The Heydays of Fly Fishing in Nor Cal......1970s

In the 1970s Hat Creek and Fall River where the big deal for anyone in Nor Cal who fly fished.


Rick's Lodge was the iconic hangout for those in the know. You would meet some cool folks there.

90% of all fly fishing was 'matching the hatch' in the surface, mostly with small stuff.

This was pre-indicator fishing time so the only under water deal was swinging a Zug Bug on a sink-tip.


Ray Nicholls had Shasta Anglers fly shop in Fall River Mills which was the iconic shop in the area.

Ray sold Valco prams to everyone for the Fall River and local lakes.


Bob Quigley was 'the man' who help many of us learn how to fish these magical smooth water fisheries.


Hal Janssen was always up there fishing super long leader with small nymphs for big trout.


Dave Inks and Andy Puyans had the famous Creative Sports fly shop in Walnut Creek.

This was the best fly shop in California and remains a big part of the fly fishing history.

You could drive there and see some of the top fly fishing legends of the time.


Bob Nauheim and Frank Bertaina had Fishing International travel service in Santa Rosa.

These guys pioneered the fly fishing world wide.


The San Jose Fly Casters was the top, cutting edge Bay area fly fishing club.

Their member list in the 1970s was some of the best fly fishers of modern times.

Dan Blanton and Ed Givens come to mind but they had many other "commando" fly fishers.


The Golden Gate Angling and Casting Club in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco produced many legends as well.

Fly fishing greats Steve and Tim Rajeff grew up near the club where old timers helped them become world class casters.


I hope someone would start to write the history of fly fishing in California to save all this great information.


Many of these old fly fishers of the Greatest Generation are gone now but had wonderful lives because of fly fishing.

I did not mention the steelhead and salmon fly fishing in Nor Cal in the old days but you can watch the great movie.

"Rivers of a Lost Coast" is a special documentary film that every Steelhead angler should own.


Entire movie - free

https://tubitv.com/movies/189479/rivers_of_a_lost_coast

Regarding: I hope someone would start to write the history of fly fishing in California to save all this great information.

Bill, I think you should write this history. It could be done as a series of articles, or even a book.

Bill:

I, second what Gnat said. Most of your posts and comments, all have a historical value.

Bob Bettati

Yep. Those were the good old days. There were fewer gas-powered boats on Fall River back then. Now, the guides have access to private launches and are legally entitled to use gas-powered boats on the river. The Fall River experience has been somewhat diminished as a result. Then too, the Pale Morning Dun hatches aren't what they used to be. Especially below Zug Bug Alley.

As for that poor, tired, trampled piece of water below the Hat 2 Powerhouse, the so-called Powerhouse Riffle, it still continues to produce fish, though it will never be what it once was. And I am afraid the Old Carbon Bridge stretch that was silted over a number of years ago will never return to its former glory, despite ongoing restoration work.

The Hat Creek watershed does have one conceivable bright spot, however. And that is Baum Lake, or as I like to call it, "Hat Creek Lake." There is a viable population of Pit River strain wild trout in this lake, though it is disappearing fast due to angler harvesting. I have advocated for years that Baum Lake should be protected as a wild trout fishery and included in the Fish and Wildlife Wild Trout Program. Anyone who feels as I do that hatchery stubby tails have no place in a spring creek ecosystem should contact Michael Dege with the Wild Trout Program.

Michael.Dege@wildlife.ca.gov

Sorry. I got a little off-topic didn't I?

The History of Fly Fishing in California.



I probably need to get with some other Baby Boomer fly fishers and start taking notes.

It would just be gathering data specifically from the old bunch.

As we work on a list of groups we can put it up on a web page for each category so people can read it and ad to it.

There is bits of info all over the Internet......Google

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A list of all the fly shops in California? Stroud's, Creative Sports, The Fly Hutch (2), Ted Fay, Trinity Fly Shop, Spring Creek Anglers.
Fox's Flies(Sparks), Shasta Angler, Hat Creek Angler's, (we could do fly shops/sporting good stores.fly sellers by areas/cities?)

A list of sporting goods stores who also had fly fishing supplies plus hardware stores? Anchor Drug, Vauhn's, Mountain Hardware,


A list of all the CA fly rod makers? Powell, Scott, Winston, Fenwick, J.Kennedy Fisher,


A list of CA custom rod makers? Russ Peak, Raptor,


A list of all the CA fly clubs? that is on the Internet under NCCFFC?


A list of all the CA casting clubs? Golden Gate, Oakland, Long Beach


A list of CA reel makers? Ross, Teton, Abel, Langley, Galvan, Fenwick,


CA Feather Merchants? Buz's/Visalia, Hackle House, Hash's Herl & Hackle, Don Frazer in Rough-n-Ready,


CA commercial fly tiers? Bob Quigley, Jay Murakoshi, Galen Geller, Ted Towendolly, Ed Haas, Lincoln/Lance Gray, Cary Blackledge,
Bob Scheidt,


________________________________

We can all work on it?

Bill,
I could give a long list of fly shops that were in California back in the early 70's and 80's... I tied flies for most of the shops in CA even the old Kiene's Fly Shop. Also for the Fly Hutch in Sac ( Mike Monroe) and Los Gatos. Here's one to think about. What was the name of the fly shop before Bob Marriott's bought it. I tied many dozens and dozens of flies for Hat Creek Angler's ( Bob Quigley), Spring Creek Anglers in Burney ( Bob Brink ). The list goes on and on.... I can tell you the hardware stores that sell or use to sell fly fishing equipment. One rod company you forgot about.... J. Kennedy Fisher, who use to roll blanks for a lot of major rod companies in the industry, but they won't admit to it. I saw the mandrels at the factory in Moundhouse, Nv. Right next door to a brothel.
I'll bet a lot of people have no idea there is one of the major or use to be one of the major supplier for fly tying materials right here in Fresno, 5 miles from my house... Do you know the name? I do, just checking to see if anyone else out there knows.
Bill you need to write a book.
Jay

PS.. do any of you remember stopping at the Orleans Market on the way to fishing the Klamath River around the Johnson's area, especially a riffle named the Metah Riffle. Well if you bought any steel head flies from the store, most likely they were tied by me.

PSSS... you ask? How many dozen flies have you tied in your career...In my early days (when I had good eyes) I usually tied any where from 2,400 to 2,800 dozen flies a year

I fished a few of these old timers.

Ed Givens was and still a life member of the Salinas Valley Fly Fishers. I remember when some clubs had a waiting list to become a member. At that time, I joined many clubs but only made a few meetings to some of the clubs. Now I do a lot of club presentations and still see a few of the old timers. Not too many young people interested in the sport like the years past

Dang, I love being a Junior Member