| Equipment
Checklist for your
Klamath River Guided Steelhead Trip
(Nymphing – November
through February)
- 6, 7, or 8 weight fly rods,
9 to 10 feet long
Fishing on the Klamath often requires roll casting with heavily
weight flies, and fish that can measure up to 4-10 pounds; therefore,
fly rods smaller than 6 weight can be difficult to cast and hard
on the fish once hooked.
- Reels should have a good
drag system and be equipped with a floating fly line.
Adult steelhead on the Klamath River are big, powerful fish, and
the half-pounders are full of zeal and can be real tackle-busters.
- Every angler needs to have
a current California fishing license and Steelhead Report Card
while fly fishing for steelhead on the Klamath River.
- Chest-high Waders and felt
or studded wading boots are required for fishing on the Klamath
River. Even though we primarily fish the river from boats,
waders are necessary for getting in and out of the boats in the
frigid winter waters, and from time to time the guides may ask
you to leave the boats for your safety while they run several
of the more technical rapids on the river. Moreover, winter fishing
often involves inclement weather, and waders will help keep anglers
dry and warm. The Fly Shop does not rent waders or boots.
- Warm Clothes and Rain Gear.
Weather conditions during the winter months on the Klamath River
can vary dramatically, from clear and sunny in the mid-60s to
rain or snow and temperatures sometimes below freezing. The winter
angler wants to be prepared for the possibility of severe weather.
- Snow, ice, mud, and rain
are possible on all of the Klamath area roads during the steelhead
season. 4 wheel drive vehicles are recommended.
We recommend all vehicles carry snow chains even in good weather.
**PLEASE NOTE
- We steelhead fish in the rain , and we steelhead fish in
the snow. The fish actually prefer these conditions. If you book
a steelhead trip between November and February, please understand
that we will only postpone trips - and refund deposits - due to
MUDDY WATER. Wind, rain, and light snow will not justify a last
minute cancellation. If we know the water is 'blown out' or too
muddy to fish prior to your reservation, we will make every effort
to contact you as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Miscellaneous Tackle
Suggestions:
Other items to
consider bringing are:
*Hat or Cap (Wool cap for cold winter
mornings) *Warm Gloves (fingerless gloves are best for fishing)
*Polarized Sunglasses *Any beverages other than water and soda *Camera
(in waterproof container) *Rain Jacket *Layered clothing system
*A change of clothes
Klamath River Flies (for nymphing):
The most productive
flies for fishing on the Klamath River can change throughout the
season, and sometimes what works one year doesn’t work
as well the next. Listed below are some general fly pattern suggestions,
based on a few of the fly patterns that have worked consistently
over the years. For the most up-to-date fly suggestions, give
us a call at The Fly Shop at 800-669-3474.
NYMPHS
#8
Red Fox Squirrel
#8 -12 Mercer’s Poxyback Golden
Stone Nymph
#8-12
Solitude TB Golden Stone
#6 Superfloss Rubberlegs (Brown/Black)
#8-12
Mercer's Beaded Poxyback Hares Ear
#6-12
3-D nymphs (Black)
#12
Prince-of-Diamonds (Tan)
#14 -18 Copper John (Red and Original)
#12-14 B.H. Flashback Pheasant Tail
Nymph
EGGS
#12
Surreal Egg
(Peachy King, Champagne, Shrimp Pink, Steelhead Orange)
#8
Boles Bazooka (Shrimp Pink, Peachy King, Sockeye, Steelhead Orange)
#8
MC Redd Reaper
(Pink, Orange, Golden Nugget)
#10
Clown Egg
#12
MicroSpawn (Shrimp Pink, Orange, Clown)
Trout Fishing (May - June - July)
-
5 or 6 weight fly rods, 8 1/2 - 9 1/2 feet long.
When trout fishing on the Klamath, we are generally either casting big wind-resistant dry flies or heavy nymphs, making 5 or 6 weight fly rods ideal. Reels should have a good drag system and be equipped with a floating fly line.
-
The wild rainbow trout on the Klamath average 10-14 inches, but fish from 16-22 inches are not uncommon and even larger fish are raised regularly. Even the smaller trout are wild and powerful, while the bigger fish can be real tackle busters.
-
Every angler needs to have a current California fishing license and Steelhead Report Card when fishing on the Klamath River.
-
Waders are recommended, but not absolutely necessary. Most of the fishing is done from the comfort of drift boats, but if you would like to do any wading then waders may be a good idea. The Fly Shop does not rent waders or boots.
Miscellaneous Tackle Suggestions:
Other items to consider bringing are:
*Hat or Cap (Wool cap for cold winter mornings) *Warm Gloves (fingerless gloves are best for fishing) *Polarized Sunglasses *Any beverages other than water and soda *Camera (in waterproof container) *Rain Jacket *Layered clothing system *A change of clothes
Klamath River Flies (for spring/summer trout):
NYMPHS
#6 Superfloss Rubberlegs (Brown/Black)
#14-18 B.H. Prince Nymph (std. or Amber wing)
#8 -14 Mercer’s Poxyback Golden Stone Nymph
#14 -18 Copper John (Red and Original)
#14 Fox’s Poopah. (Tan and Olive/with and without B.H.)
#14 -16 Bird Nest (with and without B.H)
DRIES
#6 Salmonfly
#8 Golden Stonefly
#8-10 Stimulators (Orange and Yellow)
#4-8 Mercer's Flush Floater Foam Stone
#6-8 Aanes Mojo Stonefly Adult
#4 Raider Salmonfly
#4-8 The Thing from Uranus
(Swinging/Spey Steelhead Trips – August
to November)
- 6 to 9 weight two-handed fly rods, from 11
to 14 feet in length
Reels should have a good drag system and large
enough arbor to handle thick spey lines
- For recommendations on spey
lines, please call The Fly Shop at 800-669-3474 and ask for assistance.
It is crucial in spey casting to match the correct line combination
to the correct rod.
- Every angler needs to have a current California
fishing license and Steelhead Report Card while fly fishing for
steelhead on the Klamath River.
Chest-high Waders and felt or studded wading
boots are required for fishing on the Klamath River. The Fly Shop
does not rent waders or boots.
- Warm Clothes and Rain Gear.
Weather conditions on the Klamath River can vary dramatically.
Anglers wants to be prepared for the possibility of severe weather.
Miscellaneous Tackle Suggestions:
- Maxima tippet spools of 10#, 12#, and fluorocarbon
tippets from 2X to 3X
- The guides will often build
their own custom leaders, but having
one or two pre-frabricated leaders from 9-15 feet long and tapered
down to 2X is a good idea.
Other items to
consider bringing are:
*Hat or Cap (Wool cap for cold winter
mornings) *Warm Gloves (fingerless gloves are best for fishing)
*Polarized Sunglasses *Any beverages other than water and
soda *Camera (in waterproof container) *Rain Jacket *Layered clothing
system *A change of clothes
Klamath River Flies
(for swinging/skating):
Traditional
Steelhead Fly Patterns:
Muddler
Minnow #4-10
Ska-Opper (Natural) #2
Quigley
Dragon Gurglers #4
Dec Hogan Steelhead Caddis Skater #10
Marts’ SB Super Nova #6
Bills
Bead Butt Burlap #6
Beaded
Assassins #6-8
Green
Butt Silver Hilton #6
Green
Butt Skunk #6
To make a reservation,
please give us a call at 800-669-3474 during business hours
any day of the week. We can give you the answers you need or the
detailed explanations to questions you might have, or check on guide
availability and confirm your guide reservation in minutes.
If you prefer to correspond
on-line simply e-mail us at info@adventuresinflyfishing.com
and we will respond promptly. |
