Hat Creek

The most famous spring creek on the west coast, Hat Creek is California's version of the chalk streams of southern England where fly fishing was born. In 1968, it became the west's first fishery to be managed exclusively for wild trout. Clear and weedy, Hat's rich waters support a diverse insect population and thousands of trout per mile in the three miles of Trophy Water. There are 16 fishable hatches. The fishing is tough on the flats, with large fussy trout, small flies, and 7X tippets. There is also over a mile of productive riffles and runs for nymphing. The evening caddis hatches often bring the fish to the surface in a feeding frenzy.