Current River Conditions: No big changes this week folks, again! Fishing conditions are good and we expect steady reports out of Hat Creek through August. Steady as in some reports will be good, some less than fair. Mid-day insect hatches of Callibaetis are the big news this week. Don't expect an entire eruption of bugs coming off the water, but instead select locations, given away by a steadily rising fish or three. Expect to see a more variable report come September. Especially as the evenings start to cool off. Hat Creek is a good spot to fish in the AM hours and then again right at sunset. Have midge nymph patterns in #18-22.

You will find good fishing at the Power House #2 riffle, but you will also find other anglers out enjoying the fishing this week. There's always room downstream. A good time to fish the riffle is at sun-down. Expect to find selective rainbows rising to #16-18 PMD's, #16-18 Cripple mayflies and emergers. Stripping or swinging leeches early in the AM and then again near sunset is a great plan!

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Look for hatches of BWO's, PMD's, a few Yellow Sallies and a scattering of Golden Stones. Best hatches occur late morning through early afternoon. Be on the look-out for rainbows and brown trout rising near the edges of the river for best chance at a hook-up. It's possible to find Callibaetis coming off mid day through the first half of July.

A great option that often produces some of the very best Hat Creek "fish stories" is to fish #6-8 leeches, like Zack's Swimming Leech and buggers like Fox's Peacock Buggers near sunset.

Look for rising fish along the flats below the Power House #2 riffle in the early AM and very last light. For the best presentation, drift your D&D Cripple down and across to rising fish. For a fun challenge, try catching Hat Creek trout on as many tactics as you can: small indicators with nymphs, swinging wet flies and/or streamers, and, of course, with a well-presented dry fly. The Powerhouse #2 Riffle is one of the best spots on the creek, but also one of the most popular. Anglers seeking a real challenge should sight-cast to trout in the fabled "carbon flats" section, and those looking for solace can hike into the freestone section just above Lake Britton. 5 wt rods are perfect. Have an extra spool loaded with a Scientific Anglers Wet Tip Clear Fly Line.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:
• Galloup's Cripples - Callibaetis
• CDC Dun - Callibaetis
• Foam Parachute Sulfur #18
• Galloup's Cripples PMD/BWO
• Para Extended Body PMD/BWO
• Midge Hanger
• Last Chance Cripple #14-22
• Normans Loop Wing BWO & PMD
• Parachute Adams #14-18
• Spotlight Caddis Emerger Olive #16
• Mercer's Missing Link #16-18

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Harrop's Callibaetis Nymph
• WD-40 (Any)
• Black Zebra Midge #18-20
• Hogan's S&M #16 Brown
• Fox's Wire Body Beeottis (Any)
• Tungsten Jig PT
• Posse Bugger #14
• Glass-Bead Micro May-Black or Olive
• Mercer's Gidget Brown or Olive
• Pat's Brown Rubber Legs #6-8
• GB Half-Flashback PT #14-20
• Burk's Crystal HBI
• Zack's Pseudo May #16-18 (Any)

Streamers/Leeches: • Zack's Zugger's Yellow/Brown
• Fox's Peacock Buggers #8
• Zack's Swimming Leech Various
• Fox's Cone Bugger Rust
• Double Bunny
• Beaded Mini Leech Olive

Fly Fishing Gear:
• TFS Waterproof Swingleaf Nymph Fly Box
• Simms?? G4 Pro Wader
• The Fly Shop's?? Stocking-foot Chest Waders
• Wading Boots
• Get Buff