Fall River report - from Dan Blanton's Message Board.

Posted by Tom Malech on 2023-05-31 12:39:44 on Dan Blanton's Message Board.

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Had a great 3 day trip to Fall River (CA) over the weekend. Water was in great shape, although insect activity seems to be a couple of weeks late. For once in like my last 4-5 fishing trips, the weather was perfect. Low 80s and no wind. We had a couple of thunderstorms, but it was more refreshing than a nuisance to the fishing.

I didn't pull out my dry line at all. Stuck to leeches on intermediate and fast sinking lines. Averaged about 15 hook ups with a few drops here and there. Most of the trout were 16-18 inches, with an occasional 20 incher. I think we had two in our group that were 23 inches. All healthy and beautiful fish.

Great trip - my hands hurt from fishing and my belly hurts from laughing.

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Tom had a good fly shop in the Bay area.....now retired........one of the "good guys".

Fishing Zug Bugs on a sinking line used to be effective when the PMD hatch was sparse or absent. I haven't fished a Zug Bug in years. Always go to a leech when conditions warrant. Not surprised to hear that the hatch is late this year.

The scuttlebutt is that CalTrout (and other groups) are leaning on Fish and Wildlife to amend the regs and not keep Fall River open to fishing year around. I think most people realize that was a bad idea.

In the 1970s in the evening anglers would boat down below Rick's Lodge, anchor up and swing Zug Bugs on sink tips.

The Prince nymph and it's variants displaced the old Zug Bug.



My old friend Terry Thomas has had a trailer, year round, out of Burney for decades.

Being a school teacher allowed him to fish that area most of the summer.

He has fished Fall River for maybe 50 years?

He and his friends know the history and all the hatches on the Fall river.


Everyone needs to go there in June or October, stay at a lodge and boat fish the river, hopefully with a guide.

Zug Bug Alley

My old friend Neil Hansen stayed at "Arleta's Lodge" in the 1960s which later became "Rick' Lodge" and after that it was "The Spinner

Fall Lodge" and now it is the "Oak House Tavern."


Lots of history in that "Burney/Fall River" area.




Bob, you have to be pretty old to know about "Zug Bug Alley".