Spring Edition

Spring Edition
Spring Edition

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Middle Fork Feather River Fly Fishing Report ~ 5/7/2020



I’ve been secretly scouting and fishing the Middle Fork Feather River since the early opener. It’s nice to be back on home water and actually very therapeutic during these difficult times. I’m doing better than expected and so thankful for the support and the understanding from my guests to most others in the fly fishing industry. Pre-paid trips, letting me keep deposits, rescheduling, donations, and custom tackle orders have helped immensely.  If you are going to visit rural communities to fish, or go on a guide trip with me, you must take special precautions. I would advise for the next month or longer to just come up for the day (or dry camp far away from folks) and be totally self-sufficient with everything from food to supplies for the entire intended stay. Those rural communities want you to distance yourself from them. They have signs up to let you know too. Plumas National Forest is open, just be safe out there and do the right thing.

Pinnacle Pool

So onto the fishing... The season started off with cold higher off colored water, which really is a blessing on the Middle Fork Feather River. During such conditions there are more and bigger fish in the system, but it’s not easy and you really have to know where the 10% of the habitat that holds 90% of the fish is at. Runoff peaked last week with warmer temperatures and all the feeder creeks to the MFFR were running at their highest for the season, cold and clear. Hint: fishing may be slower directly downstream of feeder creeks due to snow melt water temps. 


The Middle Fork Feather River water temperatures are varying depending on whether it is the upper river (52-55), mid river (48-51), or the lower river (47 to 53). The mid river water levels near the Graeagle section has dropped considerably, the feeder creeks are dropping too, but still icy cold. While there is not a huge snow pack to melt, prime fishing conditions will come quickly, and the best conditions will be gone by the end of June. That’s the thing with the Middle Fork Feather, it drops into shape quickly with all day good fishing, then it’s a morning and evening game, then it’s done until fall. I don’t fish or guide when the water warms up over 67 degrees. It’s hard on the wild rainbows (the browns do much better in warmer water temps) and it’s not worth it to do damage to such a beautiful and pristine fishery.

Castle Pool

All types of presentations are working right now. The most productive is tight line nymphing, though we are getting some bigger trout on the streamer – You just got to put in the time, kind of like steelheading. In the afternoons dry fly opportunities exist including dry/dropper rigs. The trout are moving around a lot right now which is also typical for the river during spring when water levels recede. The bigger trout will mostly move downstream to the deeper canyons for late spring and summer where they will find cooler and more water within the system, along with plentiful food items. A longtime friend of mine, who is a fisheries biologist, once told me that the larger trout will move 15 to 25 river miles within the Middle Fork Feather River, and most of the spawning occurs in the feeder creeks where they can find the needed suitable gravel to make a successful redd. As always, move until you find the concentrations of fish, or visibly see consistent rise forms. Don’t leave fish to find fish, if you’re not catching, figure out the puzzle by the process of elimination.


Little Green Stonefly

What makes this river so special is the amount of aquatic insect life that it has - Super rich and diverse. The upper and mid sections have some incredible hatches right now. The Little Green Stone, a special stonefly of the genus Isoperla from the Perlodidae family, and not to be confused with Yellow Sallies, or the Little Yellow Sally (alloperla). It’s a size 12, bright green underbody, and hatches mid-stream like a PMD mayfly. Yesterday they were pouring out from the surface of the water in pools and runs directly downstream of major riffles. The trout were not taking the adults as they were flying away too quickly, but the emerger rising to the surface. The Leisenring lift was the right technique to use, and it paid off for a few trout. These special stoners will be out for the next month, it’s utterly amazing watching the emergence.

Drunella Grandis ~ Green Drake Nymph 


Other adult bugs that are out are Golden Stones, Gray Drakes, PMDs (good numbers), BWOs (waning), the start of Caddis fly hatches (look for these to intensify), and the early season creamy crane fly. In the drift and the best subsurface flies to use are stones, worms, smaller mayfly and caddis patterns, and midge pupa. On our trip yesterday we were walking through a waist deep silted in gravel bar and noticed that we stirred up dozens upon dozens of immature PMD nymphs as they rose to the surface with their slow pulsating swimming movement. It was so cool! Terrestrials out too like pavement ants (red!), Carpenter ants, and even small early season hoppers.


In my opinion the Middle Fork Feather is fishing the best since the late 90’s. More and bigger fish are in the system and profuse hatches too thanks to the prior big water years of 2017 to 2019. Still, these fish are shy at times and you got to put in the work before you are rewarded. What made yesterday so much fun was fishing with fellow guide and good friend AdamEisenman of Woodgrains Guide Service. (FYI – If I’m booked, or if I must cancel, you will be going out with Adam. He’s got the skills, great with people, and the same mind set as I do when it comes to fly fishing and the natural world). I got to show him some new areas, and he in return showed me a few things with flies and techniques. We put in a lot of miles yesterday with 3 different sessions, and to be honest I can’t fish all day, especially tight line nymphing as it’s so demanding on my shoulders. My body definitely feels its past of a bumpy dirt road that included a professional snowboarding career, racing motocross, skating vert ramps, and climbing the vertical granite walls of Northern California. So, I happily watched Adam, checked out the bugs, and other fascinating experiences with the flora and fauna. Yesterday was magic!

Puttin the wood to 'em! ~ Adam Eisenman

If you can leave your home, be safe and responsible, and are symptom free, I see no reason why we can’t go fishing. I’m taking special precautions on my trips and a new protocol, pretty much the same types of things we’ve already been doing. Face masks, distancing 6 feet, using hand sanitizer, and thinking smart. Keep in mind I have a lot to share and teach with the Middle Fork Feather River and fly fishing. I’ve been fly fishing it since the early 70’s, and guiding it for the past 24 years, plus was a resident of Graeagle for 15 years. Experience counts. See you on the water…



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