NAPA VALLEY FLY GUIDES

                                                             Winter Report 2025

Putah Creek February Report; 2/8/2025

Flows; 4.438, Falling 11cfs hr  

Hi everyone I visited Putah Creek yesterday and walked the bridge to get a better view and see what the river looked like

Well it looks very high just what you would expect 5000 cfs would look like 

Knowing Putah Like I do i will start my summer now getting to know it as flows drop, In my opinion that's what it take to really know the Creek fishing it at all flows good or bad so when flows do hit a wadable level im there and ready 

Some of the best days i have had where shere luck and that only happens by fishing a lot 

Please feel free to contact me for available dates 

Thanks again 

Richard and Lacey

707-294-4738

email 

napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

                                                                Napa Valley Fly Guides

                                                                 Winter Report

                                 

                                                        December report, Monday 12/11/23

Flows; 67cfs.

Fished from 2;00pm to 5;30

I Fished a favorite spot on Putah Creek with a friend who needed a day to think about things and get a better perspective on life and I can't think of a better place to do just that. 

After getting geared up we hiked in and got to doing some preliminary casting 

technique and gear used;

Rod; Echo CarbonXL, 10ft 4wt  

Reel Sage ESN 

Fly's ; Im not sure I but think I used a #14 Tungsten euro fly on top

Bottom fly, #16 Tungsten euro fly

after a 45min lesson I grabbed my Sage DS2 9ft 5wt

I was fishing right next to him with a 8mm, Egg pattern with a single #20 black Zibra midge below it. So what ever I hooked took off across the river like a bullet and was gone before I could do much of anything other than say  Oh Wow to myself.

Anyway that happened again about 15 or 20 minutes later with the fish taking about 20 feet of line so fast it made both our heads spin again At least this time I got a jump and splash as it came unbuttoned Both times this fish schooled me fast and Furious and was gone

we then both worked our way up river and enjoyed the beautiful weather and scenery, Hooking one more fish to end the day. All in all A really nice day on the Creek

For Booking information please call 

Richard                                                 Holiday Gift certificates available Now!!!

@ (707) 294-4738

Napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

  

Fall 2023 Sept report and Farewell to my heart and soul Rusty

 Hey everyone, I lost Rusty July14th after 14 years of being my best friend. He past in my arms here at home with Sarah and Tracie here to witness his passing, Valerie from In Loving Arms did what I could not have done, Still a sad Day , I hope to see you again my love !

 

 Here is my latest fishing report Sept 11th Flows 335cfs weather is still a little warm 

Water temp 56deg

trail to under the bridge is closed until I get in there and open it up so I am still fishing access 4 access 5 is getting a little skinny for my taste 

4 is producing some fish but I am looking forward to October/Nov when flows drop a little more and I can start fishing my other personal favorite runs 

I am starting to fill my calendar but feel free to call me with any Date requests and I will do my best to get you on the water 

Richard 

(707) 294-4738

napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

 Monday August 8th 2022

  PM Fishing Report; Flows are fluctuating between 450- 480 cfs 

Hello and thanks for visiting my report. I got a late start late yesterday reaching the Creek about 6;00 or 6;30 spent the first hour above the bridge with no luck. I then moved down river and focused on a section just under the bridge with no indicator simply high sticking with a RS2 on top and a Soft Hackle below.

Things must have been just right because I hooked and landed 4 or 5 fish in 30 minutes with the last one breaking my leader effectively ending my day as it was getting dark and I left my readers in the car

the last fish was only 14. or 15 inches but looked really nice as it did a few jumps before breaking me off

All in All a really good time considering Putah Creek can really be a difficult fishery 

Please feel free to call me if you want to book a trip 

Thanks again and have an awesome Fall 

Richard and Rusty

Napa Valley Fly Guides 

(707)294-4738

                                                                Napa valley Fly Guides

Hey Everyone I just wanted to pass along a nice little joke from Geoff Fernald just before his passing in June of  2015

A man get stopped by a game warden with his basket full of fish. 

Warden: do you have a permit for all these fish? 
Man: no sir. These are all my pet fish. 
Warden: your pet fish? How's that? 
Man: well, every night I take all my pet fish for a walk to the lake, I let them swim for about half hour and then I whistle and they all come back and jump in my basket and we go home. We do this every night. 
Warden: Well that's just a crock of lies!! 
Man: here I'll show you... (Releases the fish in the lake) 
Warden: well this I got to see!! 
5 minutes later... 
Warden: well?? 
Man: what? 
Warden: the fish!! Where's your pet fish?? 
Man: what fish??

Geoff was more than a Father figure his support and advice helped me build my confidence and where invaluable, He also made it possible to start Napa valley Fly Guides by building my website if HTML code not commonly used but it is still preforming well. 

Thank you Geoff

Richard and Rusty

and of course Tia too

PreFall Report for Putah Creek

        8/31/21                                          Napa valley Fly Guides report.                                     

                                                                  August/September 2021

Hey everyone 

Here's what I see happening as of the last thirty days

Summer is starting to wind down and we are entering one of the more productive times of year so I am keeping a close eye on flows and keep my gear packed and have fishing the creek more this last 30 days

Fishing has been good on days when flows are below 500cfs and are still holding between 526, and 450 cfs so its a wait and watch game for now, but it will blow up soon, The fishing and the crowds. 

Fly Selection: 

Fly selection seems less imporntant as I have gotten better at my presentation and just being slow and carful not to kick submerged rocks or carelessly tapping my wading staff on rocks as I approach a area I am about to fish Remember trout have a lateral line that can pick up even small vibrations you might think are not picked up by fish, They are so Slow and Subtle is the key to sneaking up on any run. 

 So keep me in mind if you looking to get on Putah Creek to hunt for some Bows on Putah Creek

Thanks for reading

Richard Loft

(707) 294-4738

or email me @ napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com for available days;

 

                                               

                                                              Napa Valley Fly Guides 

                                                                                                                       

 Hi and welcome to my Putah Creek report Clients and myself have been seeing some really brightly colored fish with that unusually bright chrome look with nice size this early in the season. The numbers are not what I would hope for but the trout I'm getting to net with clients are really nice and willing to play ball if the presentation is good and the correct fly is presented. 

As I stated in my previous report, try stripping in extra line before executing your mend. It makes sense to remove as much line as possible from the water before you start mending. A lot of the time I get better results by stripping in a little and then I don't need to mend nearly as aggressively to achieve the same results.

There's a lot more going on than you might think: I suspect even I have things I have yet to fully understand on how to get a perfect drift. I've come to understand much of this by simply standing at a riffle and throwing cast after cast over and over again thinking about what is happening and how to make a better drift. Is my leader to short or long? Is the fly ahead or behind the indicator? Is my line causing drag? Sometimes I think I must be a little mad to have spent so much time fishing the same creek, but it results in hooking up regularly on this very challenging technical creek. 

I've spent a lot of time fishing Putah but I don't claim to know it all. The floods change the topography of the river so what worked on a specific riffle one season is so different the next it is hard to put a finger on it. Certain areas like #5 are completely different this year.

Flows will continue to rise this spring, and the creek will continue to fish better as we move towards summer, but I honestly don't really enjoy the high flows that come with July, August and September. Flows over 470 cfs gets to be a bit much, but I still fish and guide, I just prefer a little less flow plus I like to fish from the back side and wading can get dicey with flows over 500cfs.

Guide fly tip: For the next few weeks try using  #14 San Juan Worm or any Tungsten bead head flys to get down as quickly as possible and have brought me fish to net as of late.

Please feel free to call for available dates 

April,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,22,23,24,25,26,28,29,30

Thank you

Richard Loft 

(707)294-4738

Napa Valley Fly Guides----------------<*)()()()><

 

                                                            Putah Creek Report 3/12/21

Hi and Welcome to Napa Valley Fly Guides early Spring report as of Saturday 3/13/20 Putah Creek flows are 248cfs fishing can be little slow this time of year as I am still trying to locate where find younger fish are holding

After years of fishing the creek I have noticed early spring can be a time where I seems hard to find younger fish until things pick up in April May and on into summer 

I will be on the creek more now that we are out of the Spawn and flows are starting to climb

Napa Valley Fly Guides Winter 2021 Report

                                                                 

                                2021 February Report By: Richard Loft  > Napa Valley Fly Guides

                                                                      Winter Report  

Hey Everyone I just wanted to check in and  report whats happening on Putah Creek flows are holding right around 105 cfs as of 2/03/2021 and not seeing fish many fish hanging around the redds so I am assuming the Spawn is winding down as it normally does this time of year. So it's watch and wait until flows start to climb again in Spring March/April.

Living in Napa and fishing the creek as much as I do- maybe 100 days a year or more, its still hard to put my finger on it. But it seems like this time between end of the Spawn and summer can be a little slow; its fishable but it just seem like the river is trying to heal itself and fish metabolism is much slower in winter and it just takes time to get back into Spring through Fall when fish are feisty and when it all starts over again. 

Access points and Flows:

 Between Monticello Dam and Lake Solano there are 5 marked points to access and fish the creek #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 but remember there are 4 1/2 miles between the dam and Lake Solano so you really need to walk and hike to find the holes to fish. The flows dramatically effect how a area fishes so check the flows every time you go and before you leave the house.  I use Dreamflows so you can develop a sense of how an area fishes at a given flow, Remember it takes some time but it is one of many factors that help me when I'm thinking whether or not to fish on a given day.

Dreamflows:https://www.dreamflows.com/flows.php?zone=canv&page=real&form=norm&mark=All 

Remember to adjust your leader length, indicator size and amount of weight as flows change.

Flys: As always, one of my go-to flys is the Cravens JuJu Baetis and or WD40 I found gray a great choice. Black Soft Hackle with green foil body. That got immediate results and of course a Black Zebra Midge is a must have. 

Of course there are many great flys to choose from and I have surely forgotten to list a few so definitely ask the guys at Lost Coast Outfitters for some help 

* Mending;  One thing I've noticed time and time again is clients over mending or mending in the wrong direction throwing huge mends the the left as soon as the Indi hits the water, Not necessary, try making smaller adjustments as needed or doing a shorter cast and keeping you'r arm elevated to minimize the amount of line on the water 

Environmental Factors:Time of Day, Seasons, Weather, Fires and floods. Flows; (cfs) Check Check Dream Flow. https://dreamflows.com/flows.php?zone=canv&page=real&form=norm#Site194

The Quail Fire

* Fires,  As most of you know we had another huge fire again last summer and you would think it          would have negative effect on the fishing. Nope Think again! I was on the creek the day it started and was actually guiding a husband and wife from Texas well my clients got nervous and left. So not wanting to let a little fire ruin a good day of fishing I stayed and fished and had an awesome day on the water. 

* Weather; Wind speaks for itself if the wind interferes with casting then I might adjust my day, or work     on my casting Proper casting mechanics helps by properly loading the rod and staying low and under the                                          main gusts of wind and increasing accuracy and distance. ( I can help with proper casting during a guided trip ). 

*Time of Day; Time of day effects where the sun is so I will adjust where I stand so the sun doesn't cast my shadow on the water if at all possible. also I do really well mid day but in July Augest its so hot mid day this no longer applies and I fish mornings or dusk to avoid midday heat. I think it drives fish down reduces fish in the riffles until dusk when things turn on that last hour or so of the day. 

* Time of Year; Spring is probably my favorite with Fall a close second. 

* Euro Nymphing  I really started spending more time looking at my leader construction and how to fish water not  effectively fished with an indicator and was stunned by the results a month after the Quail fire in August.

I hope this helps and gives you something to think about when you're on the water.

For available dates or pricing for a guided trip with me, contact; Richard Loft, Napa Valley Fly Guides, (707) 294-4738;  napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

Putah Creek Pre-Spring Report

                                                      Putah Creek End of Winter Report

Hey Everyone Just checking in with current Putah Creek ; Flows and other fishy news 

                                                                     Putah Creek

   2/08/2020 Tail water flows are still bouncing  between 44cfs and low 80s so I am just watching and waiting for weather to warm up when the flows will follow as things warm-up , Water temp around 56 deg , I was at Putah last week and saw really nice hatches of midges and the occassional BWO so I will be keeping a close eye on things and give more reports as things evolve; 

Also I noticed that the fish have left the  spawning beds so I think the spawn has mostly finnished but be carefull when wadding so we dont step on those eggs or fry and think about joining https://putahcreektrout.org/fishing/ and get to know a few of the guys we do a picnic once a year plus there is always oppertunitys to help with conservation efforts on the creek

Putah Creek 12/07/2019 Report

Napa Valley Fly Guides last report for 2019 

Hey Everyone I just wanted to say Merry Christmas as I am ending my 2019 fly Fishing season on Putah Creek until March in Past years I did fish clear through but decided to give it a break 

As for the fishing report last Saturday as it rained off and on all day I was blessed with a great day on the water starting with my usual nymphing rig with an indi tossing #18 &20s midge patterns I got broke off a few times but still getting a few in the net with one or two of them in the 16 to 17 in range Pictures to follow. 

After a few hours I decided to try High-Sticking with Tungsten flys I recommended below I had good results landing some and loosing some I think 5 in total over 16ins Crazy good fishing probably 10 or 11 fish and most of it while it was raining some of it heavy rain. Crazy day !!! 

 

I have been using the
#18 BH Perdigon Zibra Rider
#16 BH Perdigon Dilated Pupil 
#14 BH Perdigon Carrot Stix
and a few more for good messure are : #18 BH Perdigon Peanut
# 18 BH Perdigon Kilowatt

  

Please feel free to call if you would like to book a trip this spring 

Thanks for reading : 

Napa Valley Fly Guides

Richard Loft 

(707)294-4738;    

--------------*. <*)()()(><

                                     Napa Valley Fly Guides
                                     Reports for November


Hey everyone so Flows have been going up and down for several weeks between 50cfs then low 80  then up to 140 then rising to 180cfs in less than 12 hours The funny thing is fishing has been really good. I have heard many times that these types of drops and increases will always negatively effect the fishing well that has not been my experience here on Putah Creek or on the Little Truckee. I have found that I just need to adjust my positions where I fish and ! and what technics I am utalizing and of course always keep a really good selection of flys,split shot, Tippet  So Also be willing to put in some effort moving around This does not mean Flows don't impact the fishing they do I'm just saying it has not always been my experience

Top Water Action   Think dry Flys
Also on another note  I am seeing a lot more top action so consider bringing another rod and I like to keep a separate fly box with a good selection of Elk Hair Caddis # 18 and if you can find some other really small options  like a size #22 or #24 knat or other very small flys get a few of those to temp these elusive fish. I have had some success on the #16. Caddis so I am just saying im seeing a lot more action this last year over previous 10 years Ive been fishing
Putah

Lastly Much of my recent success has been High Sticking with Tungston beaded fly like the  

Frenchie #14,16
Perdigon #14,16
Perdigon Zibra #16,18
To name just a few all  Tungston bead heads
Check with the gang at Lost Coast Outfitters for help picking out fly if you need And
At the end of the day Learn the creek, Check the flows everytime you fish the creek and cover the water well before you leave to fish another spot. -------------  <*)))))()><  

Don't leave before the merical,
Please feel free to contact me if you would like to book a trip and I will do my best to get you on some Putah Creek Wild Trout

Call Richard Loft
      (707) 294-4738
or email me @ napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com
I will be unavailble Dec 15 on to january 10th

November report from Napa Valley Fly Guides

                                                         Napa Valley Fly Guides
                                                           November Report

Hey Everyone Flows have been supper low at 51cfs then up to 82cfs then back down jumping back up to 140 and up again to 180cfs Well A common belief I have heard so many times before is these type of fluctuations negativly effect the fishing. Funny Thing is fishing has been Really Good lately and it goes with my personal experience on Putah Creek and other rivers like the Little Truckee. It is my belief that first  I need to just adjust my Tactics before I leave a run I happen to be fishing, Changing my weight is one of the first things then moving on to flys, Then leader length, I might spend two hours without a fish before moving on to another run if I like my drift and like the scenery Other times I may move on right away due to conditions not being favorable such as super heavy hydraulics or glare on the water making it difficult to see my indicator or I may just go to a larger indicator but I will most often find another spot if glare makes it too difficult to see my indicator because there are too many other options


Top Action
I don't know if anyone else has noticed but I am seeing a lot more fish actively feeding on really small Emergers maybe Tricos or something I don't know for sure they seem to be very small maybe size #22 I am seeing mostly small fish on the drys but I have heard of much larger fish in the 20 in range and I landed a little13in on a #14 Elk Hair Caddis

 Finally I want to mention that I am bringing my 10.6 4 wt Echo Shadow II it first it was just a pain getting the leader just right then it was to long or short but after a year of working with it off and on I seem to be getting better results picking up fish my Indicator rig misses so consider looking at getting one of the rods out there

Here is a few of I would recommend

Any of the Echo series I have the  Echo Shadow II 10.6 4wt But any of these other rods will do the trick the idea is to get more reach so just ask any of the gang at the LCO shop and I am sure you will find one that will do here are a few more but at the end of the day any one of these will do Just ask a staff person for a peak    : A Sage ESN or one of the Clearwater series .  The rod gives you the reach and the fly punches you through
                                             

 As for flys I have been using the Tungston Beadhead fly and have been getting some super nice fish

Heres a few flys have used for high sticking on Putah don't worry about the fly as much as getting the one your using on the bottom with a good presentation you need to get some penetration on and get through to fish holding on the bottom

I have been using the
#18 BH Perdigon Zibra Rider
#16 BH Perdigon Dilated Pupil
#14 BH Perdigon Carrot Stix
and a few more for good messure are : #18 BH Perdigon Peanut
                                                              # 18 BH Perdigon Kilowatt
There are many to choose from don't get stuck on having the perfect fly just get some fly and get on the water and see what clicks and go from there

Please feel free to contact me
Richard Loft
(707) 294-4738
or email me @  napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com
http://www.napavalleyflyguides.com

Putah Creek Report October 2019

Napa Valley Fly Guides

October Report for Putah Creek

Hey everyone I just wanted to check in and report that flows are between 53.7 and 88 cfs pretty normal for this time of year , but fishing has held steady with good numbers to net all last month and so far November is still producing good numbers and a few really big fish in the system willing to play ball if your willing to put in the time as always Putah Creek is and has always been a river to fish  with it being only forty minutes from my house I get lots of practice. Over the last few weeks I have been really focusing on getting more familiar with high sticking and with these low flow conditions it seems to be a great option with low flows it helps present a much cleaner drift but the big fish seem to be holding in the deeper runs . With that I am out so I look forward to seeing you on the creek and look for me and Rusty my constant companion and best friend
Richard  and Rusty

Please feel free to contact me for a guided trip at (707) 294-4738 and ask for Richard or Rusty

End of Summer Report 9.14.19

9.14.19
Putah Creek Flows: 351

Hey Everyone this is my End-Of-Summer Report on Putah Creek. It's been a long productive summer! Lots of really nice fish in the 16-18 inch range although the higher flows always make it a bit more challenging to land them; lots of really good days on the water with clients and my fishing buddies. With the high summer flows, you need more weight on your rig which changes how the cast and drift is gonna fly and move in the water so its a delicate balance. I also have been rigging shorter this summer, trying to not worry so much about being on the bottom as being in the feeding areas-middle section- of the creek. Flows are starting to decline finally as we move into the fall season. With all this heat, morning and evening have definitely been the hot ticket as fish are more active in the water column; whereas midday is pretty slow. Caddis are staring to show up the last couple weeks. As we move into the Fall season, please be aware of the possibility of fish egg nests, called Redds in the river, which you do not want to step on as it kills the eggs and the next generation of trout. And starting December 1, I stop fishing the creek due to the active Redds and Trout Spawnning season through March 1; and I recommend you do as well to give those beautiful trout a chance to reprodue in peace.

I want to put in a plug for the CA Coastal Clean Up, locations all over the bay area on September 21. Puath Creek Trout will be cleaning up at Putah Creek; so please consider helping out at Putah or one of the many Bay Area locations. Here are the details for the Putah Clean Up from the Putah Creek trout Website and Dr. Dan:

Friends of Putah Creek: Putah Creek Trout and Fly Fishers of Davis are cosponsoring a cleanup of the Inter-dam Reach of the Creek on Saturday, September 21 beginning at 9 AM and finishing at 12 noon. Meet at Fishing Access 5 by 8:45am to sign the liability release form, get initial directions, pick-up materials, and divide up into teams. Children are very welcome, under 12 yrs must have adult accompany them

Other than that, I do have dates available for September, October, and November; but October weekends are filling up fast. Give me a call or email if you want to get out on the water before the holiday season! Richard Loft, Napa Valley Fly Guides 707-294-4738; napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com napavalleyflyguides.com #frputahcreek #lostcoastoutfitters #napavalleyflyguides #fishinglife

The Grass is always Greener

Napa Valley Fly Guides June Report

                                                    The Grass is always Greener

It seems like every summer mid-day fishing slows down; temps spike and the new underwater grass growth make doing any serous nymphing problematic as flows ramp up. On the good side, the days are so much longer and that means that much longer time to seek and catch beautiful rainbow torut. On the tougher side, you need more and more weight with longer leaders and then of course I start picking up tons of new growth grass. So, in these summer months I sometimes start my fishing sessions later in the day while fish are relatively active or and useing a balanced amount of weight to lessen dragging the bottom and getting all that grass. I see this every year. As a guide I am obligated to fish under conditions that aren't always optimum but by perservering I still usualy find a fish or two willing to play ball regardless of temps, flows and other adverse conditions including heavy fishing pressure but all these can and do affect the bite so I am starting to bring different rods and a good selection of heavier flys to get into sections of pocket water not easily fished with an indicator. Not that I don't bring my usual rod I do but it pays to have a few tactics and a willingness to fish in spite of the current heat and higher flows, 500 cfs as of today.

I've included a picture of one of the fish of my clients hooked and landed and was caught around 3 pm in the afternoon during the hottest time of the day so that just goes to show a great example of those surprises that I love about fly-fishing.

The grass is here to stay as long as we have spring and summer it actually helps the fish by providing cover for fish habitat for bugs and is just part of a healthy river and ecosystem; futhermore it forces me to explore sections of river I would otherwise pass over.

If you want to get out there, feel free to give me a call or email:

at napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

or call 707-294-4738 and ask for Richard

#thingstodonapavalley #frputahcreek #flyfishinglife

Spring Putah Creek Report from Napa Valley Fly Guides

Spring Report with Napa Valley Fly Guides

Hey everyone, I want to report my latest intel over the last few months. Starting in March, Winter flood waters started to come down and flows fluctuated in the 600 cfs to 400 cfs range. The side channels did not disappoint me or clients; after a few attempts we found a few really nice 15 inch Rainbows willing to play two days in a row both days on a midge pattern but not under an indicator, instead utilizing high sticking techniques.  <*)()(>< On one of my days, we missed seeing an 18 before I could tempt it with a fly and it moved away, sensing our presence and became unwilling to play so it pays to really slow down and scan the shallow edges of any run.  I am continually reminded how elusive and on guard these wild Putah fish can be--remember they are a prey species and food for many other animals so they are really good at spotting threats sneaking up on them from the sides or from behind especially in shallow water riffles.

Being sneaky is the rule when working your way up to head of a run and having a second rod for high- sticking pocket water really helps by not adding an indicator to the mix but high-sticking has its limitations as well; covering distance being the biggest ones so don't get rid of your indicators yet. While I'm talking about indicators, they can spook fish and if not set properly create a delay fish can exploit and you may not ever see the take so I carry several different sizes and colors to match conditions like glare from the sun or them being pulled under by hydraulics, either way, they have a few pros and cons.

April and May brought much lower flows and the one of the nice side channels became a great spot to spend a few hours and I was pleased when a few clients landed some decent fish; also with the lower flows a lot more of the river opened up and fish became much easier to locate in one 4 to 5-hour session we hooked 12 or 13 fish  all but one were directly in the main stem on an indicator  and one just upstream high sticking All OF THOSE FISH WERE IN THE 16 TO 17 INCH RANGE .. so keep in mind you will get better results as you fish different spots.

 If you want to find a spot to fish you might need to get an early or very late start as the pressure is fairly heavy so be prepared to fish water you need to spend time finding a way into; after eleven years I am still seeing sections I have never fished but want to fish. Lastly, Late May brought much lower flows so the side channel just below the resort is almost dry now and the fish have moved on to another hole.

So if you've been waiting to book a trip for yourself or a family member, now is the time; give me a call/email and let's get you out on the water! Fish on! Richard Loft 707-294-4738; napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com; https://www.napavalleyflyguides.com #frputah #putahcreek #napavalleyflyguides #flyfishinglife

Putah Creek Fly Fishing Guide: Meet Richard Loft - Founder of Napa Valle...

Putah Creek Wildlife Report

Hey everyone Richard here I want to do something a little different this week- I want to offer a mixed report on some of the wildlife present on Putah Creek. We all get lots of fishing reports and we all look forward to them but thats just part of what ive come to love about fly fishing. For example, earlier this summer, I was on the creek with my client who is a state land manager in pennsylvania, and he hollered to me "Look a Mink!" Well, we have Mink I didnt know we had Mink! I wasnt able to get my camera out fast enough to get a pic but how awesome is that? So I watched it scrambeling along the opposite bank and got a great show-- it must live near there as I have seen it a few times since. I might get lucky and eventually get a picture but it will take a while because most of the time im fishing when these things happen. So dont miss out on the magic and keep your eyes open.

Another species is the Banna Slug; I see then a lot on the trail going down from the bridge along the creek. Sad thing is I often see them after someone has accidently stepped on them and killed them so I am very careful not to > Lets all keep our eyes open and be careful and tread lightly when ever possible if you know what to look for , I see them squashed all the time so I just thought i would mention it.  

Heres possibly my favorite : Mountain Lions. Well I always wanted to see a mountain Lion and never have; well this may be the closest I get. I did not take the picture, and I want to thank Wayne for letting me use it.

I did get to have a close incounter with a Bobcat last year when I was alone on a very quite section of river .  Ive noticed , Things are different when you're alone and you're just taking it all in on a quiet afternoon.....

Proof of the existance of River Otters

Thanks for reading and next time my regular fishing report will return. The flows will start to come down and fishing continues to be good; If you want to get out on the water, do some fly-fishing AND see amazing wildlife,  I do have some dates available so feel free to reach out to me Richard Loft, 707-294-4738; napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com or www.napavalleyflyguides.com