Current River Conditions: You will find good fishing at the Power House #2 riffle, but you will also find other anglers out enjoying the fishing this week. There's always room downstream. A good time to fish the riffle is at sun-down. Expect to find selective rainbows rising to #16-18 PMDs, #16-18 Cripple mayflies and emergers. Stripping or swinging leeches early in the AM and then again near sunset is a great plan!

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Look for hatches of BWO's, PMD's, a few Yellow Sallies and a scattering of Golden Stones. Best hatches occur late morning through early afternoon. Be on the look-out for rainbows and brown trout rising near the edges of the river for best chance at a hook-up. It's possible to find Callibaetis coming off mid day through the first half of July.

A great option that often produces some of the very best Hat Creek "fish stories" is to fish #6-8 leeches, like Zack's Swimming Leech and buggers like Fox's Peacock Buggers near sunset.

Look for rising fish along the flats below the Power House #2 riffle in the early AM and very last light. For the best presentation, drift your D&D Cripple down and across to rising fish. For a fun challenge, try catching Hat Creek trout on as many tactics as you can: small indicators with nymphs, swinging wet flies and/or streamers, and, of course, with a well-presented dry fly. The Powerhouse #2 Riffle is one of the best spots on the creek, but also one of the most popular. Anglers seeking a real challenge should sight-cast to trout in the fabled "carbon flats" section, and those looking for solace can hike into the freestone section just above Lake Britton. 5 wt rods are perfect. Have an extra spool loaded with a Scientific Anglers Wet Tip Clear Fly Line.

River Fact: It is true, the fact is Hat Creek acquired it's name because a surveyor lost his expensive hat there back in 1852. Folk lore supports the rumor that his friends laughed it up after listening to him cuss up a storm. In an impromptu witty ceremony, the creek was aptly named.

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:
• Brooks Hedlite Sally
• Mercer's Flush Floater Foam Stone - #8 Golden
• Matt's Stonefly #8 Golden Stone
• Foam Parachute Sulfur #18
• Galloup's Cripples PMD/BWO
• Para Extended Body PMD/BWO
• Midge Hanger
• Last Chance Cripple #14-22
• Normans Loop Wing BWO & PMD
• Parachute Adams #14-18
• Spotlight Caddis Emerger Olive #16
• Mercer's Missing Link #16-18

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Mercer's BPP Golden Stone #16-18
• Mercer's BPP Golden Stone - #8-14
• WD-40 (Any)
• Black Zebra Midge #18-20
• Hogan's S&M #16 Brown
• Fox's Wire Body Beeottis (Any)
• Tungsten Jig PT
• Posse Bugger #14
• Glass-Bead Micro May-Black or Olive
• Mercer's Gidget Brown or Olive
• Pat's Brown Rubber Legs #6-8
• GB Half-Flashback PT #14-20
• Burk's Crystal HBI
• Zack's Pseudo May #16-18 (Any)

Streamers/Leeches:
• Zack's Zugger's Yellow/Brown
• Fox's Peacock Buggers #8
• Zack's Swimming Leech Various
• Fox's Cone Bugger Rust
• Double Bunny
• Beaded Mini Leech Olive

Fly Fishing Gear:
• TFS Waterproof Swingleaf Nymph Fly Box
• Simms?? G4 Pro Wader
• The Fly Shop's?? Stocking-foot Chest Waders
• Wading Boots
• Get Buff