WELCOME TO BAILEY CREEK LODGE PFF Fishout May 1-3 2020
Northern California Fly Fishing
2 Gorgeous Lakes and 2 Freestone Creeks
Monster Trout!
A truly special vacation experience!
The Lodge will accomodate 9 rods with a cost of $185 per night. (2 night stay.) The cost will be adjusted higher if we have less than 9 rods.
The minimum rod count is 5, cost will be $210 each day.
Room check-in time 3 PM on the 1st. Water access may be available earlier.
Room check-out 11 AM on Sunday May 3rd off the water by 3PM
Call the Fish Master: Peter Wantuch (650) 678-2515 if you have any questions.
Fly fishing at its best! Nestled in the quiet Manton Valley of Northern California’s picturesque Shasta County, you’ll find Twin Creeks Ranch, home to Bailey Creek Lodge. Only 45 minutes east of Redding and Red Bluff.
Cool, crystal clear waters bubble up from the base of majestic Mt. Lassen, then tumble down the mountainside for many miles to form Bailey Creek and neighboring Rock Creek. As the streams flow towards the ranch, they are fed by several spring systems, affording incredible animal and plant life. Anglers at Bailey Creek Lodge will enjoy easy access to Bailey Creek, which has open paths, shaded pools with native trout and very little streamside brush.
The secondary waters of Rock Creek offer a more rugged terrain amid large rocks and trees – this one is for the more adventurous angler. In addition to Bailey Creek and Rock Creek, two trophy trout-filled lakes await you.
LODGING information 32455 Battleview Dr, Manton, CA 96059
The Lodge sits right above Bailey Creek literally steps away. This is a five bedroom, five bath beauty that you will find extremely comfortable. All rooms have a private bathroom and French doors opening up to a patio. You will find our accommodations very luxurious. The lodge has 5 bedrooms, 4 with double beds, 1 Master bedroom.
FISHING INFORMATION
Rules & Tips
Although the property is private, we still operate under Fish & Game guidelines and regulations. Therefore, FISHING LICENSES ARE REQUIRED and must be displayed.
All of the ranch fishing is fly fishing with BARBLESS HOOKS, catch and release only.
PLEASE, NO HARD NYLON OR COTTON NETS!
Hemostats and soft nylon nets will make it easier to land the bigger fish and release them quickly.
Rods of 3-5 wt. are ideal. Leaders 7′ – 10′ tapered to 4x are ideal. With tippet spools of 4x, 5x and 6x, you can build leaders for stream or lake fishing and using streamer type flies that demand those heavier tippets of 3x and 4x to dry fly leaders then may require you to go all the way down to 6x or maybe even 7x. Normally, you will use the shorter leaders for the stream and those longer ones for the lakes.
Hip waders with felt soles are perfect for the stream or for fishing from shore on the lakes. Chest waders are needed if you plan to float tube the lakes.
BRING EACH FISH TO NET OR HAND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
DO NOT DRAG THE FISH UP ON THE BANKS OR HOLD THEM OVER LAND.
KEEP THE FISH IN THE WATER WHILE DISENGAGING THE HOOK. USING A HEMOSTAT IS REALLY HELPFUL – YOU DON’T HAVE TO TOUCH THE FISH. JUST REACH DOWN, ENGAGE THE HOOK, AND WITH A QUICK TWIST, THE FISH IS RELEASED WITH NO HANDLING WHATSOEVER.
WHEN TAKING PICTURES, HOLD THE FISH OVER WATER. KEEP THEM IN THE WATER UNTIL JUST BEFORE YOU HAVE THE PICTURE TAKEN, AND THEN TAKE ONLY 2-3 SECONDS TO SNAP THAT SHOT.
In the lakes, expect to find damsel flies, various mayflies, midges and caddis, plus aquatic beetles and water boatmen. Around the edges, terrestrials (ants, beetles and grasshoppers) make their annual appearances. The streams will contain various mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and, of course, terrestrials. As a general rule expect larger flies to work best in early season and smaller flies to work best during the late season
FOR THE LAKES
Bring floating and sink tip or sinking lines (up to type III). You will need long leaders tapered to 5x or 6x for the dry activity, and a little shorter leader tapered to 3x to 4x for the wet activity. EXPECT A LOT OF ACTION USING EMERGING INSECTS JUST UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE. Many of our regulars fish some type of dry or emerger with a dropper, short or long, and a nymph or midge pupa attached. Expect midge activity to start in early spring and continue all year. Mayflies start in late spring and early summer. Terrestrials are effective most of the season, especially after early spring. Leeches, damsels and dragonfly patterns seem to work best from late spring on. A crystal bugger or leech with a nymph trailer can be deadly. You must experiment with various retrieves at different depths until you strike gold! Many lake fishermen have great success fishing a nymph of some kind at various depths underneath an indicator. Just let it sit there for a bit, patience is a virtue at this point, and then pull it slowly back for another cast.
FOR THE STREAMS
Shorter leaders tapered to 4x or 5x are more appropriate. Deer hair flies with short droppers or no droppers will produce. Nymphs of various sizes and colors should be in your box. Yellow Humpies, Stimulators and Elk Hair Caddis are high on our list for dries, but there are a number of other popular patterns, such as Parachute Adams, that will work well. Hanging a nymph underneath these high floaters can sometimes turn the trick. Black AP’s, PT’s Prince Nymphs and Golden Stones are some of the wet flies we would try first. Small nymph patterns will begin to be the best choice in the late summer and fall.
Food and Beverage will be discussed at a Round Table April 2nd
Thanks
Peter
