- Trip
Lake Almanor Guided Fly Fishing Trips (Hex Hatch and more)
Float Lake Almanor during the famed Hex Hatch — chasing big trout, golden light, and late-night eats with Taco Fly Co. under the Sierra summer skies.
Lake Almanor is a large reservoir in northwestern Plumas County, northeastern California, United States. The reservoir has a capacity of 1,308,000 acre-feet and a maximum depth of about 90 feet. It is formed by Canyon Dam on the North Fork of the Feather River, as well as Benner and Last Chance Creeks, Hamilton Branch, and various natural springs.
- Plumas County California
BIG FLIES. BIGGER TROUT. PURE SUMMER STOKE.
almanor
Flight
Closest Airports: Reno-Tahoe International (RNO) – approx. 2 hours
& Sacramento International (SMF) – approx. 3.5 hours
Pro Tip: Reno gets you in fast. The Almanor basin is tucked away in the northern Sierra, so you’ll trade highway traffic for winding roads and mountain lake views.
Hotel
Where to Stay: We recommend staying lakeside in Chester, or nearby in Westwood or around Lake Almanor West. Cabins, lodges, and Airbnbs offer plenty of cozy places close to the action.
Need help booking? Hit us up — we’ve got local favorites and hookups that’ll get you dialed for your Hex Hatch adventure.
HUNT THE HATCH. FEED THE BEASTS. FISH THE HEX.
- Northern Sierra California
very rich biodiversity & world class fishing
Book
As the sun sets over the Northern Sierra, Lake Almanor comes alive with one of the most epic dry fly events in the West — the Hex Hatch. This guided fly fishing trip is all about chasing big trout in low light, when the lake boils with surface action. The Hexagenia mayfly hatch typically peaks in late June through July, bringing out trophy browns and rainbows hungry for an easy meal.
Taco Fly Co. guides will put you in prime position for dry fly eats, teaching you how to read the rise forms and time your casts just right. These evenings on Almanor are legendary — quiet water, glowing skies, and sudden chaos when a 5-pound brown slurps your bug.
We provide drinks, flies, rods, and reels, and trips are typically timed around evening conditions for maximum Hex mayhem. Whether you’re new to the hatch or a returning addict, this is your shot to fish one of NorCal’s wildest windows.
WHEN THE HEX POPS THE LAKE GOES WILD
It’s volcanic basin allows for a very rich biodiversity which in turn, makes a wonderful place for world class fishing. The fish here grow fast and big! From largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, sacramento perch, chinook salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout…you sometimes never know what you are going to catch. This lake is known for it’s trophy sized rainbow, brown trout, and small mouth bass. It is not uncommon to hook into trout in the 5-10 pound class during certain times of the year. It is also not uncommon to hook into small mouth in the 3-6 pound class at this lake.
Probably one of the most known times of the year to fish this lake is during the Hex Hatch. The Hex Hatch occurs usually in June through the first week of July. This phenomenon is when thousands of giant Hexagenia mayflies come to the surface and hatch. These are GIANT mayflies. It’s one of the largest dinner bells for fish in California. The hatch usually occurs during sundown but we have techniques for catching fish through out the entire day during this time of the year. We always ask our clients, “How would you like to catch a fish today?” This can include indicator, streamers, or dry fly techniques with the dry fly fishing starting later in the day. Half day trips for the Hex Hatch is usually sufficient to enjoy that time of the year.
Don’t sleep on the winter time fishing here. It can be one of the best experiences and times of the year to hook into a trophy brown or rainbow trout. We don’t expose our techniques over the internet but promise it’s loads of fun.
- A full day is usually 7-8 hours. This trip includes lunch, drinks, flies, fly rods, and reels.
- A half day is usually 4-5 hours. Half days do not include lunch but do include drinks, flies, fly rods, and reels. It is suggested that you bring snacks during a half day trip.
- View the calendar here for dates that are available for booking.
- Please specify the desired dates of your trip in the notes during checkout OR contact Taco Fly Co. at [email protected] or at 408-838-6047 after the line item is paid for to schedule a day.
- A confirmation email with the trip details will be sent once a date is selected. If no date is selected, Taco Fly Co. will reach out to you to confirm a date for booking.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- This is not redeemable for articles of clothing or accessories
- Can be changed to Lake Davis
- Upgradable to a Trinity/Lower Sac full day. Please contact us to do so.
- No discounts can be applied to this purchase
- Refundable 30 days before a selected date
