Trout Source

Bagley Fire Update(Northern California)

McCloud Nature Conservancy -- Official update for September 6
a spot fire was discovered over containment line in the vicinity of the Nature Conservancy McCloud River Preserve facilities. Firefighters and helicopters quickly attacked the spot and were able to contain it at .25 acre.  Planned Actions: Patrol and mop up along the McCloud River.

Ash Camp & Ah Di Na -- Ted Fay (September 4)
Here's an update on the Bagley Fire impact on the McCloud River drainage. The fire has burned to the river in the public water section from Ash Camp to near Ah Di Na. Fire crews are stationed full time at the Conservancy and at the River Club protecting structures. Fire crews are being ferried across the river by a local rafting company. Crews are working only during daylight hours. Some spot fires have jumped the river but have been extinguished. Wind conditions remain favorable and containment is progressing but it is still very precarious situation. Thank you to all the fire fighters and their fine efforts.

Night Shot From McCloud Reservoir



That's Ah Ni Na Over The Ridge

Pit River Impact
Pit #5-#7 are fishing great, but road closures thanks to the Bagley fire will prevent you from getting near the river

Hat Creek -- On The Positive Side
The dry fly fishing can be really good when there's a smoky haze thanks to forest fires off to the west.

Kiene Discussion 1

Kiene Discussion 2

Man Bites Dog (Oregon)
one should not hold a fly in their mouth while leaving fly line laying in the bottom of the boat, lest one’s fishing buddy gets his feet tangled in the line and stumbles around, jerking vigorously on the line to get it free… and also, it is important to carry some wire cutters capable of cutting hook shanks.

Monster Pigs (Yakima, WA)
we have been hooking at least one monster pig a day

Monster Alert (White, AR)
Fishing is about to get real good in less than a month.  I say this because it's about to be BIG brown trout time going all the way into February. This is my favorite time to fish and a lot of it has to do with in search of "the one" on Taneycomo and the White. September is the month when I start watching the migrating trend as these monster browns make their way upstream. I'm actually seeing a few more browns holding up top to.

Jackass Audition (Lower Sacramento, CA)
So, unfortunately I had to witness things I hate to see on this river this week. Couple guys from outta town with a shiny new red and white boat... maybe been wet a handful of times. Not a well used boat --which reaks of inexperience.... So after finally watching some local guides, they caught on and started to find a few fish. Good for them. I hope everybody catches fish when they float here... BUT, they'd hook fish in fairly fast water, and DROP ANCHOR right there to fight the fish back up the strong current.... making the angler work twice as hard, as the fish just gets more exhausted. ( I float along with a hooked fish, or pull into dead water to fight the fish - as do 99% of the guides here. Less stress is better... for fish and angler!).  So, after fighting the fish to near death levels of exhaustion, they boat a nice fish, take about 10 pictures, then THROW the fish back into the river, where the fish proceeded to go "Belly-Up" and most likely died soon after.  Please don't be one of those guys. Handle fish with care. Pull out of strong current to fight and land your fish.  Be smart...  They weren't

Pit River New Flows Video – Mike Weir (Pit, CA)

Reaction On Kiene’s
I love the honest editing. Views of the stream bank show the absence of a shoreline. Views of wading show people either sliding down the edge of rocks into unseen holes or else taking a swim.  My heart rate went up a little during some of the scenes. It put me into my Pit wading mindset - "Crap, now how am I going to get to either bank without swimming for it?".

Iso Anticlimax (Au Sable, MI)
As soon as the storm passed there were Isos pouring off of the riffles and three small/medium fish up and rising.  I thought, here it is and switched to a dry fly with the same optimism of certainty that I'd have in June.  No dice.  The bugs quit.

3-Incher (Upper Delaware, NY/PA)
Our Iso from yesterday molted overnight, and I thought I would give some size perspective. with his forearms extended, this guy is near 3-inches long. Dang. Photo by: Bart Larmouth

Separated At Birth (Au Sable, MI)

Trash-Feeders (Upper Delaware, NY/PA)

A lot of the fish are in that trash-feeding pattern due to the fact that you may not have one specific hatch that blankets the water and the fish are picking off what comes by. Terrestrials are tough to beat for this situation.

Versatility (Au Sable, MI)
So yet another use for the Yeti.

Glory Days (Frying Pan, CO)
This is the time of year when you can watch fish rise thousands of times throughout an afternoon as one hatch bleeds into the next.

When’s Best? (Green, UT)
Best Times: All day

Wistful Goodbye To Summer (San Juan, NM)
Labor Day Weekend, the last big hurrah of summer and the harbinger of fall. After two fantastic days of fishing, I stood alone, late in the day, on a section of this river that is normally known for its crowds and began to think of how this was a fitting end to yet another summer on the San Juan. A tapestry of lengthening shadows on the canyon walls and the soft sound of the closing of the day, bringing with it a sense of something greater now ending. The finality of another season, past. A certain sadness mingled with that contented feeling that follows a solid day on the water, the contented feeling that follows truth, when you know that you have done your best and been rewarded accordingly. A moment when you are likely to be as close to fulfilled, as at any other such time in life, feeling that "good tired" which means you'll sleep well tonight, satisfied. Hating to see it go, yet knowing its inevitability, the brilliant sunshine of summer replaced with the more benign rays of autumn, the smell of creosote, sage, and summer rain, displaced by that of ripe peaches and the fragrance of roasted chilies. I will surely miss it.

Fine Wine (San Juan, NM)
my advice, dear friends, is to get out there and enjoy it while it lasts--maybe another week, maybe two, maybe longer. Big fish on big flies, it's an opportunity that doesn't come around that often and like fine wine, must be savored.

Monsoons (Colorado, AZ)
This is a great time of year here at the Ferry. Afternoon monsoons provide us with cooler weather and even cooler nights.

Apocalypse Last Week