Blue Wing Olives
September-April: Best to fish when the weather is bad. Afternoon hatches on cold, overcast days.
Fishing is Better in California
Endless Opportunities Await
California spans so much of the coast that you can span a huge variety of fisheries in a diverse range of ecosystems.
From the high-mountain desert creeks like the Owens to the deep blue-green waters of the Smith to the coastal striper fisheries, you can go somewhere different in California every week and never run out of options.
Flies By Species - California
Popular Trout Hatches/Patterns in California
Caddis
April-October, California has consistent, large caddis hatches on many popular trout streams.
Stoneflies
Skwalas, Salmonflies, Golden Stones, Yellow Sallies, California has it all.
Pale Morning Duns
PMDs are the classic Western Mayfly. Dependable and delicious, trout love them.
March Browns
April-May: These bugs love riffles in the late afternoon!
Midges
Present year-round, but most effective late in day or when other hatches are not happening
Tricos
California has some fantastic summertime evening trico hatches. Legendary even.
Terrestrials
July-September; Hoppers, Crickets, Beetles, Ants. Fish these patterns!
California Hatch Charts
Fall River
A beautiful Shasta County gem. One of America's largest spring creeks. Known for its fantastic dry fly fishing and picky large trout.
Hat Creek
Another classic Northern Cali spring creek. This has some of the spookiest wild trout in the US, and some epic hatches that can make them foolish.
Hot Creek
Some call it the "Proving Grounds" of fly fishing the Eastern Sierras. If you can find success dry fly fishing here, you can do it anywhere.
Klamath River
While known as a steelhead river, it also boasts a nice population of native trout higher up.
McCloud River
Beautiful, well balanced. Brown Trout, Rainbows, nymphing, dry flies, good times.
Owens River
This river has tons of great access, loads of hungry trout and beautiful scenery too. It has everything you could want in a trout stream.
Sacramento River
So much prime trout water it's not even fair. Consistent flows and hatches; a top trout river.
Truckee River
Year-round shots at big slab rainbow trout, this is one of California's premier trout rivers.