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Fishing is good in the intermountain area. The Pit River has been producing good fish on a regular basis. We tried about every nymph in the box today and they all worked. Of all things, a $4/dozen tungsten carrot nymph was the top fly today.
The hex hatch went off in a huge way on Fall River last night. There were countless thousands of bugs on the water. He had some grabs and hooked a few fish, but it was hard to get the fish's attention with that many bugs on the water. Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing!
 The Pit produces!  Where eagles dare  Hexagenia Limbata |
We spent all day on Fall River today. Jimmy and Donny from southern California experienced some challenging fishing, but they persevered and caught some really nice trout. We had a couple of grabs on dries this morning, but most of our action today was on nymphs. There are plenty of hex adults around, even during the day. Book your hex trip now - we still have open days in June and July.
 Yeah baby! |
Fall River is a lot of fun right now. Last night we had one of the most incredible hex hatches I've ever seen. Fish were rising everywhere and we had tons of grabs. Bernard and Catherine from Mill Valley landed several big fish and hooked many more. The hatch started early - we had grabs from about 8:15 on. Tonight the hatch was a little more subdued, but we still had plenty of grabs. This hatch is just getting started - we're looking forward to plenty of great hex trips through the month of July.
 A great Fall River fish  The aftermath of a big hatch  The hex hatch is a lot of fun! |
The hex hatch has started, and last night was amazing. We had lots of grabs, and landed 2 big fish last night, and only saw one other boat in our run. We shared the run primarily with big fish chowing the hundreds of giant dry flies that were everywhere. Sorry most of you missed it...I will be there again tonight, and as much as I can for the next month or so. Its the most epic hatch in the world, hands down.
The upper Fall continues to provide challenging dry fly opportunities...also very addicting. Its not easy, but its worth it. The Pit River is also fishing well most of the day. Prime time on all area waters....come on up!
 Daytime Hex hatch on Fall River  Mark, actually landing a perfect fish on the Pit  John, with a superb Pit specimen |
Thursday was good on the Fall despite the unsettled weather. We managed to hooked some fish via the nymph. One of them hung out both sides of my 18 net.
After dinner, Dax, Brooke and I snuck out for some white-capped Fall River Hexing. We got lots of grabs. My only fish came while stripping my fly in. They were aggressive and hungry. They are ready and willing. Saw a few bugs.
Yesterday the Pit produced some hook-ups. We landed a few, but absolutely got spanked by some total pigs. We learned that when a big fish wants to run, you can't try to stop it.
 Fall River Toilet Flushing  Net Result  The Pit that spanked us |
Fishing was good today. We hooked fish on dries, nymphs & streamers. We stayed close to the dock today since there are tons of fish around CalTrout and the Red Barns. It rained on us in the morning, cleared up mid-day, and then we got rained off around 4pm. There was a pretty impressive electrical storm brewing so we decided to call it a day. Our best dry fly today was an A.K. Best melon quill size 16. Our best nymph was a size 18 Sloan's Mighty Mite, olive.
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We had a full day on Fall River today. We started off near the red barns and ended up on the lower river for the hex hatch. The dry fly fishing was good in the morning, but it was tough to get a grab from the larger fish. We hooked some really nice fish in the early morning and late afternoon on leech patterns. One fish was 20 and about 3 pounds, but it came off right at the net. We made up for it on the hex hatch, landing a really nice fish on a dry. We had numerous grabs and even had a double for a little while.
 On a hex dry!  This one ate a nymph |
Fishing was good again today. We had a great PMD hatch from 9am to noon. The best fly today was a size 18 CDC pullover emerger. Nymphing was productive in the afternoon, with our best fly being a size 16 Anato-may, peacock.
 Russ with a nice one  You could be here...  Judy with a fish on |
Fall River fished well this morning, with fish of all sizes chowing PMD dries on the surface. We hooked three nice ones and numerous smaller rainbows before the wind came up around noon. Our best patterns were an olive sparkle dun size 16, a yellow comparadun size 16 and a limestone cripple size 18. Once the wind was up the fishing was tough for us. The fish weren't interested in nymphs, but we did get some grabs on a beadhead bunny leech pattern.
The Hex hatch will start as soon as the weather gets hot again. We still have some open days.
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All Intermountain waters are fishing excellent. Fall River has been producing some of the best dry fly action available in the country for skilled anglers. It's challenging spring creek dry fly fishing and it's awesome. Every day our anglers have numerous opportunities to land 16-19 rainbows on dries. If you wish to waterload ridiculous bobber rigs and side drift with nymphs during the middle of a great hatch, fish with some other guide service.
Pit River, and the Mac are in perfect shape. The quality flat water of Hat creek is in transition, but still fishes good at times. The Powerhouse Riffle has been a circus, but there is plenty of fish around for all.
Dax
 Stan having a great day on the Pit  Bob, having an even bigger day on the pit  Greg with a perfect Fall River rainbow |
We fished a couple of small streams today in the Burney Area. The fish on Burney Creek were chowing dries on the surface, everything from PMDs to giant stoneflies. We were surrounded by thunderstorms most of the day, but didn't get rained on. We rose a lot of nice fish on both streams.
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For all of you who are waiting until the heat of the summer to plan your fishing trip, you are missing out. In my 8 years of guiding the intermountain area, this has by far been the best May I have ever experienced.
Fall river has had some truly incredible dry fly fishing for those who got on it early. The fish are quickly becoming educated. They are starting to get picky even on the mindless indicator rigs.
Hat Creek has produced some quality fish on the surface. Check out the photos of the huge salmonflies that have been all over the river.
The Pit is the Pit. If you are willing to wade and cover alot of water, you will hook many fish during the prime feeding hours. There are also periods of slow fishing, so be ready to deal with it.
Burney Creek is crowded, and not fishing particularly well. There are a few fish alive below the falls.
The Hex hatch is starting soon. You better book it if you want to experience the greatest hatch in the world. Bookings are very limited.
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We did a family camp trip to Yellow Creek for Memorial Day Weekend. Water conditions are perfect right now. I had some action mid-day on grasshopper patterns, but the best fishing was in the last hour of light. There were large alderflies, a few golden stones and salmonflies, plus plenty of small mayflies. I caught numerous browns up to 12 inches and also one brook trout. I had a couple of grabs from larger fish, but didn't connect. A black stimulator size 12 worked well, as did a parachute adams size 16. |
Today was an idyllic day on the river. Flows came up to 9000cfs this morning, but the fish didn't seem to mind at all. They were as grabby as I've seen in the last two weeks. Chuck and James from Davis had a great day, hooking over 30 trout! We had the river totally to ourselves - the only drift boat we saw today was the DFG creel survey crew. Our best fly was a size 14 amber prince nymph, and we also had some fish on the oregon cheese sucker spawn and the Idylwilde superfloss brown rubber legs. Fishing is great right now - come on up and see for yourself!
 Lower Sac |
I floated the Upper Sac today with Gino and Adam Bernero and Mike Corley. Flows are still a bit high, but there was plenty of fishable water. The river is crystal clear and looks great! We caught fish throughout the day, but the best fishing was in the afternoon. We saw a few PMDs and little yellow stones flying around, but only got one grab on a dry fly. Most of our fish ate a Mercer's Poxyback Golden Stone or a Zack's Zaddis.
 Gino and Adam cruising through a big rapid.  Mike Corley with a nice rainbow  Adam Bernero fishing a juicy run |
We fished dry flies all day long today. The condition of the weedbeds is incredible for this early in the season. The weedbeds are thick from the red barns up to zug bug alley. The hatches are incredible right now. We saw baetis in the morning, PMDs mid-day, and callibaetis in the afternoon. Cripple patterns worked best today, but parachute and traditional dries worked well too. There are plenty of 16-18 trout feeding aggressively on dries right now. With hatches and the weedbeds in such great shape right now, this could be one of the best seasons on Fall River in memory!
 Fall River |
The sun is out, and the fishing is On Fire. Fall River is in the best shape I have ever seen it at this time of year. Lots of healthy weed beds, good technical hatches, and some huge fish. You have to bring your A game though...the grab is quick, and they want a good drift. There are windows of the day that they are pretty gullable though...you just have to be in the right place at the right time. Guide buddy Jay from Truckee and I had a pretty ridiculous morning today on our day off. Andrew and I are heading to the Mac tomorrow. R&D is tough work, but someone has to do it so you all can catch fish with us when you come up. See you soon.
Dax
 Dax, enjoying a day off  Jay, also enjoying a day off  Gino on a secret California back country stream |
The Pit River is going off right now. We fished Pit 3 all day today, starting below the dam and finishing up a couple miles downstream. Nymphing was great in the morning, with a brown birds nest and a McKee's rubberlegs working great. In the afternoon, we saw large numbers of salmonflies, little yellow stones, caddis, and epeorus mayflies flying around. The fish seemed to key in on the little yellow stones around 4pm. We had over an hour of excellent dry fly fishing at the end of the day.  Pit River |
Hat Creek fished very well for us today. We're in day 6 of the guide school and our prospective guides got to demonstrate their knowledge of spring creek skills today. We had a great hatch of PMDs and baetis with a few callibaetis and green drakes mixed in. Dry fly fishing was excellent from 1-5pm.
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We took the guide school students down to the Lower Sac today. Some of the students used the opportunity to get behind the oars for awhile, and others had fun fishing some new water. Fishing was tougher than usual, but we did land some fish on a Dark Lord size 14, the size 14 brown S&M nymph, and the tung teaser size 16. Flows have been coming up 250cfs a day for five days and should be stable for a while. That will help the fish settle into their new lies and start feeding consistently again.
 Lower Sac |
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