Fall River fishing is fair to good, the hex hatch is on right now

Fall River


by The Fly Shop
6-21-2012
Website

The Fall River is the largest of California's spring creeks, fed by several icy aquifers coming from the snows and glaciers of Mount Shasta.

Current River Conditions:
Fall River has been fishing fair to great. The Hex Hatch has been going for about a week now. Not a lot of weeds in the river, which makes us think we could, maybe, possibly be looking at an Autumn season like we haven't seen in a few years. Think "awesome dry fly fishing"! We know autumn is a ways off, especially since today is the 1st day of summer, but we think in terms of seasons and autumn will be here tomorrow!

UPDATE:
Expect 30 minute delays on HWY 299 from 12 miles to 5 miles west of Montgomery Creek due to road maintenance work.

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
Floating lines and leaders tapered to 4X, about 24" of 6X tippet not to mention a #16 PMD Dun- that should do it for dry fly fishing. Fast sinking Poly Leaders and Normans Wiggle Tail PT swung on long casts will get you hooked up! Don't forget to fish olive leeches and damsels.

The "Fall River Twitch" has been the most effective technique on Fall River for decades. How to: Anchor your pram upstream of rising fish. Cast downstream and across, then feed line out to extend your drift a long ways downstream. The "Fall River Twitch" results in a presentation that lets the fish see your fly first, while you are positions upstream and out of the fished field of view. The Fall River Twitch is equally effective whether fishing dries, swinging nymphs or indicator nymphing. If you're casting to a pod of rising trout, work from the outside in and you can often pick them off one by one. 5-6 wt rods are what we recommend for Fall River, with some anglers using 6wt. rods for casting heavier sinking lines. The Fly Shop ? recommended fly lines; RIO Gold floating line and an extra spool loaded with RIO CamoLux.

River Fact: Eurasian Watermillfoil is a threat on this river. Click here to read more about what Eurasian Watermillfoil is, what is being done and why Fall River has a bright future.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Mercer's Foam Profile Hex Dun
• Mercer's Poxyback Emerger Hex
• True Fly Hex
• Last Chance Baetis #20
• Tilt Wing Dun PMD #18
• Tilt Wing Dun Mahogany #18
• Last Chance Cripple PMD #18
• Mayfly Cripple Limestone #18
• Mercer's Missing Link
• Norman's Loop Wing BWO #18
• Parachute Adams #18-20

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Pseudo May's Brown #16-18
• Drifting Flashback PT #14-16
• Black Zebra Midge #16-20
• Red Copper John #18
• Zug Bug #14-16
• PT Nymph #14-20
• TB PT Nymph #18
• Norman's Wiggle Tail PT #16-18
• Mercer's Micro May Fly Brown #16

Streamers/Leeches:
• Zack's Damsel Leech Olive
• J. Fair's Translucent Wiggle Tails Olive
• Zack's Swimming Leech Olive
• Zack's Swimming Leech Black

Fly Fishing Gear:
• Fish Counter cause you're gonna slay'em!
• Buff ? High UV Angler Series Headwear
• Simms ? Solar Sombrero
• Oakley GASCAN Polarized Sunglasses