Fly fishing Napa Valley?

128 views
Skip to first unread message

ALarge

unread,
May 18, 2016, 5:53:00 PM5/18/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
With absolutely zero googling done on this subject on my part, does anyone have any experience fishing in Napa Valley, CA? I'm being dragged to a wedding there next weekend and want to get a line wet while i've got a day off. I'll have a rental car and about 6 hours of free time, so driving distance from Napa is key. Any rivers or creeks to check out would be appreciated. 

Yambag Nelson

unread,
May 18, 2016, 6:23:16 PM5/18/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Drive really fast and fish the upper sac. Otherwise go sip some cabs.

Yambag Nelson

unread,
May 18, 2016, 6:31:04 PM5/18/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Seriously though if you are that desperate to fish you could.look into the Russian. I have no idea what is in it thus time of year but it is close and is sizeable enough that it must have something.

Scott Stankus

unread,
May 18, 2016, 7:35:56 PM5/18/16
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Check out River's Edge kayak and canoe rentals on the Russian River. They have a self guided option. I was there a few years ago in the fall and saw a lot of fish in the river as we paddled over them. A few I think we're carp, but they were all good sized.

My mistake for not having a rod!

--Scott

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 18, 2016, at 6:31 PM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Seriously though if you are that desperate to fish you could.look into the Russian. I have no idea what is in it thus time of year but it is close and is sizeable enough that it must have something.
>
> --
> http://www.tpfr.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.
> To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/4d733395-8e6e-4c8b-8377-00b47d963974%40googlegroups.com.
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

TurbineBlade

unread,
May 18, 2016, 7:54:09 PM5/18/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
I got the "self guided" option in West Virginia one time.  The guy dropped me and the canoe off at the put-in, flipped a cigarette butt onto the ground, mumbled "watch out for snakes" and then drove off.  ;)

Gene


On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 7:35:56 PM UTC-4, Scott S wrote:
Check out River's Edge kayak and canoe rentals on the Russian River. They have a self guided option. I was there a few years ago in the fall and saw a lot of fish in the river as we paddled over them. A few I think we're carp, but they were all good sized.

My mistake for not having a rod!

--Scott

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 18, 2016, at 6:31 PM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Seriously though if you are that desperate to fish you could.look into the Russian.  I have no idea what is in it thus time of year but it is close and is sizeable enough that it must have something.
>
> --
> http://www.tpfr.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-rodders+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

IQ

unread,
May 18, 2016, 8:05:01 PM5/18/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Investigate the Delta. It's close to Napa and the LMB are huge. California has a long seasons and the bass get huge. http://californiadelta.org/fishing/

Scott Stankus

unread,
May 18, 2016, 8:18:15 PM5/18/16
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Canoe dude: Watch out for snakes. 

Gene: Oh, boy! Snakes!

On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 7:54 PM, TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com> wrote:
I got the "self guided" option in West Virginia one time.  The guy dropped me and the canoe off at the put-in, flipped a cigarette butt onto the ground, mumbled "watch out for snakes" and then drove off.  ;)

Gene

On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 7:35:56 PM UTC-4, Scott S wrote:
Check out River's Edge kayak and canoe rentals on the Russian River. They have a self guided option. I was there a few years ago in the fall and saw a lot of fish in the river as we paddled over them. A few I think we're carp, but they were all good sized.

My mistake for not having a rod!

--Scott

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 18, 2016, at 6:31 PM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Seriously though if you are that desperate to fish you could.look into the Russian.  I have no idea what is in it thus time of year but it is close and is sizeable enough that it must have something.
>
> --
> http://www.tpfr.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/63196ff1-df65-4586-ae8c-da5800cdb203%40googlegroups.com.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.



--

================================================

"There are 10 types of people in this world, those who know binary, and those who don't"

Carl Z.

unread,
May 18, 2016, 8:25:40 PM5/18/16
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 8:17 PM, Scott Stankus <ssta...@gmail.com> wrote:
Canoe dude: Watch out for snakes. 

Gene: Oh, boy! Snakes!

Now that's funny. 

Hugh Fike

unread,
May 18, 2016, 9:53:06 PM5/18/16
to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Lake Berryessa has produced some monster LMB over the years. 

If you fish the delta, bring the striper (rock bass) tackle/flies. That's what you'll wanna fish for there. 
--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.

TurbineBlade

unread,
May 19, 2016, 4:23:25 AM5/19/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Pretty much!  Earlier, this lady warned us walking around the footpath that "Hey, there's a big snake back there" and pointed around the corner to an area where the patch is obscured by some bushes.  She had the look of someone who had narrowly escaped being pursued by a pride of lion, and that only a complete fool would walk in the direction she had just come from.  

It was a black rat snake - which I anticipate literally any time someone says "big snake".  

Gene


On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 8:18:15 PM UTC-4, Scott S wrote:
Canoe dude: Watch out for snakes. 

Gene: Oh, boy! Snakes!
On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 7:54 PM, TurbineBlade <doubl...@gmail.com> wrote:
I got the "self guided" option in West Virginia one time.  The guy dropped me and the canoe off at the put-in, flipped a cigarette butt onto the ground, mumbled "watch out for snakes" and then drove off.  ;)

Gene

On Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 7:35:56 PM UTC-4, Scott S wrote:
Check out River's Edge kayak and canoe rentals on the Russian River. They have a self guided option. I was there a few years ago in the fall and saw a lot of fish in the river as we paddled over them. A few I think we're carp, but they were all good sized.

My mistake for not having a rod!

--Scott

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 18, 2016, at 6:31 PM, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Seriously though if you are that desperate to fish you could.look into the Russian.  I have no idea what is in it thus time of year but it is close and is sizeable enough that it must have something.
>
> --
> http://www.tpfr.org
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-rodders+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-rodders+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.

namfos

unread,
May 19, 2016, 9:46:49 AM5/19/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Putah Creek. It's a tailwater out of Lake Berryessa. I fished it nearly 20 years ago in the midst of a business conference at the Silverado Resort in March or April.  Caught several nice rainbows on Klinkhammers I tied. Shop where I got my license hadn't heard of them, so I gave them a half dozen from my flybox. I don't remember the name of the shop. Here are the only surviving photos (Kodachrome)from that biz trip.

Mark


namfos

unread,
May 19, 2016, 9:56:54 AM5/19/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
I think it was Sweeney's http://sweeneyssports.com/events/#fish in Napa

Alex Large

unread,
May 19, 2016, 11:59:29 AM5/19/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
Love this group. Thanks for the info, fellas. 

On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 9:56 AM namfos <mark....@gmail.com> wrote:
I think it was Sweeney's http://sweeneyssports.com/events/#fish in Napa

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/4oV3PGCBMbU/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-...@googlegroups.com.

To post to this group, send email to tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/89fa2652-ce5e-4077-806f-933b3b5061e6%40googlegroups.com.

Kevin Eastman

unread,
May 20, 2016, 12:25:50 PM5/20/16
to Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders
ALarge, 

You've got a few options:
- Putah Creek: a tailwater that oddly is best in winter, as flows are more manageable. This is a pretty technical stream (think 18-20 midges and mayfly nymphs), but is home to some bruisers. For current reports check out http://putahcreekflyfishing.activeboard.com/f179858/putah-creek-fly-fishing/

- The Russian: ought to be doable for smallmouth and potentially shad right now. Give King's Sporting Goods in Guernville a shout, they'll fill you in. 

- The Napa River: this could be doable for striper, bank access may not be great but you could have some luck if you find creek inlets and such on a moving tide. Clousers etc. 

- Lower American: In the middle of Sacramento, the shad run should be pretty damn good right about now. I know this river very well, give me a shout if you're going. Check this board for more info: http://www.kiene.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?40-American-Shad


On Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 11:59:29 AM UTC-4, ALarge wrote:
Love this group. Thanks for the info, fellas. 

On Thu, May 19, 2016 at 9:56 AM namfos <mark....@gmail.com> wrote:
I think it was Sweeney's http://sweeneyssports.com/events/#fish in Napa

--
http://www.tpfr.org
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/4oV3PGCBMbU/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to tidal-potomac-fly-rodders+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages