LGC's December 2022 Newsletter

Thanksgiving is over and our family – went up into the mountains and got our annual Christmas Tree. We had fun playing in the snow and watching folks try to drive in it. It was almost as good as hiking my camp chair to the boat launch after the fireworks at Lake Almanor.

We’ve been busy working on the LGC’s Online Store. Adding products and taking some out. We also have been busy getting new toys for the business. We got a new Travel Trailer to travel and stay at many fishing venues. We have also updated much of our equipment. Every year have equipment on rotation. Basically, what I think the life of the equipment is and when it is over, I replace it. I have to tell you folks – it’s hard. I have SAGE Pulse fly rods on the driftboat and they are still in awesome shape. They were scheduled to be replaced. I said, “Nope maybe next year.” Having good equipment makes a better experience on the water!

I also have to tell you that I been smoking much of our meals on our ReqTeq Pellet Smoker, we’ve had it since May, what a machine. Tri-Tip, turkey’s, pork lions, and everything else including pizza and meatloaf all come off the smoker beautifully. It’s been fun playing with it.

If you haven’t done so – get out there and fish!!                   

Rivers

Both the Feather and the Lower Sac have been good to great. I haven’t fished the Yuba in the last month. The lack of salmon in our rivers is hurting the fishing without the huge protein hatch of the egg drop. The fish are still eating. On the Feather River the steelhead are eating Caddis and Mayflies. The last two times I was on the Feather we landed fish on the Zack’s Bird’s Nest Natural Brown Size 14 and Fox’s Poopah in Cinnamon Size 12. Small Mayfly imitations are doing well also. The Lance’s X-May “Higi” in size 16-18 and my Lance’s X-May Brown in size 16-18. For the Lower Sac the fish are keying on small Mayflies and Midges. On warmer days we are having great Caddis and Blue Wing Olive hatches in the afternoons. The Zack’s Bird’s Nest Brown Hot Spot Size 12-14 and the Fox’s Poopah in Cinnamon Size 14 are my choices for these afternoon hatches. My go to Midge pattern is the WD40 Black Size 18. For the Mayflies the Lance’s X-May Olive Hot Spot Size 18 has been the top Mayfly producer. This is the great time to fish on the rivers. On the Lower Sac big fish are out looking for food. Make sure you carry some dry flies – Caddis like my Yuba River Caddis in Olive or Tan in Size 14-16 and small size 14-16 Parachute Adams may be needed. I have run into three different hatches with fish eating dries. One on the Lower Sac and two on the Feather. 

Lakes

Lake Almanor is finally getting some precipitation. This last week it snowed and snowed. We need all the precipitation we can get. Especially with FERC taking 250cfs increase during the summer months. The lake needs water!! As for the fishing it has been fishing well. Many of my buddies have been fishing around Canyondam with Balanced Leeches and Midges. I haven’t fished it since the Pond Smelt in early October. So – I don’t have any first-hand knowledge to pass along. We have had a cancelation for a Hex 1 – 1 night with me. The date is June 19, 2023. It will not last long. First come first fish!

Tours

The Tours are busting along. In November we did and Feather River Steelhead Tour and the last Putah Creek Tour until next April. The tours teach you access areas, environmental issues, fishing tactics/rigging and needed fishing equipment. These tours have seen hundreds of folks and in 2023 we will hit our 1000th person. A huge mile stone. Currently we have three tours on the schedule that still have openings. The first is a two-day Putah Creek Tour scheduled for April 15-16, 2023. This two-day tour was designed for maximum fishing time on the creek. The tour has two spots open. The second is a Yuba Tour for May 5, 2023. This tour has one spot open. The last tour is The Hex Hatch Tour on July 1, 2023. This tour has one spot open. 

Workshops

Workshops are a great way of learning a set tactic, rigging, working the tactic on the water and much more. We do have plans of having several Dry Fly Workshops in January on the Yuba River during the Skwala and March Brown hatches. We haven’t set dates on the schedule yet. They will be out shortly. We are working out the scheduling around some personal fishing trips. Stay tuned!

Product of the Month

The RIO Streamertip Line is my line of choice for fishing streamers in the valley rivers. The line comes in two different sink rates; intermediate and a Type 4. I use both. I like the intermediate more often simply due to the fact that many times I am fishing streamers in the winter months during low water levels in the river. I do fish the Type 4 on the Truckee River. These fly lines are integrated lines. Which means they have a floating fly line and then have a sinking tip. Basically – like the old fly sink tip fly lines. I use a short leader for my streamer fishing, no more than 7-foot leaders tapered to 3X or 4X.  

Fly of the Month

The Fly of the Month is Jon Baiocchi’s Skwala Fly. This is a great pattern to imitate the Skwala stonefly all over the west. For our local waters the Yuba this fly is a must. It’s not a hard fly to tie, you just need to tie it slow and make sure it looks perfect to fool the savvy Yuba River Rainbows. I fish this fly on a long 15-foot leader tapered down to 4X. I like to position myself in the river where I can cast downstream, and bump mend the fly down to eating fish. Sealth is key.

Hook – Firehole 718 Size 12

Thread – Danville 6/0 Light Olive Thread #61

Body – Golden Olive Yarn

Wing – Two strands of Krystal Flash UV Tan #441, Black 2mm foam and Zlon Fire Orange

Head – Moose Body Hair

Legs – Medium Rubber Brown

1 – Start thread about 1/8” behind the eye of the hook. Tie in Golden Olive yarn and tie back so the yarn turns the bend of the hook slightly. Wrap the yarn forward to tie in spot and tie off.

2 – Tie in the Tan UV Krystal Flash at the same spot you just tied of the yarn. Cut the Flash so it extends to the end of the hook bend. Tie in the 2mm Black Foam cut to 1/8” strips. Tie in a current tie in point extending back over the hook and bend of the hook. Cut the foam so it extends ¼” away from the bend of the hook. Tie in Zlon and cut so the Zlon extends ¾” of the foam wing.

3 – Tie in stacked moose body hair so the tips extend over the eye of the hook ½’ the length of the hook shank. Once tied in form a bullet head by folding back the moose hair so it extends up and over the Zlon. At this point I tie in the medium brown rubber legs one on each side and trip to length. Wipe finish at that point.

Events

The Fly Fishing Show is coming fast. Soon Kirsten and I will be in Pleasanton, talking to friends, our guest and reuniting with friends we haven’t seen since last year at the show. We will keep you update on booth location and presentation times. 

LGC's Online Store

Our LGC’s Online Store is loaded with flies, indicators and accessories for our everyday guiding and fishing equipment. They are at the finest quality! We have Jonny’s B Skwalas, March Browns, Streamers, Thurman’s Bird’s nest and the list goes on. Kirsten and I have done much work in the store to make it easier and better for folks to find anything they like. You should check it out!