Current Fishing Report

A gorgeous day, on the beautiful Trinity river. Thousands of dragonflies gave an impressive aerial display above water, while the fish more than held their own below the surface. A day of 1/2 pounders can be fast action fun, especially when a few adults and a brown are thrown into the mix. Book any of our Trinity guides for the coming months, when the fishing turns on and the adults takeover the show. 

1/2 pounders are a fun warmup to what's ahead.

Well it's been awhile since I wrote a river report, so here's a quick update. First, the flows are still BIG but the river's been slowly creeping down. I think we're just around 11,600cfs. The fishing has been all over the map, from really tough to really good. When it's good, it's GREAT. When it's tough, you just got to work hard and be creative and hope things line up. The last two weeks have been more consistent and better, so it's starting to feel a bit more connsistent. The mornings have had some pretty big midge and small mayfly hatches. The afternoons and evenings may or may not have some caddis. Today was pretty consistent until around 1:30pm... then it slowed down. However, Chuck hooked all of the BIGGER fish in the last hour and a half, so I guess it was still successful. And actually... he landed 87.5% of his fish today, ha ha! Yes... we kept track in order to compare it to the previous day... which we wan't talk about :) Anyway, the weather is starting to cool down and the fishing is improving. I've got a bit of September dates available, in October, and then the steelhead season on the Trinity takes over. Give us a call at Confluence if you wanna get out! We've got plenty of guides to get you out for a fun day! NOTHING

I just got back from a busman's holiday on Fall River.  I fished with fellow guides Randy Hamann, Luke Geraty and Mike Wright.  Fishing is good throughout the day with occasional periods of greatness if you're in the right place at the right time!  The predominant hatch was PMD mayflies, both spinners and duns.  The spinners are creamy white and the duns were a pale olive color.  We had good dry fly opportunities from 9-11am, good streamer fishing throughout the day, and pretty good nymph fishing from lunch through the end of the day.  Callibaetis mayflies should start hatching in good numbers soon.  My favorite time on Fall River is August and September - there is plenty of time to book a trip still this season!

Andrew with a Fall River rainbow

Come July and August, most hatches are on a down slide or they're over until fall. It's now, that hoppers and terrestrials start showing up on the menu. Fish are looking up and if you've ever fished hoppers, you know it's a lot of fun. It's one of my favorite ways to fish. Working the water, searching for fish that want a big meal, you're hunting fish with well placed casts. I look for the hopper action to stay solid through August and into early September. If you want to play the hopper game, now's the time. 

Now's a great time to be in the mountains. The temps are 10 degrees cooler and wet wading feels great. Our guides have been on the Upper Sac the last month, enjoying the mountains and the plucky wild fish, who've been eating nymphs through the day and providing dry action toward evening. If you're looking to beat the heat and hit the water, now's a good time. Come join us, because we're having fun!

I've spent quite a bit of time on the Fall River and it's connected waters this Spring and early Summer, overall the fishings been Great ! The Hex has been going off most nights and when it does you have your best shot at some of the bigger fish the Fall has to offer. Durring the morning and day time we've had dry fly action on PMD's both Spinners and Duns,fishing intermediate lines mid day has been productive as well.I have some availability on the Fall river later this month, and much of August as well as very early September before I head over to the Lower Klamath for Summer Steelhead.  August can offer up some great dry fly action with Callibaetis Mayfly's emerging in the Lower River. Come join me on this one of a kind fishery !Feel free to reach out if you have questions.Randy Hamann

Flows are dropping, opening up more wading and fishing opportunities. The fish have been cooperative, with plenty of bugs keeping them actively feeding. Nymphing has been productive, both morning and evening. Stones, caddis and mayflies are on the menu, so switch bugs if you're not getting grabs. The entire team, Brian, Colin, Kevin, Ben, Luke, Scottie, Mike, Mat and even Andrew has been on the water. Fall River, Lower Sac, Upper Sac, McCloud, Hat Creek, trout, striper, bass or shad – take your pick. June is game on and a great time to book a trip.   TIP: Especially on smaller water, that's clear like the Upper Sac, stealth is your friend. Keep a low profile and stay back from the water's edge until you've fished close. Put less line on the water, high stick. Read the water carefully, break it down into small pieces. Fish thoroughly. You'll enjoy better results. 

Spent 3 days on the Fall, last Sunday-Tuesday, the weather was variable, had clouds and wind on both Sunday and Monday, fishing was a little Scratchy, Tuesday the clouds parted and the sun came out and the fish were grabby, I would rate the morning as, as good as it gets !  Fish are spreading out now, moving down river, occupying areas that were mostly void of trout a couple weeks ago. Hex hatch is right around the corner, with warmer temps should start the Hex off in the next week or so and go into July.I have openings available, please hit me up, would love to show you around this wonderfull fishery, One of a Kind ! Feel free to reach out with any questions or to check my schedule 775-781-1058 

Awesome views abound

Shad are plentiful in the Sacramento River below Red Bluff right now.  These fish run from 1-5 pounds with most in the 1-2 pound range.  They like to hold in swift water and fight really hard.  They also like to eat ridiculous brightly-colored flies that no other fish would eat.  Luke Geraty is doing PM Shad trips this summer.  The shad will be around at least through the end of June and probably well into July.  Book an afternoon trip and see what it's all about!

Andrew with a large American Shad

Shad are bait where I grew up but I've gained a new respect for them. They're great for a day full of hard fighting action. A recent trip on the American was beautiful weather and the shad didn't disappoint either. We also target them on the Lower Sac. This is a good fish for everyone but especially newer anglers, who'll have multiple opportunities at fish – so if you miss the first few, there's likely a bunch more behind them. Trout fishing is also coming into shape. the Lower Sac remains spotty due to flows but Fall River, Hat Creek and the Upper Sac are all fishing well. Don't miss our podcasts on iTunes (the confluence podcast):iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-confluence-podcast/id1624277773 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConfluenceOutfitters

Our guides have been on Lake Shasta, the Lower Sac, Fall River, Hat Creek and the Upper Sac in the last few weeks. They've been chasing bass, shad and trout with clients looking to enjoy the spring weather and fishing. If you like chasing gorgeous wild fish, in crystal clear water, surrounded by a spectacular setting, while throwing monster dry flies, it's Hex time on Fall River. Now's the time to book Mike or Colin. These are very special trips you won't regret booking. Flows have been up and down on the Lower Sac and the trout fishing has corresponded. What trout haven't offered lately, shad have made up for. They're definitely in and are less affected by the changes. These little tarpon fight like hell and don't disappoint. Lake Shasta provided some fun, low key float and fly action for spotted bass as the spring bite winds down a bit. Hat Creek's been fishing well for several months and the Upper Sac flows are dropping, which means it's coming into shape. The weather's perfect and the fishing is good. TIP: If you're newer to fly fishing and intimidated by what seems like a confusing mess of fly choices, understand that the majority of flies imitate just three insects; mayflies, caddis and stoneflies. It's not an overly complex puzzle, you just need a little time and help to identify what's-what and to start making informed fly selections. 

Spring Greetings from the Klamath Basin!We’re thrilled to announce another successful water year in the Basin, promising excellent fishing conditions. Get ready for high water in June, perfect for breaking out the nymphs and indicators. The Williamson River opened yesterday, and the Wood River has been open for a few weeks. The season is off to a fantastic start here in the Klamath Basin. Personally, I love fishing in June; it's an ideal time to target the large Redbands staging in the lake at the mouths of the rivers and to fish Golden Stone dry flies on the Williamson.July: The Action Heats UpJuly is when things really start rolling in the Basin. The first batch of Redband trout will begin moving into all systems to escape the warm lake temperatures. July also marks the beginning of Hex season in the Basin. Swinging leeches on intermediate lines, hopper dropper setups, and nymphing are all highly effective this time of year. From stillwaters to spring creeks, everything seems to fish well in July.August: Trophy Fish TimeAugust is prime time for trophy fish! The dog days of summer are a fly fisherman’s dream in the Basin. The hotter the temperatures, the better the fishing. Break out the hoppers and be prepared to swing small damsels and leeches on light tippets for some BIG trout! If you’re a big fish enthusiast, August is the perfect time to book a trip. Though challenging, the rewards can be phenomenal!I’m anticipating another fantastic summer in the Basin chasing monster fish and would love to share this incredible experience with you!Tight lines,

Wood River Brown

Well the shad have started showing up and we have been getting into them! While some are using nymphing techniques, the primary way we have been hooking shad has been swinging flies! This is a GREAT half day evening trip and the shad pull SUPER hard. No wonder they are called the "poor man's tarpon" :) If you wanna get out for an evening of shad, hit me up! We should have shad for the next month or two! First timer's are welcome and this is a kid friendly experience!

Erik and his son Max came up to fish the Lower Sac and we had a good mid-morning to early afternoon. The flows were right around 6,000cfs and though there wasn't a lot of bug action throughout the day, the fish were pretty grabby between 10am and about 1:30pm. This was their first Lower Sac float trip and they both landed some nice wild trout and had a decent amount of grabs. Max learned quickly that you got to set the hook quickly and though we lose a few fish and missed a few fish, a lot of fun was had! The flows are about to spike up to 11,000cfs tonight and it's gonna be a few days before the river fishes good again, a lot of us are very anxious for the caddis to start popping off in larger numbers, which is usually when I like to start doing half day afternoon/evening floats. We did see a few PMD's throughout the day and most of our fish were caught on mayfly immitations... but definitely not a lot of bugs around on the surface or any hatches of note. Still a super fun day and was very fun! I think Max is hooked and he loved the constant action and attention involved in fly fishing! 

Delta report by Captain Bryce Tedford: "Another solid day on the water with Ricardo Brian. The boys got after it we caught a bunch of quality fish today. They have been Striper fishing a couple years with us now and their time on the water is really paying off! Spring Striper fishing is in full swing, Largemouth/Smallmouth Summer fishing is coming up Fall Stripers should also be good as well. Cheers!"

So, the Lower sac is going to see a bit of a reprive from all the high water this past Winter and Spring. Flows will be dropping out of Shasta/Keswick over the coming days to a very desiarable level for wading, should be in shape by May 1st or 2nd, not sure how long this will last, but the flows will be ideal for a bit, if you interested book a trip soon or you might have to wait till September till the flows drop again. Feel free to reach out to me directly, my conact info is on the site under guide team or reach out to Andrew Harris on the 800 number to book a Jet Boat trip with me.Randy Hamann 

there's a window

Despite highly variable flows in the lower river, the spring steelhead fishing's been solid. It's simple, these fish are a lot of fun. I look forward to them every year. They're on the smaller side of the steelie spectrum but so what? They run, fight and jump with the same bad attitude and intensity as larger fish. The weather's great, the day doesn't need to start at 4:00 a.m. and the fish give us their best. Expect the river to fish well through May. TIP: Try to avoid boxes that confine and limit your fishing. Common knowledge, is commonly wrong. Experirimenting with something new, even if it seems well outside the accepted norm, can sometimes lead to surprising results. 

Our guides have been on the McCloud and Hat Creek. Both are fishing well as we move deeper into spring. Mayfly, caddisfly and stonefly hatches are bringing fish to the surface and offering some nice dry fly action. Salmonflies, those clumsy, flying sausages are popping. They give you an early season chance to throw huge dries, ones you can definitely see, to hungry trout. We've reported on Hat, which is fishing well, but now, the McCloud is also coming into shape. A recent half day trip produced some nice fish. We threw dries, as well as indicator fished and tightlined. The fishing is getting better by the day as sleepy winter fish wake up. The weather's nice and the fishing is good. It's a great time to get out!TIP: Good mechanics = a good cast. The opposite is also true. Long, short or intermediate; understand, apply and trust your mechanics and you'll cast well.  

Delta Striper report from Captain Bryce Tedford: Beautiful day with Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club! Bite was tough but everyone caught some fish & had some fun!

Captain Bryce Tedford reports: Solid day on the Delta today!  My guests caught fish & had some fun!