Hat Creek Trout Graduate School

“ I went hunting wild,
After the wildest thing in the world.”
- Wilfred Owen 1893-1918

California fly fishers are lucky to have several true world class wild trout rivers and streams such as Fall River and Hat Creek located in upper California. Fabled Hat is perhaps one of the most thriving productive trout habitats in the western hemisphere with year round steady water, clarity, constant temperature, volume, continues insect hatches regardless of weather, silt and gravel bottom imitates the finest English chalk streams. An early dam project had allowed junk fish like squaw and sucker to dominate until the early 1960s.

Concerned fly fishers and several biologists from fish and game decided a radical new approach might be the ticket to rejuvenation, they captured most of the trout and killed the rough invading fish and restocked with Brown’s and Pit River Rainbows. The experiment has largely been a success with very healthy populations of both brown and rainbow. This grand stream once home to both the Ilmawi and Atsuge native Indians was in 1967 the first western waters to become managed exclusively for wild trout. Of course all this expert attention, unlimited hatches and food sources combined with perfect water temperatures and constant flows have created an aqua university of extreme higher trout learning. These native trout are more learned and sophisticated then many of the unsuccessful fly fishers who dare ply these sacred waters.....

To say Hat Creek is drop dead gorgeous is an under statement, one can see the bottom of this easy flowing on average 450 cubic feet per second, averaging 4 feet deep easily wadeable creek with much access, broad meanders home to gliding ducks and geese. Late afternoon shadows on this glass like water are exceptional and photograph like few places anywhere!

Two distinct sections, fast ripple water consisting of 450 yard section below Powerhouse#2 while very productive one will encounter many fly brothers and sisters. Flat slower water begins below this fast water and continues about 2 miles ending in the lower fast water area north of Hat Creek Park. Before any further access information a word of caution most of the Hat’s banks have been inundated by muskrats one has to be careful stepping into these deep holes!

Everyday is a multi hatch day with several species exploding at once upon very clear water reputed to hold in access of 5000 trout per mile! Needless to say I NEVER work the Hat during weekends or holidays, it’s mid week only unless you enjoy hearing, “ Hey How’s it going? Catch any?” every few minutes screamed from shore..... Those who live near Hat Creek say only the last hour and maybe the first 2 hours each morning are productive, to test this theory I walked near the waters edge and saw no trout signs at all. These trout live in perfect clarity and can see you and your shadow easily. I stick with 10, 12 foot leaders and ten feet of #6 or #7 tippits. Perhaps key to fooling Hat trout is dragless natural presentation using Fall River technique of letting the dry fly dead drift downstream toward rises rather then up and drift down.

Resident Insects

Among the many bugs living the Hat Creek high life are Pteronarcys Californica Salmon Fly, Acroneuria Pacifica Golden Stone, Epeorus Mayfly, Caddis ( many strong hatches), Ephemerella Inermis Pale Morning Dun, Ephemerella Grandis Green Drake, Paraleptophlebia Mahogany Dun, Pseudocloeon Turbidum Small Western Olive, and many others...

Ripple Quick Water

A word of caution regarding often large crowds on or near fast water sections, if your of the fly fishing mentality that says,” Hey, bigger the crowds the better, more fun, people to converse with and network, socialize.... If you fit this model of fly fisher, Hat Creek especially the fast water sections will feel just like home! On the weekends and holidays all access parking lots are full and it looks like Macy’s one day a year sale...

If large crowds are your cup of tea, you may want to observe the standard mutual respect rules in play on crowded waters, give the other guy there first plenty of elbow casting room, respect the rights of your fellow fly throwers in regard to space and casting lanes.

Hat’s fast waters are full of healthy trout which is why you have all that lovely company standing all around you... Remember when no hatches are happening ( rare!) Nymphs and streamers can make your day Harry Callahan ( Dirty Harry Baby).( If you have excellent boxing skills? Disregard this paragrath!)

,Slow Water Tactics

After you have become acclimated to clear water as pretty as any where, it will be time to confront if you actually see any, Trout.These fish with many years of human graduate studies in behavior and predictability will appear out 60/70/80 feet away. If you can consistently hit a 15 inch circle with your fly at these distances, life will be much easier upon the Hat.

Presentation of the flies you bought at one of the local fly shops must be drag free and nine out of ten casts one is simply allowing line to unspool downstream into an ongoing hatch. As is the case on the equally crystal clear Fall River learning to dead drift down towards a rise rather then up and drifting back towards you. It is the only way Hat Creek graduate trout will be interested, if you allow your line to drift ahead of your fly down stream, you may as well pack up and find that burger stand cowboy, your finished!

In my out door life going back to early 1950s including many countries in Asia, Canada, and almost every state in America, Hat Creek is as difficult to understand as any waters! The clarity alone is mesmerizing and in essence your worst enemy, when the wind picks up or if your lucky a rain shower occurs, your luck will change until Hat’s surface becomes still and the transparency returns...

Access to Hat Creek is under the control of Pacific Gas and Electric who own most of the land near the creek. The wild trout section north and south of Hiway#299 is in the area between Burney and Fall River. The area known as Hat Creek Park moving east on Hiway#299 it is about 4 miles from the junction of Hiway # 299 and Hiway #89. This wonderful easy to reach park has pick nik tables and is well maintained, of course here is where you and your many, many new fly brothers and sisters will be meeting each other on weekends especially! There are a few other access points, one would be well served to stop and ask smiling locals what areas are producing?

If anywhere in America covets the Catch & Release philosophy it is Hat Creek, one must be aware every move, cast, presentation will probably be witnessed by many of your new fly fisher compatriots.... One needs to learn to play fish as quickly as possible and not use tippits so light break offs occur. Nets usually do more harm then good as they rub off a lot of the trouts natural protective films. If you have any flies with barbs, use your pliers and make them barbless. Game Wardens and journeyman bug throwers get highly anxious around those novice sportsmen who are not savvy to these basic rules not only on the Hat, in my mind they ought to apply everywhere period!

Local Contacts

The eastern area of Shasta County is hailed as the most carefully maintained wild trout zone in California with a fine assortment of quality motels, restaurants and sleepy old world village like towns. Clearwater House on Hat Creek is popular and very nice contact (530) 355-5500, campgrounds are abundant and usually vacant midweek.McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park located 5 miles and change north of Hiway#299 on Hiway#89 is a splendid park with an energizing waterfall not to be missed contact,(530) 335-2777. To acquire latest area information contact the Burney Chamber of Commerce at, (530) 335-2111. Those who like to chase little white balls around may want to contact the Fall River Golf Course, (530) 336-5555. It would be prudent to stop and ask fly shops, locals, or the forestry service what special rules may apply when you decide to take on the Hat? Practice long casting and dragfree presentations, it will make your Hat Creek trip most memorable...

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“ ADVENTURES OF FLETCHER QUILL “