2022 Regional Angling Vacation Planner

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TheFlyShop

®

regional angling

vacation planner

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

2022

SEASON

The Top Fly Fishing Destinations in

Northern California

Guide service

Public & private streams, lakes, lodging

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

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 don’t want to miss.

Katie Falkenberg photo

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T H E F LY S H O P ’ S A N N UA L

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 is necessary to ensure your trip to our area is memorable.

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. Our back yard includes the famous Sacramento River and all of its trout-filled tributaries, as well as the steelhead fishing on the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. Every inch of it is full of fish!

4 Our rivers, lakes and streams Most of our regional rivers and lakes are open and offer thrilling fly fishing all year long. And because we’re blessed with an unusually temperate climate, it’s easy to find a great spot to wet a line and test your tackle at every turn of the calendar page.

6 Our Special Interest Publications Make sure you’re getting The Fly Shop’s (free) information-packed, special interest, special edition magazines (sent only on request) devoted to: Fly Tying International Fly fishing Travel North American Flyfishing Destinations

Katie Falkenberg photo

8 The Fly Shop’s Guide Service Some of the American West’s most famous fly fishing lies just to the north, east, and west of Redding and The Fly Shop®. 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, fine-tuned techniques that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Give us a call and we’ll hook you right up!

44 The Fly Shop’s Fly Fishing Schools These one, two, and three-day seminars are tailored for beginner, intermediate, and expert fly rodders.

Our expert teaching staff has an ultra fine-tuned approach to instruction that makes learning the sport easy, fun, and fast.

46 Kid’s Fly Fishing Camps Young anglers (age 10 - 15) at our FishCamps learn outdoor skills, fly casting fundamentals, fly fishing techniques, fly tying, and the ethics of our sport.

At the same time they’ll create memories and new friendships that stay with them the rest of their lives.

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

Cover photo courtesy of Katie Falkenberg The Upper Sacramento river flows along the I-5 corridor. phone 800-669-3474

Marcel Siegel photos

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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

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McCloud River

America has re-discovered the great Outdoors were filled these past two summers 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 opened 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.

Many 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 we still went fishing.

OUR BACKWOODS CAMPGROUNDS

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Katie Falkenberg photo

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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. So too, for the first time this year is Fall River, Hat Creek, Pit River, and the McCloud!

The Klamath remains primarily a fall steelhead fishery and the Trinity River is usually ripe for steelhead fishing from October through March. So, make your plans early!

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.

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Upper Sacramento River

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Lower Sacramento

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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 on the McCloud River The oldest, private fly fishing in America’s west

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

Antelope Creek Ranch Northern California’s finest angling resort

Clear Creek Ranch The longest privately-owned stream in California

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Circle 7 Ranch on Fall River

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Oasis Springs Lodge

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Rock Creek Lake

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Battle Creek Ranch

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Luk Lake

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Sugar Creek Ranch

The Golden State’s top spring creek A perfect streamside resort for a family or group Our most popular, productive, and private stillwater 6 miles of a rugged, small stream jammed with trout Mid-winter and spring trout & bass fishery 8 private, trophy trout-filled lakes near Mt. Shasta phone 800-669-3474

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The Fly Shop’s

Special Interest Publications In response to the pandemic The Fly Shop® has had to re-think every facet of our business, and adjust to meet what is now “the new normal in our sport!”

Faced with the uncertainties of airline travel, politics, and social distancing regulations, The Fly Shop® quickly adopted new policies with regard to guide service and lodging.

We also decided to separate our annual catalog into several different, smaller, and more specific magazines to better serve the interests of our fly fishing clientele

T H I S N E W V A C A T I O N P L A N N E R is sent only

N O T E V E R Y fly fish-

to those clients who have expressed an interest in the fly fishing guide service, destination lodging, private waters, schools, and camps we offer in Northern California.

Masking, social distancing, vaccination, and boosters haven’t yet completely stifled the spread of Covid-19 and its iterations. Even the most prudent behavior has not guaranteed immunity, and it appears there is no end in sight to people getting sick and disrupting their holiday.

Obviously, we had to make some adjustments.

erman we know ties flies.

But every one of the fly tiers we know gets a copy of our annual 48page Fly Tying Magazine.

It’s packed with information, articles by expert tiers, tips on design, and over 1,000 products of interest to fly tiers.

s At the top of everyone’s list was the need to adopt a more forgiving, pandemic-sensitive cancellation policy.

We found the re-scheduling of hundreds of anglers whose guide service and angling holiday plans were interrupted last spring and summer was complicated, timeconsuming and the policy required thought and planning.

But, to nobody’s surprise, when all the dust settled, The Fly Shop® team did a great job of adopting a reasonable cancellation policy that has met everyone’s expectations. 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 eliminated shared lodging and daily housekeeping at all our destinations, and extended the window between guest departures and new arrivals (to allow more time for upgraded housekeeping standards). We eliminated meals, and created a less expensive,VRBO atmosphere at all our Private Waters destinations. s The Fly Shop® expanded our “total package option” for guide clients, and simultaneously reduced the price. Now, fishermen can arrange to have all the rods, reels, flies, and terminal tackle (everything but waders) provided at a quite modest fee. s The Fly Shop’s guides and clients meet here at the shop with the exception of destinations that are further from the shop. s We cancelled the 2020 and 2021 annual “Opening Day Customer Appreciation Party” we’ve hosted for our customers on the last Saturday of March for the past four decades and moved it to May 22nd of this year as our 44th anniversary celebration.

Make your plans to attend!

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If you’re interested in receiving any of The Fly Shop’s catalogs, magazines, travel brochures or specialty interest publications just write, call, or log onto our website and let us know!

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The easist way to continue to receive our annual catalog is to continue to do business with The Fly Shop® The 44th Edition of Fly Shop’s Retail Catalog was printed, mailed, and sent digitally to all our customers this past february, 2022. It features 110 pages of new products, thousands of hight quality flies, and the top fly fishing brands in our sport.

Those anglers who have done business with us recently, used our guides, or travelled with us in the past will get a copy. Otherwise, write, call, or log onto our website and request a copy.

The Fly Shop® North American Fly Fishing Guide This info-packed, 84-page publication is an indispensible guide for both the novice and veteran angler in the planning of any North American fly fishing holiday.

Included are our 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.

If you’ve used our guide service or have been to any of The Fly Shop’s travel or Private Waters destinations you’ll be getting a copy of the next issue in 2023.

The Fly Shop® International Fly Fishing Travel Digest Our new, international travel magazine features 100-pages of the world’s top fresh and saltwater destinations. It includes informative articles by experts on choosing the right spot, timing your trip, and selecting the correct flies, as well as advice on the necessary planning and preparation to accomplish what we hope will be the trip of a lifetime.

The first edition of our travel magazine was sent to The Fly Shop’s travel database last fall.

By the time the next issue is published we’ll have an even better grasp on quarantines, airline travel regulations, and protocols for testing and vaccination.

Be sure to write, call, or log onto our website and request the next copy!

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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.

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.

With their knowledge, experience, drift boats, specialized equipment, and refined techniques, using our guide service is the most productive way to fish our regional rivers.

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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.

The Fly Shop® guide rates Our fee is identical, whether the package is for one or two anglers.

Guides provide healthy lunches, bottled water, and all the tackle – fly rods, flies, and terminal tackle.

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.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.

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

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 and a spot 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 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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The creation of Shasta Dam on the Sacramento all but destroyed the river’s once-magnificent runs of King Salmon – but efforts to save them created the top 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!

Br yan Quic k photo

B E L O W S H A S T A D A M 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 F I S H E R Y

Steelhead on the Trinity River

G E T T I N G T H E R E I S N ’ T difficult. Most of the lodg-

ing 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 of the other western steelhead rivers have taken.

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Trinity River steelhead average 4 to 8 pounds, and begin showing in good numbers by mid-October. The run remains strong and escapement builds through February, when multiple hookups are common. It’s often technical fishing, requiring some experience, and a guide will help.

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’ winter schedules fill quickly. If you’re interested in Trinity River steelhead we recommend booking your trip as far in advance as possible.

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

Marcel Siegle photos

T H E F LY S H O P ’ S S T E E L H E A D 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 T R I N I T Y is a tailwater with few tributaries, and

the river clears quickly after every rain, affording a more reliable target than lots of other western 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.

Like all anadromous runs, the annual migration of Trinity River steelhead is predictably unpredictable, and weather and water conditions are a factor – but recent Trinity River seasons have been superb.

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.

There are times 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. But when water conditions dictate and, if there are no objections, our guides turn to the fly fishing technique that connects screaming steelhead to the end of the fly line and leave the whining and the angler elitism to someone else.

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 team of guides is licensed by the US Forest Service to access every inch of the entire Trinity River watershed. s $550 Full-day Guided Trip.

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The Upper

Sacramento

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

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This is one of the finest roadside streams in the American West!

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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 I-5 corridor from almost any access 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

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 made famous by the syndicated 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 international headlines in 1991 when a train car derailed and puked 19,000 gallons of toxic chemicals into the river, killing every fish, crayfish, insect and all other aquatic life in a 36-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 invertebrate life had been reestablished. 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.

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 via the Union Pacific Railroad that runs alongside nearly it’s almost entire length.

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.

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).

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 river’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. 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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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.

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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.

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

A UNIQUE SECTION OF RIVER

Bollibokka ( E S T. 1 9 0 4 )

The finest 7 miles of the world famous McCloud River T H E S E V E N M I L E S of McCloud River within the

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.

Spring anglers meet with a terrific hatch of Salmonflies and Green Drakes. Flies and techniques get progressively more technical throughout the summer and springs into an even higher gear in the fall.

Our guides focus on the wild & scenic section of the river below McCloud Reservoir and through the Nature Conservancy, where guides are allowed to accompany those anglers in the Conservancy section with advanced first-come/first-served reservations. s $550 Full-day Guided Trips only Guided fishing on Bollibokka For the first time (from mid-November through February of 2023), The Fly Shop’s guides will be allowed to host small groups (maximum 6) and former guests on the superb, seven-mile Bollibokka portion of the McCloud. s $550 Full-day Guided Trips s Plus a $150 per angler Bollibokka trespass fee

confines of Bollibokka are located just 36 miles north of The Fly Shop® on the southern slope of Mt Shasta.

Bollibokka began as a private club just after the turn of the last century when a group of wealthy anglers from San Francisco purchased more than a dozen miles of river frontage on the McCloud and all of the property extending to the high ridges on both slopes of the steep canyon. It’s bordered upstream by a dozen miles of other private property and entirely surrounded by a roadless portion of the Shasta Nat’l Forest before the river leaves the property and pours into Shasta Lake. And for more that a hundred years the proerty remained some of the most jealously guarded fly fishing in California.

Bollibokka’s historic main house features a dining room dating back to the late 1800s, a farm-style residence, fully furnished guest cabin, and a separate stone cottage only a roll cast from the river. Though the riverside complex collectively handles 14 guests, angling is limited to no more than10 anglers.

The Upper Bollibokka includes the Way Station Cabin, perched on a rock outcrop gazing down on a classic river pool below, and sleeps up to 6 anglers.

There’s nothing fancy about the place, but Bollibokka’s informal atmosphere is enhanced by its rustic charm, fishing legacy, and isolation. It’s extremely popular, and a perfect spot for individuals, small groups of friends, companies, or organizations. Space at Bollibokka is very limited.

Access to Bollibokka is administered by The Fly Shop® Contact us for more details.

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There’s a beat up

Milk Can in a lonely corner of our retail shop that’s filled with memories & history!

Marcel Siegle McCloud River photo

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The world of angling owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the McCloud River!

T H E B A R T E N D E R in the Lake Taupo gin mill refused to consider any amount of money for the purchase of the well-worn, dented, milk can he was using for a waste basket. When I started to ask him again, my companion, Simon Dickie, hit me hard in the ribs with an elbow that shut me up.

Simon was a larger-than-life, Kiwi hero, the coxswain of New Zealand’s first gold-medal rowing team in the ‘68 Summer Olympics, and a source of national pride as one of only a handful of Kiwis to have ever won two Olympic gold medals. His fan club expanded exponentially when a controversial photo of Simon shooting Red Deer while suspended from the door of an airborn helicopter (as part of their eradication program) was published internationally.

In fact, locals practically genuflected when we wandered into the bar at the end of a long day of bushwhacking for trout on the streams of the North Island’s Poronui Ranch.

My interest in the milk can was sparked by it’s brass plaque – California Fish & Game Commission, and when I asked the sober proprietor about it, he explained it was “one of the cans originally used to ship the first rainbow trout eggs from California to New Zealand more than a century earlier.” His wife had painted a large, stylized, kype-jawed trout on the side in vivid oils. And though he claimed a great deal of pride in the historic, dented, weather-beaten container, it was being used as a trash can.

While he was reluctant to consider selling me the relic, the barkeep didn’t hesitate to oblige us when Simon asked for one of Hawks Bay’s finest wines. The three of us each had a generous taste, then Simon passed the bottle down the bar to his throng of admirers and ordered another.

From what little I remember of the evening, it was the first of a lot of New Zealand vino that crossed our palate.

Before long my tongue was thick, my words were slurred,

and I vaguely recollect being astounded at how well my diminutive fly fishing buddy could hold his liquor.

I don’t remember dinner or much of what happened afterwards, but Simon later insisted we had enjoyed a fine meal (also at the bar), and that I had suggested to the barkeep that we shake dice for the can. If I won, I’d pay him $200 US for the thing. If he won, it doubled.

God only knows whether I won or lost the bet, or how much the evening cost. But when my eyes opened in the morning, I was sharing Simon’s guest bed with a milk can.

A little homework after getting stateside established that California’s Fish & Game Commission was created in 1871. In the late 19th century it had jurisdiction over the State’s fish hatcheries and was directly responsible for the shipment of the first McCloud River rainbows and Sonoma Creek steelhead sent to Kiwiland in 1886.

Records indicate that the eggs were fertilized on site, then stocked in the Tongariro River and several other nearby Lake Taupo tributaries.

So, the milk can is probably the real deal.

Simon Dickie, 66, passed away unexpectedly in 2017 after hosting a lively reunion for his Olympic teammates the night before. He was the real deal, too.

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

I T W A S I N 1 8 7 7 on the McCloud River’s Campbell Creek tributary, that the first federal fish hatchery in California was established.The location that now lies deep below the surface of Shasta Lake, about 30 miles north of The Fly Shop®.

Rainbow trout eggs from there were sent to a second hatchery nearer to San Francisco. They were often combined with steelhead ova from Sonoma Creek, a tributary to San Francisco Bay, and sent all over the United States and the world.

In fact, 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 rainbows in California, parts of Oregon, Southern Washington, and Kamchatka.

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.

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.

In that way, fishing the McCloud is a bit more than just another day on the water.

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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 first opened to the public by a bold 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 originates from a single, massive, funnel-shaped, artesian-fed aquifer that belches thousands of gallons each second emanating from subterranean springs far below the slopes of nearby, volcanic, Mount Shasta. In a matter of yards the natural well morphs into a magnificent, crystal clear trout stream. It is California’s version of Idaho’s Silver Creek, Patagonia’s Arroyo Pescado, or Kamchatka’s Sedanka.

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, too deep to wade, and navigable only by shallow draft Jon Boats for more than16 miles until reaching its first (hydroelectric) roadblock.

Before 1970, barbed-wire fences crossed Fall River at each property line. Floating between them wasn’t allowed and fishing clubs leased each section. In the late ’60’s an intrepid angler drifted the river from its source, cutting each of the wire fences as he moved downstream toward public water and eventual arrest.

An ensuing landmark court decision (Baker v. Mack) declared the river navigable, it’s 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, national precedent it established defining river navigability.

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.

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Water temperatures stay in the low 50’s in the upper river, and the huge volume of spring water inflow maintains Fall River water temperatures at near optimum ranges for trout production, even during mid-summer.

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 available is through private water and 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 on Fall River is now year ‘round, but the Circle 7 facility is open only from May thru mid-November

CIRCLE

B r i a n O ’ Ke e f e 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.

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

Give us a call to reserve your space on this wonderful blue-ribbon spring creek today!

Br yan Quic k photo

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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 R I V E R

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.

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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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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

HatCreek

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.

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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.

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

Br yan Quic k 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.

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Opening day in

California doesn’t mean much as

much as it did in the past!

New regulations have changed the game!

W E H A D S O M E T H I N G N E W to add to our Thanksgiving prayer this past winter, because for the first

time in my life fly rodders could fish (with a few exceptions) all of California’s inland streams, rivers, and lakes. True, most of those spots have zero fish limits and are limited to artificial lures during the months that used to be closed, but nobody I pal around with gives a damn about that!

We got to fly fish just about anywhere we wanted after the snow began falling. We could wet a line in the Klamath above Copco and high stick heavy nymphs long before the Salmonfly hatch. And or the first time in memory, you could count on having whole stretches of Hat Creek and Fall River all to yourself. Nobody, I mean nobody else was around. Clothes were optional.

Serious anglers had a chance to see how the McCloud fished at Thanksgiving, Christmas, on the Easter holiday. The Fly Shop’s guides were given special permission (for a fee) to take fly fishermen on the Bollibokka property during the winter months. And we were able to wet a line all year long on the Pit River, the Upper Sacramento, and just about anywhere else we felt like fishing.

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

To m C h a n d l e r p h o t o

California’s Department of Fish & Wildlife says the reason they made the changes was to make the state’s very complicated regulations more uniform and easier to enforce.

T H E F A C T I S that virtually all the winter spawning

that occurs is done in the main river tributaries. Those remain closed and the fisheries biologists who claim to know more than we mortals, figure that winter angling won’t make a dent in the fish population or expose the vulnerable, spawning trout to predation.

One thing is for sure, the opportunity to hook up with larger lake-run fish often occurs well after the season was closed in the past.

In ultra-cold, mid-winter situations, trout often become more lethargic and reluctant to move to a dry, take a nymph, or attack a streamer. But in these unpredictable drought years, the fishing conditions, water levels, weather, and clarity have often been perfect in the late fall, and early spring, when these new regulations should make fishing more attractive.

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

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!

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-it-yourself, leave-me-alone approach to fishing the lakes and the stream (though guides can be arranged to help the angling or accelerate the learning curve).

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

To b y N o l a n p h o t o

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Marcel Siegle photo

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

I N K E E P I N G W I T H Covid-19 concerns, Antelope Creek Ranch policy

ANTELOPE CREEK

changed last season and, for the first time, opened the doors to the owner’s fully-furnished, one and two-bedroom family guest suites. Each of these very private, well-appointed apartments has wi-fi, and is outfitted with fully equipped kitchens, gas fireplaces, private patios, and a shared barbecue area.

Cohesive groups of six or more are guaranteed exclusive use of the entire complex and all ranch angling.

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 special occasions.Without daily housekeeping, chef, and meals (provided in the past), a visit to the VRBO-style ranch house is ideal for self-reliant guests.

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.

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.

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.

Guest Suites - 3 night minimum s $395 per day, per angler s 175 per day, per non-angler Ranch House s $2,400 per day – 3 night minimum The spacious 4-bedroom streamside home accommodates up to 8 guests.

A superb, regional chef is an option for meals at the ranch house. Availability is very limited.

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Kutras Ranch

Clear Creek

The Kutras Ranch surrounds the longest privately owned stream in California. It’s a terrific mid-summer and fall trout fishery located less than an hour west of Redding in a steep, pine-shaded canyon behind fences and beyond gates.

Much of the property is roadless and all of the terrific trout fishing on the historic ranch has been off-limits to the public since a local pioneer family won it more than a century ago in a tension-filled, Gold Rush dice game.

C L E A R C R E E K is a top quality, private fly fishing ex-

perience that is enhanced by an easy-to-reach location.

It’s the perfect small stream angling holiday for family or a few friends and a wonderful spot to share a great outdoor experience in a safe, secure, and private setting.

The canyon corridor on the historic Kutras ranch shades two cozy, well-spaced cabins that divide more than a dozen miles of private fly fishing.

The entire length of Clear Creek on the property offers fine mid-summer and fall dry fly fishing in a classic stream setting that is shaded by a mixture of evergreens and hardwoods. All of it is populated by a surprisingly large number 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.

The Clear Creek canyon on the historic Kutras Ranch shades two comfortable streamside cabins, each with exclusive access to several miles of surprisingly isolated, fish-filled pocket water, riffles and pools.

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

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

The Clear Creek canyon shades two streamside cabins, each with exclusive access to more than several miles of productive, fish-filled stream. 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. The cabins and beats are ideal for a couple of guys or small family and might be described as camping out indoors. Each cabin can accommodate 4 guests, but the beats are limited to 2 anglers. Non-anglers or kids are charged a modest fee.

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The lower cabin sits close to the stream with a deck that hangs over the creek. The upper cabin on the ranch is slightly more expensive and considered a bit more deluxe.

Too, the rugged, “upper beat” has foot access to more than nine miles of upstream pocketwater fly fishing for small native rainbows. It’s an ideal spot for Tenkara or ultra-light fly rod action.

The Lower Cabin rate is $175/day per angler, double occupancy, with a 2-night minimum.

The Upper Cabin (in photo) rate is $195/day per angler, double occupancy, and a 2-night minimum.

There is a modest $250 per day fee for single anglers who wish to reserve either beat and cabin.

A family of 3 or 4 may reserve either cabin and beat for $350 (Lower Cabin)or $390 (Upper Cabin) 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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OUT_Y22_Pps 32-33_Battle.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:12 AM Page 1

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 been kept 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 fishing action and exercise.

Marcel Siegle photos

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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 make spring fishing more pleasant, but aren’t necessary in the mid-summer month. However, a certain amount of stamina is definitely required to fish and navigate the steep, terraced canyon terrain.

This is a thrilling, productive, light tackle destination and the perfect spot to polish basic fly fishing skills. s $135 daily trespass fee s There are nearby lodging and campground available

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

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OUT_Y22_Pps 34-35_Oasis.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:15 AM Page 1

Oasis Springs Lodge 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

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, 10guest 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 exclusive access to more than 6 miles of angling in the 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.

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Majestic oaks dot the landscape around the spacious, eight-bedrooom, air-conditioned lodge and shade the solar heated pool next to a lighted tennis court. An adjoining suite features two additional bedrooms, each with their own baths and small sitting area. Depending on the composition of the group, the lodge can accommodate up to 18 guests.

The main room features a lovely living room, fireplace, large dining area, and a well-appointed kitchen capable of the preparation of gourmet meals.

Oasis Springs Lodge is a rare opportunity to reserve your own private fly fishing ranch. It’s a great place to fish and spend time with family or friends, build memories, new relationships, reinforce old ones, or to make a plan for your company to take over the world.

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

The Fly Shop® and only for a few weeks of each summer.

Guests enjoy exclusive use of 6 miles of Battle Creek’s South Fork. The stream is a productive series of pocket water, deep pools, and riffles. All of it holds fish in every place you would expect.

The lodge is ideal for outdoor-oriented business groups, and families (no charge for kids under 16) s s s s

$6,500 per week (Thurs. through Tues.) for 8 guests 50 per day for additional occupants, up to 18 A superb chef and custom menu can be arranged Please inquire for more detailed information, photos, available dates, and special group options.

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OUT_Y22_Pps 36-37 Luk Lake.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:32 AM Page 1

AN HOUR SOUTH OF REDDING

Luk Lake

Our largemouth bass & rainbow trout factory is a 365 days of the year, 65-acre, foothill lake, just an hour from Sacramento!

S O V E R E I G N Native American land of the Paskenta tribe is less than 3 hours from downtown San Francisco, alongside Interstate 5, near Corning. Their rancheria surrounds the Rolling Hills Casino, the John Daly Signature Links golf course, and Luk Lake.

It’s a remarkable, 65-acre, foothill fishery that’s stuffed with a combination of rainbow trout and largemouth bass.

It’s also the nearest, quality fly fishing spot north of the Bay Area and Sacramento – and a great place to wet a line during the winter and spring when little else is happening.

The massive pond is great for float tubers, pontoon boats or anglers who have smaller rowboats, drift boats, canoes. or small prams with electric motors During the winter (from November through May) the lake is an ultra-productive, rainbow trout fishery. Then, as the weather warms, Luk Lake morphs slowly into a solid bass fishery. In fact, for much of the springtime it’s not uncommon for both rainbows and largemouths to be caught using the same topwater and subsurface patterns!

Lodging and meals are available at the adjacent Rolling Hills Casino Hotel, and their RV park. Non-anglers can keep busy at the casino tables, the hotel pool, or sporting clays, and anglers can balance their fly fishing with golf at the casino’s John Daly Signature Links course.

THE

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Marcel Siegle photos

The quality fishing and it’s proximity to Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area combine to make it a popular destination for both expert and novice fly rodders.

Luk Lake is strictly fly fishing only, catch-and-release, and access is limited to a maximum of ten anglers daily. s $150 per day angler trespass fee s 90 per half day/angler trespass fee s Boat rentals are available for a modest fee

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Why there’s such great

Stillwater fly fishing near Redding

C A L I F O R N I A ’ S F A M O U S G O L D rush began in

the Sierra foothills more than a hundred and fifty miles south of Redding. The search for that precious metal spread quickly up the Sacramento Valley floor to just beyond the southern Oregon border.

Gold fever spread faster than COVID-19, fueled by major discoveries of flakes and nuggets in Clear Creek, just a few miles west of town, as well as in every other tributary of the Sacramento and Trinity River.

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 number of man-made impoundments ranging in size from massive Lake Shasta to hundreds of smaller, often private, anonymous lakes and reservoirs. Much of that water quickly became home to rainbow trout, browns, and brook trout. While, at the same time open quarries at lower elevations slowly filled with water and became phenomenal habitat for largemouth bass and other warmwater fish.

A great number of these fly fishing gems, like scenic Lake Manzanita in Lassen Volcanic National Park are public, but the vast majority of local stillwater venues have remained behind fences and locked gates for nearly a century.

The Fly Shop® has worked for decades to develop lease agreements and exclusive access to a few of the best of the regional, private lakes and streams that were formerly off-limits to the public.

Give us a call today.

phone 800-669-3474

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OUT_Y22_Pps 38-39_SugarCreek.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:34 AM Page 1

Sugar Creek Ranch 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 R A N C H offers some outstanding

stillwater 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, Hat Creek, the McCloud, 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 an 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.All the trout at Sugar Creek are wide-bodied, full of fight, and very aggressive. The average rainbow ranges from one to three pounds. Occasionally a real monster is hooked, and once in a while one is landed.

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 exciting dry fly sight fishing for trophy ‘bows, while others pay off with nymphs or streamers.

Marcel Siegle photos

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S U G A R C R E E K ’ S C A B I N is an optional, spacious,

3-bedroom, fully-furnished home with a fully-stocked kitchen, barbecue, reading room, and expansive deck.

There’s plenty of space to relax and plenty of room to comfortably accommodate up to 6 anglers, a family, or a close-knit group. s Sugar Creek’s Cabin fees are modest. $200 per night for one or two guests 300 per night for 3 Guests 50 for each additional guest, per night

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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 in June, July, and August from the often oppressive Sacramento Valley heat.

In the fall, the fishing and colors are both spectacular, and during the winter, the lakes on the ranch 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 southeast of Yreka, a pleasant two-hour drive to the north from Redding and just a bit shorter drive south from Ashland, Oregon.

All angling at Sugar Creek Ranch is fly fishing only, strictly catch-and-release, and no more than 10 anglers are allowed on Sugar Creek Ranch’s lakes at any one time.

While use of the cabin is optional, and daily angler use of the ranch is encouraged, other fishermen are not allowed on the ranch while the cabin is being used by six or more guests. s $150 per angler, daily trepass fee

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OUT_Y22_Pps 40-41 RockCreek.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:37 AM Page 1

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

Rock Creek Lake

Redding is surrounded by (and only minutes away from) more trout-filled lakes left over from logging operations and Gold Rush placer mining than can be counted. Rock Creek is among the best!

R O C K C R E E K L A K E is in the foothills about an

hour east of The Fly Shop in Redding at the elevation where California Valley Oaks begin to give way to native Ponderosa pine and cedar forests.

It’s a pleasant, temperate, micro-climate where spring blossoms and fall leaves both complement the conifers It’s a place where the weather is predictable most months of the calendar year and the fly fishing action is non-stop from the moment in March (when we open the gates) until the first snow falls in early December.

The lake was built in the 1930’s as a water source for a historic lumber mill. It is fed by a small spring creek, and filled to its spillway with trophy rainbows and a vestige population of wild brown trout.

It is also one of the single most popular fisheries in The Fly Shop’s portfolio of stillwater destinations. ®

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Anglers wishing to spend more than a day at Rock Creek Lake have the option of staying at the property’s comfortable, fully furnished, two-bedroom, lakeside cabin with a deck overlooking the fishery.

A fire a decade ago reduced much of the nearby timber, but left a perimeter of woodland and lush riparian habitat.

Aggressive forest aboriculture quickly re-established the adjacent pine trees, and improved the character of the ultra-popular fishery.

It is no understatement to boast that the angling at Rock Creek Lake 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)

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Mike Greener photo

Br yan Quic k photo

Rock Creek Lake is a great option to practice safe, sheltered and secure social distancing with your family or friends, while challenging your skills, wits and experience against the stillwater’s large population of trophy rainbows!

Marcel Siegle photo

R O C K C R E E K L A K E is typical of the handful of

regional lakes available by reservation only through The Fly Shop ® . It is one of a number of private properties previously beyond the reach of the public that have been opened to our clientele through a series of long-term leases.

Some of them are one-day fisheries that require only a simple trespass fee. Others include optional camping or cabins accommodations. 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.

The gate to the property that leads to the two bedroom

cabin overlooking Rock Creek Lake is several miles from the nearest paved road and the cell service is spotty.

If you bring the kids or a non-fishing companion along, warn them that there’s no television or wi-fi at Rock Creek. This is pretty much a digital-free experience.

At the same time, it’s usually an action-packed, fly fishing destination, with cozy, fully furnished accommodations that are only a stone’s throw from the water’s edge.

There’s a BBQ on the deck, and a warm shower waiting for the guy who spent the entire day in a float tube with ice-cold water up to his waist. The well-equipped kitchen has all the necessities, and the biggest problem at Rock Creek Lake is finding space that hasn’t been reserved by anglers who have been returning for decades.

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OUT_Y22_Pps 42-43_Klamath.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:45 AM Page 1

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. Guided fly fishermen then averaged a couple of dozen fish in the 16 to 20 inch range each and every day, with an occasional fish in the 2-foot range.

Over the course of the next three decades 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 began their recovery in relative secrecy Very significant numbers of these aggressive, voracious steelhead (one or two pound range) now 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 half-pounders and our guides report an average of about ten of the smaller fish to each adult.

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

The fishing this last year was again exceptional and reinforced confidence in Mother Nature’s resilience!

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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.

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 lower Klamath.

Give us a call and we’ll hook you up.

Improving your

Steelhead

Skills

T H E R E A R E F E W A D D I T I O N S to your fly

fishing tool chest that will pay better dividends than mastering the fundamentals of spey casting, and nowhere is that more true than on the large steelhead rivers of the Pacific Northwest. In fact, over the course of the last decade spey, switch, and even trout spey techniques have taken the sport by storm.

Simply put, spey casting allows the angler to improve both efficiency and effectiveness in their steelhead, trout, or salmon pursuits.

Often it takes the most difficult challenges out of the equation. The high winds of Tierra del Fuego suddenly became a non-issue when those sea trout fishermen made the conversion en masse. The wall of bush pine that flanks miles of the Zhupanova River in Kamchataka and limits the single-handed fly rodder don’t mattter when they’re armed with a switch or light spey rod.

Improved distance is a given with the long rods and, perhaps most importantly, methodically covering the water all day becomes effortless.

And finally, the combination of all those advantages pays off with more action and more fun. Check out our school options and dates on page 45.

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

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OUT_Y22_Pps 44-45_Schools.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/25/22 9:10 AM Page 1

Br ian O'Keefe photo

Learning to Fly Fish

O

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.

Expert instructors are on hand to guide students through the course, and our high teacher-student ratio

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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

Mic hael Caranci photo Katie Falkenberg photos

3-Day Fly Fishing Clinics in 2022 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 May 12 - 15, June 2 - 5

Fly Fishing Day Clinics in 2022 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

Women’s Only 3-Day Fly Fishing 2022 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 25 - 28 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 11 - 14

April 9 & 23 Freestone Trout Call for date European Nymphing May 7 Trout Spey November 4 or 5 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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OUT_Y22_Pps 46-47_Camps.qxp_jungleCatalog 3/24/22 9:48 AM Page 1

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

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Kids campers 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.

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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!

Toby Nolan photos

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 are filled for June, July dates still available We are accepting reservations for next summer! s July 11 - 15 (1 spot left), July 18 - 22 Family FishCamp™ $3,580 per tent The entire family can spend 4 nights and 5 days fishing, learning, sharing stories by the campfire, improving their fly fishing skills, and building mid-summer memories together at our beautiful Antelope Creek Ranch. s August 1 - 5 5 tents available, 4 campers per tent 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 July 25 - 29 phone 800-669-3474

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, roundthe-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!

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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 collective experience on the local rivers. Each is a talented, local expert and a professional in every sense of the word. The Fly Shop’s guides wrote the book on the fly fishing in Northern California and continue to add new chapters every season.

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