California Fly Fisher

09/05/2026

Join California Fly Fisher for a conversation about the origins, evolution, and adventure of the California Heritage Trout Challenge.

Moderator and CAFF Editor-at-Large George Revel is joined by Challenge creator and former CDFW fisheries biologist Roger Bloom, author and two-time Challenge finisher Mark Erickson, and CalTrout Senior Scientist Patrick Samuel to explore the stories behind the program, California’s remarkable diversity of native trout, and the role anglers can play in their conservation.

Have you taken on the Challenge yourself? Bring your questions—and your stories. We’ll invite participants to share their own experiences chasing California’s heritage trout.

Register at calflyfisher.com/roundtable/


California Trout Roger Bloom Mark Erickson George Revel Lost Coast Outfitters

Upcoming Roundtable California Heritage Trout Challenge Tuesday, September 8 at 6 p.m. Join us for a conversation about…

09/03/2026

Richard Anderson, California Fly Fisher’s founder, regales what has made certain fish memorable in “The Fish I Remember.” You know, the ones that stick in your mind forever. One’s first trout (who cares if it was stocked), an oddball surf perch, or a trophy brown caught from right under everyone’s noses in a spot that gets too much pressure – they all fit the bill. Please share in the comments one of those fish you remember!

Check out Richard’s list: https://calflyfisher.com/stories/reflections-the-fish-i-remember/

📸: The author fishing a Sierra creek. Depending upon circumstances, a small fish is sometimes just as unforgettable as a lunker. Photo credit: Brian Slusser, Four Seasons Fly Fishing
📸: “The list’s purpose is simple—it allows me, as I grow older, to retain the memory of notable fish I have encountered as an angler, most of which had been brought to hand without the benefit of a camera nearby.” - Richard Anderson
📸: This San Mateo County surfperch was noteworthy because it came to hand not during low light, when fishing is supposedly best, but rather in the middle of a bright summer day. Photo courtesy of Richard Anderson
📸: “But just a few well-chosen words can bring you deep into the memory of an experience, rekindle why it was special.” - Richard Anderson

09/03/2026

Vote for your favorite!

The finalists are in for the 2026 Fish Water People Photo Contest, hosted by California Trout & California Fly Fisher 🎉

Choosing just 10 photos from hundreds of incredible submissions was no small task, but after a lot of tough (and fun) deliberation, our Photo Contest finalists are ready for their close-up. 🐟💧👥

Check out this sneak peek of all 10 ⬆️, and starting tomorrow, you can help pick a winner! Plus, swipe right to see a collage of all 370+ submissions! You all truly blew us away this year.

Here’s how to vote:
✅ Each finalist photo will be posted individually on our grid tomorrow — head to California Trout to check them out
✅ Like your favorite(s) to cast your vote — no limit, so vote for as many as you love (metaphorical bonus points for sharing to your story or sending to a friend!)
✅ Whichever photo has the most likes when voting closes wins the People’s Choice Award*

📅 Voting is open tomorrow through Tuesday, September 15 — don’t wait!

And that’s not all! This year we added a brand new award: Best Eel River Watershed Photo, voted on in person at the Eel River Expo in Fortuna on September 19th.

Our judge panel is hard at work selecting the Grand Prize, Emerging Photographer, and Best Fish Photo award winners. All winners will be announced by September 25th. Good luck to our finalists! 🍀

More Photo Contest info at the link in California Trout’s bio!

*Each photographer can only win one award.

09/01/2026

Jody Martin muses over the many facets of a father and son tradition - The Eastern Sierra fly fishing trip. They wade through the anxieties of fishing a legendary water (in this case, Hot Creek) and put into practice their evolving skills. An ironic ending along with the fact that words like “pizza” and “hot tub” each appear more than once in the story remind us a good fishing trip can be more than the fish.

Grab a slice: https://calflyfisher.com/stories/in-his-eyes/

📸: Photos courtesy of Jody Martin
📸: These w**d beds hold life, they hold food, they provide shelter, and they indicate a healthy stream.
📸: “I can sense Paul’s excitement by how rapidly he is moving and getting the gear out. His eyes are darting about, taking it all in, but I worry that some of my anxiety has also spilled over into him.” - Jody Martin
📸: Browns and rainbows
📸: “What Paul does not suspect yet is that I am a pretty average dad, and this, the fear that he may wake up some day and realize that I am nothing special, worries me far more than the prospect of a fishless day.” - Jody Martin
📸: Hot Creek is one of a handful of waters in the country that has earned the label of legend.

08/27/2026

Some skills and techniques are easier done than learned. 😉
A little levity to keep your casts light with a cartoon by Rob Benigno.

📷: 4 Lesser Known (But Very Effective) Fly FishingTechniques.
🎣The over caffeinated fly twitch.
🎣Landing the branch so many others lost their flies to.
🎣The s(trip) set. Set the hook so hard you lose your balance, but never the fish.
🎣The sloppy cast that incidentally falls right where the fish are.
Cartoon by

08/24/2026

California’s many reservoirs each have their own unique habitats and ecosystems. Lance Gray, along with some input from regional guides, gives us the low down on how to best approach Lake Almanor’s abundant offerings in any season with textbook clarity.

Read more here: https://calflyfisher.com/stories/reflections-anatomy-of-a-fall/

All photos courtesy of Lance Gray
📷: Wendy holds a brown caught on a hex pattern
📷: “Large lakes are influenced by two main factors: cold water and available food sources. Lake Almanor has both.” - Lance Gray
📷: A great smile from Darren on a nice smallmouth
📷: “With a wide variety of aquatic insects, minnows, crayfish, and other food sources, Lake Almanor is a paradise for fish.” - Lance Gray
📷: Pond smelt, or Wakasagi, spawn in September to early October.
Inset: The imitation

08/21/2026

Mosquitos, mud, tight schedules, and pieces of imperfection just might equal perfection. TJ Brady adds a personal account to the Heritage Trout Challenge with his pursuit of the Lahontan Cutthroat trout in “The Perfect Day.” He reflects on that wonderful moment as a fresh angler, serving to remind him “why we do it.”

Share the perfect day: https://calflyfisher.com/stories/the-perfect-day/

All photos courtesy of TJ Brady
📸: Trout live in beautiful places.
📸: “I had been warned that a certain percentage of people who pick up a fly rod end up going crazy as a side effect of the pursuit’s tendency to morph from a hobby into an addiction.” - TJ Brady
📸: The author’s hard-earned Lahontan cutthroat trout.
📸: “That day I learned a deeper truth than any postcard image could ever convey, a truth I could only appreciate now that I was a fly fisherman, and I would pass on to my children once they were ready to learn it.” - TJ Brady
📸: The meadow that tested the confidence, knowledge, and skill of the author.

08/18/2026

Knots! Robert Ketley takes us on a journey through the world of knots but delves hard into lines and tippets. As he says in the opening sentence “... if your hook knot fails, you fail”. And with that, he cites some enlightening experiments that dispel some myths and offers some facts that can serve us all to lose fewer fish and flies topped off with some best practices.

Tie one on here: https://calflyfisher.com/tips-and-techniques/catchy-ideas-stronger-knots/

📸: A clinch knot works like fingers holding a rope. The stronger the grip exerted by the twists, the stronger the knot. Photo by Robert Ketley
📸: “When you tie a knot, you create a complex, three-dimensional structure. Small variations in how you form and tighten the knot will inevitably affect its strength. So how do we tie stronger knots and avoid weak ones?” - Robert Ketley
📸: How many twists do you need to make the strongest clinch knot? Photo by Robert Ketley
📸: “It occurred to me that these changes in diameter could have important implications for knot strength. Getting into a pair of skinny jeans provides a useful analogy.” - Robert Ketley
📸: On heavily pressured waters, large fish will often ignore flies presented on regular tippets. To land these fish on light tippets, you need to tie the strongest possible knots. Photo by Robert Ketley

08/17/2026

Kesley Gallagher takes home our fourth and final week’s What’s In Your Fly Box prize with a box of colorful madness - just like the waters where Calico Bass reign. Kesley enjoys many species (with 26 IGFA records as of this post) but this is the SoCal selection she chose to share and we love it. Thanks Kesley and all who participated!

Please continue to use the hashtag for the heck of it. The variations in selections, not to mention the craft of fly tying are always fascinating.

All photos courtesy of Kesley Gallagher
📸 : A box of color!
📸 : "Each fly has a unique UV hotspot, 100 # w**d guards for the kelp, and enough weight to drag it down quickly. These flies mimic pelagic crabs, sculpins, isopods, and eels. Some of these critter flies include Blane Chocklett game changers but tied by Brian S. Leon, sculpin patterns inspired by Adam Perez, and an impression of a very famous red-crab pattern. I love tying for calico bass—anything goes!" - Kesley Gallagher
📸 : Close up. Notice the robust w**d guard.