Putah Creek Conservation Report August 25, 2016

Hey Everyone heres some conservation news for Putah Creek ; & PCT > Putah Creek Trout

For those of you that dont know Putah Creek Trout has been instrumental in getting Putah Creek to the point it is now with most recently getting its Wild Trout Designation December, 2014.

Just below the Canyon Creek Resort is a section that has had spawning activity every year. Well it has been noticed that the side channel that runs along side the main channel is somewhat blocked by several bolders and vegetation. Well that side channel would get used by the young of the year &  trout fry to use as a nursery where they are safe from predation untill they can cope with the hazards of the main channel.  Steve Karr has organized a Stream and Habitat restoration project ; The first stage is assessment , ie surveying the side channel. This side channel is already flowing with water but the problem is it only flows during the high flows of summer and mostly dry after the flows come back down during the low flows of fall and winter. So Steve Karr, Me and and another volunteer Mark have been doing the surveying using a transit and other survey equipment to measure water depth, temp, flow ratios, and a few other stats that will be used to determine what needs to happen this fall or winter with the borders and vegetation and how much needs to be removed. You see you cant just get in there and start moving things around and or removing obstructions without doing a comprehensive assessment and survey. Last week we got some new volunteers and I got a much needed break but Steve has put in countless hours working on all aspects of keeping Putah Creek in a healthy state where it will continue to have generations of Rainbow Trout for many years to come. We have our next volunteer event on September 17 for a Creek Clean-Up as part of California Coastal Clean-Up Day. Come on out and lend a hand!

www.napavalleyflyguides.com Richard Loft, Fly-Fishing Guide and Putah Creek Trout Volunteer

www.putahcreektrout.org  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Steve Karr at sk60@putahcreektrout.org

Putah Creek Report for August 22-26, 2016

Hey Everyone this is a two part report ; First the fishing report for the last two weeks: Bigger fish are starting to show and responding to # 18 Flashback PT and  #18 /20 black Zibra midges also  # 16 green birds nests real basic flys nothing fancy. Leader length seems to be a bigger factor and setting on all hits. I had a client miss three good fish due to not setting.  However, said client still landed several one over 14in. The point really is keep your line mended and ready to take up and set.

I myself have landed 3 this week in the 15 to 16 in range on # 18 flashback PTs and Black Zibra Midges, ( Though Today i got skunked with just one grab and nothing to net )

 1. As Ive said before I do far better when i build my leader from tippet rather than packaged tapered leaders it sinks much better and it's in the fish's face where it belongs. I use 8 lb floro then to 4 or 5 x to my top fly droppers are always 5x,  and make sure its long enough more than once ive added tippet for depth and hooked up shortly after. I do use tapered leaders just not as much as I did when I was new.

 2 . Weight speaks for itself-- use it unless fishing very rocky and shallow Riffles you can pick up small fish hiding in nooks and crannys and if you use too much you spend your day removing moss.

 3.  I'm still working on my high-sticking technique so if you know how to rig a leader to high stick its a valuable tech and should not be overlooked there is a lot of pocket water that can't be fished with a indi. Side note, you can catch a lot of fish using the standard indi fishing technique.

 4. Ive been fishing Putah for 8 years now. So if you're up for a bit of a hike I have a spot thats been providing fish off and on all summer  please feel free to give me a call and book a trip on Putah Creek -- its only about 28 miles from Napa and has come to be a great escape from my daily routine.

Thanks For Reading

Richard Loft
Napa Valley Fly Guides
(707) 294-4738
napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com

Hey Everyone heres my supplemental report for today 8/18/2016

I fished Putah Creek from 12;00 to 2;00 and landed 3 fish 2 of which wher over 16 in. all on a # 18 Zibra Midge / #18 Flashback pheasant tail .  Thats it , This is not rocket science . Basic skills ,Basic flys nothing fancy so stop by Lost Coast Outfitters and talk to Art or George and get some Flashback PTs / A few black or green Zibra Midgeds and go fish

Sorry no pics . Trust me there in there

Hey Everyone; Heres my report for Late July to Aug 15th , As we all know flows jump on Putah durring summer forceing bigger fish to hold in deeper water and sections hard to get a drift i.e. edges and deep water , That said I am still getting good size fish in the 12 to 13 in range, however I am gettingb reports from others on the river of much larger fish regularly.

So let me list the things I think make a big difference.


#1. Flys; Midges. Mayflys Blue winged olive imitations > Beatis. and Hogans S&M , Also Caddis work well .


#2. As ive mentioned before your leader needs to be the right length dont use a 6 ft leader in 25 inches of water and Vise /Versa  if your fishing your fishing deep water really think and watch to see if your hitting bottom and the moore you fish the better sence you get on this . this isn't an exact science but just a good rule of thumb try fishing shorter drifts keeping in mind is the section you fishing and your leader rigged the right for that depth . > If you leader is WAY  to long fish can feel the drag and spit the hook befor you see a tick. And if your leader is not long enough your fly wont hit bottom.
PS I like making my leader out of tippet rather than useing a tapered leader.

# 3 Weight; I have fished a section , snagging every nook and cranny every moss covered rock , Then returned later and thought i will try going without any weight and started catching fish one after another , I believe its better to sometimes if you get a better drift , I was just snagging every rock and ruining my drift so just keep an open mind you dont always need Weight to catch fish , I probably hooked 6 to 8 fish in that riffel that day .

 #4 Stealth/ speeks for its self . try to not alert fish to your presence fish edges first most of the time the edges don't drift as well sections with more current but can and do hold fish ive seen hooked them holding in slack water with almost no current . I still get in a rush sometimes and pass over fish I'm sure hold in these sections , Just keep it in mind !

Thanks for reading my report
Richard Loft
http://www.napavalleyflyguides.com

Truckee River & Little Truckee River Report > 7-20-2016

Hey Everyone- last week I went with a couple friends up to Truckee and fished east of town. The flows seemed to be about 130 CFS- lower than I prefer and I just wasn't feeling the love! only one grab for about 2 hours of fishing so we drove over to the Truckee River RV Park to eat and recharge before hitting the Little Truckee my personal favorite. We started at the Bat Cave and in short order I had hooked 2 or 3 trout- one over 15 in. The whole day there were a couple different serious hatches going on; one looked to be a PMD hatch and the other some sort of midge. I hiked upstream a bit and immediately hooked a 17 or 18in torpedo Brown Trout, but it went the way of the others and got away in short order which doesn't surprise me as it was down stream thirty feet and I am always barbless. Remember I never give up and in short order its game on again with a 15in bow that almost ended the day with no fish to net but as I mentioned I dont give up and add a bit of luck, and me following that very spirited fish into deeper water, around the rocks, and downstream about 200 feet while Sarah followed me through the bushes, yelling, with the camera in hand; I landed my bow back at the Cave. She took a #18 black zibra midge. It was an awesome fight! Pics are below. All the things I learned on Putah Creek work on other rivers.

• Leader length is critical when nymphing 
• Add weight accordingly depending on hydraulics and depth of water
• Trying a variety of flies is important; don't just stay with one
• Stealth, especially on a clear-water, open river like the Truckee, is paramount
• Spend lots of time on the water, getting to know the patterns
• And remember  to appreciate the beauty of our wild rivers of california its been 3 years since the last time I fished the Truckee and it felt great!

Putah Creek Fishing Report: Summer's In Full Swing

Hey Everyone July is here so I just wanted to summarize my June fishing report. 

The summer flows have been making it challenging bouncing from mid 500cfs to low 600s but knowing Putah Creek like I do and with the willingness to do a little hiking I have found a couple of really productive spots so I have been putting in the time this month  and getting on some really nice fish. Mostly under ten inches so I brought my 3wt and got schooled by some much bigger fish so I am back to using my 5wt. The bigger fish just shook off my 3wt; its all a trade off- the smaller fish in the riffles are more fun on my 3wt but its too light for anything over 13 or 14 plus inches. All in All  I would say my clients and I have caught between 15 to 20 fish in recent weeks. Also with the higher flows come some dangers when fighting fish downstream in fast moving water so you have to pick your battles and let the ones go- its not worth getting in a " Jam " if you know what I mean. 

Heres a short list of types of flys I use on a regular basis: 

1. the soft hackle /emerger patterns with antron tail 

2. any Baetis paterns 

3. any Zebra Midges  

4. any color San Juan worms, I like the Pink or Flesh-colored ones 

5. anything small with wings

My favorite advice is focus on keeping your leader the right length; really pay attention to how much weight you're using it takes time just be patient. Sometimes i dont use any if I am fishing fast and rocky rifles and last but not least, if you can high-stick your drift and minimize the drag the current is putting on your drift you will pick up fish others miss. Also remember no one gets every fish-we all miss fish here and there or spook them as we approach so remember to take your time and enjoy the scenery.

If you do find yourself on the creek this summer, another high point is all the River Otters and butterflies on the creek this time of year- ive seen a lot lately. 2 weeks ago I saw an otter approuching then swim right over my boots and I was able to reach down and touch him as he swam by......!! They are one of my favorite animals on the creek. It was a magical moment. 

So my summary is this: yes still, Putah is still fishing pretty nicely; and if you can just bear with the heat and higher flows it's gonna be well worth your summer outing time. Drop me an email or call me up and let's do this! Richard Loft, Napa Valley Fly Guides 707-294-4738, napavalleyflyguides@gmail.com,  www.napavalleyflyguides.com 

Todays Report 6/17/2016

Todays Report 6/17/2016,

I hiked into a favorite spot with a friend today and was not disappointed; I landed 7 or 8 fish with just a little extra effort- switching flys, adding weight, etc etc. In my experience the fish seem to bite more when it's overcast. I caught three on a pheasant tail- size 14 and but the fish do seem to be podded up in certain spots right now; you have to put in the legwork to find em. The ones I landed were juveniles but still beauties! Funny side note- my friend caught a smallmouth bass which I have never seen on Putah until today. Here he is:

So despite the high summer flows, fishin still going pretty well. Want an off the beaten path adventure? Give me a call! 707-294-4738 Richard Loft www.napavalleyflyguides.com.