MF Feather Isonychia?

[Hogan Brown]

ya I swing the nymphs in flats with a decent current towards the bank or fish a parachute adams during the hatch. Usually won't fish a dry unless I see adults on the water and fish actively eating them. I have not run into a Oct. Caddis hatch on the NFF...Best ones I find are on the NF Yuba

[Double Haul]

I fished the MF feather this summer. Dropped in from the north side. Near horseshoe bar. It's a steep decent and a tough climb out just to warn you. Bring good socks and boots for the hike.

[Pupa]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll post a report upon my return.

Brett

[Jeff Fisher]

I've been down there. As with most trails down into the MFF, they are very steep and some don't offer much in the way of switchbacks. I went down the One Ear trail (I think....whichever was is upstream). It's definitely steep, but in pretty good shape and marked by a sign, which is always good when venturing down there. As for the river.... it's definitely loaded with fish. I fished downstream and got into lots of rainbows. The usual lot of 8-11" er's, but a few up to 14". Didn't catch any browns. Any nymph will work, they aren't picky. Same with drires.

Now that the water is lower, you shouldn't have any problem getting around down there since you'll be able to cross over where ever you want. A good trip would be to go down one trail, fish downstream then hike up the other. The two trails meet on top of the hill. I'd take a partner with you though. If something happens to you down there, you're toast.

~Jeff

[EricO]

Jeff,

If it's anything like that butt kicker we did down to the MFF near La Porte a few years ago,
then I'm busy. lol At least we had switch backs.

I actually think it's worse.

EO

[Pupa]

Good advice. I'll be going with a couple friends, one is an iron-man type who keeps telling me that it will be "no big deal." I just had a little girl and thus felling a bit of sleep deprivation lethargy.

Last year, almost stepped on a rattler and bumped into a bear, but had a great time primitive camping and narrowly skirting a freak hail and snow storm.

Are there any callibaetis on this river?

Some pics from last year at cleghorn.

Thanks.

Brett

[fj40]

Dont forget to read Ralph Cutters piece in this issue of Cal Fly Fisher!

[Pupa]

Thanks. Is the article on the lower feather or the mf?

[sfp]

Be careful. I've been fishing a lot of canyons for a lot of years, but last month I was search and rescued by helicopter out of the lower canyon along with two friends, one of whom was a very experienced outdoorsman. Actually teaches outdoor survival at a local JC. That canyon will box up on you really quick if you get aggressive with it.

And for the record you cannot hike, raft, canoe, kayak or anything else the six miles from Milsap Bar Rd to the Dome Trail on the lower River. A 1/2 mile above curtain falls (roughly 4.5 miles below Milsap Bar) are 2 inpassible 40 foot waterfalls. They cannot be jumped because of the under current and extremely narrow tongues. Curtain Falls, also roughly 40 feet is passable, but the unnamed and routinely unlabeled falls upriver are not.

Just an FYI for any idiots who were thinking about trying it like we did.

[Black Cloud]

SFP isn't trying to scare anyone, the MF Feather is a wild river.
www.oregonkayaking.net/rivers/mf/mf.html