguy]

Went out to fish Putah for the first time in three years yesterday. I could NOT believe the amount of pressure going on. Anglers in every single run. One of my harder to reach spots that I never found anyone fishing in the past had 4 dudes fishing a run that only has room for 1 angler. Mind blown.

Def the fires improved access to spots that historically required serious bushwacking. COVID also pushed so many more people outside. What else? Social Media? Guides that post about tiny waterways incessantly? Seems like alot of factors have contributed to jam up this tiny fishery.

Such a bummer :(

It’s every river bud. Have you been to the feather or the lower yuba this past year? Everyone decided to buy fly rods during covid restrictions. The most annoying part is when 4 bros who just got their new sage rods and already have their waders on pull up and literally run to the water when they don’t even have their fly line pulled through the rod guides yet. There’s gonna be a lot of poor etiquette for awhile.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If you can, think about moving to a less populated area to have a better quality of life.

Looks like large cities are having lots of social problems now and it will only get worse.

If you go to any small town in any part of rural America (75% of our land mass) you will find nicer people with manners.

[PV_Premier]

If you go to any small town in any part of rural America (75% of our land mass) you will find nicer people with manners.

Generally you may be correct, but there are bad apples everywhere. For instance, lots of bad stories coming out of western Washington on WFF forums right now about people's outright dangerous and threatening behavior on the river.

I got low holed plenty of times in Driggs this past summer/fall too.

[Jake B]

Switch to bass. Lots of water and no fighting for a hole plus they’re a ton of fun. I finally just had it fishing the American this year. It seems etiquette has gone out the door

[Rossflyguy]

Switch to bass. Lots of water and no fighting for a hole plus they’re a ton of fun. I finally just had it fishing the American this year. It seems etiquette has gone out the door

Agreed! I’ve decided to start fly fishing Stillwater fisheries. Bigger fish and more opportunities.

[Lucas Dement]

I was thinking about hitting it next monday before I pick up a friend from the airport but if its full i doubt a dumb kid like me will ever be able to find a spot. Last time I was there before the closure I ended up spending most of my day trying to find a place to fish because of the amount of other anglers sitting in the same holes all day, not that there is anything wrong with that.

[Randy Lee]

It seems this time of year everyone gets an itch. But many of the sierra streams are closed or high so Putah creek is the closest thing to normal. hence the crowds. as soon as rivers open up it will be back to normal, hopefully.

[bonish]

I was thinking about hitting it next monday before I pick up a friend from the airport but if its full i doubt a dumb kid like me will ever be able to find a spot. Last time I was there before the closure I ended up spending most of my day trying to find a place to fish because of the amount of other anglers sitting in the same holes all day, not that there is anything wrong with that.

The Yuba is only a little over half an hour from SMF. A bit more water to share with the crowd.

[E.Drucker]

It’s every river bud. Have you been to the feather or the lower yuba this past year? Everyone decided to buy fly rods during covid restrictions. The most annoying part is when 4 bros who just got their new sage rods and already have their waders on pull up and literally run to the water when they don’t even have their fly line pulled through the rod guides yet. There’s gonna be a lot of poor etiquette for awhile.

ugh..ya. Yuba is packed too, but ill row it and can always find a spot or two that has a bit of elbow room. At 8:30 in the AM literally EVERY SINGLE run on Putah was slammed.

[E.Drucker]

I was thinking about hitting it next monday before I pick up a friend from the airport but if its full i doubt a dumb kid like me will ever be able to find a spot. Last time I was there before the closure I ended up spending most of my day trying to find a place to fish because of the amount of other anglers sitting in the same holes all day, not that there is anything wrong with that.

yep...skip it. Too much pressure on those poor fish anyhow.

[Ralph]

If you go to any small town in any part of rural America (75% of our land mass) you will find nicer people with manners.

That may have been true back in the day, but small town rural America is exactly where the meth and opioid crises are most rampant. These folks may not fish, but they need money, and understand the worth of tackle. A rod vault on the roof rack, or a car covered with fishing stickers is like ringing a dinner bell.

Just last week my brother was on a semi-hidden pullout of a small blue line road sleeping in the back of his SUV when the interior lights went on. Some tweeker was sliding into the front seat. My brother yelled, but before he could pull out his gun, said tweeker had leaped back into the passenger seat of the already rolling getaway car.

[lee s.]

Why yell if you're pulling "protection"? Let the "click" do your talking.
.....lee s.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Get a boat and a gun?




*Cities in the mid-West, like Sioux Fall, South Dakota, were so nice 30 years ago but today it is full of drugs.

**Prime Minister of the Philippines has ordered his police and military to kill all drug dealers instead of arresting them.

[Rossflyguy]

Why yell if you're pulling "protection"? Let the "click" do your talking.
.....lee s.

100% agreed

[Rossflyguy]

That may have been true back in the day, but small town rural America is exactly where the meth and opioid crises are most rampant. These folks may not fish, but they need money, and understand the worth of tackle. A rod vault on the roof rack, or a car covered with fishing stickers is like ringing a dinner bell.

Just last week my brother was on a semi-hidden pullout of a small blue line road sleeping in the back of his SUV when the interior lights went on. Some tweeker was sliding into the front seat. My brother yelled, but before he could pull out his gun, said tweeker had leaped back into the passenger seat of the already rolling getaway car.

Redding is prime example of that

[Ralph]

I asked the same question. Being half awake, his first thought was that it was a bear or perhaps just a raccoon that had figured out how to get in the vehicle. He is in a MUCH better place today than if he had shot someone. Right now he would be at a police station or in the DA's office endlessly explaining himself. Instead, he is out fishing. But, yeah, the bad guy is out free too.