After a few calls from clients about the status of the MF Feather I decided I needed to see how she looked in person as I have been concentrating my efforts elsewhere as of late. The estimated flows below Sloat (1900 cfs) were less than encouraging, but the river looked good although high as I drove over the bridge at Blairsden. The color was typical for this freestone river, tanin stained from agriculture runoff in the Sierra Valley, but visibility was about 3' and there were a few bugs out.I saw little yellow sallies, PMD's, caddis and a lot of small midges. Fishing near where a snowmelt swollen creek enters the river I found a nice pod of rainbows feeding on PMD's.
These lovely wild rainbows were in the 10-12" range with a couple pushing 14" and were confidently eating comparaduns and parachute adams fished on the surface.I also had takes fishing a PMD emerger and a Quigly's Cripple, but the fish were mostly interested in the duns.
Friend and fellow guide Jon Baiocchi, reports that the last two hours before dark have been money with fish rising in the tailouts for PMD's Golden Stones and caddis flies. This is just the start to what is shaping up to be a great summer on the MF Feather River and I expect solid fishing throughout the season as the runoff subsides and the bugs starting hatching in ernest.
