Early Evening hours are best when fishing Hat Creek

Hat Creek - CA (Shasta County)


by The Fly Shop
7-30-2012
Website

Current River Conditions: The Power House #2 Riffle offers the most consistent fishing on Hat Creek at this time of the summer. Nymphing with #18 Copper Johns, #18-20 Black Zebra Midges and WD-40s should produce the hook ups. The early evening fishing has been the best!

Swinging buggers and /or leeches almost always gets some attention any time of day. Fish near the edges of the weed patches.

UPDATE:
Expect 30 minute delays on HWY 299 3 miles west of Ingot to 3 miles east of Montgomery Creek.

The Fly Shop's ? Tips: We recommend Mercer's Missing Link for a good caddis dry along with the classic Elk Hair Caddis in olive or tan. Sizes #16-18 are good. A Parachute Adams #14-16 will imitate some of the dark mayflies, like the Callibaetis. Various cream colored and olive mayfly dries in #16-18 should be placed in your fly box. Carry a selection of nymphs from #18 to #14 and suspend them under a big dry fly like a yellow stimulator.

Present your mayfly duns/dry flies on 9' leaders tapered to 6X. Leader length after attaching tippet should be about 11'. Fish #6-8 leeches, like Zack's Swimming Leech and buggers like Fox's Peacock Buggers near sunset. Look for caddis in the evenings. Swinging #16 Birds Nests, Green Poopahs and #16 Zug Bugs should trick a few rainbows or more. 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.


Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Midge Hanger
• Matt's Stoneflies - Salmon Fly
• Yellow Stimulators #8-16
• Last Chance Cripple #14-22
• Normans Loop Wing BWO & PMD
• Parachute Adams #14-18
• Spotlight Caddis Emerger Olive #16
• Mercer's Missing Link #16-18

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• WD-40 (Any)
• Black Zebra Midge #18-20
• Hogan's S&M #16 Brown
• Fox's Wire Body Beeottis (Any)
• Tungsten Jig PT
• Posse Bugger #14
• Glass-Bead Micro May-Black or Olive
• Mercer's Gidget Brown or Olive
• Pat's Brown Rubber Legs #6-8
• GB Half-Flashback PT #14-20
• Burk's Crystal HBI
• Zack's Pseudo May #16-18 (Any)

Streamers/Leeches:
• Zack's Zugger's Yellow/Brown
• Fox's Peacock Buggers #8
• Zack's Swimming Leech Various
• Fox's Cone Bugger Rust
• Double Bunny
• Beaded Mini Leech Olive

Fly Fishing Gear:
• Simms ? G4 Pro Wader
• The Fly Shop's ? Stocking-foot Chest Waders
• Wading Boots
• Get Buff