The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Fished Middle Feather about two weeks ago @ Cleghorn Bar. Fishing was good to great depending on time of day, although they were hitting bead heads all day. Best day was 15 in hand with one 16". Saw another fisherman who had one that was 20", I guess he was going to eat it because he put it on a stringer...oh well one less 20+ in the river. Fishing is good right in front of the camping area because the spin fisherman usualy go to the big holes only. I'm able to pull some 15"+ fish in that area, but if you want 20+ you have to do some serious hiking and/or swiming up or down river about 1 mile. A word of caution...Do Not Drive this road if you dont have 4x4 with nobby tires and 12" clearance. You also should know how to drive offroad because you WILL get stuck for sure if not very careful. Good luck! Oh, and if you get a 20"+ please take a photo and put it back! Peace, Pit

I've seen 30 inch fish in the Middle Fork and its tributaries. Why are you concerned about a 20" fish? Nowdays, I believe the problem with the Middle Fork is the lack of fishing pressure and an overpopulation of fish. Eat more fish!

I haven’t been down to Cleghorn Bar for years but I sure have a lot of memories down there. This is the first time I’ve ever heard it mentioned on any of the boards.

We had a old, and I mean old, right hand drive landrover that my Dad picked up for $800.00 back in the sixties. We had more fun in that old landrover. And yes the road down is a bear or at least it was…years later I was able to get my Jeep Grand Cherokee down there with no problems.


The biggest fish I’ve taken out of there was an 18” rainbow that put on quite a show one evening. And it was right in front of the camp ground. I’ll never forget that fish. I took him up top on a fly called the Feather River Special which was basically a buck tail royal coachman.

One of these days I’ll have to get back down there and revisit some of those memories.

What was the water level like?

Thanks for the report.

Pete

I agree with you that eating smaller fish in heavily populated rivers is sometimes the right thing to do...however the section of river which I'm speaking of has some serious fishing pressure and is not over populated. I saw people with spin rods and stringers of fish coming from up from the river all day. By Sunday evening the big holes around the camping area were fished out of all the big fish, and I had to fish pocket water to catch any fish of size. In these types of areas it is a nice gesture to the fish gods to let a trophy like this go. I'm not sure what you would consider a trophy in this river, but to me a fish over 20" out of the Middle Feather is large. I'd like to see some photos of those 30"ers and a treasure map to the golden hole!!

Water level is low but temp is nice...not too warm! Best below Nelson creek.

Yes that area of the MF is stuff that made legends. In the late 50's through the mid 60's one half of Quincy guys went there for the annual event. The World Series was the next favorite at that time. I was privileged to be a guest once. Unforgettable. Never saw a 30 a couple maybe early 20's. Upper NF for the biggies. Best vehicle was a 59 Willys!. Was also used to visit 3 lakes later in the year for brookies.

My staple was from Jackson creek to the Mt. Tomba area in those days. I wont talk about Nelson! College kids then were as broke as they are now. Just no debt!

How's butt creek?

Speaking of creeks, I wonder if you ever fish Jamison creek from the camp up? If so how has it been? I had a personal best day there with over 60 fish in hand. Nothing over 15" but wow the number of fish is incredible. What about two rivers up from the bridge about 20yrds, do you know that spot? It can be mind blowing for the evening hatch. I got one out of there that was 24", it was my first big fish on a wet fly. My largest fish ever on a fly rod was 34" and came from an undisclosed area within 20 miles of here!!!!! I also had a similar day with over 60 fish in hand at the upper NF fishing side by side with my dad wading up stream. Again nothing over 15". Those are some of my fondest memories while fishing. This area is a wonderful jem. It can be hard fishing at times and can mess with your ego, but when it gets good watch out!!!!!!

Grnwtrs, there was a 30” fish in the big pool under the falls just above the bridge on Nelson Creek. I spoke with the gold miner that got it. In the 60’s, I used to go up to 3 Lakes in my ‘56 Ford, ex-PG&E pickup. Once, I broke the front springs going up. There were golden trout in the upper lake, but they are probably gone now.

A friend with whom I was fishing hooked a 30”+ fish from a deep pool in the Middle Fork drainage. He wanted me to climb down the to the pool and wrestle that big, hooked-jaw brown. I politely declined in view of those big teeth upon which I was focused. It turned out he hadn’t really hooked the fish, rather it was trying to eat the 12” fish he had hooked. With the frenzy that thing was in, I’m sure it would have taken a bite out of me.

Another friend rappelled into a hole in that area and caught a 30 incher. While hiking out, he was dragging it out by the jaw. When he got up the hill, he noticed his fingers were all bloody from those sharp teeth. He hadn’t even noticed in his excitement.

I caught a big one in that drainage on a Royal Coachman and was so worked-up that I forgot to measure it. We threw it on the barbeque and all six of us got some delicious fresh trout. Only then did I think to measure it. With the head and tail intact but a bare skeleton between, it measured 28”. I don’t know it they shrink, stretch or stay the same after they have been cooked and picked clean.

The divers studying the effects of the white water releases in the North Fork of the Feather report some 30” fish there. I’ve never seen any that big rise though.

Pit, I understand your point now. It makes sense to me.

Are the areas you are speaking of below or above hartmans bar? Just curious. Thanks, Pit

Below except Nelson Creek, of course.