Reel Adventures Guide Service

There are a lot of great options right now...

If you enjoy fly fishing in Northern California you better not be taking any "rest days" right now. Some of the best fly fishing of the year is happening soon and things will get better in the coming weeks! 

There are literally dozens of places I could be fishing on any given day right now - and so many species of fish to target - Bass, Stripers, Shad, etc. When it comes to trout... all of our Nor Cal rivers are coming into shape and beginning to fish well Lower Sacramento River, Upper Sacramento River, McCloud River, Pit River, Hat Creek, Fall River.

Which is why I scratch my head that I somehow have June 24-28 still open. Seriously... get on this!

If you don't book these days then I will ... I will fish all 4 of these days on my own I promise! (actually, that sounds like a great idea)

Maybe instead look ahead to July 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, 31 these are all available dates for any of the rivers I mentioned above.

Lower Sac...

Nick G with one of many fine wild rainbows he landed on the Lower Sac this week. Perma-Grin on the water

 

So many good days lately... Ben & Bryan, Craig and Kait, Nick and Gary A! Thank you all for continuing to spend some time on the water with me.

Ruth O. having a great day on the Lower Sac last week... one of many fine wild trout she landed... her smile was always as big as the fish!

Our Mountain Rivers...

All of our local fisheries will be coming into prime shape over the next few weeks. This is the time for some of the best dry fly fishing and walk and wade opportunities... get a hold of me asap to book dates for June and July!! We are permitted for all the best Shasta-Trinity waters... McCloud River, Pit River, Upper Sac, etc...

Gordon O putting on a show on Hat Creek while tearing up the Riff with his Czech Nymphing rig!

Hat Creek sneaker photo of Gordon netting another one...

 

Visit www.reeladventuresguideservice.com for more info on my guide service, contact info and to book a trip...

 

Summer is here!

With temps finally reaching the century mark in the Valley and Redding area... Summer is officially here!

There is a lot of great fishing about to bust wide open in the Mountains above Redding here in Northern California. Our Freestone rivers: McCloud, Upper Sacramento, Pit River are coming into fine shape! It's time to dust off those wading boots and grab your wading staff.

Some of the best dry fly fishing and walk and wade adventures will be happening over the next few weeks. Golden Stones, Salmonfly, little yellow stones, PMD's and on and on... early summer hatches are the most prolific and intense of the entire year. It's time...

I still have June 24-27 open ... and I cannot honestly imagine a more primetime week to hit any of these rivers mentioned above!! Call, text, or email me ASAP to get a trip booked this summer.

Of course, I will still be guiding and fishing the always worthy - Lower Sacramento River right here in, Redding CA, all summer long... but the mountain rivers are calling!! Check my website www.reeladventuresguideservice.com for more info, rates, and availibity calendar. 

Pocket Water paradise on the McCloud River in Northern California

 

(Upper Sacramento is a fly fishing dream stream with over 35 miles of wild trout water)

 

 

 

Feels like Spring but it should be Summer...

It's been a while since I updated the blog. Sometimes the formality and amount of time it takes to sit down and write a blog post... well, it just gets kicked aside.

Please check out my Instagram feed or FB page. Both of these can be found as Reel Adventures--social media is just so much easier and quicker to post up what we are up to on a day to day basis. Check it out.

 We've had some good, some great, and some slow days on the Lower Sac recently... 

This was a great day... Ken I. showing off one of many solid Lower Sacramento wild trout he found last week

 

Doubles... there were many on this day....

Flows on the river have come up to 13,000cfs. We've been waiting for this. I patiently watched the flows stay at 8k while the Shasta Lake level rose each week. It's now within 2 feet of the crest of the Dam! The Lake is Full!!!

Personally, I don't know what the BOR is doing? With the snowpack as big as it is, along with continued unsettled weather (thundershowers almost daily) including isolated but intense rainfall... I would think the Bureau would be a little more careful about reserving enough capacity to accommodate high rates of runoff? (Think Oroville Dam 2017 situation)

There are a lot of nerdy engineers who are much better at Math and Calculus than I. They're pulling the strings and making the assessments and calculations (my father was one of those at Folsom Dam for many years) so I trust they know what they are doing...?? 

Lower Sac wild trout are stunning to look at when you put them back...

I like 13k and it's a great flow for doing a variety of drifts especially longer ones. I've heard it will sit here for a while and as the fish adjust things will be back normal. Looking forward to the developing caddis hatches and getting the long lost PMD's back in the game. June should be stellar on the river...

Another fun day on the water... on this day we had the float all to ourselves! Not one boat in sight. The fishing was ridiculous, too!

Intermountain Rivers-

Got a chance to fish out of Clearwater Lodge last week. It was nice to see the Gang at the guide house and the rest of the staff as well. We fished Fall River and Pit River and it was really nice getting back to two of my favorite places in Northern California.

From sun....

...to rain!

Greg R putting his best foot forward and embracing the experience. We fished hard for the fish netted and did so in total solitude which is nice!  Some days they hide and some days they seek - but we wouldn't have it any other way. These Pit fish pull very hard.

Merica... x2         Love Fall River Valley... It's a special place!

Greg! You done well buddy! In the bottom of the 9th this fish bestowed us a very special moment. Fishing the ninja dry/dropper rig out to max casting distance. Fist Bump Emoji

Another look at her purty colors... these Fall River fish are stunning

Before we go any further (and I lose you) these photos should provide the proper motivation to get up here and come fishing.

I still have some PrimeTime dates open in June - towards the end of the month. Looking into the Crystal Ball this should be perfect for the Upper Sac and McCloud. Dry flies anyone...who's all in???

June 18, *24-27 (*These should be awesome dates on the McCloud and Upper Sacramento)

July 15-21, 29-31

Please visit www.reeladventuresguideservice or call or text me at 760-914-0465 for more info

The last of the sunny days...

Rain has returned to Northern California... we will finish the season with well over 40" in Redding, CA (A lot more than that on the westside and in the mountains nearby). Before these latest storms the fishing and weather (look at that sunny blue sky in pics) was terrific on the Lower Sacramento River - with lots of big,healthy, wild rainbows hitting the net each day. Things will return to normal very soon... and YOU should be up here to enjoy it! Lets go fishing...

I'd be really stoked to fill these remaining open days: May 28, 29, 30. June 7, 17, 18, 24-28

Visit www.reeladventuresguideservice.com

Newbie to the Lower Sac, Chad, out visiting from N. Carolina got off to a good start and then hooked em all day long...

Not about to be out-fished by his brother-in-law... longtime fan of the Lower Sac, Brandon H, got into them pretty good as well. Fun day guys, Thanks!!!

These Lower Sac rainbows absolutely rip!!!

Come visit us in Redding, CA soon...

 

 

 

Still a few days open in May...

I still have a few days open during the month of May for fly fishing on the Lower Sac. The weather has been perfect this week... May 14, 15, 16, 17, 28, 29, 30 are open and the fishing is to good to not book these days. Get a hold of me ASAP, let's go fishing. www.reeladventuresguideservice.com

(Photo: Martin hooked this fat rainbow on the swing at the end of his drift yesterday on the Lower Sac...)

Get up here before the heat of summer kicks in and pushes us up into the mountains to fish (not a bad option either... the Upper Sac, McCloud, Hat Creek and Fall River will be fishing great really soon).

The Lower Sac River continues to be one of the best options for fly fishing for wild trout in the northstate right now. We have been floating the Sac from here in Redding down to Anderson and Cottonwood doing 3-4 different float sections to keep things interesting. The entire river is good right now and side projects like fishing for smallmouth bass in the creeks, if you want to mix it up. 

This one was a Toad!!!!

 

(Bill and Eileen D always seem to find a few big ones and have a lot of fun doing it, too. Lots of laughs and good times on the river with these two along with Kevin and Kaela!)

(Group trips with buddy Brad McFall are always a good time...)

(Mike C putting on a clinic the other day on the Lower Sac... he hooked more big trout than I could count)

(Buddy Brad doing what he does... tending to another bent rod and angler)

Once we move into June I will focus more time on the mountain freestone rivers and higher elevation tailwater rivers, in additions to floating the Lower Sac by drift boat. June and July is great for walk and wade fishing on the Upper Sac, McCloud, Pit River, and other spring creeks like Hat Creek and Fall River (by boat). Do you want to hike and fish and throw dry flies in the most beautiful surroundings that California has to offer? June/July will be the time and my dates are going fast... visit my website www.reeladventuresguideservice.com for more info and rates, etc.