Fall River hatches
The Fall River silently seeps from the ground at Thousand Springs Ranch near the small community of Dana, approximately 75 miles east of Redding, California. As the river perks its way over gravel, several feeder creeks and gushing Rainbow Spring add water. A mile from its source, the Fall River is a large spring creek navigable by boat until it reaches Fall River Reservoir.
Before 1970, barbed-wire fences crossed the river marking property lines. Floating the river was not allowed and fishing clubs leased private sections. In the late ’60s the court decision Baker v. Mack declared the river navigable, the fences were removed, and in 1970 a new public fishery was created.
I tied many flies for fly fishers who had access to the Fall when it was private but didn’t fish the river until it opened to the public in 1970. Excited by photos of anglers with large fish, I organized a trip with two friends, and we landed several memorable trout on drys on our first float. It’s been more than 35 years since that first trip, and although it has gone through some changes, it’s still my favorite spring creek to match the hatch for trophy trout.
Upper River
Several hundred yards below the fence that designates the beginning of public fishing, the river slows and deepens. Boats are the most effective way to fish in the deep, weedy river, and they are also required because of the surrounding private property.
The Pale Morning Dun (PMD) spinner fall is the main event on the upper river during mornings from May through June. Swarms of mayfly spinners mat the water’s surface, where trout eagerly gulp them. Intermixed with PMD spinners, anglers can expect other mayflies such as Baetis, terrestrials, and small stoneflies and midges.
I use Hackle Stackers to imitate the PMD spinners because they lie flat and double as spinners or duns (see “Hackle Stacker Duns,” FFM, July 1999). A Loopwing Female Baetis serves double-duty when Baetis are hatching, because it also matches female upright egg-laying PMD spinners. Many mayfly species have the same body colors after molting into spinners.
Hatches typically start in the upper 2 miles by the last Saturday in April (see hatch charts pages 58 and 59) through mid July, peaking from late May through June. Even during high-water years (such as 2005 and 2006), hatches are going strong by mid May. After the first fall storms, hatches return to provide good dry-fly fishing until the season ends on November 15.
Upper river access. The only way anglers can access the upper river is to stay at Spinner Fall Lodge, located about 3 miles above the confluence of Spring Creek (530-336-5300, spinnerfalllodge.com). The lodge has rooms, and a lounge, restaurant, and deck with river views. The restaurant and bar are open to guests and the public. Guests staying at the lodge have access to the river and boat rentals. Boats have dual electric motors so you can motor up- or downstream.
Just below the confluence of Spring Creek, a low bridge marks the end of the upper section. You can only float under the bridge in one spot during low water flows—even then it is a tight fit.
Middle River
After its confluence with Spring Creek, the Fall’s flows slow and deepen as it winds through a panoramic mountain valley of ranchland. Most anglers divide the river into two parts based on the only public access at Island Road Bridge: The top section, which is the three plus miles from Spring Creek Road Bridge to Island Road Bridge, and the lower section, which is from Island Road Bridge downstream four miles to the Tule River.
Similar to the upper river, PMDs are the bread-and-butter hatch, though fish feed on good hatches of Blue-winged Olives (BWOs), especially on cloudy, drizzly days. PMDs typically hatch from mid morning to early afternoon depending on temperature. Look for duns drifting along the banks and around and below weedbeds that harbor nymphs. Large trout frequent channels in the surface weeds, picking off hatching duns funneled to them. Trout also station along the banks or below willow limbs and old bridge pilings that deflect currents and concentrate the insects.
When trout are finicky and refuse to take surface flies—even cripples—try an emerger below the surface. You can also slowly swing soft-hackles on a floating or clear intermediate line before or during a hatch to imitate rising insects.
Caddis and midges start hatching during the evening in late May. Fish a caddis emerger or soft-hackle on a floating line near sunset or whenever you observe swirling or splashy rises. Slowly swing the fly through the rise form and strike at any line or leader hesitation or movement. Many times, fish strike at the end of the swing just before the emerger reaches the surface. Twitching the fly at the end of the drift, or letting it hang in the current, entices takes.
When I see trout grabbing skittering adults, I switch to a dry caddis. Hatching and ovipositing caddis are an active crew on the surface. Mimic them with short rod-tip jerks or short strips of line. The motion not only gets the fish’s interest but helps you locate the fly in fading light. Trout are less wary of heavier tippets at this time. I usually start with 5X and sometimes go heavier at dark.
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