Bollibokka Fly Fishing Club

The Bollibokka Club was established as a private fishing club on the McCloud River early in 1904.

The Club surrounds more than 3,000 acres, and slightly more than seven miles of some of the best wild trout fishing in the American West.

The seven private miles of the majestic McCloud on Bollibokka tumble through beautiful, rugged mountain terrain and, arguably, some of the finest fly fishing water on the continent. Bollibokka is bordered upstream by more than a dozen miles of other private property. All of it extends to the high ridges on either slope of the McCloud and, collectively, this has been some of the most jealously guarded angling in the nation for more than a hundred years.

The McCloud River is famous for its breathtaking beauty and its trout. The river itself is a classic freestone stream, with one set of terraced riffles, and deep rainbow and brown trout-filled pools after another. Bollibokka is surrounded by Shasta-Trinity National Forest but located just 36 miles north and east of Redding on the south slope of Mount Shasta.The McCloud's rainbow trout (salmo shasta) were used to successfully stock New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, and to establish healthy rainbow populations in many of our western states. These beautiful, native rainbows are noted for their strength, aggression, and are the most famous and widely distributed trout in the world.

Bollibokka is managed by The Fly Shop® as a club, not a lodge. Bollibokka Club annual

memberships are perfect for individuals, groups of friends, corporations, companies, clubs, or organizations. More information on club membership is described below under "Membership and Fees".

The pristine waters of the McCloud River and their famed hard fighting, beautiful Rainbow Trout are unspoiled and thriving in this majestic wilderness.

Dry fly fishing can be good to amazing from April through November, with late spring, early summer, and fall being traditionally the strongest times of year for hatches. Caddis, Stoneflies, and a myriad of mayflies thrive in the nutrient-rich emerald water. Midsummer days with a hopper dropper or Turk's Tarantula can also be rewarding. Nymphing all season long can be very productive and the variety of water holds a challenge for all levels of angler. Many nice fish are also caught each year on streamers. Bollibokka is a wild, fly fishing only, catch and release fishery.

The property has an extensive and well maintained trail system along the entire river, with side trails providing easy access to many of the best pools and riffles. Fishing on the Bollibokka Club is a combination of hiking and fishing the terraced pocket water and casting into broad, deep pools, often sight-casting to individual feeding trout. Guides are available upon request through The Fly Shop's® Guide Service and have extensive knowledge and experience at Bollibokka.

Memberships & Fees

"Bollibokka is a wonderful place to build relationships."

Membership Dues:
Annual Membership dues are $500 per year. Only one member of a group needs to be a member to reserve time at Bollibokka. Members may select either one or more exclusive weeks at either Bollibokka's 'Clubhouse & Rock House' or the 'Way Station', or both for the modest, corresponding fee.

Members receive an invitation to the annual

members-only luncheon held at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, as well as receiving complimentary Bollibokka gear each season. Bollibokka Club memberships are perfect for individuals, groups of friends, corporations, companies, clubs, or organizations. The Club's isolated setting is a terrific place to establish, build, and reinforce friendships and relationships.

Membership Fees:
Clubhouse and Rock House - $7,000 per week

The Club House and Rock House are packaged together as the main angling compound at Bollibokka. The historic "Clubhouse" was built in the 1920's. It has five bedrooms and sleeps ten guests. Adjoining the Clubhouse is the Log Cabin (circa 1860), which is the historic dining room and fully-equipped country kitchen. Across the rolling lawn, the Rock House perches on the shoulder of the McCloud riverbank. The Rock House cottage has two bedrooms that sleeps four more guests and a small kitchen, dining area, and small living room.

Together the Clubhouse and Rock House will accommodate up to fourteen guests, but the compound is limited to no more than ten fishermen on their "beat" at any one time. A member selecting a week at the Clubhouse & Rock House may bring as many as fourteen guests, (but no more than ten anglers), at any one time during their exclusive week at the Bollibokka Club.

Their beat covers more than five miles of the McCloud - from Shasta Lake up to Chatterdown Creek - and is a breathtaking series of broad riffles, deep tail-outs, pools, and pocket water. Angling is limited to fly fishing only, and is exclusively catch-and-release.

Members arrive with their guests on Wednesdays of each 5-night and 6-day fishing week then depart the following Monday evening. (Visit the "lodging" portion of this website for a full description of the compound and the "Itinerary" for a typical model week).

Dining options at Bollibokka are a reflection of each member's preference. Members and their guests may elect to handle their own meals and menu or opt to use the Club staff for a fee. Bollibokka has a staff available for menu planning, shopping, cooking and clean-up. Alternatively, members and their guests may choose to do their own cooking. The kitchens are fully equipped and stocked with condiments, and there are barbecues and

smokers, along with a dishwasher in every kitchen.

Guests provide their own housekeeping during their stay. All the beds are freshly made prior to arrival and towels are provided for each guest. The facility is cleaned on the Tuesday after departure.

The Way Station - $4,200 per week

The 'Way Station' is located five miles upriver from the Clubhouse. It was built in the early 1970's by a master German craftsman, and features mortise and tenon joinery and open beam construction, conveniently perched on a rock outcrop overlooking a deep emerald pool full of wild McCloud River rainbow and brown trout. The Way Station sleeps six and has its own fully-equipped kitchen, dining room, and living room. The dining, housekeeping and itinerary are identical to the Clubhouse compound. There is a separate housekeeping and dining room staff available at the Way Station when it is used independently from the Clubhouse.

Members may also choose both beats and to utilize all the facilities and angling on the Bollibokka Club for the combined fee. Members are welcome to limit the number of fishermen or non-fishing guests to as few as they wish. It is, after all, their club for the week.

By any standard, a Bollibokka Club membership is a terrific value. The pro-rated cost of a member and guests at the club is about $800 each for the abbreviated week. Consider that for that price, members and their guests have exclusive access to one of the most pristine private fishing properties in California. Admittedly, it is no Holiday Inn in the woods. Its rustic nature is a definite part of the attraction, and the Bollibokka Club membership has included some of the angling elite in the 105 years that it has been off-limits to the public.

Dog pens are provided at both the Clubhouse and Way Station, but no pets permitted in the cabins at any time.

Purchasing a Membership:
If you are considering a membership, please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours any day of the week. We will answer any questions you may have and let you know what the calendar openings are for the Bollibokka Club season, and confirm your membership and dates in just minutes. Members annually select their week at either the Club House and Rock House or the Way Station, or both. Scheduling preference is given to established members, but the entire season can be terrific on the McCloud.

Memberships and fees may be paid for by check or credit card. A 50% deposit for reserved weeks is required with the reservation, and the final 50% payment is due 60 days prior to arrival. Housekeeping, menu planning, shopping and dining options are handled independently with the Bollibokka staff. Guide Service is handled separately with either The Fly Shop®, or the individual guide. If you prefer to correspond on-line simply email us and we will respond promptly.

Seasons at Bollibokka Club

The McCloud River opens to fishing on the last Saturday in April and remains open through November 15.

Over 7 miles of the renowned McCloud River flow through the famous Bollibokka property. 5 miles of this (from the McCloud River Bridge upstream to Chatterdown Creek) is accessible to guests staying at the Clubhouse/Rock House, while the upper 2 miles above Chatterdown Creek is reserved for guests staying at the Way Station. A system of trails follows the entire ranch section of river, with some trails on both sides of the river. This section of the McCloud is comprised of deep emerald pools, riffles and pocket water, all full of wild rainbow and brown trout ranging from 6 inches to over 6

pounds. The average size of the wild trout is 12-14 inches, while much larger fish are not at all uncommon. Daily opportunities abound to target � often sight casting � these fish on either dry flies, nymphs, or even streamers.

The McCloud River opens to fishing on the last Saturday in April and remains open through November 15. The McCloud is controlled by dam releases from McCloud Reservoir, which generally maintains consistent flows throughout the season, making the McCloud a good option when other local rivers are subject to runoff.

May and June:
May and June are generally considered the "prime time" months on the river. Starting as early as Opening Day (last Saturday in April), myriad insects begin to hatch on the McCloud, creating consistent opportunities throughout each day to catch fish on both nymphs and dry flies.

The most important hatches on the McCloud are from the order Plecoptera: stoneflies. The massive salmonflies are the first of the stoneflies to appear, hatching sporadically throughout the month of May and sometimes into early June. They are followed by numerous Golden Stoneflies and Little Yellow Stoneflies, all of which can get the McCloud River's numerous rainbow and brown trout rising on the surface. And even when the fish aren't focused on the flying adult insects, they'll readily take dead drifted stonefly nymphs in the McCloud's many pockets and deep pools.

In addition to the stoneflies, there are many other insects hatching on the McCloud during this time of year, including several species of caddis, PMD mayflies, and several other varieties and sizes of lesser mayflies. With so many different kinds of insects in the air, there are dry fly opportunities throughout the day, and many different kinds of nymph patterns will also produce strikes from aggressive fish.

July and August:
Summertime on the McCloud River sees the lightest fishing pressure of the season. Though much of Northern California can be baked in sweltering heat, the McCloud remains shaded and cool at the bottom of a deep, heavily forested canyon and can continue to fish well all summer long with nymphs, streamers, and dry flies.

There are generally less insects hatching later in the summer, though Golden Stoneflies and Little Yellow Stoneflies will still be found throughout much of the summer and caddis continue to come off every evening just before

dark. The best dry fly opportunities will come late in the day, though nymphing the pockets and pools remains productive throughout the day. Summertime can be a great time of year for fishing streamers, too, targeting some of the bigger brown trout that reside in the McCloud's deep pools.

September, October and November:
The Fall Season is a standby favorite for long-time McCloud River fanatics. The cool nights of fall bring out the giant October Caddis hatch, there can be stellar blue-winged olive hatches on overcast days, and the big bad browns begin to migrate upriver from Shasta Lake.

The first of the monstrous October Caddis larvae begin to appear on the rocks and boulders near the edge of the river in mid September, and by October there are literally millions of the inch-long cases decorating the river bottom as they prepare for emergence. The adult insects hatch at dusk throughout October and November, providing brief flurries of dry fly activity every evening and enticing trout to rise to big attractor patterns sometimes even in the middle of the day. Moreover, they'll eat the larvae and pupae of the caddis like trout candy all day long.

On overcast days, there can be some phenomenal blue-winged olive hatches. These tiny mayflies respond to changes in barometric pressure, and hatch whenever a storm front moves through the area, stimulating some great midday dry fly action on all of our regional streams, including the McCloud River.

And one can't forget the big brown trout that migrate upriver from Shasta Lake in the fall. These brutes can be a real adventure, chasing big streamers on sinking lines in the deep pools and often measuring better in pounds than inches. They're not easy to find and take true devotion to catch, but are an exciting option for big fish anglers willing to work hard for quality fish.

Getting To Bollibokka Fly Fishing Club

Bollibokka Fly Fishing Club has more than 7 private miles of the majestic McCloud river that tumble through beautiful, rugged mountain terrain and some of the finest fly fishing water on the continent.

From Redding:
Head north on Interstate 5 for approximately 20.0 mi until you reach the Gilman Rd exit (exit 698). Turn right and stay on Gilman Rd approx. 17 miles. Just before you cross the

bridge there is a metal gate on the left side of the road (we will provide you the combination upon reservation). Follow the directions below to reach the residence you have reserved.

From Mt. Shasta (or North):
Travel south on I-5 for approximately 40 miles to the Salt Creek/Gilman Rd Offramp (Exit #698). Turn Left onto Gilman Rd. Follow Gilman Rd for approximately 17 miles to the McCloud River Bridge. Just before you cross

the bridge there is a metal gate on the left side of the road (we will provide you the combination upon reservation). Follow the directions below to reach the residence you have reserved.

Clubhouse/Rock House:
• Follow the dirt road paralleling the river. You will pass the caretaker's cabin on the right. There will be two dirt roads cutting up the hill to the left; be sure to stay to the right, and the road will take you right to the Clubhouse. If you're staying at the Clubhouse, you can park underneath the tree. To continue on to the Rock House, follow the road around to the left, past the clubhouse, and around the lawns to the Rock House.
Fishing beats: Cluhouse & Rock House = The lower 5 miles of Bollibokka (from Chatterdown Creek downriver to the Main Gate/McCloud River Bridge).

Way Station:
• Follow the dirt road paralleling the river. You will pass the caretaker's cabin on the right. Take the second left road up the hill. (If you end up at the Clubhouse, turn around and take the first right.) Follow this road for approximately 20 minutes. You will pass two dirt roads cutting down to the right, but stay on the main road. Eventually you will come to a fork in the road. The right branch goes down to the river at Chatterdown Creek. The left branch will take you to the Way Station Cabin. Please do not drive past the Way Station Cabin.
Fishing beats: Way Station = The upper 2 miles of river will start at Chatterdown Creek upriver to Trail Crew Camp. Please respect boundaries.

Itinerary for Bollibokka Fly Fishing Club

Club members and their guests are welcome to arrive for their week anytime after 11:00 am on the Wednesday morning of their designated week.

There generally will not be staff there to check you in upon arrival - unless you've arranged for Bollibokka staff to be there during your stay - so make yourself at home! Towels, Linens, soaps, and almost everything you need are provided for your stay.

You will have the run of your specified beat until Monday evening departure. Tuesdays at the Club are reserved for cabin cleaning and property maintenance.

A system of trails follows the entire ranch section of river, with some trails on both sides of the river at bridges or historic crossings. This section of the McCloud is comprised of deep emerald pools, riffles and pocket water, all full of wild rainbow and brown trout.

Bollibokka Club Members will be provided with a very complete information packet of the ranch, with simple regulations and maps along with recommended fly fishing flies, tackle, and equipment.

Each cabin at Bollibokka has a fully stocked kitchen, and many guests choose to bring in their own food and cook all their own meals.

The Fly Shop® also works with the long-time Bollibokka Club staff, maintaining a list of people available to members for menu planning, shopping, cooking, and cleanup. The arrangements are made directly between the member and cooking personnel. Please contact The Fly Shop® at 800-669-3474 for more information on arranging for a cook during your stay at Bollibokka.

The fishing on the McCloud River at Bollibokka is compatible for anglers of all skill levels and experience. Some of the terrain and fishing is more challenging and better suited for experienced anglers in good physical condition, while there are still several productive pools easily accessible from the different lodging facilities.

Non-fishing companions have the run of roads and trails on their respective beats on the property. The Bollibokka property is a wonderful natural resource for photography, painting, hiking, birdwatching, and more. And that's not to mention relaxing at any one of the different cabins with a good book and the sights, sounds, and smells of the McCloud River just a stone's throw away.

A few points to remember:
Bollibokka is a serene, natural setting in a remote landscape, and wildlife abounds. Be aware of black bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes, and be cautious to avoid poison oak. Young children shouldn't be unsupervised or out alone after dusk. There hasn't been any problem in this regard in Bollibokka's 100+ years, and we want to keep it that way.

The Clubhouse, Rock House, and Way Station are all non-smoking facilities. Guests are welcome to enjoy cigars or cigarettes on the deck or anywhere outside the lodge on the ranch. Please keep in mind that this is a fire-prone region, so be extra careful with any ashes from cigarettes on the ranch proper, and never, ever discard a cigarette butt anywhere on the property.

Making Reservations to Bollibokka Club

To make a reservation, please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours any day of the week, or email us at shane@theflyshop.com anytime. We can give you the answers you need, detailed explanations to questions you might have, or check on availability and confirm your reservation in minutes.

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