Page 26 - Demo

THE GOLDEN STATE’S MOST FAMOUS CHALKSTREAM
Hat Creek
The wild trout section of this picture-perfect spring creek has been a Mecca for serious fly fishermen from all over the nation
for more than a generation!
LOWER HAT CREEK is truly a technical spring creek and one of the most beautiful in the West. Popu- larity accompanies that reputation and early season crowds are an issue. Pressure can be intense, and these rainbows and browns will usually rise only to expertly presented, exact imitations.The well-earned reputation for ultra-selective, wild trout has made this 21⁄2-mile portion of stream a target for dedicated fly fishermen that thrive on challenging situations.
Lower Hat Creek is a bit more than an hour from Redding. It’s a terrific target in late afternoons and evenings during mid-summer months when the menu consists of a variety of mayflies that must be matched to be successful.
The two riffle sections (below the Highway 299 bridge and below the Power House) are easily waded and harbor some of the largest populations of salmonflies in theWest.The mile and a half separating the pocket water is some of the most beautiful chalk- stream meadow fishing on the planet.
Not to be ignored is the nearby Pit River with its own superb brand of freestone fly fishing. A perfect day of trout fishing might include dry fly fishing on Hat Creek in the morning and evening, then nymphing the Pit for tro- phy rainbows in the afternoon.
UPPER HAT CREEK is a small stream fanatic’s dream come true. The tight, willow-lined stream re- quires pin-point accuracy, and the relatively naive resi- dent and planted trout are usually eager to swallow any properly presented fly.
There are numerous campgrounds and fishing ac- cess points along the upper portion of the stream. Smart anglers avoid those more heavily-fished sec- tions and concentrate instead on the brush-lined pocket water that gets less pressure.
The undercut banks and shaded shoreline provides perfect cover for colorful rainbows and a surprising num- ber of resident brown trout.This section of Hat Creek provides a little bit of something for everyone. Some of the streamside pools are kept stocked full of pan-sized trout for kids and beginners – or those who just like a couple fresh fish for breakfast – but there are plenty of larger, native fish lurking in its waters to tempt experi- enced anglers as well.
Much of upper Hat Creek remains an enigma to the local populace, beckoning to anglers from behind the locked gates of local ranches, its trout left to feed at their leisure without ever seeing an artificial fly.
HAT CREEK RANCH guestsstayingatthecozyranchguesthousehavehalfamileofprivateaccesstoUpper Hat Creek. Right out the door, you are a stone’s throw from a well-stocked stream and three trophy trout ponds. This secluded, central location is within easy striking distance of the Wild Trout section of Hat Creek, Fall River, and the Pit River. Nearby Upper Hat Creek is a willow-lined, spring creek that is regularly stocked with trout.
This intimate hideaway is an hour east of Redding, and sits alongside the upper creek near Hwy. 89 and the town of Hat Creek.The guest ranch/house sleeps four, with a fully equipped kitchen and is only minutes away from LassenVol- canic Nat’l Park, and is an ideal holiday base for an extended vacation in the area.
s $195 dbl. occupancy s 35 per-non angler s 135 daily trespass fee s $265 single angler in cabin
s Off-season winter rates available
Brian O’Keefe photo
26 www.theflyshop.com
(no cabin option)