Fly Fishing California. Ken Hanley
well engaging in a little homework before hitting the road. Use this guide, and then dial up one of the contact numbers in the Resources section. A simple phone call can give you some scouting info that’s the ticket to your field success. Fly shops, guides, clubs, and park services, all provide timely details concerning local waters. Their information is generally very accurate and should help in your decision-making process.
Don’t be intimidated by the vastness of California. Rather, take a logical approach to observing the basics of exploring this state with a fly rod in hand. Start by asking yourself if you prefer river or still water environments? How about the saltwater experience inside calm estuaries? Do you like largemouth bass or albacore tuna? My point is to first have you narrow down the playing field. Then you can begin concentrating on the specifics of species or habitat.
At any rate, to assist in getting your adventures on the proper path, the following tips will help any angler in their quest of the Golden State Fly Fishing Experience.
Game Fish & Their Habitat
California literally presents you with dozens-upon-dozens of species to engage. With such a diverse offering you would do well by adopting these categories to define our game fish habitats first: Freshwater/Coldwater (streams, rivers, lakes), Freshwater/Warmwater (lakes, ponds, reservoirs, delta), Inshore Saltwater (rocky shoreline, estuary, sandy beach, harbor, inner bay), Offshore Saltwater (open ocean). By using this system you’ll effectively target a specific range of game fish in each arena. Having narrowed the playing field, your final choice of game fish becomes much easier.
Weather
California has terrific conditions most of the year… however… it does rain, it does snow, and it does become very windy at times! Coastal locations can be pretty cold during many summer mornings, while the Sierra Nevada Mountains can be fairly hot during August and September. The weather is dynamic, constantly evolving. The most volatile months anywhere in the state are November, December, and January. The most stable times, and prolific angling months, would include May through October.
Hazards
There are really just a few I’d like to mention in this guidebook.
Those of you scouting our streams and rivers should be aware of rattlesnakes. Be especially careful around dry snags and fallen timber. Waterways like the Merced River and Kings River come to mind in particular.
Respect altitude! Many folks traveling from sea level into the High Sierra don’t take the time to acclimatize properly. Travel slowly. Enjoy a few extra hours rest at altitude (or an extra night if need be) before hiking and exerting yourself. Learn about the symptoms and first aid techniques for altitude sickness before venturing above 5,000 feet in elevation.
Saltwater anglers will need to be aware of the changing tide cycle. It certainly affects access and safety procedures. Anyone exploring the surf zone should note the intensity of those breaking waves. It doesn’t take much to get knocked down and disoriented. I always travel with a partner when fly fishing the surf scene.
Fly Selection & Hatches
This guide doesn’t pretend to be a Western entomology or baitfish cycle authority. Those subjects can fill volumes of encyclopedias. The hatches and baitfish mentioned in this guide are a basic reference to help you assemble your tackle. These are what I would consider cornerstone hatches (and miscellaneous prey populations) for all of California. There is no question that more categories exist, but you can feel confident with these as a foundation to your collection. You can always choose your own favorite fly design, however these basic food categories are essential to address:
Trout Rivers/Streams: mayflies (blue-winged olive, callibaetis, green drake), caddis (Western sedge, micro caddis), stoneflies (black, little yellow stone), midge, sculpin, ant, grasshopper.
Trout Still Waters: midge (chironomid), damselfly (nymph and adult), dragonfly (nymph), trout fry, mayfly (callibaetis), ant, grasshopper, snail.
Bass Still Waters: deer hair popper, panfish fry, threadfin shad, smelt, leech, dragonfly and damselfly (nymph and adult), bass fry, crawdad.
Inshore Saltwater: ghost shrimp, rock crab, anchovy, marine worms, mole crab, perch fry, sculpin.
Offshore Saltwater: anchovy, sardine, mackerel.
Rods
Those of you targeting smaller intimate freshwater trout habitat would do fine with 3- and 4-weight outfits. The larger 5- and 6-weight classes will provide you with the best “all-around” performance on most California waters.
A great assortment of flies for delta stripers. Photo by John Sherman.
If you’re pursuing shad, steelhead, bass, and light saltwater species, consider 7- and 8-weight designs. They can provide the necessary power to handle heavier current, strong winds, heavy (or large) flies, and a wide selection of specialty lines.
Striped bass anglers would benefit from 8- through 10-weight outfits. These rods afford great lifting and leveraging power. The most popular outfits are the 9- or 10-weight class.
Inshore saltwater anglers can ply the coast with 7- through 10-weight designs. The 8-weight outfit is a terrific choice for most outings.
Offshore saltwater adventurers would do best with 10- through 12-weight outfits. These rods are needed to handle extreme conditions.
Reels
Standard “click and pawl” drag systems are fine for most freshwater pursuits. If you choose to target game fish like steelhead or salmon, then perhaps a disk drag design would be a better choice. The disk drag option is certainly a benefit for anyone working in the saltwater arena.
If you find yourself drawn to chasing species that can rip line off your spool, consider using a large arbor design. The benefits include a rapid retrieve rate, relaxed line that improves castability, and protecting your tippet from an overpowering drag setting. The only possible drawback of the large arbor might be the capacity for your backing and line combination. Speak with the professionals at your local fly shop (or attend one of the terrific trade shows around California). I’m sure they can offer you assistance with this issue.
Lines
A floating line is the perfect choice for most river and stream outfits. However, it would behoove you to add a second line that is a sinking option as well. That way you can cover everything from topwater presentations to bouncing streamers along the bottom. The two lines I enjoy working with are WF (weight forward) floating and type-2 sink tip designs.
Still water anglers should consider “the stealth factor” when choosing a line. The newer clear lines provide a nice advantage under extreme conditions. Again, I like the WF designs for this application. My second choice for negotiating still waters, is actually a full sinking line. It helps me to stay in a deeper retrieve path, maximizing my time in a specific strike zone. In this case, a type-2 class is very efficient.
The saltwater scene provides some unique challenges. I’ve found that a “shooting head” system, and/or modified sink tip with intermediate running line design, is integral to the field experience. I typically use a head (or sink tip option) that cuts quickly through current and depth requirements. Two of my favorite shooting heads are 30’ of LC-13 (lead core 13), and a type-4 sinker. I also enjoy working with the sink tip/full line options in grain weights of 200 to 350. Companies such as RIO, Airflo, Teeny, and Cortland can provide