Putah Creek – Page 5 – Keep Calm and Fly Fish

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…

Crank It!

It’s about that time of year, Putah Creek flows are on the the rise. As the flows slowly creep up to its peak 800 CFS in the summer, I tend to find less access, less anglers on the water, and more big fish to catch. This week I made a trip to check out the creek and field test a new streamer pattern that I’ve been working on.

Before I started fishing in the morning the flows read 245 CFS which I believe is absolutely perfect. The wading is challenging but you can still safely get around most of the creek with a wading staff. I had planned on throwing streamers all day from access one through five. Despite fighting windy gusts throughout the day, my trip was good with four solid hook-ups and two landed.

Little Streamer Eater

The fish tend to move around when the flows get cranked up. One thing I like about fishing the higher flows is that the fish will be more spread out throughout the creek, the problem is trying to get your flies into the areas where they are holding. I don’t really like nymphing Putah’s higher flows because there are a lot of factors that are added on to the already difficult wading, casting, and access. Factors like constant debris management, depth estimating so you don’t snag, attempting to cast into the correct spot, and getting the perfect dead-rift becomes much more difficult as the flows go up. You will lose a lot of flies.

Caught Some Free Flies Today

Streamers are my go-to when the flows are above 220 CFS. You won’t catch a lot of fish on streamers but you’ll have good chance at hooking some of the biggest and most badass fish in the system. The hardest part about fishing a streamer pattern is covering water. The heavily overgrown foliage around the creek makes it feel almost as if you’re fishing in a jungle. Getting around from one place to another is a real pain but necessary if you want to catch a Putah bow on a streamer. The creek gave me a real beating this trip.

I waded through deep sections, hiked throughout all the accesses, slipped and bruised my hands on rocks, and got cut up by thorny berry bushes. But it was worth it.