The Fly Shop's 2021 Regional Angling Vacation Planner by TheFlyShopTFS

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TheFlyShop

regional angling

vacation planner

I S S U E N O. T H I R T Y S E V E N

2021

SEASON

Safe, Sheltered & Secure Fly Fishing Destinations in

Northern California

Guide Service Regional Exclusive Angling Lodges and Rentals

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We’ve got some spots near Redding where you can get together with your family or friends and enjoy great ﬂy ﬁshing with worry-free lodging that’s been tailored for these changing times.

Ice-cold, spring water spews out of lava fissures at Mossbrae Falls at an average rate of nearly 9,000 gallons per minute, helping give birth to the Sacramento River. Similarly spectacular, natural phenomena form the headwaters of the McCloud River, Hat Creek, Pit, and Fall River. All are within easy striking distance of The Fly Shop’s parking lot.

Val Atkinson’s iconic photo of the headwaters of Mossbrae Falls, only a short (but dangerous) walk up the railroad tracks near downtown Dunsmuir. Visit Val’s online studio at www.valatkinson.com

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The Fly Shop’s Annual

Northern California Vacation Planner W I T H M O R E T H A N a lifetime of guide service management under our belts, the expert professionals here at The Fly Shop® have what it takes to tailor a day or a week of fishing that exactly matches your schedule and skill level. We’ll help with local hotels, restaurants, and whatever else necessary to ensure that your trip to our area is memorable. Our back yard includes the famous Sacramento River, all its trout-filled tributaries, as well as the steelhead fishing on the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. Collectively there are more than 700 miles of public rivers and streams as well as dozens and dozens of alpine lakes within easy striking distance of our shop. All of it is full of fish. Call us!

4 The Fly Shop’s Guide Service In less than 40 minutes from the front door, our guides will have you up to your waist in some of the Golden State’s finest trout fishing. You’ll be building great memories with your friends and learning successful techniques that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Marcel Siegel photo

8 Our rivers, lakes and streams Most of our rivers are open to fishing and offer thrilling fly fishing all year long. Our weather is unusually temperate and it’s easy to find a great spot to wet a line and test the quality of your tackle at every turn of the calendar page. Some of the American West’s finest and most famous trout fishing lies just to the north, east, and west of Redding and The Fly Shop®.

36 The Fly Shop’s Fly Fishing Schools Our expert teaching staff has an ultra fine-tuned approach to instruction that makes learning the sport easy, fun, and fast. Our one, two, and three-day seminars are tailored for beginner, intermediate, and expert fly rodders.

38 Kid’s Fly Fishing Camps Young anglers (age 10 - 15) learn outdoor skills, casting fundamentals, fly fishing techniques, fly tying, and will create memories that stay with them the rest of their lives.

24 Concerns about the pandemic The Fly Shop® has responded to the rapidly changing pandemic concerns regarding health issues by adapting our Private Water destinations to be COVID compliant accommodations.

Katie Falkenberg photo

The Fly Shop® has the answer for health-conscious, western anglers looking for a great fly fishing vacation this year that doesn’t include airlines and minimizes travel risks! 6 FEET

COVID-19 Cover photo courtesy of Katie Falkenberg The railrood track portion of the trail to Mossbrae Falls phone 800-669-3474

SOCIAL DISTANCING ZONE

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Faced with the new normal of the pandemic, the social distancing requirements, and all the travel limitations, many anglers found solace and comfort in the rivers close to home

Marcel Siegel photo

America has re-discovered the great Outdoors were filled this past summer for the first time in generations and the slow lane on the nation’s highways and freeways were lined with RV’s. National Parks that were selectively open to the public during the COVID pandemic enjoyed standing room only crowds, and there was a virtual renaissance in all forms of outdoor recreation. The world of fly fishing was no exception. When faced with four walls that were closing in, veteran anglers dusted off tackle that had been ignored for decades and joined a legion of new, novice fly rodders on rivers, streams, lakes and ponds already busy with fishermen whose international travel plans had been shattered and were staying closer to home. The majority of anglers, young and old, turned a cold shoulder to international airline travel and took to the open road. Instead of Argentina, Kamchatka, Chile, or the Caribbean, fly rodders in record numbers headed to the Rockies for trout, Louisiana for redfish, or Florida for tarpon. What many found was a renewed joy and a rejuvenated appreciation for the streams and rivers near home that originally inspired their passion for fly fishing. But they still went fishing.

OUR BACKWOODS CAMPGROUNDS

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The Fly Shop’s Guide Service

We’ve been Northern California’s top-rated guide service for more that forty years. During those four decades The Fly Shop®has assembled an expert team that is second to none in their field. F I S H I N G N E A R R E D D I N G is excellent nearly

every day of the year. Depending on the time of the season, fly fishermen can target rainbow trout, browns, brookies, steelhead, salmon, spotted bass, largemouth, smallmouth, stripers, or shad. Certainly we have the occasional winter storm but, on the average, our guides are out there having fun with clients more than 300 days each calendar year. The entire length of the Sacramento River is open to fishing every day of the year, and Fall River, Hat Creek, and McCloud can be fished from the end of April to the middle of November. The Klamath is primarily a fall steelhead fishery and the Trinity is usually ripe for steelhead fishing from October through March. Our team of talented, versatile guides focus on what’s best when you’re here, and it’s possible to schedule several different rivers or species during a multi-day trip. Guide service is also available on our Private Waters.

Upper Sacramento River

Lower Sacramento

Trinity River

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Pocket water wading less than an hour away One of America’s finest tailwater trout fishing trips Ultra-productive winter steelheading west of Redding

Fall River The largest spring creek in the American West

Hat Creek Selective trout fishing at its best, an hour away

McCloud River Breathtakingly beautiful and world famous

Pit River Rugged, rewarding freestone angling east of town

Klamath River Renowned fall fishing for a unique run of steelhead

The Fly Shop’s Private Waters

In 1984 The Fly Shop® recognized that the demand for angling privacy and quality fishing had far outstripped all but the most remote public resources. Then we did something about it. D E C A D E S A G O W E began looking for spots where

fly rodders might enjoy quality, secluded fly fishing for a modest fee. That meant searching for long-term property leases in our area that could offer fishing along with exclusive access to a few select lakes and trout streams. As advocates for public fishing, we decided right away against exploring any private waters that were historically open to the public. Most of our current private water fishing destinations have been posted and off-limits to the public for generations. Some have been behind locks and fences for more than a century. Of our destinations, only Gold River Lodge on the Klamath, and Circle 7 Ranch on Fall River share angling access with the public.

The Fly Shop’s team has been developing our Private Waters concept for nearly forty years. We’ve opened up – and continue to discover – some great fly fishing opportunities formerly held captive behind gates, for what are modest and reasonable fees. All of our Private Waters are managed exclusively as catch-and-release destinations, and allow only fly fishing with barbless hooks. Angling pressure is kept intentionally light, ensuring each guest experiences the best possible fly fishing. We manage our properties with our own high standards, using common sense, and have discovered that those guiding principles serve all of our guests well.

Our Private Waters locations 6

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Bollibokka Club The oldest, private fly fishing club in America’s west

Gold River Lodge on the Klamath River Dead-center access to California’s coastal steelhead

Antelope Creek Lodge Northern California’s finest angling resort

Clear Creek The longest privately-owned stream in California

Circle 7 Ranch on Fall River The Golden State’s top spring creek

Oasis Springs Lodge A perfect streamside resort for a family or group

Rock Creek Lake Our most popular, productive, and private stillwater

Battle Creek Ranch 6 miles of a rugged, small stream jammed with trout

Luk Lake

Sugar Creek Ranch

Mid-winter and spring trout & bass fishery 8 private, trophy trout-filled lakes near Mt. Shasta phone 800-669-3474

Dealing with pandemic in the world of ﬂy ﬁshing retail, travel, guide service, & private waters The Fly Shop® has had to re-think every facet of our business in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and modify our policies to meet what is now “the new normal!” W E W E R E A M O N G the first retailers in our small

California community to (voluntarily) close our doors to the public last March because of the pandemic. We reopened several days later, but not until after giving serious consideration to the welfare of our staff and our clientele. And not until after examining all the situations where our staff and clients were rubbing elbows with each other. Then we began to make changes. Adjusting our retail operation was relatively easy, but the re-scheduling of hundreds of anglers whose guide service and angling holiday plans were interrupted last spring and summer was extremely complicated and timeconsuming. How to get back to normal required thought and planning. But, to nobody’s surprise, when all the dust settled,The Fly Shop® team did a great job meeting everyone’s expectations. s At the top of everyone’s list was the need to adopt a forgiving, pandemic-sensitive cancellation policy. Done.

s Maximum occupancy was reduced at several of our private fishing destinations to allow small groups a chance to reserve near-exclusive access to those spots. s We extended the window between departures and arrivals, allowing time for upgraded housekeeping standards, and eliminated daily housekeeping, meals, and shared lodging at all our Private Waters. s The Fly Shop’s guides and clients now rendezvous near the boat launch site or close to the angling location instead of at our retail location.

Faced with the uncertainties of airline travel, politics, and social distancing regulations, The Fly Shop® also decided to separate our annual catalog into several different specialty magazines, each one dedicated to the specific interests of our fly fishing clientele. The Fly Shop’s Retail Catalog was printed, mailed, and sent digitally to all our customers this past January, 2021. It features 100 pages of the best new products, thousands of the highest quality flies, and all the top fly fishing retail brands in our sport.

The Fly Shop® North American Fly Fishing Guide This information-packed, 84-page publication will be an indispensible guide for novice and veteran anglers in planning any fly fishing holiday in North America. Included are our expert staff’s recommendations and advice regarding the most renowned fresh and saltwater fly fishing lodge choices in Alaska, British Columbia, Alberta, Colorado, Montana, California, Idaho, Wyoming, Louisiana’s coastline, and the Florida Keys and Everglades. It’ll be in your e-mail and your mailbox in mid-summer.

The Fly Shop® International Fly Fishing Travel Digest Our new, 100-page worldwide travel magazine features the world’s top fresh and saltwater fly fishing destinations. It’ll have expert articles on choosing the right spot, timing your trip, selecting the right flies, as well as advice on the necessary planning and preparation to accomplish what we always hope will be the trip of a lifetime. Our expanded travel magazine will be sent to The Fly Shop’s travel database in the fall. By then the pandemic ought to be in the rear-view mirror, and we’ll have a solid grasp on quarantines, airline travel regulations, and protocols for testing and vaccination.

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T H E F LY S H O P ’ S G U I D E S E RV I C E

The Fly Shop® does it all! Most of our guided fishing is less than an hour away, and many spots are only minutes from The Fly Shop’s front door. We have access to some private regional angling destinations and hundreds of miles of local public trout and steelhead fishing. In fact, The Fly Shop® is the only guide service holding permits for Shasta, Trinity, Six Rivers, and Klamath National Forest lands, and every watershed administered by the Bureau of Land Management. We do it all, and we do it very well. F L Y F I S H I N G in our backyard is

really good and our team of guides are the perfect way to learn the local water, and improve your skills. With their drift boats, specialized equipment, and their well-refined techniques, our guide service is often the most productive way to fish the rivers and streams around Redding. Our guides are local experts who live here in Redding or nearby. They’re all year ‘round professionals, not part-timers, from out of the area, from out of state, or are out of school for the summer.

Many of these professionals have been with us for decades and, to a large degree, are responsible for putting our outstanding regional fishing on the fly fishing map. Some members of our team focus on drift trip techniques for trout and steelhead, while others pride themselves on helping clients solve the intricacies of freestone angling or the puzzling spring creek riddles. They’re all skilled and passionate in every aspect of their vocation and try to ensure that every day on the water is as educational, enjoyable, and as action-packed as possible.

The Fly Shop® guide rates Our fee is identical, whether packages are for one or two anglers. Guides provide lunches, bottled water, and all the tackle – fly rods, flies, and all terminal tackle. We will work with our guests to reschedule their trip due to last minute COVID-19 exposure or illness Guide Package options: s $550 Full-day Guided Trips s 425 Half-day Trips available on the Lower Sacramento s 300 Lower Sac “Evening Hatch”

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Guided Drift Boat Trips with The Fly Shop® The Lower Sacramento

between Shasta Dam and Red Bluff is a year ‘round trout fishery and the starting line for most of the angling begins only a rifle shot from our parking lot. We’re blessed by a very temperate climate, with a couple of warm mid-summer months, a spectacular spring and fall, and a pleasant, brief winter. Our guides use drift boats to cover approximately 50 miles of the broad, rainbow trout-filled river. Steelhead are a top target each fall and a rare chance to chase fish in relative solitude with either a single-hand or spey rod.

Fall River is renowned for prolific hatches, and the

birthplace of many of today’s best known spring creek patterns. It is western selective trout fishing at its finest. Our guides use quiet, low-profile motorized prams that are custom-tailored for the experience.

The Trinity River is home to incredible returns of steelhead each fall and winter, and the go-to destination for both dedicated steelhead addicts and those anglers wanting to tie into their first ever sea-going rainbow.

The Klamath River experience is jet boat angling from the mouth of the river upstream for about 15 miles. Rapids, rocks, and terrain are rugged and drift boats are required in the area below Happy Camp downstream to below the confluence with the Trinity River. In both situations all the fly fishing is done wading and anglers use the boats only for transportation from one productive spot to another.

Walk & Wade Guided Trips on Nearby Rivers McCloud River rainbows are unquestionably the

Upper Sacramento

Hat Creek is renowned for great hatches, selective

Pit River

most famous trout on Earth, and its hefty browns are a reward for the angler willing to work into the rugged river canyon water. Spring, mid-summer and fall angling on this famous freestone river is excellent and the scenery is superb all season.

rainbows and an experience that is a classic chess game of spring creek fly fishing. This is western selective trout fishing at its finest where a quality guide will definitely help anglers accelerate the learning curve.

is a favorite walk-andwade stream featuring classic pocket water, riffles, and pools. Nearly 40 miles of it is easily accessible from the Interstate. With all the access, it’s always simple to find some solitude.The Upper Sacramento is open year ‘round, and the best fishing is from mid-May through December. is notorious for tough wading and broadshouldered rainbows. It’s now open year round, with a new flow regime that makes it well worth exploring in the winter months. Ideal flows this summer season should translate into easy, season-long access to the entire river.

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Lower Sacramento River rainbows are big, wild, and plentiful every month of the year ‘round season

The river below Shasta Dam ﬂows wild for more than 55 miles through our city limits, backyards and parklands, below bridges and often within view of both Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen. It’s one of the top tailwater ﬁsheries in the west and is an action-packed experience that you and your friends don’t want to miss. The Fly Shop® guide rates s $550 Full-day Guided Float Trips s 425 Half-day available on the Lower Sacramento s 300 Abbreviated Lower Sac “Evening Hatch” trips s Guides provide a healthy lunch along with bottled water, fly rods, appropriate flies, and necessary terminal tackle. Wading gear not included.

Marcel Siegle photos

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Shasta Dam has all but destroyed runs of the once magniﬁcent King Salmon in the Sacramento River and efforts to save them accidentally created the best tailwater trout ﬁshery in the American West. T H E I C E - C O L D W A T E R from the Pit

River, McCloud River, and Upper Sacramento converge in the California foothills just north of Redding. Together they form Shasta Lake, a massive impoundment held in check by Shasta Dam, one of the tallest in the United States. Its development in the 1940’s signalled the end to the massive flooding of the Sacramento Valley which had occurred every decade or so for centuries. Intended to protect communities downstream, the dam also included a huge hydro installation and served to simultaneously help insure irrigation to the most important agricultural complex in continental America. At the same time the dam all but destroyed one of the world’s largest runs of King Salmon by eliminating the majority of their spawning habitat and left a remnant population of four distinct runs of King Salmon that now struggle desperately to survive in the Sacramento. The jury’s still out on whether they’ll make it, and all the efforts to date have been very well-documented failures with one exception – in a last ditch effort to salvage what’s left of the King Salmon fishery by improving spawning conditions in the little remaining habitat below the dam, government experts installed a unique apparatus on the dam’s face to collect and send the lake’s coldest water downstream.The hope was that releases of consistently cool (near-53 degree) water from the depths of Shasta Lake would improve the Sacramento River’s quickly declining King Salmon population. It helped, but not much, and not for long. However, the unintentional by-product of the restoration effort (consistently cold water) combined with a plethora of food in the Lower Sacramento created near-optimum conditions for the resident rainbows and extended the annual growth cycle of those trout by as much as 30%. These wild rainbows started growing bigger each year, producing exponentially more spawn, and began a three-decade upward spiral of fast-growing, large trout. The Sacramento River from Shasta Dam to Red Bluff is not only a world-class rainbow trout fishery, it is one of the few in America that continues to get better each year. Remember though, the incredible population and remarkable average size of Sacramento River rainbow trout have the disappearing salmon to thank for their situation. You win some and you lose some!

B E L O W S H A S T A the river is similar in size

to the Yellowstone near Livingston. It is swift, broad, and deep, with limited public access and only a few convenient, wadeable areas.The most productive method of fishing the river from Redding to Red Bluff is drift fishing from a McKenzie-style boat. The pace makes natural presentation of a dry or nymph awfully easy. Average Sacramento River rainbows are large, plentiful and full of fight. The terminal tackle and nymph fishing techniques developed by our guides on the Lower Sacramento are very productive and anglers can usually count on an action-packed day with our professionals. Redding is blessed with a temperate climate and has terrific fishing nearly every day of the year. Weather conditions might alter what you wear and the fly fishing methods, but seldom change the results.

T H E F L Y S H O P ’ S G U I D E S work as a

team.They meet, talk and share information constantly. They compare notes almost daily about tactics and the local destinations that are most productive. They’re all local talent and they know the river intimately because they fish it nearly every day. With more than 50 miles of productive trout fishing and a number of float options, guides on the Lower Sacramento can spread out and their days are surprisingly private.

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C A L I F O R N I A’ S T O P M I D - W I N T E R

Steelhead ﬁshing on the Trinity River

T H E R E I S N ’ T difficult. Most of the lodging is now in Weaverville, about an hour west of Redding, where the serious fly rodders who wade the shallow riffles and float the roadless sections of the river congregate in the evenings and compare notes. Court action by Native Americans, the Trinity River Guides Association and other concerned stakeholders have partially restored, ensured, and improved the water flows in recent years. The end result is that, depending on flows, this amazing river is getting better and better, in stark contrast to the negative direction many other western steelhead rivers have headed.

GETTING

Trinity River steelhead average 4 to 8 pounds, and begin showing in good numbers by mid-October. The run remains strong and the escapement builds through February, when multiple hookups are common. It’s often technical fishing, requiring some experience; the hallmarks of our talented guide staff. The Fly Shop® has had steelhead guides on the Trinity River since 1978, and only God knows how many steelhead we’ve helped land. In the process, we’ve built a reputation that keeps people coming back each season. Our guides’ schedules fill quickly for the peak of the winter. Guarantee a shot at Trinity River steelhead by booking your trip as far in advance as possible.

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T H E F LY S H O P ’ S G U I D E S E RV I C E

The Trinity River tailwater is unique in the steelhead world. Runs are reliable from September through March and it’s consistently clear in all but the worst of weather. T H E R E A R E T I M E S when Trinity steelhead will

smack a dry fly and our guides have been among the first to go to the surface for nearly three decades. Often anglers just have to go down and dirty. Indicators? If there are no objections, our guides will use the fly fishing technique that connects screaming steelhead to the end of the fly line and leave any whining and the angler elitism to someone else. Like all steelhead, the annual migratory runs are predictably unpredictable, and certainly weather and water dependent, but recent Trinity River seasons have been superb. The Trinity is a tailwater with few tributaries, and the river clears quickly after every rain, affording a more reliable target than lots of other local steelhead fisheries. Even in those rare years when torrential rains blow out nearly every river on the West Coast, we’ve had terrific numbers of steelhead in the system.

Weather always plays an important factor in winter steelhead fishing. Luckily, there are many native and hatchery stock fish in the Trinity and our clients hook up almost every day of the season in every imaginable weather situation. Using both single and double-handed rods, they’ll fish in the snow, sleet, rain, and hail, without a complaint, and work just as hard on those nice, sunny days. Although nasty winter days sound unpleasant, they often provide the best fishing days of the winter steelhead season. The Fly Shop® guided fishing on the Trinity River Our fee is identical, whether packages are for one or two anglers. Lunch is provided, along with fly rods, all the flies, and terminal tackle. Our guides are licensed for every inch of the Trinity River watershed and experienced in all steelhead techniques. s $550 Full-day Guided Trip.

D a v i d Wa h l m a n p h o t o s

Marcel Siegle photo

phone 800-669-3474

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The Upper

Sacramento

This is one of the ﬁnest roadside streams in the AmericanWest! K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o s

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Upper Sacramento trout ﬁshing begins below Lake Siskiyou and cascades south for 39 miles before dumping into Shasta Lake Despite the easy roadside river access, the Upper Sacramento gets surprisingly little pressure. In fact, anglers willing to hike even a mere 10 minutes along the railroad tracks from almost any spot on the interstate will find themselves alone on a beautiful freestone river that’s left untouched for most of the year. P R I O R T O T H E emergence of the terrific

Today the Upper Sac offers the angler a virtual playground of a trout fishery. Any given day on this river the fisherman can choose their own tactic, from swinging soft hackles to “Euro nymphing,” which has had its roots in this area since the 1940’s when the infamous Ted Fay was high-sticking his Bombers. Access on the Upper Sac is as good as it gets. There are nearly 40 miles of public access to this freestone gem provided by Union Pacific Railroad that runs alongside nearly it’s almost entire length. Catch-and-release, zero-limit, barbless fly and lure regulations are rigorously enforced in all but the river section between Scarlett Way Bridge in Dunsmuir and Castle Creek (Castella). Fishing the Upper Sacramento is all done on foot. In most areas the river can be easily waded and crossed, but it is often swift and we highly suggest studded felt soles and a wading staff. The river has been open to angling all year long for quite a while, but the best of the fishing still occurs in the spring, mid-summer, and fall. The Sacramento’s tributaries are closed to all fishing from November 15th to the last Saturday in April. Veteran anglers consider this a nymph fishing paradise and heavily weighted stoneflies or tandem rigs are the most popular setups. Dry fly hatches are consistent, predictable, and the best usually occur well after lunch. The most distant section of the Sacramento is less than a 45-minute drive from the The Fly Shop’s front door and we have up-to-the-minute reports on the best flies and most productive sections of river provided daily by our guides and clientele. Stop by and we’ll point you in the right direction, or call to reserve a guide. The Fly Shop® guides on the Upper Sacramento Guides here at The Fly Shop® have been at the Our fee is identical, whether packages are for one or two anglers.The guides provide a healthy elbow of successful anglers on the Sacramento lunch along with bottled water, fly rods, approfor more than four decades.They’ve been wading priate flies, and necessary terminal tackle. it’s banks through every phase of the river’s trans Wading gear isn’t provided. sitions and are intimately familiar with every bend, s $550 Full-day Guided Trips riffle, and pool of this spectacular river from the Cantara Loop to where it pours into Shasta Lake. trout fishing on the river below Shasta Dam in the mid-1980’s, if an angler said he was going to fish the Sacramento River, it was understood that he was headed for some spot in the steep, roadless canyon below Siskiyou Dam or the 39 miles of the Sacramento River that parallels Interstate 5 above Shasta Lake. The Sacramento River was first made famous by the famed sportswriter Jim Green of the San Francisco Chronicle in near-weekly articles about the legendary fly fisherman, Ted Fay, and his high-stick, short-line nymphing techniques. It was touted for decades as (and still remains) one of the finest, road side, trout streams in the American West. The river made world-wide headlines in 1991 when a train car derailed and disgorged 19,000 gallons of toxic chemicals into the river and killed every fish, crayfish, insect and all other aquatic life in a 43-mile stretch of the Sacramento from its headwaters to Lake Shasta. It was an episode that made anyone caring about nature want to cry. Equally stunning was the dramatic rebound of the river and its riparian habitat. Within two years both the aquatic and inveretebrate life had been reestablished. And by the third anniversary of the catastrophe, the entire river had been heavily re-stocked with a native strain of wild rainbow trout. In the absence of angling pressure, and in the presence of an unimaginable wealth of food, the number of wild rainbow trout in the river actually (and temporarily) exceeded pre-spill populations of planted and wild fish combined.

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The McCloud River

No ﬁsh is more famous or more important to the world of trout ﬁshing than the wild McCloud River rainbows! M C C L O U D R I V E R R A I N B O W S are noted for

their beauty, fight and strength. At the same time they’re very slow growing creatures and California Fish & Wildlife angling regulations and limits help protect them. The Upper McCloud is small, narrow, brushy, and an ideal spot for light rods and dry flies. Small rainbows, browns and brookies often cohabit in the shallow pocket water, small pools, and narrow river before cascading over two spectacular falls above Fowler Camp. Near that point tens of thousands of gallons of water each minute pour into the river from springs beneath the lava fissures along the river’s edge.

There are several miles of excellent public trout fishing below Fowler Camp before the river enters the (private) Hearst property and eventually empties into McCloud Reservoir. The McCloud doubles in size in that section, becomes more fertile, and harbors slightly larger trout. Between McCloud Reservoir and Ah-Di-Na Camp are three rugged, roadless miles of picture-perfect pocket water trout fishing. Below Ah-Di-Na the McCloud River enters a five-mile corridor owned by the Nature Conservancy. Angling is strictly limited (half by first-come/firstserved basis, half by reservation) on the first half of the Nature Conservancy water.

K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o

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K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o

T H E W O R L D O F angling owes a tremendous debt to

Marcel Siegle photo

Guided fishing on the McCloud The Fly Shop’s guides spend a great deal of time each season on the McCloud. They’re well-prepared with the knowledge, experience and correct tackle to insure that every day on this famous river is a success. The season begins each May with a terrific hatch of Salmonflies and Green Drakes. Then the trout diet gets progressively smaller and both the flies and techniques get more technical throughout the summer. That all changes in the fall with the October Caddis hatch and fish again become much more aggressive. Our guides focus on the wild & scenic section of the river below McCloud Reservoir and through the Nature Conservancy, where they’re allowed to accompany those anglers in the Conservancy section with advanced firstcome/first-served reservations. The Fly Shop’s guided trips on the McCloud are strictly catch and release. The guide fee is identical for one or two anglers. Lunch and all the necessary tackle (fly rods, flies, and terminal tackle) is provided, but not wading gear. Our guides are allowed to accompany clients on the Nature Conservancy portion of the McCloud, however those reservations must be made by the fishermen. s $550 Full-day Guided Trips only w w w . t h e f ly s h o p . c o m

the McCloud River. It was there, in 1877 on a tributary to the McCloud River named Campbell Creek, that the first federal fish hatchery was established at a location that now lies deep below the surface of Shasta Lake. Eggs from this hatchery were sent to a second hatchery nearer to San Francisco, and the rainbow trout eggs and fry from these two hatcheries account for the origin of most of the rainbow trout now found in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, British Isles, and the rest of the rainbows in the world beyond the original confines of California, and parts of Oregon, Southern Washington, and Kamchatka. Jurassic Trout, those monster fish found in the lakes of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, are also direct descendants of those same McCloud River rainbows. There and elsewhere it is habitat and biomass that determine the size, population, and success of the redistributed fish. Closer to home, rainbow trout weren’t native to the Rockies, and it wasn’t until trout from the McCloud were transplanted to Montana, Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming, (as well as rivers in Canada) that those terrific fisheries were developed. In that way, fishing the McCloud is a bit more than just another day on the water. It’s a brief connection with one of the single most historically important fish on Earth. K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o

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C A L I F O R N I A’ S T O P S P R I N G C R E E K

Fall River

Nineteen miles of one of the largest spring creeks in the American West was opened to the public by a bold ﬂy ﬁsherman toting wire-cutters F A L L R I V E R B E G I N S on Thousand Springs

Ranch near the tiny community of Dana, about 75 miles east of Redding, an hour and 20 minute drive from The Fly Shop’s front door. The river begins as a single, massive, funnel-shaped, artesian-fed aquifer that belches thousands of gallons each second from subterranean springs originating far below the slopes of Mount Shasta. It is a much larger, California version of Idaho’s Silver Creek, Patagonia’s Arroyo Pescado, or Kamchatka’s Sedanka. In a matter of yards the natural well becomes a magnificent, (too deep to wade) crystal clear trout stream. Then, as the spring creek meanders its way downstream toward the confluence with the Pit River, it gains both volume and waistline. Less than a mile from its source, the Fall River is a large spring creek navigable by shallow draft Jon Boats for more than 16 miles until reaching its first (hydroelectric) roadblock. Before 1970, barbed-wire fences crossed the river at each property line. Floating the river wasn’t allowed and fishing clubs leased each section. In the late ’60’s an intrepid angler floated the river from its source, cutting the wire fences as he moved downstream toward public water and his arrest. The ensuing court decision (Baker v. Mack) declared the river navigable, fences were removed, and in 1970 a new public fishery was established. Fall River is not only important as one of the largest and most prolific blue-ribbon spring creeks in the American West, but because of the legal precedent it established defining navigability. Water temperatures stay in the low 50’s in the upper river, and the large volume of spring water inflow maintains Fall River water temperature at near optimum ranges for trout production, even during

mid-summer. Rainbows in the river average about 16 inches, and the CDFW estimates that there are sections of the serpentine spring creek that harbor as many as 4,300 rainbow trout per river mile. These fish are incredibly wary and aren’t easy to hook. It may be because these trout live in as clear a stream as can be imagined. Or simply the fact that they are one of the least miscegenated, wild species of trout left in the American West. Fishing Fall River requires skill, experience, access, and some sophisticated equipment to be successful. Nominally public, the entire shoreline is completely private, and off-limits. The river averages more than a hundred fifty feet wide, and nearly 4.5 feet deep. Wading is impossible, and shallow draft John boats equipped with small gas or electric motors are the best way to stalk these fish. It’s a chess match requiring sophisticated flies, subtle terminal tackle, and near-perfect presentation. Further complicating the situation is the fact that the only public access point is located in the lower portion of the river at the Cal Trout property adjacent to Island Bridge. That access is limited to half a dozen boats each day. Though lower Fall River is an excellent fishery and is dead-center in the mid-summer Hexagenia hatch, from there it is impractical to motor far upstream to toss a fly into literal swarms of Pale Morning Duns and spinners carpeting the stream surface each spring morning. The blizzard of mayflies begins hatching at the end of April, often covers the water in June, and continues through mid-July. The only upper river access is available through private clubs above the Spring Creek confluence.

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Circle 7 Ranch is strategically located alongside some of the ﬁnest spring creek ﬁshing in California and rates as the absolute best angling residence on Fall River. 7 R A N C H is a lovely riverside summer home resort complex. The ranch’s four angling cottages each have satellite TV, phones, central air conditioning, sundecks, barbecues, and fully furnished gourmet kitchens. The housekeeping cottages are located directly adjacent to Fall River, California’s premier spring creek and they’re outfitted for the ardent fishermen. Guests enjoy a communal game room, with pool table, darts, and a jukebox with 200 titles. It’s a spot where anglers and their friends or family can relax at the end of the day in comfort. Most important is Circle 7’s dead-center access to more than nine miles of terrific fishing on California’s most exclusive spring creek. Circle 7 boat rentals and launch privileges are limited to guests only. s Streamside cottages can accomodate as many as eight guests comfortably and range in price from $410 to $680 per night. s Options include a fleet of rental Jon Boats equipped with outboards and electric motors ideally suited for the river. s Circle 7 boat rentals are $100 per day, and there is a $45 fee for guests to launch their own prams. s The season begins in May and continues thru mid-November

CIRCLE

Va l A t k i n s o n p h o t o

Circle 7 Ranch is a great option to practice safe, sheltered and secure social distancing while challenging your skills, wits and experience against the wary, wild spring creek rainbows of Fall River. Give us a call to reserve your space on this wonderful blue-ribbon spring creek today! Va l A t k i n s o n p h o t o

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C A L I F O R N I A’ S T O P F R E E S T O N E C R E E K

Pit River

The foot trails between the fish-filled pools and pocket water of the Pit are slippery and difficult. But the fishing is worth every ounce of effort. Y O U C A N S T E P A C R O S S the Pit River in the meadows of the Madeline Plains of Modoc County near the river’s spring creek source. But the portion of the river fly fishermen are interested in is far downstream. By the time the river parallels Highway 299, west of Burney, it has been bolstered by Fall River and the Tule River. Then the Pit passes through Lake Britton, and with the added volume from Hat Creek and Burney Creek drops into the Pit River Canyon. From that point downstream it becomes one of one of the most rugged freestone rivers in the Golden State. The Pit River canyon is a geomorphologic twin to the Sacramento and McCloud ravines. The three rivers are separated by granite ridges and lava flows created by ancient Mount Shasta eruptions. Veteran anglers consider the miles of freestone river below the Pit 3 and Pit 4 PG&E hydro facilities to be the prime target for trout fishing. But that’s only because the majority of the water up and downstream in the Pit River canyon is roadless. Accessibility is limited by steep canyon walls and the terrain is a challenge.

Pit River rainbows are the same slow-growing, longlived, powerful fish found in the McCloud and Upper Sacramento canyons. They’ll bend a 6-weight to the butt and are seldom landed with less than a strong tippet. Nothing about fishing the nearly 36 miles of the Pit River between Lake Shasta and Lake Britton is easy. But the reward is usually consistent action with fat, feisty, and wild Pit River rainbows. The Pit River experience is worth every ounce of effort.

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Marcel Siegle photos

The Pit River below Lake Britton is open year round and the tailwater below a series of hydro dams forms some of the best stretches of riffles, pools, glides and pocket water in the North State. Trout migrate towards cold seeps as the spring warms to summer. Spring hatches can have big ‘bows gulping Stoneflies and PMDs within a rod’s length, and high-sticking is always productive. Due to the remote and demanding terrain, the Pit gets little pressure when compared to The McCloud and the Upper Sacramento. Our team has unlocked the secrets of the Pit and though it rates as a favorite guided destination, anglers often have the river all to themselves.

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T H E G O L D E N S TAT E ’ S M O S T FA M O U S C H A L K S T R E A M

Hat Creek

The wild trout section of this picture-perfect spring creek has been a Mecca for serious ﬂy ﬁshermen from all over the nation for more than two generations! L O W E R H A T C R E E K is truly a technical spring creek and one of the most beautiful in the West. Popularity accompanies that reputation and early season crowds are an issue. Pressure can be intense, and these rainbows and browns will usually rise only to expertly presented, exact imitations. The well-earned reputation for ultra-selective, wild trout has made this 21⁄2-mile portion of stream a target for dedicated fly fishermen that thrive on exactly this kind of challenging situation. Lower Hat Creek is a bit more than an hour from Redding. It’s a terrific target in late afternoons and evenings during mid-summer months when the menu consists of a variety of mayflies that must be matched to be successful.

The Fly Shop® Guide Rates Our fee is identical, whether packages are for one or two anglers. Guides provide lunches, bottled water, and all the tackle – fly rods, flies, and all terminal tackle. s $550 Full-day Guided Trips

The two riffle sections (below the Highway 299 bridge and below the Power House) are easily waded and harbor some of the largest populations of salmonflies in the West. The mile and a half separating the pocket water is some of the most beautiful chalkstream meadow fishing on the planet. Not to be ignored is the nearby Pit River with its own superb brand of freestone fly fishing. A perfect day of trout fishing might include dry fly fishing on Hat Creek in the morning and evening, then nymphing the Pit for trophy rainbows in the afternoon.

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U P P E R H A T C R E E K is a small stream fanatic’s

dream come true. The tight, willow-lined stream requires pin-point accuracy, and the relatively naive resident and planted trout are usually eager to swallow any properly presented fly. There are numerous campgrounds and fishing access points along the upper portion of the stream near the junction of California Highways 44 and 89. This small, upper section of Hat Creek provides a little bit of something for everyone. Some of the roadside pools are kept stocked full of pan-sized trout for kids and beginners – or those who just like a couple fresh fish for breakfast. Experienced anglers avoid those heavily-fished sections and concentrate, instead, on the brush-lined sections of pocket water that gets less pressure. There are miles of undercut banks and shaded shoreline that provide perfect cover for colorful rainbows and a surprising number of resident brown trout. Be respectful of the locked gates of a few local ranches along Hat Creek and nearby Rising River, which have been off limits to the public for generations.

Adam Bernero photo

Burney, Burney Falls & McArthur State Park A great holiday base in the heart of the Hat Creek - Fall River region Burney, in Eastern Shasta County is about an hour from Redding. The little town is located within easy striking distance of Fall River, Hat Creek, the Pit River, Baum Lake, Lake Britton, and Burney Creek. There’s reasonably priced, quality lodging, a few restaurants, full service grocery, a pharmacy, and even a gaming casino. Too, it’s only a short drive from Burney to two geological wonders; Lassen National Park and McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial Park.

Marcel Siegle photo phone 800-669-3474

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Antelope Creek Ranch

Safe, sheltered, & secure, Antelope Creek Ranch is now the best private trout ﬁshing experience in Northern California!

A N T E L O P E C R E E K begins small,

bubbling out of the ground on the shoulder of Mount Shasta. By the time the stream winds its way onto the ranch, it has multiplied in size, and each cutbank and pool is large enough to harbor surprisingly large trout. Fishing in Antelope Creek and the two ranch lakes is very productive and it improves each and every season. Our ranch manager provides an orientation when new guests arrive, and fly fishermen are free to set their own schedule. Self-reliant anglers usually revel in the casual, no-pressure, do-ityourself, approach to fishing the lakes and the stream – though guides can be arranged to help improve the angling or accelerate the learning curve.

Va l A t k i n s o n p h o t o

A N T E L O P E C R E E K R A N C H , nestled on the quiet, north slope of Mount Shasta, is the jewel in the necklace of The Fly Shop’s Private Waters. It is in the center of the nearly 2 million-acre Klamath National Forest, and at 5,000´ elevation, the cool summer breezes from the snow-covered Mount Shasta peaks are a pleasant change from the warmth of the Sacramento Valley. Ranch weather is ideal in the spring and mid-summer, and the fall setting is spectacular. The gate to the ranch opens to angling guests from May through mid-October (or the first snowfall), and the fishing is excellent all season long. Driving time from Redding is less than two hours, all of it on paved freeway, highway and county road. It’s a comfortable 4 hours by car from Sacramento and, depending on traffic, 5 or 6 hours from the San Francisco Bay area. Fishermen on the ranch have exclusive access to two miles of a pictureperfect, serpentine, meadow stream and two excellent lakes that harbor an incredible population of trophy-sized trout. It’s a great spot to vacation with a few fly fishing friends or your family and enjoy terrific trout fishing in a peaceful and remote outdoor setting. There’s more than enough room on the ranch for the small number of anglers allowed to spread out with no concern about competition. This is truly social distancing!

K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o

Our property is managed strictly as catch-and-release, and fly fishing only.

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Using the fully-furnished, versatile, one and two-bedroom suites allows guests the ability to select, combine, or tailor accommodations to match their group size, while insuring individual privacy, and personalized social distancing.

Va l A t k i n s o n p h o t o

K E E P I N G W I T H Covid-19 concerns, Antelope Creek Ranch opened the doors to the owner’s fully-furnished, one and two-bedroom family guest suites last season. Each of these very private, well-appointed apartments has wi-fi, and is outfitted with fully equipped kitchens, gas fireplaces, private patios, and outside barbecue areas. Cohesive groups of six or more are guaranteed exclusive use of the entire complex and ranch angling.

ANTELOPE CREEK PRICING

Marcel Siegle photo

Groups or families can still reserve the exclusive use of Antelope Creek Ranch and the beautiful, fully furnished, four-bedroom ranch house as a VRBO. It’ll be a perfect spot in the post-virus era for small family get-togethers or weddings.Without daily housekeeping, chef, and meals (provided in the past), a visit to the VRBO-style ranch house is ideal for self-reliant guests. While guests are at the ranch house, others aren’t allowed on the property. And when guests are using the family suites, the ranch house is not available.

in the magniﬁcent shadow of Mount

Shasta

Antelope Creek Ranch housekeeping packages include accommodations and shared (limited to 8) private access to both of the ranch’s trophy trout lakes and the fish-rich meadow stream. Prior to guest arrival, each of the suites and the ranch house are professionally and thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Guest Suite Pricing s $295 per day, per angler s 175 per day, per non-angler Ranch House Pricing s $1,600 per day The spacious 4-bedroom streamside home accommodates eight guests. A superb, regional chef is an option for meals. Availability is very limited.

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Sugar Creek Ranch

S U G A R C R E E K R A N C H offers outstanding stillwa-

ter trout fishing in an intimate mountain setting, nestled between Etna and Callahan along the banks of the Scott River. The driving time from Redding is a bit less than 2 hours. About the same time it takes to get to Fall River or Antelope Ranch or sections of the Trinity. The 114-acre ranch is surrounded by the Trinity Alps to the south and Cascades to the east and offers great year ‘round trout fishing with an optional, comfortable cabin for overnight accommodations. Sugar Creek itself winds through the property and, like most of western Siskiyou County, was mined in the mid1800’s. After excavating eight huge quarries of gold-rich gravel, the ‘49ers dug too deep and broke through the water table and flooded the picturesque ponds with icecold, gin-clear, oxygen-rich water. It’s ideal habitat for the large rainbow trout that call these lakes home. All of the Sugar Creek lakes and ponds can be fished from shore, though the larger lakes are ideal for float tubes, pontoon boats, or small prams. Anglers will find that each lake has an individual character. Fishing is very productive, though each lake is diverse and offers its own challenges. Some lakes provide excellent dry fly sight fishing for trophy rainbows, while others might require a sinking line and large streamer presentation.

Marcel Siegle photos

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Sugar Creek trout are wide-bodied, full of fight, and very aggressive. They average from one to three pounds. Occasionally a real monster is hooked and once in a while one is landed. All angling is fly fishing only and strictly catch-and-release. As is always the case, experienced fly fishermen can expect to catch more fish.

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This private ﬁshery in the Trinity Alp foothills is cool in the summer and at a low enough elevation to remain ice-free and ﬁshable all winter long!

S U G A R C R E E K is truly a year ‘round fishery. Set at

3,000 feet elevation, the ranch climate is very temperate. The weather remains relatively cool all summer and is a very pleasant change from the Sacramento Valley heat. Both the fishing and fall colors are majestic, and during the winter, the lakes remain completely ice-free and fishable. It’s a terrific, short vacation spot for fishing families or small groups of anglers looking to combine great fishing in an alpine atmosphere with some peace and quiet. Getting there is easy. The ranch is a pleasant two-hour drive to the north from Redding and just a bit shorter drive to the south from Ashland, Oregon. s $150 per angler, per day rod fee s Sugar Creek Lodge - 1 or 2 guests - $300 per night s $50 - $100 each additional guest per night depending on season s Up to 6 guest can stay at the lodge s 2 night minimum stay for the lodge

Sugar Creek Ranch has an optional, spacious, 3-bedroom, fully-furnished cabin with a fully-stocked kitchen, a barbecue, reading room and expansive deck. There’s plenty of space to relax and plenty of room to comfortably accommodate up to 6 anglers, or a close-knit group or family of eight

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BELOW MOUNT LASSEN

Battle Creek Canyon This part of old California was once inhabited by the Yahi tribe of Native Americans. O A K - C O V E R E D foothills east of Redding gradually begin to shift in character as Highway 44 climbs toward Mount Lassen. And about where the first pine trees and cedars begin to line the roadside the temperatures start to drop and trout country begins. Among the best fishery of those Lassen watersheds is the South Fork of Battle Creek – unique in that after the recent removal of several small hydro projects, Battle Creek has become what many of the small Sacramento River tributaries once were, filled wall-to-wall with wild rainbows and browns. Most of that great trout fishing is located in a deep canyon that has been surrounded by wire fences and behind locked gates for generations.

THE

The stream is sheltered from the summer sun by steep canyon walls, and the riffles and pools run clear and cold all summer long. Battle Creek trout are wild, and native. Like the stream (perhaps because of the stream) itself, the trout aren’t large, but they are extremely plentiful and move aggressively to any well-placed dry fly or nymph. Battle Creek Canyon is the perfect fit for the hardcore, light tackle, enthusiast searching for an actionpacked small stream experience. The streamside trails were made by deer or cattle, and the rugged canyon terrain is not a place for anglers that can’t handle a full measure of trout fishing action and exercise.

G r e g Ke n n e d y p h o t o

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Oasis Springs Lodge

K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o s

Ideal location for a celebration, or a rendezvous with close friends or family in a safe, sheltered, & secure setting! T H E L O D G E is a luxurious streamside angling retreat

O A S I S S P R I N G S L O D G E is available exclusively

tucked deep in Battle Creek Canyon. But there’s more to this isolated angling haven than the trout fishing that lies just beyond the threshold. In fact there’s something for everyone at Oasis Springs. The well-appointed, 10-guest room lodge is surrounded by a grove of valley oaks with landscaped paths leading to a solar-heated swimming pool, and a lighted tennis court. The fly fishing for wild rainbows and browns begins only a stone’s throw from the front door of the lodge, and small stream enthusiasts will enjoy both solitude and exclusive access to more than six miles of fishing in the treelined, fish-rich canyon creek. The gate to this 3,300-acre recreation and angling paradise is near the south entrance of Mt. Lassen National Volcanic Park and only slightly less than a 4-hour drive north of San Francisco.

through The Fly Shop® and for only a few weeks each summer. The spacious, air-conditioned ranch resort features a fully furnished kitchen and comfortably accommodates as many as 18 self-reliant guests (though no more than 8 anglers are allowed on the property at any one time) in a series of tastefully decorated and furnished, connecting suites. The lodge is ideal for families, and there is no charge for guests 15 years old and younger. s $6,500 per week (Thurs. through Tues.) for 8 guests s $50 per day for additional occupants, with a maximum of 18 guests s Please inquire for more detailed information, photos, available dates, and special group options.

Battle Creek Canyon Ranch T H I S R U G G E D S I X - M I L E stretch of stream is

about an hour east of Redding. The secluded ranch features excellent, private, freestone angling in a creek that’s full of native browns, rainbows and the occasional fall steelhead. Battle Creek Canyon is a dream come true for the fly rodder who thrives on small stream fishing action. The fishery is full of caddis, small forage fish and a large population of unsophisticated and aggressive rainbow trout. Mid-summer and fall dry fly angling is the rule, rather than the exception, and the fishing is often exceptional. Techniques are not sophisticated and all that’s needed is a basic selection of Adams, hoppers, humpies, caddis pupa, a few nymphs, and some small streamers.

Waders aren’t necessary in the mid-summer months, but a certain amount of stamina is definitely required to effectively fish and navigate the steep and terraced canyon terrain. This is a thrilling, light tackle destination that is the perfect spot to polish basic fly fishing skills. s $135 daily trespass fee s Nearby lodging and campground available

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Kutras Ranch

Clear Creek

The longest privately owned stream in California is located less than an hour west of Redding in a steep, pine-shaded canyon beyond fences and behind locked gates. It is a terriﬁc, mid-summer trout ﬁshery that’s been off-limits to the public since a local pioneer family won the property more than a century ago in a Gold Rush dice game. It’s the perfect place for a family or a few good friends to get together, enjoy some wonderful trout fishing, and share a great outdoor experience in a safe, secure, private setting. T H E K U T R A S R A N C H on Clear Creek is a top

quality fly fishing experience and perfect place for anglers who thrive on small stream fishing. The entire stream offers fine mid-summer and fall dry fly fishing in pools shaded by a mixture of evergreens and hardwoods.

All of Clear Creek is full of caddis, small forage fish and a surprisingly large population of unsophisticated and aggressive rainbow trout. A light rod, and a selection of caddis pupa and standard dries, along with a few small streamers are all that’s needed to be successful.

Nearly every inch of this small stream is fishable, and a generation of painstaking restoration has made it even better.

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K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o s

There are two snug cabins nestled along the creek. Each cabin has exclusive access to more than three miles of Clear Creek. Each of those sections (beats) is usually “rested” for a couple of days after every group each week to help insure a quality angling experience. The Kutras Clear Creek Ranch streamside cabins are both fitted with double beds or double bunks, propane cook tops, barbecues, flush toilets and hot showers.They’re ideal for a couple of guys or a small family and might be described as camping out indoors. Each cabin can accommodate 4 guests, but the beats are limited to 2 anglers.

s s s s

The lower cabin sits close to the stream with decks that hang over the creek and the upper-ranch cabin might be considered a bit more deluxe and is slightly more expensive. The rugged, upper beat has foot access to more than nine additional miles of upstream pocketwater fly fishing for small native rainbows. Ideal for Tenkara or ultra-light rods.

The Lower Cabin rate is $175/night per angler, double occupancy, and a 2-night minimum. Upper Cabin rate is $195/night per angler, double occupancy, and a 2-night minimum. There is a modest $285 per night fee for single anglers who wish to reserve either beat and cabin. A family of 3 or 4 may reserve either housekeeping cabin for $350 or $390 (Upper) per night. w w w . t h e f ly s h o p . c o m s p h o n e 8 0 0 - 6 6 9 - 3 4 7 4

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I N T H E S H A D O W O F M O U N T S H A S TA

Stillwater Fly Fishing Marcel Siegle photos

Redding is surrounded by bass ponds left over from the gold rush and only minutes away from more trout-ﬁlled mountain lakes than can be counted S H A D O W E D B Y V O L C A N O E S to the north and

east, and with only the steep Trinity Divide separating us from the venerable steelhead rivers to the west, it is easy to forget that the Redding elevation is less than 500 feet. Our home town was a vibrant part of the California Gold Rush. In fact, the second discovery of gold that helped birth the famous California Gold Rush was found on Clear Creek, just a few miles from our shop, by Major Pearson B. Redding. While mining practices for over a century were less than desirable from an ecological standpoint, many of these open pit tailings and quarries have since become phenomenal habitat for largemouth bass and trout. That mining boom began to slow in the early 1900’s, replaced by new logging and hydropower industries which resulted in the creation of a host of even more man-made impoundments ranging in size from massive Lake Shasta to hundreds of smaller, often private, anonymous lakes and reservoirs. Most quickly became home to rainbow trout, brown trout, and even brook and golden trout in higher elevations. A few of our larger lakes have become worldrenowned fisheries like the vast Shasta and Trinity lakes, and the McCloud Reservoir. The Fly Shop ® is

ideally located at the gateway to some of the best fishing in the west! While some of these gems, like scenic Lake Manzanita in Lassen Volcanic National Park (which should be on every stillwater anglers annual angling calendar) were obvious and accessible, the vast majority of these stillwater venues, from the quiet low-elevation bass ponds to scenic alpine reservoirs, largely remained secret and locked up for nearly a century. The Fly Shop® has worked hard to arrange lease agreements to a handful of the best regional lakes that were still behind locked gates. Some are one-day fisheries with a simple trespass fee. Others include optional lodging or access to cabins while full-service lodges for anglers and their guests fills a third category. These private ranches range from remote private residences with spectacular back yard fisheries, to rustic alpine cabins on forested mountain lakes, or Central Valley bass and trout lakes within city limits. Knowledgeable locals, with a diverse group of private stillwater options to choose from, find there’s a great lake or pond to fish nearly every day of the year. We’ve said it before, ‘Within minutes of our front door, we can be up to our waders in fish.’

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Luk Lake

Marcel Siegle photo

Mike Greener photo

R O C K C R E E K L A K E is about an hour east of

Redding at the transition point between California Valley Oak and the native Ponderosa pine forest.The lake was built in the 1930’s as a water source for a historic lumber mill, fed by a small spring creek, and filled to its spillway with trophy rainbows and a vestige population of wild brown trout. Rock Creek Lake’s mid elevation micro-climate translates into pleasant weather most months and action is non-stop from the moment in March when we open the front gate until the snow falls in December. Anglers wishing to spend more than a day at Rock Creek Lake (pictured above) have the option of a fully furnished, two-bedroom, lakeside cabin with a deck overlooking the fishery. A fire in the summer of 2012 reduced much of the nearby timber, but left a perimeter of woodland and lush riparian habitat. Aggressive aboriculture quickly re-established the character of the fishery, and the angling is now better than ever. s $150 per day, per angler, trespass fee s 280 per night - 2 night minimum for cabin rental (up to 6 guests)

Rock Creek Lake is a great option to practice safe, sheltered and secure social distancing while challenging your skills, wits and experience against our wary trophy wild rainbows.

Largemouth Bass & Rainbow Trout factory Our 365 day of the year 65-acre foothill lake just one hour south of Redding L U K L A K E is an hour south of Redding, near Corning. It is located along Interstate 5 on sovereign, Native American land less than 3 hours from downtown San Francisco, and is the nearest destination anglers from Sacramento or the Bay Area will find. Luk Lake is a very productive, rainbow trout fishery each winter from November through May.Then it morphs into a solid bass fishery in the spring and warmer summer months. For much of the springtime both rainbows and largemouths can be caught using the same topwater and subsurface patterns! The 65-acre lake is great for float tubers, pontoon boats or anglers who have smaller rowboats, drift boats, canoes. or small prams with electric motors. Lodging and meals are available at the adjacent Rolling Hills Casino hotel, their RV park or a nearby cabin. Nonanglers can try their luck at the Rolling Hills Casino tables or enjoy playing golf at the casino’s John Daly Signature Links course. s $150 per day angler trespass fee s 90 per half day/angler trespass fee s Boat rentals available phone 800-669-3474

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AU TUMN STEELHE AD

Klamath River Comeback

The “half-pounder” run of steelhead on the Klamath River has quietly strengthened each and every year for half of the past decade. T H E K L A M A T H R I V E R begins in southeastern

Oregon’s Klamath Basin and slowly meanders through what was once the largest wetland in the America West. Then it crosses the state line and carves its way through Northern California’s rugged Siskiyou Mountains. Eventually, after a journey of nearly 200 miles, the Klamath pours into the Pacific Ocean near the village of Klamath Glen, about an hour north of Arcata. The river was once home to the 3rd largest run of king salmon in America (behind only the Columbia and Sacramento Rivers) and has recently been the subject of international headlines highlighting struggles between water issues dam removal, as well as conflicts between agricultural, native American, and environmental factions. The Fly Shop® has had steelhead guides on the Klamath and Trinity since 1978. These were the heydays of the Klamath when anglers often averaged dozens of fish each day, and when Mike Michalak (and his young partner, Brad Jackson) would guide the Klamath several months of each year – living off their tips and tossing their wages into the cash register to keep The Fly Shop’s doors open. Over the course of the next three decades concerned, veteran anglers watched with dismay as the river suffered through a series of consecutive droughts, floods, and fundamental mismanagement.

By the turn of the 21st century, both adult and juvenile (half-pounder) steelhead populations had all but disappeared from the Klamath and hopes among biologists for a rebound began to rest only with the tentative, but fragile plans for the largest dam removal project in American history. But nobody told Klamath “half-pounder” steelhead about the possibility of dam elimination.They decided not to wait, and the poorly kept secret is Klamath steelhead recovery has already started. Very significant numbers of these aggressive, voracious steelhead (one or two pound range) now are beginning to arrive at the river mouth in June, and by early August, they’re stacked up in the first 15 miles above tidewater. As escapement of the half-pounders continues, the fish are joined by adult, summer-run models several times their size. Together they move through the Klamath and Trinity rivers and their tributaries (the Salmon River, Scott River, and New River). The runs are comprised of substantially larger numbers of the smaller, half-pounders and our guides report an average of about ten of the smaller fish to each adult landed. Jet boats are used primarily for transportation in the lower river from Klamath Glen upstream to Blue Creek (the first fifteen or so miles). Drift boats are the ticket farther upstream. And while most conventional tackle guys pull “Hot Shots” from the drift boats, virtually all of the fly fishing on the Klamath is done wading the shallow shoreline.

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The flies used are quite small in comparison to other Pacific steelhead fishing and the tackle (6 and 7weight single-handed rods, light switch, or spey outfits) is comparatively light.The lighter tackle is perfect for the smaller fish, adding to the excitement, and help to change the odds slightly when a big fish is hooked. Traditional swung fly techniques are very effective on the Klamath. With the use and popularity of Spey fishing, anglers can cover a lot of water and get lots of grabs. Nymphing is very effective for the less mobile anglers who prefer to fish from a boat. And, regardless of method, the Klamath is a great steelhead river with lots of action from aggressive fish. As hard as we’ve tried to keep the superb fall fishing that began on the Klamath in 2018 under the radar, the word has spread that the number of half-pounders in the river from Klamath Glen to Happy Camp is showing signs of returning to historic levels. Only the fish are happier than we are. And if one were to try to now encapsulate the difference between the Klamath River and some of the other popular Pacific steelhead rivers it’s that there’s more fish and less people. The Fly Shop® has a great team of fly fishing guides and several who specialize on the Klamath. Give us a call and we’ll hook you up.

The Klamath River, historically, was home to one of the most proliﬁc runs of steelhead in the world.

Gold River Lodge on the lower

Klamath River T H I S S M A L L O P E R A T I O N has quickly set a new

standard on the Klamath. The lodge is perched on a point just above the water’s edge on the north bank of the river, only a stone’s throw from where the mighty Klamath meets the sea. Fresh smoked salmon, ocean air and spectacular views of the river estuary and wildlife can all be enjoyed from the comfort of the back balcony. Swinging flies on the long, broad runs of the Lower Klamath River with single or two-handed rods is the preferred method for targeting steelhead for most guests staying at Gold River Lodge. This is for good reason; it is hard to find a river better tailored to swinging flies. Too, the lodge is a perfect basecamp for coastal winter steelhead fishing on the nearby Smith, Elk, Sixes and Chetco Rivers. Guides at Gold River Lodge have a special Oregon permit that allows them to guide on the Wild and Scenic section of the Upper Chetco. Rafts are utilized on this float and get anglers into prime steelhead water not available to many other operations G O L D R I V E R L O D G E PAC K AG E S

Rates are based on single occupancy with a shared guide. Each guest has their own private room and shared bath. All meals, lodging and guided fishing are included. s $925 2 nights/1 day - single occupancy s 1,295 3 nights/2 day - single occupancy s 1,895 4 nights/3 days - single occupancy s 2,495 5 nights/4 days - single occupancy s Non-angler $129 night

K a t i e Fa l ke n b e r g p h o t o

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Br ian O'Keefe photo

Learning to Fly Fish O U R E X P E R T T E A M of instructors is led by a cadre

of Certified Master Fly Casters with a school and seminar curriculum that’s been fine-tuned over decades to make mastering the fundamentals simple or refining the skills of an experienced fly rodder easy. Our teaching methods were originally developed by the legendary casting tutor, Mel Krieger. At his elbow, our instructors became experts at training fishermen and since then The Fly Shop’s fly fishing schools and seminars have become the best in the sport. The Fly Shop’s two main campuses are Antelope Creek Ranch, on the north slope of Mount Shasta, and Oasis Springs Lodge, near Red Bluff. At both locations students are able to put their lessons into practice and reinforce their new skills in fisherman-friendly situations and with angling action. On occasion, specialty seminars are conducted near Caifornia’s best blue-ribbon rivers, streams or lakes.

All the locations are small (10-12 students), private, with excellent lodging, an informal atmosphere, and plenty of room to spread out and relax.

Katie Falkenberg photo

Expert instructors are on hand to guide students through the course, and our high teacher-student ratio ensures plenty of individual time and personal attention. An abundance of material is presented during the school and the practice sessions, and well-organized coaching and lessons are presented in a fun and relaxed fashion.

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T H E F LY S H O P ’ S

Fly Fishing Schools

Katie Falkenberg photo

Br ian O'Keefe photo

3-Day Fly Fishing Clinics in 2021 Our most popular and comprehensive fly fishing school is intended to give newcomers the skills and confidence to successfully pursue the sport on their own afterwards. The emphasis is placed on fundamental casting techniques, basic knots, stream reading, entomology, fly selection, and the lessons required to tackle trout fishing situations. All the necessary fly fishing equipment, workbooks and study guides, as well as meals and lodging are included in our comprehensive three-day clinics. s $1,395 per person double occupancy s 1,895 per person single occupancy. s August 5 - 8 or 12 - 15

Women’s Only 3-Day Fly Fishing 2021 Seminars A full-on learning experience featuring our fine-tuned curriculum tailored to a women-only audience in a comfortable, no-pressure, no-testosterone atmosphere. s $1,395 per person double occupancy s 1,895 per person single occupancy. s August 19 - 22

Katie Falkenberg photo

3-Day Advanced Spring Creek Seminars Held at Circle 7 and conducted on nearby Hat Creek and Fall River by regional selective trout masters, these clinics help even the most accomplished anglers unravel the mysteries of difficult spring creek situations. s $1,895 per person double occupancy s September 9 - 12, 2021 Fly Fishing Day Clinics in 2021 The Fly Shop® has several clinics for those who are interested in improving their skills and knowledge to tackle fly fishing for trout in a variety of situations. These day long clinics are designed to take novice fly fishers to the next level and improve their knowledge base in each discipline. s $200 per person

Advanced Klamath River 3-Day Spey School Comprehensive, hands-on lessons conducted by a team of Certified Master Fly Casting instructors at Gold River Lodge on the Lower Klamath. Instruction will be done on moving water that simulates practical situations. s $2,300 per person double occupancy s August 26 - 29, 2021

April 10 Freestone Trout April 17 European Nymphing April 24 Trout Spey November 5 or 6 Spey Casting Spey Casting Clinic $295 per person Contact us early for information, rates, and locations.

s s s s

Making Reservations for our schools and seminars is easy. Most fill quickly and completely, so inquire early. Give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours any day of the week, or e-mail us at info@theflyshop.com for detailed explanations to questions you might have, or to check on availability and confirm your reservation in minutes. w w w . t h e f ly s h o p . c o m s p h o n e 8 0 0 - 6 6 9 - 3 4 7 4

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T H E F LY S H O P ’ S

Fish Camp for kids

A W A R D - W I N N I N G summer camps are located at Antelope Creek Ranch in the shadow of Mount Shasta, surrounded by nearly two million acres of the Klamath National Forest. Its fences envelop more than two miles of private, fish-filled stream and a couple of spectacular lakes loaded with trophy trout. Antelope Creek Ranch is the perfect outdoor campus and the ideal place for young (age 10 - 15) boys and girls, to discover the sport of fly fishing and practice their new skills in a great fishery.

OUR

K I D S C A M P E R S learn fundamental casting, fly fishing

techniques, fly tying, and outdoor skills that will stay with them the rest of their lives. During their 5-day stay at FishCamp, the kids are wellfed, supervised by professionals, taught by patient experts, and surrounded by an incredible fresh-air classroom. They’ll meet other junior anglers with the same interests and have a blast catching (and releasing) lots of trout in our fish-filled stream and lakes, on flies they tied themselves.

Marcel Siegle photos

™

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Each summer youngsters come to Antelope Creek Ranch to participate in a program that offers boys and girls the chance to learn to ﬂy ﬁsh in a facility and with a curriculum that was designed and fashioned just for them!

Our ranch is the classroom! Our fences surround two miles of private streams and two trophy trout-filled lakes. Kids FishCamps™ $895 per Camper A 4-night, 5-day stay at the Antelope Creek Ranch FishCamp™ is the perfect way to introduce your youngster to the world of fly fishing, learn the fundamentals the right way, instill enthusiasm, and discover a sport that may last a lifetime. Kids will spend 5 full days building and improving their fly fishing skills, fishing, learning, sharing stories by the campfire, and creating mid-summer memories together with new friends. Campers are kept busy all day, every fun-filled, digital-free day. At the same time they’ll have a chance each day to test and implement their newfound quiver of fly fishing skills on the trout-filled lakes and stream at Antelope Creek Ranch. The curriculum includes: s Learn angling knots s Casting techniques s How to fly fish s Hiking & games s Basic entomology s Reading water s Conservation s Fly tying s On-stream classes s Catch-and-release ethic s Leave-No-Trace s Stream etiquette s Outdoor skills s Safe wading techniques All our Kids FishCamps were filled for Summer 2020. We are accepting reservations for next summer! s 2021 dates: July 5 - 9, July 12 - 16, July 19 - 23 Advanced FishCamp™ $1,295 per Camper This more advanced curriculum is ideal for young anglers who are well-grounded in fly fishing or are graduates of introductory FishCamps. Camp includes an exciting, guided float trip on the Lower Sacramento River after commencement. s 2021 dates: July 26 - 30 Everything at FishCamp™ is included! Every meal, all the equipment, comfortable wall tents they’ll share with experienced counselors and other kids, comfortable bunks, professional, round-the-clock supervision, lots of fun and loads of fish in the nearby lakes and stream. Kids only need to bring along their sleeping bag, a pillow, their clothing, toiletries, lots of energy, and a big smile. Scholarships for FishCamp™ are offered by several wonderful clubs, companies and organizations.Visit our website for info! w w w . t h e f ly s h o p . c o m

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HOOK UP WITH T H E F LY S H O P ® T E A M T H I S S E A S O N ! We’ve got a great guide team with more than a century of experience on the local rivers between them. Each one is a talented, local expert and a professional in every sense of the word. Our guides wrote the book on the ﬂy ﬁshing in Northern California and continue to add new chapters every season.

Stay in the Loop Be sure to follow The Fly Shop® on social media.

@tfsguides @the_fly_shop

@The Fly Shop

or current resident Printed in the USA

4140 Churn Creek Road Redding California, 96002

Paid

The Fly Shop®, Inc.

Pre-sorted Standard United States Postage

Katie Falkenberg photo