The Fall River is the largest of California's spring creeks, fed by several icy aquifers coming from the snows and glaciers of Mount Shasta.

Current River Conditions: No weeds, no hatches. Where's the fish? What in the world?!!

Very few fish in the upper river. No weeds! Why? Well, a cold wet spring might have something to do with it. As long as the weather stays warm, conditions will improve. We should start to see better fishing any day. The best way to catch fish for now is dredging the depths with leeches stripped on an intermediate sink line. Don't worry kids, good fishing is around the corner. Needs to get a little warmer out.

The Fly Shop's ? Tips: The best way to fool the wild rainbows of the Fall River this week is with black or olive colored leeches, stripped slowly on intermediate sinking lines.

The "Fall River Twitch" has been the most effective technique on Fall River for decades. How to: Anchor your pram upstream of rising fish. Cast downstream and across, then feed line out to extend your drift a long ways downstream. The "Fall River Twitch" results in a presentation that lets the fish see your fly first, while you are positions upstream and out of the fished field of view. The Fall River Twitch is equally effective whether fishing dries, swinging nymphs or indicator nymphing. If you're casting to a pod of rising trout, work from the outside in and you can often pick them off one by one. 5-5wt rods are what we recommend for Fall River, with some anglers using 6wt. rods for casting heavier sinking lines. The Fly Shop ? recommended fly lines; RIO Gold floating line and an extra spool loaded with RIO CamoLux.

River Fact: Eurasian Watermillfoil is a threat on this river. Click here to read more about what Eurasian Watermillfoil is, what is being done and why Fall River has a bright future.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:
• Last Chance Baetis #20
• Tilt Wing Dun PMD #18
• Tilt Wing Dun Mahogany #18
• Last Chance Cripple PMD #18
• Mayfly Cripple Limestone #18
• Mercer's Missing Link
• Norman's Loop Wing BWO #18
• Parachute Adams #18-20

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Pseudo May's Brown #16-18
• Drifting Flashback PT #14-16
• Black Zebra Midge #16-20
• Red Copper John #18
• Zug Bug #14-16
• PT Nymph #14-20
• TB PT Nymph #18
• Norman's Wiggle Tail PT #16-18
• Mercer's Micro May Fly Brown #16

Streamers/Leeches:
• Zack's Damsel Leech Olive
• J. Fair's Translucent Wiggle Tails Olive
• Zack's Swimming Leech Olive
• Zack's Swimming Leech Black

Fly Fishing Gear:
• Buff ? High UV Angler Series Headwear
• Simms ? Solar Sombrero
• Oakley GASCAN Polarized Sunglasses