Beginning at the McCloud river where Hares ear and I had reservations to fish the conservancy preserve waters a prime 3 mile stretch of pools, runs, and riffles where only 10 anglers are aloud a day. This stretch is also catch and release fly and artificial lure only and if that wasn't enough it's darn right beautiful down in that canyon.
After a long bumpy and dusty drive into our camp at Ah-di-nah we set up camp discussed tomorrows plans got a few hours of shuteye before beginning our hike into the preserve at 6:00am. After a short hike in we found ourselves at the preserve cabin and kiosk where we would admire the work that had been done in this place explore a little and soak it in before signing in grabbing our angler tags and beginning what would be an excellent day of fishing, hiking, and looking out for rattlesnakes. Back at camp we ate and checked the camp water, there we'd meet a real nice fellow from talent, Oregon and might have found someone to show us a secret creek we've been trying to learn.
A good night sleep and biscuits and gravy breakfast then we were off again now headed for upper hat creek to find a campsite for a few days but instead we found every camp filled from hat creek to manzanita, we must of looked at 300 full campsites sheeesh. so after some deliberation we decided on north battle creek reservoir drove the short dirt rode and hustled to put camp up before setting out in our tubes to scout a new lake. We caught both rainbows and browns on this small forested impound though the fish were generally small it's ideally suited for fly fishing from a float tube, it also has a descent camp with a few sites. After not sleeping well due to the serious philosophical conversation about stars and galaxies that went on in the camp right next to us we were off again.
The plan was yellow creek by the evening but first a leisurely day driving through the most scenic lassen nat. park. But we arrived at the entrance to yellow creek to find it closed due to fire, big bummer, so another plan change and were off this time down the feather river in search of a campsite. But feather river canyon was hot and smokey and camps were limited so we continued on until we found the entrance into sagehen creek near Truckee. so we headed up a steep rocky and rutty 4x4 trail when we came to a crossroad and wouldn't you guess we chose the wrong one, an hour later the road had got so bad that we could no longer go further. So after some cursing arguing and someone trying to walk home 400 miles away we simmered down and decided to head back for the other road ad the crossroads. 4 slow dirty miles later we found sagehen and all was well. A few nice brookies and a nights rest at a nice free camp was perfect but we have to thank Copper john for the message of a storm that allowed for precautionary measures to be made to provide shelter from the rain. Good lookin out Copper john thanks much.
Now for a day of search and discovery on a new yet famed watershed the Truckee. Having fished sagehen a tributary of one of the reservoirs that feeds the "Big T" the day pryer we decided to take a look at the big T. It was another hot day so after a morning of recognizance along first the little truckee which looked so good to us that it was decided that the little t would be the spot for this evening, followed then by trip for a bite to eat in the town of Truckee before we fished and napped along the banks of the Truckee river awaiting a hatch. The little t is quite the stream fisherman's paradise lower flows that make this river look and act like more of a creek. Flowing a short distance from Stampede res. to Boca set in a sort of desert/forest meadow the casting is rarely an issue however the catching is. A technical fishery that can require small tippet and flies as we would find out. 1st mistake- When we arrived at the trailhead to the river we walked along and would notice many grasshoppers so I rigged up a hopper set-up than proceeded to slap the water for nearly a mile downstream without a hit-second mistake- Resting the water I see a hatch of fairly large gray mayfly and switch to a 14 parachute adams, the fish didn't want that either though. But luckily for us a kind fellow fisherman named Jack, who must of been witness to our plight made a suggetion that would make the difference. He mentioned that really small griffiths gnats had worked well for him before and I thought hmmm small midges there picky fish eating small midges while such big fare was presented to them. So feeling I had just the right fly a #20 O'Bs Midge and on the first cast into the edge of a riffle now guarded by the shade that the sun had for a time kept from us a fair cast with a good drift and fist a subtle ring around my fly I lift my rod tip up and slap!! a large rainbow takes the small fly and makes a jump out of water before making a few small runs I'm able to net and release this nice bow back to the waters of the little t. I then thanked Jack and the fish before making our way back to the car, on the way there Hares ear took the small midge advice as well and got himself a bow too. Later we ran into Jack again and chatted a while before letting him get the last hour of fishing in and making our way towards a campground hopefully.
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