Slick Trick For Steelhead

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We've been stocking P-Line Hydrofloat line for a while now, and it's starting to catch on as a slick way to fish downstream baits and lures. It draws a bit from flyfishing - it's actually Spectra line which has a thin floating layer laminated to it. This causes the line to suspend on the surface. You can actually mend the line as you would with a regular fly line.

Rigging the line up with a slip-float lets you drift your bait along with the current in a much more natural fashion further downstream. Regular line will arc toward shore much more quickly, and many anglers feel that they have been getting more hookups with the fish that are just downstream of where regular monofilament has begun to move towards shore.

We have a number of good rod options to use for this - the staff favorites are an ultralight setup with a 10'6" Fenwick HMG Noodle rod or if you are looking for something a bit more traditional the Shimano Clarus 8'6" spinning setup.

Quick Picks for the Big Weekend

It's a great time to get out and wet a line - customers and guides have been
relying upon the Blue Winged Olive (BWO), Baetis and Caddis pupa emergers. Water conditions continue to look good at most of the destinations like Hat Creek.

Speaking of Hat Creek, if that's your destination, the salmon flies are coming off like helicopters, so stock up on this key pattern. Use some Pale Morning Dunns around the flats, and pay attention to lighting changes - if it clouds up a bit in the morning, we've had folks doing well with BWO's.

If I could get away this weekend (gotta work sometimes!) I'd head for the Pit, probably 3 & 4, start fishing with PMD's and BWO's on Saturday. Then I'd spend the night at Deer Creek Campground, get up and fish Pit #5 and 6 on Sunday. Monday would be all day on the Feather River, before heading home on Tuesday.

So, someone's got to do that for me and at least bring in some good photos of the great fishing! Enjoy!