Fall River
Anglers Hone Skills on Fall River
Fall River is a stunningly beautiful and unique river in a remote corner of northeastern Shasta County. This is a quiet, slow moving spring fed river with stunning views of the vast high desert region. The entire network of spring fed water includes Fall River, Tule River and Ahjumawi State Park. It is the largest spring creek by volume in the entire country.
Lined by miles of private property consisting of ranches and working farms, Fall River is fished from small-motorized skiffs or Jon boats in order to gain access to the many miles of slow moving meanders.
Fishing the Fall River provides a unique experience and introduction to techniques for glassy calm, clear, and technical water. The river often provides classic sight casting opportunities for large, hard pulling, wild and native rainbow trout.
Anglers will learn and utilize skills that often involve long-line dry fly presentations, or the popular “Fall River twitch” (feeding line for a long downstream drift either with small strike-indicators or dry dropper rigs). Swinging leeches on a slow swing or lift presentation is also an effective and traditional method to fool these educated spring creek trout.
The river produces prolific hatches of aquatic insects that are common in all spring creeks... a plethora of mayfly species, midges, caddis, damselflies and dragonflies.
In the lower river and especially Tule River there is one mayfly that is worth highlighting... the giant hexagenia limbata. The Hex hatch is one of the quintessential Fall River experiences. Presented as a dry fly during the evening emergence the 2” long hex will garner the attention and raise some of the biggest trout in the river. The takes are often explosive and deliberate; addicting enough that you will add this event to your adventure list in the summer every year.
For more information on fishing the Fall River please contact me about accommodations. There are several great options right on the water or in nearby towns of Fall River Mills and Burney. Nearby fly fishing waters also include; Pit River, Hat Creek, Baum Lake, and others.
