Fly Tying 101

Loon is hosting a four part live streaming event on beginning fly tying starting Jan 6 and will run every thursday. I think this is in place of the usual "Loon Live" hosted by the alway entertaining and enlightening Matt Callies. Great way to learn if you get a fly tying kit for Christmas or have one sitting around you got years ago and have never used. 

Check it OUT!
https://loonoutdoors.com/fly-tying-101/

Last minute opening, Winter Dates, Fishing Reports

Last Minute Opening: Dec 20th 

Open Winter Dates:
Dec 28
Jan 2, 14, 21, 

*These dates are first come first serve so call 530-514-2453 or email. 

Hope everyone is ready for Christmas and have all their shopping done and are getting ready to travel to be with family or have family over. We are hosting Christmas this year I have a few days of guiding this week and then some cooking and cleaning to do. The last storm that went through really did a number on the rivers though there is still some fishing to be had and lets be honest no one is complaining about rain at this point! I have a few winter dates open still and a last minute opening this week.

Lower Sacramento River is fishable down to Cow Creek which means floats down to Anderson are fishable. Fishing has been pretty typical winter trout fishing on the Lower Sacramento which means good fish but not huge numbers on most days...that said there can be periods of really good numbers if the conditions are right.

Lower Yuba River is blown out right now but dropping. Dropping Slowly at that...it is at 7057 and is dropping a few hundred cfs a day out of Englebright. Deer Creek is at 265 and not dropping very fast...on about 30cfs today (monday dec 18th). Based on how the river and creek are dropping and all the water that is coming down the SF Yuba I can't imagine the river will be in shape to fish any time in the coming week. 

Butte Creek is dropping and is down to 1160cfs and with no rain in the forecast until early next week it should come into shape in the next day or two. Air temps are cold so make sure to get out during the warmer part of the day. Swinging flies and nymph fishing will both catch fish.

Feather River is blown out as well all the way up as Lake Oroville is completely colored up. When this happens it usually takes a while for the river to clear.

Hope everyone has a great holiday and spends time with family as well as out on the water!

Great Chico Band and really cool guys...check them out.

Tuesday...quick report.

So the rain is back...The Lower Yuba WAS dropping and around 5000cfs but I am sure will rage again very soon and in the end sense the South Fork has been ripping Lake Englebright should be blown so the river will be mud for a while but I can not confirm this...I am hoping the river is fishable by Sunday/Monday but that may be wishful thinking.

The Lower Sacramento River is fishing so that is good as much of the creeks that blow it out have dropped and supposedly clarity is good down to Bend bridge but I find that hard to believe...I would feel comfortable making the assumption fishing down to Cow Creek is going to be decent. I think fishing on the Sac is going to be a good option the coming few weeks but who knows based on the rain that is forecasted over the next few days.

Butte Creek was dropping into shape getting below 550cfs today but should pop back up with the rains but again I am hoping this should drop back down into shape by sunday/monday.

Feather River is fishable through the low and high flow and has a few fresh winter fish in it from what I have heard.

Some great Music from one the GREATEST BANDS I know...

Fishing Report, Open Dates, and Rock and Roll music for Cast Hope

Fishing Reports, Open dates, and Rock and Roll music for Cast Hope Cast Hope Benefit Concert is coming up Dec 10th! Great opportunity for people in the Bay Area that have not had the chance to make it to a Cast Hope event to show up and support Cast Hope. The event is at Slims in SF  with live music by The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band , Chuck Ragan, Rocky Votolato, Travis Hayes , and MY BAND Royal Oaks. Doors at 6:30pm Music at 7:30pm. Tickets still available CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE *Admission and Admission plus dinner tickets available A full night of live music, a great raffle, and fun! Event is Sponsored by: Lost Coast Outfitters, Skull Candy, Klean Kanteen, Echo Rods, Air Flo Fly Lines.

Fishing Reports and Open Dates Open Dates: Dec 22, 23, 28, 31 Jan 2, 3, 5, 6, 14, 16, 21 Feb 20.  Lower Feather River: River is fishing fair. The quality of fishing really depends on finding fresh water...aka fish that haven't been caught or fished over. Tough to do during the weekends and on holidays. There are a few fresh fish but not many as fishing tends to taper off during the end of November. Highest concentrations of fish are in the Low Flow and swinging small alvin flies or nymphing with eggs and nymphs will catch fish.  Butte Creek: Flows are stable at 280 which is a great wade fishing flow. There are fish throughout the system and more are moving in with every storm. This is a tough creek though with limited public access and bush whacking, hiking, moderate trespassing. Swinging small steelhead flies and nymphing with eggs and attractor nymphs is best. Fishing will improve through December and January Lower Yuba River: Clarity is about 1' with flows at 1240cfs and dropping as deer creek drops...YCWA is going to drop flows to 750-800 this saturday or sunday. Best fishing this time of year is with attractor eggs, baetis, smaller stoneflies, and swinging small olive bait fish or traditional steelhead flies in smaller "earth" tones.

Reports, sports, music...all the stuff to kill time on a thursday.

So winter is here it seems like at least today. There was a little frost this morning in Chico, Ca and the morning air temps were around 38. Haven’t seen really any rain in the last two weeks and we even saw weather this last week in the 80s! CRAZY but CRAZY seems to be the new normal with regards to weather. Here are some fishing reports and things that have been going on…you know random stuff you can read to kill time on a Thursday. 

Open Dates:

Dec: 17, 21-23, 29-31

Jan: 2, 5-7, 14, 28

Feb: 20

Lower Sac Stripers: Fishing has slowed dramatically but the river is fishable and the big fish are the ones that are eating…I mean really big. This is when you may fish all day for one grab but it will be a true trophy. I fished last week when the weather was warmer and caught plenty of 3-8lb fish and had one monster follow and tail slap a fly on an I-Line. Winter striper fishing on the river can be good or bad just depends on the weather and water

Lower Sacramento River Trout: December is traditionally one of, if not my favorite, month to fish the Sac for trout. Most of the guides and recreational anglers are gone…moving back down south or to the Trinity and while numbers are not huge we do usually catch some of the biggest rainbows of the year. Fishing small and deep is the key and with a poor salmon return it seems this small and deep approach we use in December has already started from what I hear.

Feather River Steelhead: Fishing is pretty workmen like…good numbers no reports of monsters but steady fishing if you can get a clean run and fresh water. Getting fresh water is the biggest issue on the feather. If you are the first one to fish it you will get the fish…if not can be tough.

Lower Yuba River: Lower yuba slowed down with the flow drop as the flows are back down to 775. I am really not a fan of fishing the Yuba at these flows but  good rain can push the flows back up to around a 1000cfs really quick so hopefully we get some rain soon and that happens.

Butte Creek: Is open and flows are around 150cfs…a good wade fishing flow. There should be some steelhead up in the creek with the good rains we had in October. May get out and check it out this weekend.

Sports Reports....a lot has happened. Baseball season was good…I am glad that the giants lost the way they did so they will be publicly forced to spend some money on a closer/bull pen. The total embarrassment of the way they lost game 4 is going to force them to spend some money.

Notre Dame is what they are…YOUNG. Expectations were way to high this year. We are starting on average 14 freshman a game so you get what you get with that. That said I support Coach Kelly and in no way blame him or his staff or the losses…that said I am glad Van Gormer (d-cordinator) is gone…His schemes were way to complicated and many times the kids looked lost. Hopefully Kaiser stays and all this experience for these young kids helps next year as pretty much everyone will be back.

Music: Been listening to a ton of Sturgill Simpson sense the wife and I were lucky enough to go see him this last weekend at the Cascade Theater in Redding, CA aka the Bakersfield of the North State.  By far top 5 shows I have ever seen…the musicianship was amazing. Plus Sturgill is just a bad ass…talk about the real deal man.

In other news my band Royal Oaks is heading into the studio this weekend for two day of tracking for our upcoming album…always a fun yet taxing experience. We will also be playing Dec 10^th down at Slims in SF with Chuck Ragan, Rocky Votolato, Reverand Peyton and the Big Damn Band, and Travis Hayes for the Inagural Cast Hope Benefit Concert.

Simms Delta Day: This is a great Pro/Guide/Dealer event that Simms, Hatch, Costa, Yeti all throw down in the delta…basicly my good buddy and simms rep john Sherman throws a bad ass party event at sugar barge in the delta…it started in his back yard but has turned into this multi day fiesta. Super FUN! I went down with my good buddy and guide Chuck Ragan and we worked the Costa pre party taco feed and fished Friday and then worked the event Saturday speaking about Cast Hope  and going Plastic Bottle Free in our guiding.