Middle Fork Feather River Opener 4/7/12

[Troutstalker55B]

This coming Saturday the wild & scenic Middle Fork Feather River opens from the A-23 Bridge 4 miles east of Portola down to the Mohawk bridge downstream of Graeagle. Though fishing will not be red hot, it does give anglers a chance to get out and fish some moving water. The trout of the MFFR do not respond well to flies as other rivers do when water temps are 40-50 degrees (think Truckee River). But this time of year is when I do catch bigger fish who are on the move.



For some reason I also catch more brown trout at this time of year, especially close to the town of Portola. Tactics for early spring is deep nymphing with something big and plenty of split shot on your leader to get down. Your going to want to use heavier tippet than normal. The flows are high and water clarity off color as well, 3x (rope) will do just fine.



The Golden Stone rubber leg is a great searching fly, the nymphs are always present in the system and the trout are accustomed to seeing them on a regular basis. High sticking/short line nymphing with or without an indicator will produce results. Depending on the weather there may be some light hatches of March Browns and the Gray Drake. Dark pheasant tail nymphs in a size 10 for the drake, and size 14 for the March browns may work if water temps cooperate. If you do see rising trout for these hatches consider yourself lucky, this does not happen to often in the early season on the MFFR.




My favorite thing to do in early spring on the MFFR is to swing streamers with a sinking line. For deep water a express sink tip is preferred, and in shallow water a clear camo Intermediate line will do well. Minnow patterns 2-4inch long are best but a bead head black wooley bugger has been effective as well. After your swing is complete in your target area strip the fly back aggressively, this is when I get the most hook ups. What ever game you decide to play look for trout to be in the tail outs of runs and don't forget about back eddies and sloughs. All these water types have warmer water and less flow, the trout do not have to work so hard for their preferred meal.

If you plan on going I wish you the best of luck, and be sure to leave a few for me!

Jon.

[Mark Kranhold]

Great post Jon. I can't wait to get up to our place in Cromberg to do some trout fishing this year, Nice brown! I could use one like that this year

[JGB]

Thank you for sharing.

I do say, there seems to be a bunch of guides that post on this board that have been absolutely fabulous in their willingness to share info/techniques on the various water they guide/fish on.

Credit to them and to BK for allowing it.

Thanx again!
JGB

[BobVP]

That is a section of river I have yet to fish and your post takes a lot of the mystery out of a new place. Thanks for sharing all that information. Makes me thing that THIS is the year I fish that area....

[Jimmie]

Jon, Great Post, Thanks!

Missed you at Tues Nite Meeting.

Take Care,

Jimmie
Chicago Park, CA

[Troutstalker55B]

Thanks for the good words and kind replies, I have 39 years of fly fishing experience and if I died without sharing all that info it would bother me in the after life. This board is something special, I can't thank Bill enough for providing it and letting us guides spread the good word.

fyshhead - Stoked you have a place in Cromberg, I love the river down there!

BobVP - June/July is a great time to fish the MFFR, evenings fishing the dry can be insane. Contact me anytime if you need info.

Jimmie - My honey had other plans for me but I'll be at the next meeting as I'm on the still water panel for that evenings discussion.

Jon.