Five miles of fish-rich stream opened for the first time in 1999.

The foothills give way to volcanic mountain slopes about 30 miles Southeast of Redding. There are few large streams, and no rivers in this direction. Most creeks are fed from snow melt and aquifers originating in Lassen Nat'l Park, and they run high and muddy for the first few weeks of each trout season.

This is an intimate, terraced, freestone stream that is best suited to the physically fit flyfisherman. Battle Creek averages twenty feet across, and tumbles down an often narrow canyon that has one pool and riffle after another full of native rainbows. It's a rugged wilderness atmosphere, and little has changed in years in what was once home to Ishi and his California Indian ancestors.

Planting trout is prohibited in these, the lower reaches of the drainage, protecting the King Salmon and steelhead migrating annually to their natal riffles on Battle Creek Ranch. These wild, native fish have grown big and tough, full of fight, but usually dying of old age without ever being fooled by a dry fly or nymph.

Like all healthy streams, Battle Creek has a large population of all sizes of trout. Fish average ten to fourteen inches, and a trophy on this boulder-strewn stream is two or three pounds. They are not uncommon, though the big fish don't rise as aggressively to dry flies, and usually fall more easily to one of many effective nymph patterns.

Battle Creek is a Freestone Gem
The Fly Shop purchased the lease a few years ago, and spent a full season exploring the property. We divided more than five miles of water into three distinct sections. Any one of the beats is more fishing than any two anglers could cover completely in a day, and still there are parts of the creek that haven't been fished. Our staff and what few friends and clients were allowed on the ranch in 1998 returned exhausted by the experience and full of stories about big fish, little fish, and lots of fish.

Like all of the destinations that we offer, experienced anglers did better. But unlike most streams, everyone seemed to do well and they all marveled at the isolated, pristine beauty of the fish-filled creek. Sections of the stream are periodically rested to insure as little impaction as possible, and help guarantee a quality flyfishing experience. Battle Creek Ranch is about forty-five minutes from either Redding or Red Bluff.

Battle Creek can be easily combined with other nearby private fishing at Rock Creek Lake, or Lake Christine. Overnight accommodations and meals are available at Bailey Creek Lodge, less than twenty minutes from the entrance to the ranch or fishermen may choose to overnight in one of the nearby communities.

We insist on strict catch-and-release, barbless hooks, and flyfishing only on Battle Creek Ranch.

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