For seasoned anglers, fall in California represents a time of precision and focus. As the rivers cool, fish behavior shifts, and subtle changes in water conditions can make or break a day on the water. Knowing how to adapt your techniques based on everything from water flow to hatch cycles is what separates the casual angler from the expert. If you’re ready to dial in your fall game, these five rivers offer prime opportunities—but with the added layer of complexity that serious anglers thrive on.
The Klamath River, usually a staple on this list, has undergone a historic dam removal effort, meaning it’s temporarily out of commission. When it recovers, this river will likely be the crown jewel of Northern California. Until then, here are five other rivers where you can test your skills and push your angling limits this fall.
1. Lower Sacramento River
Insider Tip: Go beyond the egg bite—work the microcurrents for selective rainbows feeding on midges and emergers.
While most anglers flock to the Lower Sac for the famous fall egg bite, experts know there’s another layer of challenge hidden in this fishery. During peak salmon season, rainbows can become selective feeders, keyed into midge emergers and micro-hatches that often go unnoticed by less experienced anglers. In the cold tailwaters below Keswick Dam, keep an eye on soft seams and eddies where the water moves just slowly enough for small aquatic insects to concentrate. A well-placed midge or emerger pattern, fished on 6X tippet with a drag-free drift, can entice those wary rainbows that ignore standard egg patterns.
Target species: Rainbow trout, Chinook salmon
Best time to fish: October to November
Advanced Tactic: When fishing under overcast skies, switch to black midges or sparsely tied zebra midges. The visibility in lower light gives your fly an edge. If you’re nymphing, go ultra-fine—2mm beads and size 20-22 nymphs can coax reluctant trout into a take, especially when larger patterns fail.
2. Truckee River
Insider Tip: Master the European Nymphing (Euro Nymphing) technique to tap into deep pools and fast pocket water that most anglers bypass.
In the fall, the Truckee River becomes a proving ground for advanced techniques like Euro Nymphing. Traditional indicator nymphing can sometimes fall short when targeting trout holding in fast-moving pocket water or deep runs. Euro Nymphing, with its direct connection to the flies, allows for pinpoint precision in detecting subtle strikes from browns and rainbows alike. Working through varied water columns and adjusting the weight and length of the leader in real time to stay in the strike zone will improve your odds of a strike. In fall, as browns become more aggressive pre-spawn, working these pockets with precision can yield monster fish.
Target species: Brown trout, rainbow trout
Best time to fish: September to November
Advanced Tactic: Use a tungsten-beaded jig-style nymph (size 14-16) as your anchor fly, and follow it with a micro-nymph or even a soft hackle on a dropper. By fishing upstream, you’ll minimize drag and increase sensitivity. Focus on deep plunge pools early in the day when fish are most active, especially after a cold night.
3. Trinity River
Insider Tip: Fish the farthest reaches—target remote, less-pressured sections of the river for fresher, more aggressive steelhead.
Most anglers concentrate on the well-known stretches of the Trinity River, but if you’re willing to put in the miles, either by hiking or rafting, you can access steelhead that have seen far fewer flies. The upper stretches, just below Lewiston Dam, offer pristine water and highly mobile steelhead. Experts understand that in lower water conditions, stealth is everything. Thin down your tippet, use longer leaders, and focus on a soft presentation to entice these fish. Small, sparsely tied traditional steelhead flies, or even dry flies in the right conditions, can provoke an aggressive response from fish that are tired of seeing the same intruder-style patterns.
Target species: Steelhead, Chinook salmon
Best time to fish: October to December
Advanced Tactic: To cover more water, carry both a two-handed spey rod and a single-hand switch rod. The spey rod is excellent for covering broad runs, but the switch rod excels in tighter spots or when targeting specific holding areas. Skagit lines with sparse intruders work well, but on bright days, switch to more natural colors like olive or tan. Don’t be afraid to experiment with dry-line presentations in shallower tailouts, especially when water clarity is high.
4. Owens River
Insider Tip: Fall is all about stealth on the Lower Owens—use ultra-light setups and approach each cast like you’re stalking bonefish.
The Owens River may look simple, but fall fishing here is about subtlety and finesse, especially in the highly technical sections of the Lower Owens near Bishop. The slower-moving water gives trout plenty of time to inspect your fly, so an ultra-light setup is key. Fish 7X tippet with size 20-22 emergers, or switch to soft hackles on 8-foot fluorocarbon leaders for a more natural drift. In the Upper Owens near Crowley Lake, fall sees the beginning of the big migratory rainbows moving upstream. Here, it’s all about hitting the right spots at the right time, using streamers or egg patterns near deep cutbanks where these hefty fish hold.
Target species: Rainbow trout, brown trout
Best time to fish: September to November
Advanced Tactic: For the Lower Owens, use a 10-foot 3-weight rod for maximum control in technical water. Focus on areas with broken water to mask your presence, and use long drifts with dry-dropper rigs. In the Upper Owens, target migratory fish with large streamers in olive or black, but don’t forget to scale down to natural-looking sculpins if the water is clear.
5. McCloud River
Insider Tip: Go deep and slow—fish streamers through the deep pools and use the Leisenring Lift for an edge on tight-lipped rainbows.
The McCloud is famous for its vibrant rainbows, but in the fall, these fish start to hold deeper as water temperatures drop. This is when experts break out their streamer setups, not just to cover water, but to work deep pools where fish are less pressured. Using the Leisenring Lift technique—allowing your nymphs or wet flies to drift down and then rise slowly at the end of the drift—can trigger aggressive strikes from rainbows holding deep. This technique mimics emerging insects and often outperforms traditional dead-drift presentations in deeper water.
Target species: Rainbow trout, brown trout
Best time to fish: September to October
Advanced Tactic: Use a sink-tip line with a heavily weighted streamer, like a zonker or sculpin pattern, and focus on the pool transitions. Drift through the deepest parts first, and then work your way up. After each drift, lift your rod tip slowly to bring your fly into the strike zone, mimicking an emerging bug. Be prepared for vicious takes at the end of your drift.
Final Cast
Fall fishing in California is about more than just chasing the hatch—it’s about refining your skills and mastering the art of reading water and conditions. Whether you’re Euro Nymphing the deep pools of the Truckee, swinging sparsely dressed flies for early steelhead on the Trinity, or employing the Leisenring Lift on the McCloud, fall challenges even the most seasoned anglers. With the subtle but rewarding changes that come with the cooler weather, now is the time to push your limits and enjoy some of the finest fishing California has to offer.
Tight lines, and remember—the best fishing often happens in the places less traveled.
