There is still time to fish Hat before this stream closes on November 15th!

Hat Creek - CA (Shasta County)


by The Fly Shop
11-8-2011
Website

Current River Conditions:
Look for rising rainbows along the flats below PH#2 and Carbon Flat. #20 Baetis and #16-18 BWOs are the main hatches currently. With the Pit River and Fall River fishing great, how can any angler skip a day or at least a fishing session on Hat Creek! There are a few October Caddis, and possibly some good hatches of this seasonal bug can produce excellent top-water action, but you won't know if you don't go! Bottom line: Fishing #16-18 Hogan's S&Ms, Zack's Olive Pseudo Mays, Mercer's Gidget and Olive Micro Mayflies in #16-18 should conjure up enough rainbows for you angling delight. Fish early and late for the best chances of catching on dry flies. Small dries like Norman's Loop-Wing PMD or BWO are good. Mercer's Missing Link seems to produce surface takes when nothing else will. Hat Creek closes for the season on November 15th!!

Click here for flow report on the trophy trout section of Hat Creek

Click here for flow report on the upper section of Hat Creek

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
Look for rising fish along the flats below the Power House #2 riffle. For the best presentation, drift your D&D Cripple down and across to rising fish. For a fun challenge, try catching Hat Creek trout on as many tactics as you can: small indicators with nymphs, swinging wet flies and/or streamers, and, of course, with a well-presented dry fly. The Powerhouse #2 Riffle is one of the best spots on the creek, but also one of the most popular. Anglers seeking a real challenge should sight-cast to trout in the fabled "carbon flats" section, and those looking for solace can hike into the freestone section just above Lake Britton. 5wt rods are perfect. Have an extra spool loaded with a Scientific Anglers Wet Tip Clear Fly Line.

Flies:

Dries:

• Orange Stimulator
• D&D Cripple-ANY!
• Normans Loop Wing BWO & PMD
• Hackle Stacker BWO
• Parachute Adams #14-18
• Fox's Crowning Poopah
• Spotlight Caddis Emerger Olive #16
• Mercer's Missing Link #16-18

Nymphs:
• WD-40 (Any)
• Brassie (Any)
• Glass-Bead Micro May-Black or Olive
• Mercer's Gidget Brown or Olive
• Pat's Brown Rubber Legs #6-8
• Hogan's S&M Olive #16
• Micro Poopah #16 Cinnamon or Black
• Harrop's Bubble Back Caddis #18 Black
• Mercer's Tungsten Swing Caddis
• Black Zebra Midge #18-20
• PT Nymphs #16-20
• Posse Bugger #14
• GB Birds Nest #16
• Beeottis Olive/Gold #16
• TB Pseudo Nymph Black #18
• Red Copper John #18

Streamers/Leeches:
• Fox's Cone Bugger Rust
• Double Bunny
• Beaded Mini Leech Olive