hat-creek

Hat Creek is a creek in California.

It ranks #3 among the 17 waters of California in the registry, and is of national prominence.

Also called Lower Hat Creek and The Wild Trout Section.

Fished for trout.

Species: rainbow trout and brown trout.

USGS GNIS record: 261142.

Stretches: Wild Trout Section and Upper Hat Creek.

Access points: Highway 299 Bridge and Hat Creek Day Use Area.

Confluences: Lake Britton.

Holes: Powerhouse Riffle.

Features: Powerhouse 2.

Carbon Bridge (hole). It is fishable. Calflyfisher's 'Carbon Bridge meadow', known for dry-fly action. Only one source states the bridge name; Carbon Flats (Fly Shop) is the same water.

It is on the stretch Wild Trout Section.

Baum Lake (feature). It is fishable. Public lake at the head of the lower creek.

Carbon Flats (hole). It is fishable. Slow weedy spring-creek water below Powerhouse 2; most technical on the creek.

It is on the stretch Wild Trout Section.

It is upstream of Highway 299 Bridge.

It is downstream of Powerhouse Riffle.

Cassel Campground (access). It is fishable. About 1.5 miles from Baum Lake. Also called Cassel.

Big Springs (feature). It is fishable. On Highway 44; where the creek resurfaces below the dewatered reach.

Cave Campground (access). It is fishable. Footbridge crossing about 0.75 mi upstream.

Hat Creek Campground (access). It is fishable.

Hat Creek Weir (feature). It is fishable. Just above Lake Britton; blocks non-trout species.

It is on the stretch Wild Trout Section.

It is upstream of Lake Britton.

It is downstream of Highway 299 Bridge.

Old Station (access). It is fishable. Has a fishing access trail.

Sourced from 4 independent fly sites.

Sources: CalFlyFisher (retrieved 2026-10-20), kenlockwood.tu.org, The Perfect Fly Store (retrieved 2026-10-20) and theflyshop.com (retrieved 2026-10-20).

Hatches

Winter stonefly (little winter stoneflies)

Sourced.

  1. Jan hatching
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Sources: theflyshop.com

Trico

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

No end date given. Small morning emergences nearly daily in midsummer.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, theflyshop.com

Green Drake

Well sourced. Sources give different windows; this shows the range.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Reported windows differ: one shop gives May to early June, another June only.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, theflyshop.com

Pale Morning Dun

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Much more abundant than Green Drakes. A secondary hatch in the Wild Trout Section.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, theflyshop.com

Salmonfly

Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

In warm springs, try north of the Highway 299 bridge. Only one shop lists it.

Sources: theflyshop.com

Golden Stonefly

Stage: adult. Sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Runs from April into May, sometimes early June. Other shop pages list salmonflies for May and omit this insect. Source read through a summarising fetcher.

Sources: CalFlyFisher

October Caddis

Stage: adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Riffle sections; dated shop reports also record them.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store

Midge (spring-creek section)

Stage: larva, pupa, adult. Sourced.

  1. Jan hatching
  2. Feb hatching
  3. Mar hatching, peak
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching
  7. Jul hatching
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching, peak
  11. Nov hatching
  12. Dec hatching

Peak: peaks late March to early October

Hatches repeat four to five times a day in spring and summer (Powerhouse 2 to Highway 299). Fall reports add cream, blood and light-green midges. Source read through a summarising fetcher.

Sources: CalFlyFisher, The Perfect Fly Store

Blue-Winged Olive

Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov hatching
  12. Dec

Several species; heavy hatches in October and early November. A second shop reports winter hatches (months not given), usually on overcast or stormy days.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, theflyshop.com

Spotted Sedge (caddis)

Stage: pupa, adult. Well sourced.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr hatching
  5. May hatching
  6. Jun hatching, peak
  7. Jul hatching, peak
  8. Aug hatching
  9. Sep hatching
  10. Oct hatching
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Peak: mid June-July

Present from the late-April season opener into October. Best late afternoon and evening; egg-laying after sunset; thick riffle hatches at dusk in midsummer.

Sources: The Perfect Fly Store, theflyshop.com

Also named, timing not yet researched: Short-horned Sedge and Black Dancer, Little Yellow Stonefly.

Access, closures and rules change; check with the state agency before you go.