Fly Fishing in California

A regional note specific to this state: the trout water here is dominated by a series of tailwaters below cold-water discharge from irrigation reservoirs, and the most productive water is consistently the cold discharge from those reservoirs, which is why the state agency stocks heavily in the spring and fall. California trout fishing is the most diverse in the country, ranging from trophy rainbows in the Eastern Sierra tailwaters to wild brookies in the Sierra Nevada high country. The state has more than 30,000 miles of fishable trout water, including the legendary Hat Creek, the Fall River, the McCloud River, and dozens more spring creeks. The most famous trout rivers are the Upper Sacramento, the McCloud, the Fall River, the Hat Creek, the Truckee, and the Owens, all of which produce wild trout averaging 14 to 18 inches. The state's trout program is administered through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the agency stocks the put-and-take lakes and rivers while managing the wild trout water through a combination of slot limits and special regulations. A regular California fishing license is required, and the cost is $54 for residents and $154 for non-residents, and the daily limit is 5 trout combined in most waters with special regulations on the wild trout water. The unique regional quirk is that California has the most diverse trout habitat in the country, from the volcanic spring creeks of Mount Shasta to the high-desert tailwaters of the Eastern Sierra, all within a few hours' drive.