January Report Putah Creek

Hey everyone I just wanted to check in and let you all know whats going on at Putah Creek this month. Flows are still really low between 63 and 55 cfs hardly worth the effort but I have still need to keep doing a little fishing here and there just to keep up my game. Making sure to stay away from the spawning grounds at #3, Deer sign and the Bridge while still getting my necessary fishing time in. It helps keep my attitude up. So I have noticed fishing seems really slow at my usual winter spot so yesterday I ventured and found a riffle after loosing everything at the last spot so I grabbed my spare rod and headed down to a spot I fish less often and  started playing with flys with no luck and just befor dark around 5;30 I added a splitshot changed my bottom fly to a  #16 Beadhead PMD and moved over a foot or two made a few casts and saw my indi twitch so of course I set and was pleasently surprised when a fish just simply broke me off as it swam away ,,, Nice fish. I love it when that happens. Call me crazy but.... 

I would like to make a few points I think are important 

First, I had been getting a little lazy with my leader rigging; don't do that! Remember you never know when your going to hook up on a really big fish  I had a short section of 5X above my tippet ring just 5 or 6 inches and then rest was 8 pound test above to my indi  Guess where my line broke? Yup! the short section of 5x I know better I just wasnt expecting to get a big fish and my leader was a little sloppy so I lost a really nice fish. 

And secondly when flows drop to this level and spawn is in full swing its best to give the fish a break and either find other river to fish until March but if you decide to fish watch out for the trout egg nests in the middle of the river; called, Redds. I saw a guy two weeks ago fishing just above the staircase standing literally in the Redd; fishing! What the hell ?? I know its a little hypocritical of me to complain when I still fish the creek here and there, but I stay well away from the Redds and never walk in them so lets all be aware that there are and spawning fish so please be careful out there. I resume guiding and seriously fishing on March 1. If you want to book after March 1 on Putah or now on the Yuba out of Marysville, I do have availability so call or email me direct. 707-294-4738; napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com; www.napavalleyflyguides.com . #napavalleyflyfishing #lostcoastoutfitters #flyfishinglife

Thanks for reading & Fish on!