Battle Creek is a major tributary to the Lower Sacramento River, entering the Lower Sac near Cottonwood. We guide a 3.5 mile private stretch of the creek about 25 minutes from Red Bluff. Despite it's proximity to civilization, Battle Creek is very wild and pristine. The stream is spring-fed, running clear and cold all season long.
Battle Creek is home to wild rainbow trout, spring-run chinook salmon, and steelhead. The stretch that we fish is known for numerous wild rainbows. These fish rarely see anglers and love to eat big bushy dry flies. Battle Creek has intense hatches of salmonflies, golden stones, mayflies, caddisflies, October Caddis, plus good grasshoppper action during the summer.
Gear Recommendations for North Battle Creek
Rods, Reels & Lines:
A three or four-weight rod is perfect for Battle Creek. We primarily fish dry flies and dry/dropper techniques.
Leaders, Tippet & Indicators:
9ft or 7.5ft leaders tapered to 3X, 4X and 5X work great on Battle Creek. We rarely use indicators. Big bushy stonefly and grasshopper patterns work well as indicator flies.
Waders & Boots:
Boots without spikes are best on Battle Creek. We wear breathable waders in the spring and fall. During the summer months we frequently wet-wade. Plan to wear long pants when wet wading to protect your legs. Make sure to bring your own wading belt. Wading staffs are very helpful.
Hatches & Seasons
Battle Creek is open from the last Saturday in April through November 15th. The creek fishes very well throughout the season.
Flies:
Dries:
• Parachute Adams, 12-18
• Royal Wulff, 12-14
• Elk Hair Caddis, 12-16
• Stimulator, Orange, 6-10
• Grasshopper Patterns, 8-10
Nymphs:
• Copper John, Copper, 12-16
• BH Prince, 12-14
• Rubberleg Stone, black, 6-10
Sample Itinerary
Meeting Time & Place:
We typically meet our clients at their hotel. Meeting times vary depending on the time of year. During the summer it's common to meet at 8:30am. In the spring and fall we frequently meet later as the fishing is usually better later in the day.
Vehicle Considerations:
We typically have our clients travel with us in our vehicles.
Wading difficulty:
Battle Creek is 100% upstream wade fishing with dry flies, and occasionally dry/dropper. This is a strenuous environment with a steep hike in and out. Getting around in the creek itself isn't overly difficult, but a wading staff is recommended.
Multiple Fisheries in one Day:
Due to the distance to other fisheries, we typically devote an entire day to fishing Battle Creek. Occasionally we will do a split day combining fishing on Battle Creek with a short float on the Lower Sac.
Length of the Day:
Most full days conclude around 5:30pm. Half days end around 1pm. If you would like to fish until dark we can arrange to meet later in the day.