Tailwater · Mixed · Northern California

Putah Creek

Short, cold tailwater below Monticello Dam, fed by Lake Berryessa, and it punches well above its size — the wild rainbows here get surprisingly big and they're picky about it.

Species

A proper day on the water

River high but settled. Match the colour and fish the seams.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for rainbow trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for rainbow trout
  • Temperature8228% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6212% weight
Conditions
Level
2.39 m
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
35°C
Wind
SW 17 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water clarity is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Catch-and-release, barbless, artificial-only on the wild-trout reach — verify CDFW rules
  • Flow tracks Lake Berryessa releases.
Directions
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About this water

Short, cold tailwater below Monticello Dam, fed by Lake Berryessa, and it punches well above its size — the wild rainbows here get surprisingly big and they're picky about it. Clear, weed-rich water in tight quarters, so it's small flies and fine tippet, technical fishing the whole way. Midges, Baetis, PMD and caddis are the menu. It's catch-and-release, barbless, artificial-only, which is exactly how a creek this good ought to be run. Flow tracks the Berryessa releases.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December