It is time to go trout fishing

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think that most of the trout streams and trout lakes are fishing well right now.

You need to get up there for a good trip for a weekend or a full week before the end of July.

August this summer will not be quite as bad up there as most because we have had such a slow start with so much late snow and weather.

September should be great with October even better.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Try to post anything you experience or hear about fishing so we can stay up with what is going on in the fishing now.

Thanks.

[Rob]

I agee Bill

I fished with a friend from work and his 12 year old son on the M.F. of the American river today.

It was the first time Fly fishing for them.

The first 3 hrs of light was the best.

We used a dry with a dropper 4' below .


Lost two nice fish
But did land this nice 19' brown.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Wow..............nice Brown Rob.

[Ryan]

Bill, you answered a question I have been thinking about for a while now. Because I remember at the beginning of last August, all the rivers in the sierras, or the foothills were getting too warm for good trout fishing. Around that time, I started heading to the Feather for salmon, and did a backpacking trip for goldens in the John Muir Wilderness 10,000 feet up.

Anyways, August was bad for trout fishing in general (except for putah creek), Putah took off at that time. I have never landed so many 18-22" fish in a single month! It was unbelievable.

The main reason I post is I would like to hear where everyone's been fishing? I just fished the Truckee, little Truckee, and did some exploring in smaller creeks and did alright last week. We stuck a few fish on soft hackles in the truckee in town, and hooked some small ones to the inlet at Boca. The highlight of the trip was an 18 inch fish in a creek no bigger than 12 feet wide w/ crystal clear slow moving water at about 2 feet deep! Got it on a dry too. So I'm guessing the best bets for fishing right now would be the American for stripers, Truckee, (that whole general area) The MF American, NF Yuba, Lower Yuba, L Sac, Upper Sac. At least those are all the ones somewhat close to Sac. Anyone been fishing any of these, or have any other ideas? Trying to decide on where to go this week.

PS. Nice Brown, you got me jealous!

[Alastair]

Hello everyone. Well, I did it, I just booked a place to stay in Dunsmuir for the 16th and 17th of this month.
I am sort of a newbie fly fisherman although I have soaked a few flies on the lower McCloud a half dozen times. All the fish i caught on those trips would maybe make a fish sandwich.
I have a 5wt and a 6wt with who knows what kind of line. I have a vest with most of the accessories and a few boxes of dry flies from Cabelas. I don't have boots or waders yet. I am reluctant to buy just yet because I want to get the right equipment, size, etc. Do I need waders at this time of year or can I wet wade with just boots? If I do that, should I wear socks with the boots? What kind? Although I have been reading a very good book entitled "A Trailside Guide to Fly Fishing" by John Merwin, I have lots of dumb little questions like that that I wish I knew the answers to.
I plan on stopping in at Ted Fay's shop and get some advice and a bunch of "guaranteed" flies. If anyone has any advice regarding my upcoming trip to the Upper Sac or if there is such a thing as a web site for a newb flyfisherman, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!


Alastair Ingram

[Adam Grace]

You most likely do not need waders. But if you wet wade you should buy some Simms "Guard Socks" they take up the space of a neoprene booty inside the boot and they have a built in gravel guard, the most important feature.

God Luck

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Alastair,

Normally June is the big month on the Upper Sac but this year it will be the last two week fo July. It has been good lately but will be even nicer wading while you are there.

Get a Stream Time map ($6) at one of the fly shops for the Upper Sac or maybe print the ones off our fishing reports page for the Upper Sac.

The guys at the Ted Fay Fly Shop will tell you where to fish, when and with what.

You might still have nice fry fly fihsing in the evenings.

[HC]

I haven't been on this board long myself so maybe I am not the one to give the welcome, but you question a fine. Your best bet is to visit a local fly shop near where you live and get to know the staff. They will know the inside stuff on the streams you will be fishing most. Maybe hook you up with a guide, or a casting lesson. Some is just being there and getting it by osmossis. The thing about this game is that the rules are always changing with the seasons, so you have to ready to adapt. It can be easy and it can be tecnical (difficult) and some folks think that the learning parts are just fine, me too. Even amusing. The trick is to start with a good core of knowlege that you can build on. Having a fishing buddy is also helpful, especially someone who knows the ropes some. The main thing is not to take it all to serious and get frustrated. I think I heard somewhere that it take about 10 season to really get the whole thing nailed down. And remember you will get there. HC

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Ryan,
On a normal year August kind of sucks most places except the high country, the Pacific ocean and New Hogan Reservoir for Stripers on top. Maybe the lower McCloud River too because it is so cold.

I can see where Putah Creek or Lake Solano might be good in August because they are so cold.

This year August won't be as bad as normal because we had such a late spring.

Much of what we talk about is from past years of experience but is not always dead on.

The great thing is that there is always much to learn and it is always different making it so interesting.

I guess in August once the stream come down low and are very clear we are suppose to fish early and late, fish with more terrestrials and streamers and fish deep in heavily oxygenated riffles with small nymphs.

Right now there is going to be some great fishing.