Fall River

Current Report - July 7, 2008 -Monday

Best early and late up there now.

PMDs and other small mayflies in the mornings.

Hex hatch in the PM.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

General Stream Information

The Fall River is a giant gin clear spring creek and is one of the most beautiful streams in the West. It bubble up out of the ground at Big Springs and flows 15 miles down to it's confluence and a small dam with the Pit River. Much of the land is private making the access very limited.

The Cal Trout access is on Island Bridge Road and has limited parking. You need to be able to carry or wheel your craft 75 yards to the water. Electric motors are allowed at the launch but no gas motors. June and July are big months here plus the Fall. There are nice lodges to stay at on the banks of the Fall River and there you can rent a boat and motor or possible launch your own if you are a paying guest. You need a small flat bottom boat (pram) or pontoon boat to fish it right. Many use powerful electric motors and some use new quiet 4 stroke outboards to get around.

There are usually BWOs early in the season, then PMDs and caddis. Some Calibaetis too. Late June early July is Hexagenia time in the lower river which is our large mayfly. You get Tricos and caddis all summer. When there is no hatches you can strip small leeches on a fast sinking line in the deep holes.

We recommend getting a day or two with a good local fly fishing guide because this river can really 'beat you up'.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tackle

The standard Fall River outfit for fishing the surface with small dries and cripples is a soft action 9' #4-5 line rod. You need this soft, small line rod to fish 6x and 7x tippet to big fish. For fishing under water with a fast sinking type 3 or 4 line most use a 9' #5 line outfit.  Some use sinktips too.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fall River Map

• Google map.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Article

• Fall River by Richard Alves - Courtesy Fish Sniffer site.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Books

• CA Blue Ribbon Trout Streams by Sunderland & Lackey.
• Fly Fisher's Guide to Northern California by Seth Norman.
• Fly-Fishing Northern CA Waters by Lily Wong
• No Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing in Northern California by Ken Hanley

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fishing Guides

• Kiene's Fall River Guide recommendations.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lodging

• Spinner Fall Lodge
• Circle 7 Guest Ranch
• Clearwater Lodge
• Home on the Water

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Local Fly Shop

• Shasta Angler in Fall River Mills (530) 336-6600