On-Stream Practical Entomology
Prerequisite:
- Highly suggested completion of an entomology course (TVFF, or on-line).
Location: Hat Creek, California
Hat Creek is known for phenomenal hatches in the early spring with multiple large and small bugs available to the trout. This one day clinic will be occurring on the same weekend as the TVFF Hat Creek/Baum/Manzanita outing.
This event is primarily an educational event to develop observational skills in order to more effectively predict effective strategies for fly fishing. We will focus on applying the learning to fishing later in the day for a limited period of time.
Each event is separate and needs to be registered for individually, if you choose to attend both. Registering for the Hat Creek trip is optional if you so desire, or you can only register for the clinic.
Class Agenda:
This one day on-stream clinic with a full time instructor will focus on approaching the water and determining how best to anticipate what the fish may be consuming that day. We will be applying practical entomology to determine what food is in the water, how to anticipate it from hatch charts, what bugs and metamorphosis stages are likely at given times, and how to adjust during the day. We'll also consider effective subsurface strategies in the event that hatches do not appear during the day. And then apply that learning to our fishing later that day.
This class is for intermediate fly fisherman and above, or with the instructor's approval. It is strongly recommended to have attended a TVFF Entomology class, or an on-line course as an alternative.
Cost:
The class cost is $41.20, which can be paid by check, cash, or directly online on the website via credit card.
Instructor: Rob Farris, RFFarris@comcast.net, (925)286-5502
Accommodations and Food: Lodging is available nearby in Burney, CA which is inexpensive and about $125 per night. I recommend the Green Gables if you won’t be camping. It is rudimentary but quite clean and comfortable.
Camping is available in the area at several locations, including Burney Falls State Park (about 10 miles away) which is fully developed, Hat Creek Hereford RV Resort (between Baum/Hat Creek and Manzanita Lakes about 9 miles away, and my personal recommendation) and there is also camping at Baum Lake’s PG&E dirt campground (rustic) 4 miles south of where we will be accessing Hat Creek in the mornings. Rob will be camping at Hat Creek Hereford Ranch RV Resort. This campground offers grass campsites for both tent and trailers with on-site showers, horseshoes, basketball, volleyball, and a chargeable trout pond on premise, and suits itself very nicely for families (which are always welcome on Club trips).
Each individual is responsible for their own food and accommodations. Burney only has a few good restaurants and most close before 9 pm, so if we are out late it will be a challenge that leads us to either the local steakhouse (more expensive), a good local Mexican restaurant, the local Indian Casino (not much) or the bowling alley (pick your poison). There are also gas grills available at the Green Gables hotel which I have used before when I brought along food to cook.
Breakfast is available in town at a reasonable café that is good. Be sure to bring a lunch for each day as we will not be returning to town after leaving in the morning. There is a Safeway in town that does prepare their normal Signature sandwiches and salads unless you wish to bring your own lunches for the trip.
Gear and Tackle Recommendations:
Rod & line weights/types: 4, or 5 weight rods, reels and floating lines for Hat Creek.
Leaders and tippet: Hat Creek: Fishing style dependent but normally I fish a 9’ 4X leader and adjust with added tippet of up to 4-6’ of 5 or 6X for the dry flies. Depending upon the weather we also hit a Trico hatch in early morning in which case you will need 7X for the #22-26 flies. Euro nymphing rigs (i.e. mono rigs) will also be useful in the riffles.
The hatches this time of year are legendary and we will seek to better understand how the weather and water are impacting the hatches. Typically you will need Salmonflies and Golden Stonefly dries and nymphs in sizes 8-12, various nymphs (complete list to follow), and an assortment of dry flies in sizes 14-18’s (list to follow as well). The fish are very picky and this is noted as a technical spring creek type fishing environment with dry flies, so fly matching with either dries or emergers is important, as are long leaders (up to 12 or 14’) with excellent presentation skills in the flat water. Euro nymphing is also very successful in the Powerhouse riffles where we will be concentrating.
TVFF Cancellation Policy:
To sign-up for a TVFF Event that is currently open for registration and chargeable (as set by the Fishmeister), you must both register and pay online, or via check or cash, within two weeks of registering (sent to the TVFF Treasurer) whatever fee is described for that particular Event (trip) at the time of registration. There may be multiple payments required before the trip is actually taken (usually in the case of expensive trips), but it is necessary that you do make payment in the above timely fashion for the initial amount to secure your position on the trip. However, please note that you are still responsible for the entire amount of the trip if you should need to cancel.
Once you are registered, there are no refunds for chargeable Events and trips. In the situation that a member is, for any reason unable to attend, they may resell their registration slot to another TVFF member (by first pulling from the waitlist if one exists). New participants must come first from the waitlist in the order they signed up. The member cancelling is fully and solely responsible for contacting potential members to replace them and notifying the appropriate Fishmeister.
If an event/trip is fully registered and closed to registration, you may still sign up on the Wait List to be notified if there are any cancellations. In such a case of registering provisionally on the Wait List, you do not have to pay until such time that you clear the Wait List and are confirmed for participation.
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Protocol
TVFF Outings Policy as of September 20, 2020
TVFF Outings protocols are as follows:
- If you are sick with cold/flu symptoms then we ask you to please stay home
- We believe in social distancing and require that all members keep a full fly rod distance of at least 6’ distance between parties
- All attendees should wash and sanitize their hands frequently
