Keep Calm and Fly Fish

Putah Creek has been at a stable 900CFS so I thought I’d check it out and give it a go. The creek is generally at around 300CFS and rising this time of year but with all the rain and glory hole spilling over the creek hasn’t been fishable all season. I knew my chances of hooking up was low but it was a beautiful day to get out of the house.

High Putah Flows

Despite fishing all the fishy spots and throwing both nymphs and streamers from below the bridge to access 5, I didn’t get a single bump. My theory is that because the creek is so deep in certain sections the fish are holding on the very bottom where there is a pocket of slow water separating the fast water. This scenario makes the creek nearly impossible to fish unless you get lucky and find a few fish holding higher up in the seams.

Evil Lettuce Infestation @ Access 4/5

Now for the good news… The majority of the mud and silt that plagued the creek is now gone. The green river is now green again with new aquatic plant growth and rocks I can actually stand on. Unlike the many tailwaters in the valley that were blownout and continue to remain blownout, Putah Creek still remains a healthy fishery with plenty of bug life. During my visit I saw midges, mayflies, caddis, baitfish, and even a few small black stoneflies that I had never seen before. Putah Creek will definitely be fishing well this year but at the moment we’ll have to wait until the flows come down.

An interesting food for thought came to me when talking to my local fly shop. I’ve been reading good reports of fish being caught on rivers that are currently flowing very high and asked if they’ve been catching any fish out there. The employee replied with some disappointment that in order to catch fish they’ve been resorting to throwing multiple heavy splitshots, 12ft long leaders, and big indicators. “Might as well start breaking out the spinning rods” the employee said after gesturing the size of the indicators they were using.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 10 years since the last time water flowed over Lake Berryessa’s glory hole. This spectacle only happens a few times in a century so once good news got out that the hole was flowing the missus and I made the trip to check it out.

The last time I curiously drove up Putah Creek to take a look at the lake the infamous glory hole was about 40ft below it. Now that the lake is filled up from all the rain we’ve gotten in the past few months water is finally flowing Lake Berryessa down the glory hole and into Putah Creek.

Pictures and videos don’t do the glory hole justice. The mesmerizing funnel of water that flows down the hole is much wider and closer to view that I had anticipated. Lake Berryessa’s glory hole is truly a marvel to check out if you ever have the opportunity. Just be sure to anticipate and be mindful of the large crowds along HWY 128.

Despite flows over 4,000 CFS, I saw a few anglers trying their luck at Putah Creek. The majority of the trails along the creek are flooded so access is extremely limited until they go down. There were a few nice seams that I found while hiking around but I wouldn’t risk fishing them knowing how deceptively deep the creek is.

While hiking around the Cold Creek area we were lucky enough to spot a few spawners performing their mating ritual. I was very excited to see big Putah natives chasing each other up and downstream. It’s been a few months since I’ve last fished the creek but it’s good to know that these fish are doing well. It’ll be a few weeks until the creek is fishable but this trip has made me appreciate Putah creek a whole lot more.

On the way home we stopped at Lake Solano to scout it out. The park is well-maintained and looks like a great place for a summer outing. I’ve also heard and read that the lake produces big fish during that time as well. Once the flows get cranked up and the weather gets hot I know where I’m going…