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Hot-Bites Fishing Report By the Fish Sniffer Staff	August 11, 2008 Updated Regularly

UPPER HAT CREEK BROOK AND RAINBOW TROUT ... Mac McKinnie of Hidden Valley Lake in Lake County caught the fish of a lifetime, a 6 lb. 1 oz. brook trout, while fishing in Upper Hat Creek in late July.

“I tossed out a nightcrawler into my favorite hole on Upper Hat Creek in the Old Station area and hooked the fish right away,” said McKinnie. “I fought it in the fast water on the edge of the bank until my fishing partner, Lloyd Papera of Clearlake, finally was able to net it.”

The brookie was a huge fish, but was 3 pounds, 11 ounces short of the state record. The standing brook trout record of 9 pounds, 12 ounces was set at Silver Lake in Mono County by Texas Haynes on September 9, 1932.

The huge brook trout wasn’t the only large fish landed in the Burney area in recent weeks. Steve Shaw of Palo Cedro caught a 23 1/2", 4 lb. 15 oz. brown trout on a caddis pattern in Crystal Lake on 7/23/08, according to Steve Vaughn at Vaughn’s Sporting Goods.

Baum Lake trout fishing has slowed somewhat, although there are still a few callibaetis, PMD, and caddis hatches taking place, noted Vaughn. Nymph fishermen are having the best luck while using pheasant tails or copper johns in red. Bait fishermen still doing best on crawlers or Power Bait, while lure fishermen are doing well on Panther Martins and Roostertails.

“The wild trout section of Hat Creek is producing fairly good hatches of PMDs, caddis, callibaetis and spinners during mid-day when it’s not too smoky,” advised Vaughn. “Nymph fishermen are hooking wild rainbows with birds nest and copper johns in red or green.”

The Pit River is still yielding wild rainbows in the 10 to 18 inch class for the majority of fishermen. Try black AP's, copper John's in green or red or rubber-leg prince nymphs.

Fall River fly hatches are remaining good, depending on the amount of smoke. “Mornings seem to be the best time for catching, though nymph fishermen doing okay in the afternoons,” added Vaughn.

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The Intermountain Area lies between Mt. Shasta and Mt. Lassen. The elevations range from 3,000' to 5,500' with a few mountains overlooking lava flows, lush farm land, forest, brush land, lakes, rivers and streams. Can you say TROUT? The Intermountain IS California's premier trout fishery. Hat Creek, Fall River, Pit River, Baum Lake, Lava Creek, and Lake Britton are world famous for the size and varieties of their trout. Much of the area is Catch & Release, check your regs. The trophy browns are a fly fisherman's favorite. If you would like to really get away from it all Medicine Lake on the Shasta Lava Flow is a good place to troll for rainbows. You will also find fantastic wild trout fishing in the Pit River around Alturas. The pressure on the fishery is lighter here but there aren't as many places to fish as around Burney and Fall River Mills. The Warner Mountains also offer limited high mountain opportunities.