Included in your package at Sugar Creek Ranch is access to all ranch amenities. Day fishing access includes day fishing rights from sunup to sundown.

Lodge use does not include food or meals. Not included in your package at Sugar Creek Ranch are waders, rods/reels, and terminal tackle (flies, tippet, etc.) These items are not available at the ranch, so you'll want to bring your tackle and equipment with you.

The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard (AIG) and Global Rescue (IMG) coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.

• Travel Insurance Information

Non-fishing companions have the run of the entire ranch should feel at home to explore the property or set up under a shade tree and enjoy a book. There is also some great sightseeing to do in the local towns of Callahan, Etna and Fort Jones.

March and April:
Fishing really starts to pick up as air temps begin to rise in the early spring. Crisp cool mornings and evenings give way to warm mid-day sunshine and spectacular fishing. There are a variety of insects hatching in the spring that include mayflies, midges and stoneflies. An angler's box should consist of a good selection of mayfly dries, various nymphs, streamers and midges this time of year. Stripping big streamers down deep is still a great way to find big fish. As the water temps warm, increasing the speed of your retrieve can make a big difference. Suspending small mayfly nymphs and midges under small indicators is still extremely productive.

Early season fish are less pressured and should not be nearly as line shy as they will become later in the season, so 7.5 - 9ft leaders tapering to 3x for the larger flies and 4x - 5x for the small stuff will work perfectly.

May and June:
Largely considered "prime time," fishing is pretty much wide open during May and June. Fish actively feed all day long on an endless variety of insects. Leeches, damsel nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, mayflies, caddis and midges are all on the menu. Expect to see trout rising throughout the day with the best dry fly fishing coming in the mornings and evenings. With so much variety on the menu, be ready to fish many different techniques and flies, bring your entire quiver of fly rods accompanied by floating, intermediate and sinking lines.

Spring season scenery in the Scott River Valley is also spectacular. An extensive list of wild and plant life call the valley home, and anglers can expect to encounter beautiful imagery every time they shift their attention away from the fishing action.

July and August:
The Scott River Valley measures in at a little over 3,000 feet in elevation meaning that even the warmest afternoons give way to crisp cool mornings and evenings. Fishing early mornings and late evenings during the heat of the summer is key. Early risers will find plenty of surface activity first thing in the morning with fish taking small mayfly and midge imitations on top. As the sun begins to creep into the valley, stripping streamers and boatman imitations on floating lines is the way to go. Grass hoppers, ants and beetles are present now and many large fish will cruise the shade lines near the bank looking for an easy meal.

Weed growth peaks during the summer so there is no need for fast sinking lines, and the majority of your streamer patterns should be lightly weighted.

Fishing mouse patterns on full moon nights during the summer months is also quite fun. Seeing the silhouette of your mouse exploding in a ferocious top water attack is sure to send a shot of adrenaline through the most seasoned veins. Just make sure to watch your back cast and bring plenty of coffee for the mornings, they come fast!

September through November:
Fall is in the air. The days begin to shorten, the nights cool and the valley leaves begin to turn yellow and orange. Smoke pours from the small houses that dot the valley and, collectively, creates a light layer of delicious smelling mountain haze. Later in the fall, fishing will improve after the sun gets on the water and temps begin to rise. Sleep in, have a nice breakfast and loosen up the casting arm... Gentleman's hours, if you will. If you can pull yourself away from your cup of coffee and cozy fireplace, the fishing on the ranch is well worth the effort.

The fall season is a great time of year to target trout feeding on the various bait fish found in the lakes. Dace and trout fry are often targets of the large feeding rainbows and casting to trout actively busting bait is a highlight of the entire fishing season. Weed growth also slows so it is a good idea to bring the sinking lines along for the trip.

Don't be surprised to find a mid-day mayfly hatch during late September and November. Various sizes and colors of may fly dries and emerges should do the trick. The trusty stand by, the Parachute Adams, should always be on hand.

December through February:
The lakes at Sugar Creek rarely, if ever, ice over, meaning anglers can usually cast to gigantic rainbows all winter long. In fact, winter fishing has long been popular here, as it is a great combination with winter steelheading on the Klamath, and a reliable backup option when storms blow out other rivers in the region.

Midge hatches begin in late Jan - Feb as air and water temperatures start to rise. Classic still water midge fishing techniques will work well this time of year. One very productive approach is to drop a series of midges under small indicator rigs. The flies will typically space out between 3 - 15 feet below the indicator depending on bug and fish activity. The key to success with this approach is changing both fly pattern and drop depths until you figure out the correct fly and depth.

A great way to target large trout in the colder months is to offer up a large meal. Big crayfish and streamer patterns fished deep on a sinking line can coax the biggest fish in the lake into attacking. When water temps are cool big fish might opt for a big meal that will last a long time versus chasing down a bunch of tiny bugs.

The main floor is comprised of a nice kitchen, half bath, living room and sunken reading room. The top floor has two standard rooms with two single beds each and individual heating units. These two rooms share a bathroom located between them. There is also a deluxe bedroom on the top floor with two full size beds, full bath, and private balcony.

Etna, California is a short 10 minute drive from the gates of Sugar Creek Ranch. With a population of roughly 750 people, this historic mining town is now home to a handful of valley ranchers, most of which have ties to the early homesteaders of the 1800's. Driving down Main Street in Etna, passing old Victorian style homes and brick buildings, one can't help but feel like they have somehow traveled back in time to the early days of rural California living. Etna is not without modern accommodations, however, and surprisingly delicious food. The Etna Motel is a great choice for small and large groups and Bob's restaurant serves up delicious down home country cookin'. The Etna Brewery's burgers are a perfect complement to their ales and stouts. The Denny Bar Co. Distillery has a full menu and is surprisingly good food. Bob's is also a very popular spot for those hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to stop in and grab a quick bite. Chatting it up with these hikers and hearing the stories from the trail can be very entertaining!

A few points to remember:
There is some poison oak on the ranch, and one should always keep an eye out for rattle snakes. This is a fire-prone region, so please be extra careful with any ashes from cigarettes on the ranch property.