Fly Fishing

Wild Times Guide Service would like to invite you to fish the Klamath Basin. Upper Klamath Lake, Agency Lake, Klamath River, Wood River, and the Williamson River provide a unique opportunity to catch wild Red Band rainbow trout on the fly. These trout are natives of the Klamath Basin and grow rapidly to exceptional sizes. The average fish range from 3 to 7 pounds, and fish in excess of 8 pounds are not uncommon. Last season we had a client catch and release a 9.5 pound Red Band.

Klamath and Agency Lake
As water temperatures in the lake rise, the rainbows congregate at the mouth of the Wood River, Williamson River and cold water springs, making it easier to locate and catch them. The trout feed heavily on leeches and midges during this time. The most effective method is stripping leeches with an intermediate sink line--then hold on tight! These trout strike with a vengeance and put on spectacular aerial shows. Fishing in the lakes usually starts to get good at the end of June and is at its peak in July and August.

Klamath River
The upper stretches of the Klamath River have an excellent population of wild Red Band Rainbows. The fish in the river average 16 to 22 inches and are extremely fat and healthy, due to abundant forage fish and prolific hatches of caddis and mayflies. The stretch of the river we fish is difficult to access due to steep terrain and we rarely see another fisherman. The river fishes best from April until its closing in June. Our clients averaged 15 -20 fish per day last season.

Wood and Williamson Rivers
Both of these rivers are world class fisheries. The fish from Klamath and Agency migrate into the river to escape rising lake temperatures. These fish can be taken on a variety of flies from a small trico to a huge leech pattern.

Reservoirs
We fish several still waters on the California side, fishing midge patterns, 50+ fish days are not uncommon and the fish are 14" - 23".

Medicine Lake

Crystal clear lake formed in a volcanic crater , this high mountain lake is full of Brook and Rainbow trout , fish dries ,strip a leech ,or midge fishing it is not uncommon to release 100 fish a day !

Visit our links page for more information about the wild Red Band Rainbows of the Klamath Basin.

Wild Times is under permit with Modoc National Forest