Some tips for people that don't like to fish in crowds. Try fishing new areas each time you go out to the creek. I have been fishing Putah for about five or six years now, and I still am finding new areas to fish the creek. If you catch a fish or two from one spot, take a hike upstream or downstream to try out. I have found many spots on Putah that hold fish, but are never fished. If you see a another fly fisherman ask them what flies are working that day. Many times I have talked to people taken their recommendation on flies and immediately landed a big fish. The other thing I have found lately is that if you catch a fish or two in these low flows that all the splashing and jumping puts down the rest of the fish. Another tip is don't step on the fish!!! Many of the larger fish lately have been caught very close to shore. Stand back drop the fly into the slower water next to faster water or let the fly swing into the slower deeper water. Hold on when that big fish slams the size 16 hares ear emerger!!
One other tip try some dry flies. I found a good spot the other day where the fish were rising all over. I tied on a size 16 Parachute adams and the fish were jumping all over it. There seem to be some unusually large mayflies hatching lately. I think they may be callibaetis. If they are not the fish are taking callibaetis imitations. For the BWOs and midges try a size 20 to 22 olive wd-40 or an olive cdc emerger.
Good advice, Otter. I ran into a guy last week that had lost all his small flies, so I gave him some of my midge larva that were working well for me...hope he had success with them.
The more you learn about the creek, the more spots and fish you will find. I found some nice spots recently, and you can catch fish in places you never thought would hold them. That is if you can deliver your fly in an extremely small window with branches all around
Some casting tips for those tricky spots with bushes and trees to the left and right. Try the bow and arrow cast. This is when you hold the bottom fly in between your thumb and index finger, with tension flip the whole indicator rig to the desired spot upstream and immediately mend the line. With some practice you can drop the rig wherever you want. The technique also allows you to check your flies for moss each time you cast. You must let go of the fly before you get hooked or you will need to feel some pain!!! Sometimes I just hold the weight, but you may get a tangle. The easiest cast though is to let your whole indicator rig drift until it straightens out downstream then flip it back upstream. It is not as accurate, but it is much easier.
The fly of the day was a size 16 Barr emerger tan body with an olive thorax. The fly landed eight fish between 4:00 and 5:00. Two of the fish were planters though. I haven't seen planters all winter. F & G must have planted some fish or they are moving up from the lake.
