Submitted by Zach Soinila, Apr. 21, 2006

I fished the ranch for the first time on an overcast, but warm day Friday and things started off slowly for me at the first pond. Many fish were midging and I had several grabs, but no hook-ups. After a long winter it was awesome to see all that crystal clear water and cruising trout.

After I moved on to explore another smaller lake, I started to catch lots of trout on a copper john under an indicator. The takes were slight most of the time, but sometimes very aggressive.

Determined to catch some fish on dries, the 3rd lake proved to do the trick as they repeated drilled a griffith's gnat (size 14) and then a big ant pattern. The takes were explosive at times, and I truly enjoyed the experience of casting from shore into these smaller ponds. I also used a crawdad pattern to bring up a few fish, but I was spoiled from the dry fly action.

In all, I fished every lake but one and caught fish in every one. They were all big (18"-24"), strong fighters and beautiful rainbows.

I would also like to add that I brought my 3-year-old daughter with me and I cannot say enough about the grounds and the stuff for a young, inquisitive girl (or boy) to see and do there. It was extremely safe along the water and the grassy areas, bridges, and small streams made for good exploring.

We drove all around the ranch and saw deer, ducks, bald eagles, ospreys, and jumping trout. You could drive up to almost every lake, and she thoroughly enjoyed her long day (8:30-7:30) with dad. I only wish she could have taken some pictures. Oh well, I'll be back again soon!

Zach Soinila
Chico, CA

Submitted by John Imsdahl & Bob Beverlin, Apr. 8-10, 2006

Like clockwork, Bobber and Donn Erickson drove in separate cars up my driveway at 5:30 AM, Saturday, April 8th. We were headed for the Sugar Creek Ranch "Seven Sacred Pools" for two nights of fishing with Bill & Diane Moy, Greg Bonovich, and his son Nicholas, and a guy named Phil from Redding. Our mission was to meet everyone at 8AM at the Black Bear Restaurant in Redding.

At the Redding Fly Shop, John and Bobber got some excellent advice from Cary Boyden and John Daniels about what to use. Essentially, the advice was to use little Red Midges, Black and Gold and Black Midges in sizes 16-22, and an assortment of Wooley Buggers. All of these turned out at various times to be just the ticket.

In my "minds eye" I had imagined SCR to be some kind of "resort", obvious from the road and certainly containing some kind of "decorated" entrance. What we found was an ordinary gravel and dirt driveway entrance, with an ordinary green metal gate, and a small old wooden sign on a 4x4 that read "Lodge ->". From the road there are piles of river rock "tailings" from an old gold mine, but you cannot see any real body of water or ponds, and certainly there is nothing that screams "resort". The driveway entrance lead to a 2 story, "tri-level" because of the sunken living room, with an underneath built in two car garage and laundry. Strangely, you entered into the breakfast nook and kitchen as the "foyer", with a sunken living room to the right, a dining area to the left, a family room to the rear, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths upstairs and a half bath downstairs. Nevertheless, there was plenty of room for eight and the fully equipped kitchen only required that you bring food and beverage.

The fishing was superb, hot, terrific, and the fish were large, "monster", fat, heavy bows and browns. There is a "Norman" in one of the ponds that can snap, and did mine twice, any 5x leader away from the knots. There are plenty of pictures of "Norman" and he looks to be about three (3) feet long. Since we all had different experiences at different times, I had landed 7 large trout on Blood Midges Saturday night. Sunday, Midges of black, black and gold, red, size 16 to 22 could not even stir a fish. Donn had good luck on Saturday and Sunday catching nine in just a short span of time on Sunday. Bob Beverlin, the Bobber, caught plenty of fish throughout and was probably the best caster in our Club group.

The ponds are crystal clear, fed by springs and water that has been filtered through gravel and sand, and you can watch disinterested large trout circle any Midge offering you provided. But, put on an Olive Green Wooley Bugger, with a colorful blue tassel tail, strip it slow enough, and well, we have pictures. Bobber had gotten up with the Sun and Redding Phil on Sunday and had pounded some of the larger lakes, but I believe he was skunked for the morning. Nevertheless, we must have landed 20 large trout each (of the Club members) in a one full day and two half days and had at least half as many hookups.

Finally, Monday came too soon and was one of my finest days. With all of the lousy weather, cancelled trips, rushing rivers, this was the first time I had wet a fly in 2006. Despite a private "lesson" (i.e. 10 minutes) with Lefty Kreh, sessions with Mel Kreiger, lessons from Jeff Putnam, and countless winter readings, I casted like crap. Up to Monday, I managed to find every bush, tree, reed, I could not "load the rod", had casts that only went fifteen feet into the wind, and I cut up two brand new leaders after trying to unscramble them following feeble attempts at the Single and Double Hauls. Both Donn and Bobber reported their casting challenges with elevated lawns or those nasty thorny bushes. Somehow, like a golf swing, my casts finally came together on Monday, and after taking off the indicators and Midges, the Wooley Buggers were being eaten by really big trout.

SCR is not cheap, but if you want grassy lawn free cast zones, your own private pond or 2-5 acre lake, plenty of active large trout on the seven ponds, a comfortable "lodge" where all you have to bring is the wine, beer and food, then log into www.sugarcreekranch.com and check out some of the "monster fish" others have caught.

I would say that the three members had an excellent, and memorable, time and that Sugar Creek Ranch is one of the only places you can find large active trout in clear pools in this rainy spring 2006. I already want to go back with my fellow Fly Fishers of Davis brothers and to paraphrase Paladin: Have rod, beer, wine and food, will travel.

John Imsdahl & Bob Beverlin
Flyfishers of Davis (CA)

Submitted by Todd Ellingwood, Mar. 31-Apr. 1, 2006

My oldest son Randy & I started our morning fishing the North Ponds under very inclement weather conditions: snow, rain and wind that at times made it quite challenging to cast and catch fish. We hammered the trout using the 'Randy Special' orange, conehead, size 4 bunny leaches. The trick was to let the flies sink to the bottom of the pond, usually taking 3-4 minutes, using a sink tip line and 9 1/2 ft. 4x leaders. We had many takes on the drop. An eratic retreve really made the trout aggressive!

Mid-day we fished Tule, Cottonwood, Blackberry & Alder with remarkable success using a size 10, un-weighted chartreuse and black bunny leach that Mike can supply you with. Also, size 16 & 18 chartreuse GBH Copper Johns' under a size 16 Elk Hair Caddis indicator worked very well. By evening, many weather fronts had moved through the area making the fishing challenging but still lots of fun.

Saturday morning when we woke up, we were treated to a spectacular display of Nature's artistry, as the whole valley was lightly dusted in snow. A real Kodak moment! We pretty much followed Fridays' regimen by fishing the north ponds until about 12:30, breaking for a quick lunch back at The Lodge and then fishing the middle ponds.

Each of the ponds produced an abundance of very strong and colorful trout 18" - 28". A few of these trout took us into our backing, several simply inhaled our flies and bit through our leaders. What a blast!

The accomodations at the Lodge are AAA and Mike's hospitality is terrific.

Great time spent flyfishing with Randy, priceless!

Todd Ellinwood
San Rafael, Ca.

Submitted by John Nesheim, Apr. 15-17, 2005

Wow, what a great time we had at Sugar Creek Ranch! My fishing buddy Charles and I pulled in late Friday night and immediately got hungry as we walked in the Lodge, smelling the great food Mike was cooking.

After stashing our gear in our room, we introduced ourselves to the other guests and Denny Rickards, who was doing his famous stillwater clinic the next day. "How was the fishing, guys?" was my first question. With a small grin, Denny and the other Thursday fishers said "OK." Silence. So of course I had to ask, "OK, how many fish did you catch?" The answer from the first guest was "I had a good day, caught 25. But Denny did a bit better. He caught 44."

The fish are huge and abundant, getting fat (we caught 16 - 20 inch girths on 22 - 28 inch rainbows and steelhead) on abundant bugs and minnows.

Catching them requires some skill, and we came to learn. After three days of working at it, using Denny Rickards' system and Mike's tips, we had hooked a lot and landed a bunch each day. We left very satisfied and highly recommend Sugar Creek Lodge to ambitious fishers.

Beginners, please note: there were four beginners that did Denny Rickards' clinic. They had never fly fished before. They had rods and reels and not much else. They all caught large torpedoes! Mike says that is not unusual.

The return drive was beautiful, through gentle canyons on a very good road. We rode in silence, absorbing God's amazing creation. And will remember the trip as one of our most enjoyable.

John Nesheim

Submitted by Galen Petty, Feb. 4-6, 2005

Once again the trip over to Sugar Creek Ranch was well worth the drive. What an awsome place to escape to when winter weather has all of the coastal streams high and muddy. The fish were strong and absolutely beautiful; a lot like the anadramous fish I pursue on a regular basis in Humboldt, Trinity and Del Norte counties.

The lodge was enjoyed more than ever with the winter chill in the air, and the new deck and stairs into the lodge were a nice improvement. A hot cup of coffee with a spectacular sunrise makes even those moments spent not fishing well worth the trip.

The fish were as unpredictable as usual, but with a little effort it was not too difficult to figure out how to bend a rod -something that was done far too many times to keep track of. Sure there were some long distance releases, some short distance releases, some break-offs and not just a few hook sets that were too early or too late. I guess that is to be expected when you see an 11-pound rainbow sipping your midge off of the surface.

Fish were landed on crawfish patterns, black leeches, chartreuse leeches, various baitfish imitations, chironomids and adult midge imitations. The flies we fished ranged in size from #26 to #2. Talk about needing more than one rod rigged. I have yet to figure out how to throw (and I mean throw) a #2 crawdad imitation on a 6x leader.

Thanks again for the opportunity to fish your ponds. I will spend the next few days nursing my sore shoulder and elbow. Ah the price we pay for catching so many big, strong, fiesty and beautiful trout.

Galen Petty

Submitted by Steve Metaxas, Feb. 4-6, 2005

Yes. I went back. The weather was clear, colder then your last date, w/ sunrises and sunsets that would make a English school teacher speechless. And yes - Mike takes it for granted :)

The fishing started out w/a bang w/fat hogs in spawning colors. I went down deep w/ leeches and minnow patterns but had to switch to fish the hatches. The midges were out in force in sizes too small for me to tie on, tiny sizes that made you need younger eyes and smaller fingers to tie. If you could tie them it was a good day to be there.

The 4 - 6 lb trout were breaching in the ponds like whales. It made you think you were watching one of those expensive flyfishing movies- he one's you could only watch and NEVER do. WRONG, this time YOU are there! The whole four days of flyfishing was worth it , just for the magical fish that were breaching in front of me. It was like your first date and luv. You can"t put it into words.

Let us say I'm booking my next trip. You want Rainbows (on dries, midges, and leeches) that make you wimper in the nite so your wife thinks you're having bad dreams? Just be where I am/was. Your words and vocabulary will increase to levels you never thought they could reach. yesyesyes. Trust me. In this high-tech, cell-phone, faxing society, sometimes one must just sit back and watch the simple things in life that make you grin like you did in high school - watching these massive trout taking midges on the waters for 10 minutes...

It made my work much easier to take.. enjoy and smile.. Life's too short to miss this.

Steve Metaxas

Submitted by Larry Garrison, Nov. 12, 2004

We started fishing at the north pond on a frosty November morning. The fish were already actively feeding on emergers. My first few casts with subsurface flys and an egg pattern with a strike indicator proved ineffective. After about a half an hour I switched to a #20 emerger pattern. The first fish I had on was over 24" and in no time, after a strong run, spit the hook. I was much warmer all of a sudden. I caught several nice fish in both north ponds with that fly. My fishing partner was having success using ants, beetles and a size 14 parachute adams he tied himself.

At noon we decided to go to the south pond, per Mike's recommendation. He said there had been a Mayfly hatch midday on Thursday. Upon reaching the pond I put on a crippled Mayfly emerger pattern in a rust color. We fished there for about an hour and I caught three beautiful trout. One was an acrobat, jumping several times and the other two made multiple runs across the pond. These fish are really strong!

We then ventured to the middle ponds. My friend was still catching fish on his parachute adams, but I didn't have much luck on the three middle ponds.

The Tule pond was next. When we arrived the fish were actively feeding on emergers of some sort. Again my partner caught fish on his parachute pattern. I did not have much luck with my selections until I chose a brown and black bunny leach. Why I picked that fly-who knows! It was a weighted fly which was very hard to cast. The first cast hit the water with a splash and I saw a "V" coming towards the fly at a high rate of speed. After one strip I had a violent strike and the fight was on. What a beautiful fish-easily over 25" with a thick body and brillant  colors. Over the next 30 minutes that big ugly fly produced eight fish with none being under 20". WOW!!

We finished the last hour of the day at the north ponds. My partner and I went home with sore forearms and smiles on our faces. We easily caught over 30 fish. These are the kind of fishing days a guy dreams about. Fortunately, I have had this  experience several times at Sugar Creek Ranch. I recommend this place to anyone. You have to work for the fish, but once you figure out what they are taking-HANG ON! Thanks, Mike, for being a great host once again.

Larry Garrison

Submitted by Britt Phillips, Dec. 15, 2004

Excerpt from a journal about a four-day fishing trip: Then day two, up to Sugar Creek Ranch and the high quality fish Mike has developed there, west of Weed. My rod of choice was my Scott S3 9' 6wt sweetheart rod and began the day with my Cutt-Nip scud on a long, 14' leader. It was cold when I started fishing and the first two fish were sluggish coming in. When the sun came up a bit and warmed up the air and water, the fish really lit-up!

The larger ones took several runs and did not come in easily! Mike, the owner, said some of his fish came from Eagle Lake!! Some from Oregon, ala steelhead strains and some steelhead through the gravels from the Scott River. After the sixth fish, I tried different combos of flies. Crane, midge, brassie, Griffiths Gnat.........Nada! Groan! Back to the scud, a couple of LDR's.. Then, as quickly as the day started, it shut off like a light switch at about 2:30 PM. Got cold quickly.

I would recommend Sugar Creek Ranch anytime. The lodge is modern, clean and efficient. There is space for RVs and the such and the ponds...but more, the fish. Go there, it is well worth it, and if you do, mention my name to Mike. I would appreciate it a lot.

Britt
Hole in the Wall Fly Shop

Submitted by Dan Dozer, Sept. 27-30, 2004

We had a wonderful time on our first visit to Sugar Creek Ranch. We landed nearly 50 fish in the 18" to 26" range, and lost several that were much larger. Deer hair mice in the early morning, black ants and midges during the day, and black crickets and small serendipity patterns in the evenings worked well for us. But, it was green and orange crayfish or olive sculpin patterns fished deep that seemed to be irresistible to the largest rainbows.

The hospitality that Mike, Cal, and Bob offered was great, and the accommodations in the lodge were very comfortable. We're definitely looking forward to a return visit for more great fishing.

Dan and Mary Ann Dozer

Submitted by Rich Lewis, August 20, 2004

Those fish are the strongest fishes I have fought in fresh water. They even rank with some saltwater fishes pound for pound. The individual trout that impressed me so much nearly kicked my butt.

I used hoppers & crickets almost exclusively-even in the morning. I did catch a few on a mini-baitfish pattern, a buffalo head nymph--but the game seemed to be on top with the terrestrials. I had tied big #6 hoppers and crickets and those drew vicious strikes.

My biggest fish on a hopper was a 9 pounder in the lower North Pond. I could pretty much single out individual fish in the pods and cast to them. That was great fun. I cast the flies between the fish and shore, and the lunkers pounced! Heart stopping really.

If I counted grabs and locking horns-I'd say I tangled with 60 plus fish. I actually landed a few more than 40. The smallest was 16" and I know a few went 5#, 6# and one was 7# for sure. The 7#er was in the South pond.

I had a 6#er on at Tule Pond that thought it was a Marlin. That fish was hell bent.. He finally threw the hook after 5 jumps arcing across the whole pond. Another monster at Tule sucked in the Hopper from the surface. I never saw it. It immediately ran line out at a steady clip with head shakes and promptly imbedded itself in the weeds and would not budge. It simply would not come up, or out. I finally broke the 3X fluro trying to ease it out. I can only imagine how big it was.

On my last morning, after talking to Kal the eve prior, I re-rigged with a fresh leader and 3X tippet and tied-on a big Mouse. I slipped down to South pond at 5:15 a.m. in the dark. I made a perfect 45-foot cast off the point toward the East.

When the mouse plopped on the water, there was an explosion that nearly stopped my heart. A big trout engulfed that mouse and it was off to the races. I saw a net there on the ground and used it to scoop up a 25-28 inch Bow. That was quite an experience in itself.

Our stay at the Ranch was tremendous! We literally had the lodge to ourselves for three days, and there were only a few other anglers on the property.

Rich Lewis and Family
El Segundo, CA

Submitted by Mark Livingston, July 11-14

Our group of about 8 close friends and family members go on an annual "guys" fishing trip. For the past 8 years we have been going to various "private" waters throughout Northern California, and while we always have a great time and experience some wonderful fishing, nothing comes close to Sugar Creek Ranch.

I had fished the ranch in 1997 on the recommendation of Ray Beadle, and although I only had a day the size and power of the fish have always been in the back of my mind.

On this year's trip everyone caught lots of fish. We had fish in the teens and too many in the 5 to 8 lb class to count.
Some of the highlights were...
• Harry catching fish after fish on a 6 inch bunny fly that was probably best suited for sailfish!
• Duwayne had every fish in one of the middle ponds fighting over a white bugger...until he finally lost it and didn't have another to tie on
• Tim was consistant fishing with a #22 griffiths gnat on 6x...a fish every 30 minutes or so the entire trip
• Nino, who hasn't flyfished in years caught his largest trout ever, and proved to everyone, that a "good" fisherman will always catch.
• Mike landed a legitimate 10# plus bow that made his trip!
• Chris, who gave up time surfing in Indo had as much fun as anyone, and fished harder and longer that any of us
• Jim with his new XP and smooth style was always into a fish, when he wasn't video taping everyone else!
• Papa, at 89 years young, had a great time and landed some nice ones!

Mike, Cal and Bob were the best hosts anyone could ask for! We were warmly welcomed and had a wonderful time with these guys. I can't say enough good things about them.

If you are looking for great fishing...look no further. Sugar Creek is the place by which all other private waters should be judged.

The new house is great with everything you could possibly need including a fly tying bench!

I will also add that the Etna Brewery delivered on its promise of awesome beer! The summer ale was just about the best brew I have ever had.

Mike, Cal and Bob we look forward to our 2005 trip. Thank you so much.

Submitted by John O'Donoghue, June 5, 2004

Mike,

I wanted a moment to thank you for the great time I had at your ponds on June 3rd, 4th & 5th with my fishing partner Paul Fox. I have had the opportunity to fish half a dozen different private lakes and ponds. Sugar Creek Ranch has them all beat with fish that are large, selective, and in perfect condition.

The highlight of the trip was our last morning sight fishing with adult damsel patterns in the south pool. We had 30"+ long fish swim up to within inches of our flies, most would take a good look & say "No Thank You". These fish can really be picky! It took a near perfect presentation to fool them in the shallow gin clear water. Once we did get them to eat, some of the big boys ended up taking us deep into the backing and left us with a broken tippet and an ear to ear grin.

A guy could get spoiled fishing here, it’s a very special place. You get so many opportunities at large fish it's a great place to hone your skills. I consider myself a competent stillwater fisherman. My three days on Sugar Creek Ranch advanced the learning curve a bunch! I hope to make my visits a yearly event.

John O’Donoghue
Bend, Oregon

Submitted by Allan Slattery, Apr. 30, 2004

Dear Mike,

Wanted to let you know about our visit to Sugar Creek Ranch on April 30.

My results were:
Chartreuse Bunny Leech – 4 hookups, one landed 23"
Callibaetis Cripple Size 14 – 8 hookups, 6 landed sizes ranged from 6" to 18"
Griffith’s Gnat Size 20 – 4 hookups, 2 landed, largest 16 _" One monster broke off the 5X tippet and has a Gnat in his lip.

These are the strongest, best conditioned trout I have ever landed. Every hookup resulted in several sizzling runs. These fish used every trick in the book: leaps at the end of their run, head shaking, rolling, and my fishing partner had one swim upside down and turn a sommersault. He caught a 21" fish on a size 22 midge. What a battle that was!

I have fished other private ponds in Northern California, but never experienced the power and fight of the trout we caught at Sugar Creek Ranch. While it took us several hours of experimentation to find the right flies, the surface feeding during the last 3 hours of daylight was breathtaking and non-stop action.

I have to introduce another fishing partner to your fabulous fish.

Allan Slattery
Shingletown, CA

Submitted by Zack Thurman, Apr. 15, 2004

Your ranch is awesome!!!  I have fished it three times now and haven't been disappointed.  One beauty I caught in the South Pond was 31" long, but we forgot the girth measurement. I caught the fish on a # 8 Burnt Orange Seal Bugger with a slow 8" pull n pause retrieve. 

The flies that were most productive were the Stillwater Nymph, Chub Minnows, Seal Bugger in various colors ,and the Callibaetis Nymph.  The line we used was the Cortland Clear Camo and used 12-15 ft leaders tapered to 3x and 4x depending on whether we used the Minnow Patterns on the buggers and nymphs.  The best retrieves were slow pull and pauses with the Buggers and the Nymphs and fast continous pulls with the minnow patterns.

My dad and I had a great time.  We caught about 50 fish between the two of us. 

Thanks again and I can't wait until I return again.
                                                           
Zack Thurman

Submitted by Robert Meiswinkel, Apr. 10, 2004

We had an epic day on the ranch on Saturday. Fishing midges was as good as it gets, and I got schooled by all the fish over 8 lbs.

I have caught so many big fish in my life from around the world, that I almost take it for granted that once I hook em' they are mine. Not on Saturday though, the fish won.

Thanks for the reality check. See you when the first Callibaetis come off. Keep me posted.

Robert

Submitted by Galen Pettey, Apr. 4, 2004

As always, we had a great time at Sugar Creek Ranch. The fishing, especially in the middle ponds, was outstanding. We caught more fish than we could even begin to number - most of which fell in the three to six-pound range with a couple of fish in the eight to ten-pound class.

In addition, we hooked a few fish that were too big to estimate weight on. The north ponds yielded some fish that weighed more than even a 1X tippet and a smooth Abel drag system could handle. I suppose that the five-inch crawdad imitation tied on a 1/0 hook helped in making the all too brief connection to one of those monsters, but it was nice to see a parabolic bend in my seven weight.

My friend Joel enjoyed fishing streamers the most. There is something addictive about the ferocity of a wild fish hitting something he perceives to be rapidly escaping food. Chartreuse, black and burnt orange bunny leeches and mohair leeches in size eight were the most productive for us, but fry immitations and epoxy minnow patterns also produced well and caught some very nice sized fish.

Dry fly action was a bit slow, but midge immitations in black, gray and white did catch some very nice fish on the south pond. Interestingly enough, the largest fish I caught in the south pond this trip were deceived by mini-crawdad imitations.

Both of our wives enjoyed their stay at Sugar Creek Ranch, though neither one fished. The lodge is very nice and clean, and a great place to take five. Laurie, a novice photographer, got inumerable opportunities to practice photographing fishermen, fish and wildlife. Jenny enjoyed trying to keep up with her two year old son Joshua, who got to help dad reel in a few fish. Both women admitted that the guys appeared to be having more fun than should be legal.

This trip, as have all others to Sugar Creek Ranch, not only met, but surpassed our expectations. It is why I keep going back. Mike, Meg and Kal - as always - our stay at your place was better than we could have hoped for. Thanks! We will see you again soon!

Sincerely,
Galen Pettey

Submitted by David Hollister, Mar. 26, 2004

Thank you for an outstanding two days. Both the accommodations and fishing were first class. A storm front came thru causing some wind on Thursday followed by a dusting of snow Thursday night. The fishing was outstanding both days. I worked, primarily, the middle ponds using a clear intermediate line with a Jay Fair wooly nymph (both burnt orange and rust). Fish were hitting when the fly hit the water, on the drop and also on the strip (some at my feet).
I had roughly 30-40 fish to hand on Thursday (vast majority from middle ponds, 2 from south ponds) and 20-30 on Friday (all from middle ponds, skunked fishing out of the float tube for an hour at north ponds).

All fish were thick, aggressive and incredibly hard fighting. Largest fish was in the 22-25" range, smallest was 14-16" (shaped like a football).

I can see the ponds, which are exceptionally clear, proving difficult under certain conditions. Nevertheless, the combination of the location, atmosphere and quality of fish makes this a very special spot. I look forward to returning in the near future.

Dave

Submitted by Steve Lawler, Jan.4, 2004

Thanks a million for your hospitality. The lodge is incredibly comfortable. Everything is exceptional and more.

And of course the fishing experience is second to none. Not too often you land over four 7lb+ fish in a day. I look forward to the return trip very soon,

Thanks.
Steve Lawler
Livermore, CA

Submitted by Paul Fox, June 13-15, 2003

Once again a quality time was had. This trip, however, was way different than last year.....mainly bigger fish, not big numbers. I'm glad that I focused on Twin Deer and Lone Bear, and all but a couple of my fish were taken using an indicator and a chironomid.

Friday evening( when I arrived) I ended up with 10 total, including three on dries...and one was 27+ inches. At least two others were 24+ ...very deep and pretty.

On Saturday, between the two lakes I got five in the morning, two more in a long, slow afternoon, and six after 6:00 p.m.) for 13 fish. I really earned those babies. Most were big (4 pounds and up) and very beautiful specimens. Many missed strikes on the indicator Saturday evening. 'Bout 6:00 p.m. the fish became more aggressive, and takes were confident.

Sunday I picked up three by 8:00 a.m. and at 9:00 decided to head out for home, knowing the afternoon would be slow....

Thanks again......great job,

Paul......I'll be back...

Visiting Sugar Creek in the winter time is truly unique, and offered a completely different perspective and experience from my first visit in the early summer. First off, I was able to stay at the lodge, which I have to say was one of the best I have seen. Everything a fly fisher needs is there, including a tying bench, flies (in case you lose as many as me), and additional fly fishing accesories. Very comfortable!

I was able to fish the first day with a friend, Jim Roberts, and it sure made the difference in my success with these trophy trout. I probably would have spent a lot of time trying to figure those fish out, but Jim made quick work of this, with fish taken in the first 15 minutes.

The dry fly activity was considerably less than that back in July, however the trout were still actively feeding on top. I was able to entice only one looker, and quickly decided to concentrate on sub-surface. The majority of activity was various nymph patterns slow stipped on a floating line, with a small shot appx. 12-18 inches above the fly.

What I truly enjoy and look forward to at Sugar Creek is the fury with which the trout take the fly. Nothing shy here, and not for the faint of heart!

Majority of fish landed were 4+ pounds, with some over 7 pounds. The water clarity was as good as ever, even with the amount of run-off produced with the latest storm. Middle ponds were gin clear, and the North pond ! was clearer than I remember back in July.

Thanks again Mike and Meg for the hospitality, and I look forward to my next visit very soon. Very much worth the 5 hour drive!!

Submitted by Galen Perry, Nov. 17 2002

I knew from past experience that fall fishing at Sugar Creek Ranch could be both challenging and rewarding; both proved to be true this week-end.

Saturday morning fishing started out slow for me on the south pond; while my friend Steve hooked five very nice fish on a chartreuse bunny leech (they only wanted a size eight and I didn't have any eights).

Throughout the day the middle ponds yielded numerous fish in the three to five pound range on various leeches in brown, black, and chartreuse (in size eight again)for Warren, Steve and myself. Saturday evening a storm front moved in and we were unable to get even a strike in any of the ponds.

Sunday brought rain in the morning and no fish on leeches in the south pond. However, the fish really liked a white, size eighteen winged midge adult and I landed two fish over six pounds.

A return to the middle ponds proved that a chartreuse bunny leech in size eight had not lost it's appeal to the fish. I hooked nine typical middle pond fish in just about an hour before fishing slowed down and then hook-ups ceased all together.

Some time during mid-morning fish began feeding on the surface in the center of the middle ponds, but after a couple of hours, numerous dry flies,and still no fish, things weren't looking too good. Then Warren, who was leaving pointed out a rust colored mayfly on his windshield. Needless to say a size sixteen rusty adams introduced me to another eleven fish over the next ninety minutes.

Finally tiring of what Mike calls little fish in the middle ponds, I returned to the north pond just before dusk and tied on a crawdad pattern I tie on a size two, six extra long hook. The fly is quite heavily weighted and very difficult to cast (I can't turn it over with less than twelve pound tippet); but I only had to make three casts before I hooked into a fish that put a heavy bend in my seven weight. It was about twenty minutes before I saw the fish which tipped the scales well over the ten pound mark. A few minutes later the fish was netted and a couple of quick photos were taken.

While reviving the trophy rainbow prior to releasing it, I thought about how fortunate I was to have found such a wonderful place; owned by congenial hosts who were willing to share it.

As in times past, the trip was worth every penny invested in truly one of the best trophy rainbow trout fisheries I have ever experienced. Thank you once again Mike. See you again next year.

Sincerely, Galen Pettey

Submitted by R. L. "Stew" Stewart, Sept. 16, 2002

Weather clear, slight breeze. Started fishing about 10 a.m.
Fished the south pool first. Water gin clear and fish spooky. Tried ten different flies on a Cortland 444SL 15ft clear tip int. sink-tip (WF6HI).

The 11th fly, a George Close Angora Dansel, size #10 did the trick. George's fly is in the FFF Patterns of the Masters, Volume Six (if you need copy of tying instructions e-mail me at rstewart@shasta.com). Landed five nice fish.

Had lunch and moved to the North Pools area. Fished Twin Deer with the same set up and landed a fish about every 15 minutes until about 6 p.m.. Then fish started rising to midges. I am not a good midge fisherman so I only landed one fish. Thanks Mike, I had a great time.

Submitted by Ben Taylor, Sept. 8-10, 2002

Mike...Many thanks for another great trip to Sugar Creek Ranch. You had some very nice weather for us, and those who stayed in the lodge really enjoyed it.

Submitted by Paul Fox, Aug. 31- Sept. 1, 2002

Comments: B.C. was great in the spring but the lakes of Central Oregon , my homewaters, had been seriously off most of the season, so when my wife booked her flight to visit her sister for a week in late August, I thought I'd treat myself to a couple of days at SCR.

Never having fished there previously, I was a little concerned when Mike informed me that I would be fishing during the slow time of year..... Oh well, I thought, it would be way better than yardwork... Thankfully I can say I was not disappointed, in fact fishing was great and consistent throughout each day. Each pond has it's own personality and it was great to mix 'em up. Hatches were minimal but there were always some suspended, active fish looking for a meal.

Fishing was good from the get go....I started early a.m. with 16 and 18 dry chironomids and then went to a black dry ant pattern in a rather large size 12, then a wet black hardbody ant and then to a black mini leech (tied on a size 12 scud hook with a black bead and a 3/4"long tuft of marabou in black...a very simple effective tie)...that fly was extremely productive used with a type one, slow clear intermediate line...They grabbed it using a slow hand twist and also stipping moderately fast. I believe they (mis)took it for a small bait fish.

Day one I hooked over 30 fish approximately half on top and half subsurface, landing about 25...most were 4-5#...the biggest about 6# ...I'm sure that I lost at least two that were bigger. Day one Alder pond yielded several nice fish fooled with big black ants....they turned away from small stuff. (I found that overall 5X fluorocarbon was fine for dries and 3x fluoro when stripping was not a problem.)

Cottonwood really produced for me on Sat both on top and subsurface...Tule pond also was very generous. On Sunday I found that the gin clear Alder pond fish really liked a size 16 b.h. brassie, hung off an indicator. I'd cast out and let sit until a fish move in to about a 10' radius ...then I'd begin a slow handtwist. They grabbed it with confidence. I did favor the middle ponds...the North Pond was very good Sat morning starting over near in inlet. Day two I also used an smallish stickleback pattern ( olive on top with white belly)...it worked very well.

What a great, fun place. The fish are beautiful, hot specimens. The setting is very pretty and unique. The lodge was excellent and I want to thank Mike and Meg for doing such a fantastic job... Thank you so much for your vision and hard work!!

Submitted by Todd Setzer, Aug. 9-10, 2002

My second visit to Sugar Creek Ranch-- While August is typically tough fishing on stillwaters, that was not the case at SCR. However the fish are very wise and you have to offer them something they want. 6X tippet is a must. I watched fish cruise up to my bug while using 5X, take a look and turn away. Once I went to 6X things improved. These are hot fish, and it's not unusual to get spooled as your fish tears across the pond.

We fished the middle ponds Blackberry and Alder. We had dual hookups and plenty of action especially Friday morning. You can sight cast to many of these fish. The grabs can be a subtle sip, or a violet attack. Using light tippets you must be careful not to horse or try to rush the fish to the net. It's also important to make sure the fish is ready to be released, before letting them go. It takes big fish longer to revive from the trauma of the fight.

Using a dry line with a 10-12ft leader the fish took damsels (size 10-12), PTs APs, caddis pupa, callibaetis nymphs in sizes 14-18. In the evening elk hair caddis, adams 14-18, and the same nymp's mentioned above. Never tried the mouse I had nor any hoppers. They looked at an ant but never took it...could've been the 5X? And of course the proverbial woolly bugger never fails.

This time of year the fish move to the deeper cooler water by 11:30. I'm sure you could lay a woolly bugger on the bottom and once you started stripping the line you'd get some attention, and grabs. By 5:00 pm the fish are back up top, ready for action.

The lodge is very nice and comfortable. Mike and Kal are excellent hosts, as they'll do what it takes to make your stay enjoyable. I'll definitely return...One last thing...the drive from I-5 up into the mountains (Gazelle-Callahan road) is one of my favorites because of the views and vista of the back side of Mt. Shasta. Check it out.

Submitted by Mike Steiner , January 12, 2002

Fishng was slow in the morning; Hot in the afternoon.
3 in the 5 pound class,
4 in the 7 pound class.
Wonderfull fishing. Thanks for a great experience."

Mike

Submitted by Lee Bell, January 8, 2002

Dates fished: January 4 & 5, 2002

Fishing the first day was nothing short of unreal. Between my buddy Kerry and I, we landed about 20 fishing the first day nothing under 4 pounds and the largest up in the 8 pound range. On top of that, we lost a number of fish as well. The second day was a much harder bite than the first day. We landed 12 fish the second day, but still was great fishing.

We were catching fish on a wide array of imitations. The Chartreuse bunny leech was a killer, and we took a number of the larger fish on this pattern. Also Zonkers in various colors worked really well. Crawdad patterns worked well in the first of the middle ponds, but didn't get as much action anywhere else with that. The were midge hatches all day long, I found that #18 and #20 griffiths and various black midge patterns in the same size range, but the fish were very leader shy and I was finding myself fishing 7x with these drys. Dead drifting also produced a lot of fish and lots of missed fished. The fish at times really were keying in on the hatches at times, so I found that going small, whether dries on top or small nymphs or emergers behind a indicator worked much better than the larger streamer type imitations when the fish were a little more selective.

Overall the fishing was the best, and I plan to be back soon as possible, Oh and I did get snapped of by one of those 10+ fish...I will get my revenge very soon..I promise!!

Thank You Mike for the great trip..

Lee Bell
Kerry Harris

Submitted by Terry Edelmann, December 27-29, 2001

We enjoy this Ranch and Lodge more each time we visit. This place has become tradition in the hearts and minds of our family, and we thank you for this. I wouldn't give up the winter fishing here for a million bucks. Thanks for all.
Terry Edelmann

Submitted by Paul Leong, May 23, 1998:

Wx:
Wind, rain and marble sized hail.

What worked:
Black caddis w/Royal Wulff body, Rio Baker Caddis.  Black leeches, black wooley buggers, Edelman crawdad.

Comments:
We came as a large group with several novice fishers as well as some accomplished stillwater fishers.  Fortunately everyone landed Trophy sized Trout.  Sugar Creek offers lots of challenges.  There was a lot of tippet breaking, hook bending, reels being very close to losing all of its backing, huge Trout jumping in the air, reels screaming and some HOOK BREAKING.  A good number of anglers mentioned that they have never seen so many huge Trout that fight so furiously they would often leave an angler dropping their jaw in amazement.

Submitted by Joe Cooper, Nov 23, 1998:

What worked:
Lots of dry's on the surface and midge pupae in the top water.

Comments:
I fished Sugar Creek 3 times in '98 for a total of six days.  Here is a log of the fish I landed over 18", and there were many I didn't land.
18"-19.5"=3,   20"-21.5"=3,    22"-23.5"=8,   24"-25.5"=3,    26"-27.5"=8,   28"-29.5"=2,    30"-31.5"=3.

Submitted by Jim Gade, Feb 27, 1999:

Wx:
Fri-lt snow shwrs, 38°.  Sat-lt rain, wind, ~55°.

What worked:
Borger's Strip Leach, Edelmann Crawdad, other big type deep water stuff.

Comments:
LOTS of fish!  Several 30+". 

Submitted by Eric Woyce,  March 3, 1999:

Report = Fished with Guide Terry Edelmann.  Fly Fishing. My first time using flies.  Terry was great, the kind of guide I would like to have every time.  Mike the Manager was very friendly and made me feel very welcome.   Homemade Corned Beef for lunch from Mike...MMMM!  First day started the morning with about 10-15 fish to 6 or 7 pounds in the New Pond.  The afternoon barometer dropped and it got a bit slower on the North and South larger ponds.  Did hook what looked to be about a 8-10 pounder but lost it soon after.  Ended the day at the New Pond catching fish one after the other most 1-3 pounds then
missed 10 in a row right before dark.  Upon closer observation we realized the hook was broken and I felt a little better.

Second day was pretty much the same until about 2PM when the big ones started. Hooked, fought, and lost a 12 pounder. Then landed 6 fish out of 7 strikes in about an hour 6-9 pound each.  Ended the day with 5 or six more at this size, none smaller.
Awesome fishing.

Submitted by Randy Moon, May 1-2

Report = Saturday May 1st, beautiful morning with a slight breeze.   Fished the small Lake with my friend Sam and we slammed them!  Had 5 hookups in a row, didn't land them all.  The fish were really incredibly strong, what jumpers. Landed 16 fish before lunch, three in the 5-8 lb range and the rest in the 1-4 lb range. Finished the day out with 21 fish landed, it was a very good day.  Mainly used olive leech patterns. Caught one on a bead head Hare's ear.

Sunday May 2nd a front came in and it got real cold, wet, and windy. still managed to land 10 before lunch. Had to work hard for these, leech patterns weren't producing. They started hitting #14 hare's ears.
Had a great time, Mike was a great host.

Memories of Sugar Creek
By: Mondy Lariz
May 29

Most of us have heard of Sugar Creek Ranch by now. You may have seen the pictures of the trophy rainbow trout. I had seen them and also heard the stories of monster fish. So when Terry Edelmann told me he was going to doing a Stillwater Clinic at Sugar Creek I jumped on it. I was promised some wonderful memories, but I wasn't prepared for what followed.

Sugar Creek Ranch, which is named after the creek that flows nearby, is a collection of ponds which were built from the remains of one hundred year old gold mining trenches which once scarred many miles of the Scott Valley landscape near Etna. Many years ago the Scott River overflowed its banks and introduced Steelhead trout into these trenches which tend to collect spring water from the rich aquifer. These ponds have been dredged, landscaped, and planted with rainbow trout. Several strains of rainbow trout, including the now landlocked Scott River Steelhead, have been spawning in these ponds for ten years, and they now support healthy populations of massive fish. Work is underway on additional ponds including a ten acre float tube pond. The ponds have trailers that can sleep two, and an outdoor table with a barbecue pit. Landscaping the many rock piles on the property can be quite a challenge but progress is being made, and some of the view can be quite pleasant. Mike Kalpin, the owner, told me they will be building a lodge in the near future complete with restaurant facilities.

I have done a little lake fishing in the past but I had a lot to learn about stillwater fishing, and Terry is an excellent teacher. We started the morning casting leech patterns off the points on the North pond. Terry showed me how to work the water like a clock face. Soon I was fighting a nice fish well over twenty inches long and very thick. As the day continued I caught and released dozens of fish. Terry showed us how to use various methods, including wind drifting nymphs and his scud pattern, but the most interesting and productive method was slow stripping his famous crayfish pattern. No matter how many times I fished it I never got accustomed to the ferocious takes elicited by his giant life-like fly. Terry conducted a complete clinic including information on equipment, fly selection, seasonal habitat and techniques.

I tried to concentrate on all the information provided but with fish the size of torpedoes inches away I just couldn't keep my mind focused. Luckily there was plenty of time for fishing.

My goal from the start was to catch a fish over twenty inches in length with a size twenty or smaller fly. Terry fixed me up with a size 22 midge which I dead drifted to the largest fish I could see. That's right I was sight fishing for huge rainbows. Minutes later I was into a spectacular fish, the largest rainbow I have ever seen. It was like fighting a salmon or steelhead; these are amazingly strong and savvy fish. I had to overcome jumps, jerks and long runs away from and toward me. In the end I landed a thirty inch, sixteen pound behemoth that had several flies in his mouth. I also caught several smaller (I must be crazy calling twenty eight inch fish small) fish on a number 20 scud which Terry tied for me.

I spent the remainder of the time working on my second goal, trying to catch a twenty inch fish on a size 20 Griffith Gnat, but alas it was not to be. I caught a few close cousins, but the largest was a mere eighteen and a half inches. Well maybe next trip.

As I sit here writing this story my mind drifts off to Sugar Creek and two days of fishing I will never forget. It was like fishing in Alaska without the cold weather and the high cost.

Submitted by Terry Edelmann, Feb 26, 2000

Hello all,
I fished Sugar Creek Ranch Feb.19, 20, 21st. the a.m. was cold but it warmed up with sunny afternoons Sat.& Sun. and then rain on Mon.

2 lads(10yrs.old) and their dads hooked lots of big fish in the 5-6 lb. range with David, one of the lads, taking the biggest one to hand for that group - 10 pounds!  During the 3 days, we saw a 12 pounder taken to hand on an Edelmann Crawdad and then Ed Digardi of the San Jose Fly Shop topped the event with a 14-16 pound fish on an Edelmann Eel. (tyed specifically for Ed) Great idea Ed.

Midges, some early caddis in tan, rusty mays in sizes 18-16, crawdads, and several leeches are hot items now.  The hatches will increase as the weather begins to warm with the best dry fly action in late spring and summer.

This is adding up to be a superb year with another spawning season producing more wild fish and the 5th pond holding fat Browns, there's bound to be alot of interest!

Great fishing to all,
TERRY EDELMANN

Submitted by Terry Edelmann,  March 6, 2000

WOW! Thats what I heard most of the day from the three anglers last week end at Suger Creek Ranch. The rain on Sat. didn't slow anyone down and the fish loved the chartreuse bunny leech and Edelmanns Eel.

Sun. proved to be a bit different with the weather, SNOW!.  The fish didn't seem to mind though, because all caught fish. Including our first time angler who hooked fish in the 7,10&12 lb class with the Edelmann Crawdad, she's the one hooked on big fish now!

If you haven't contacted Sugar Creek Ranch for reservations, now would be the time to do so.

Baum lake had only 29 cars in the parking lot two weeks ago so if you like to avoid crowds and want still water fishing for wild fish I would highly recommend Suger Creek Ranch.

Good fishing to all,
TERRY

Just last weekend I had the great good fortune to help Terry Edelmann with a Still Water Clinic at Sugar Creek Ranch. All I can say is "WOW". Terry’s knowledge of still water fishing is phenomenal. And, then there is Sugar Creek Ranch and "WOW". Fishing for big, wild, naturally spawning fish on 5 ponds was quite an experience for the clients. When I say big, we are talking of up to 17+ <sup>pounds.

There are some pretty predictable dry fly hatches (particularly during the warmer weather) and the subsurface fishing is unbelievably good. These fish are big and have you into your backing in no time flat with many jumps, rolls and headshakes. And, as if that is not enough, the drive over from Weed through Scott’s Valley is worth the price of admission.</sup>

Gi^{ve me a call (925) 484-4781) or e-mail kilburnwestern@mindspring.com and I will be glad to tell you about the big ones the clients caught. You too could be on the other end of the line with one of these monsters. If you have not done much still water fishing, it would be best if you took one of Terry’s clinics. He will pass on to you all manner of information that will make your fishing experience more rewarding. He is an excellent instructor and his clinic is top notch.}

Remember that these fish are naturally spawning in the ponds (no triploids) and as such deserve to be played and landed with care. It is a wonderful fishery that I am sure you will return to many times over.  

 Submitted by Robert Lowe on September 18, 2000.

Rob Crockett and I just wanted to thank you for the great fishing we had this last Saturday - after you left us at the North Pond I caught a 29" rainbow at the riffle by the outlet of the lake on a #14 mayfly cripple pattern - the fishing was also fantastic at the middle pond in the last hour of daylight - Rob was hooking a fish every other cast - the hardest fighting fish of the day for me was caught there - this 22" rainbow took me into my backing after jumping clear of the water four times - what a fish -

My wife and son want to come fish at Sugar Creek Ranch now - we will probably see you there sometime again -

Thanks -

Bob Lowe
Nevada City, CA

Submitted by Keichi Aoyagi on April 8, 2001

Four of us fished on April 5th and 6th. In the afternoon of April 5th, I casually approached the Northernmost pond of the Middle Ponds and found a few fish cruising near the surface. A #14 Adams was tied and presented to the fish. A group of fish charged to the fly. A winner was caught and released. As I made another cast I immediately had another fish. It was released quickly. And another fish was caught immediately after that.  It sounds easy, but actually every fish 18 to 20 inches fought so hard it took more time to fight and land the fish than it did to hook them. Soon my arm started to hurt.

Thinking that they would take any fly, I presented caddis flies, but the fish did not show any interest, nor to CDC May fly. But a black ant was their favorite. They chased even a submerged ant.

As my friend joined in with a green colored bunny leach, the fish went wild and could not wait for it to sink. We laughed hard and agreed that we never caught so many fish of these sizes in one afternoon.

Four of  us fished at the same pond in the afternoon of the 6th and experienced several quadruple hook ups. It was a fantastic fishing experience.

We were also impressed with the lodge and hope everyone appreciates it and takes care of the place. We will be back.

Keichi Aoyagi

Submitted by Larry Garrison on April 23, 2001

I attended the Denny Rickard fly fishing clinic on May 21, 2001. After four hours of a very enjoyable and information packed lecture by Denny we were turned lose on the water at Sugar Creek Ranch.

What a place. Beautiful crystal clear water and huge fish. My attempts on the first few casts proved fruitless while still trying to perfect the new techniques I learned. When I reached the third of the middle ponds I started catching fish. Four in twenty minutes with two being well over four-five pounds. Our group then moved to the North Pond. After an hour and one smaller fish, I moved to a little bay and made one cast and I had a good take.

I could tell it was a big fish by the weight on my rod. The fish made three long runs of about 50 feet each. He was way into my backing and in the middle of the lake by now. The fish then started to charge the bank. I reeled as fast as I could while backing up the bank to keep slack out my line. After eight minutes later and one! sore fore arm I had the fish in and carefully released him. It was a 28", 11 pound rainbow. A beautiful fish. I ended up catching 10 fish on Saturday with six being well over four pounds.

Mike is a great host and couldn't do enough for us. All of the fish I caught were nice and fat and jumped like crazy when hooked. If you are looking for a place to have the stillwater experience of a lifetime I would highly recommend Sugar Creek Ranch. I know I'll go back.

Submitted by Steve Metaxas on October 25, 2001

Report = Well, I read about these trout for a long time. I talked about going for a long time. I dreamed about going for even a longer time. So I finally I went. Was it worth it? The 5 hour drive, the spending long hours tying flies-blablabla... Is a fat dog heavy?

I caught trout that I only saw pictures of in magazines. Big, heavy, Alaska type trout with coloring that could only be done by nature.

I'm still smiling. I hooked at least 10 - 12 fish a day, some down deep, a few on drys and midges. Oh, you want to know how big... The biggest was pushing ten(10) pounds, numerous 4-6 pound trout, all with dark spotting, red stripes - the large rainbow trout you see pictures of in those fancy flyfishing magazines in Alaska and they spend $4000 - 7000 dollars to catch. And yes you have to work for them. Matching the hatch, changing flies and leaders, casting short to 70 feet, slinking to the water like a burglar. But they are big trout. Need I say more. The pond's were beautiful and I would slap my mother to go again - and I will. The huge, football shaped 30 inch rainbow. The 6 pound, jumping like a tarpon, rainbow sealed it....

The owner, Mike, was great. Checking on you at least twice a day, giving advice, patterns that should work for the time of year, history of the ponds and trout - etc. My hats off to the owners. They have trout that only some of us dream of... Thanks again to Mike. I can scratch off a fish on my "fish I want to catch list"....... 10lb Tiger colored rainbow.

Submitted by Ron Rabun, Granite Bay Flycasters, Granite Bay, CA on Nov. 17, 2001

We made our a trek for the BIG Bows of Sugar Creek Ranch with 7 members. Saturday morning, we feasted on a hearty breakfast at the Cornerstone in Dunsmuir. About 8:30, we embarked on the hour drive over the hill to Sugar Creek.

Arriving at the North Pond we discovered they had been digging an enlargement and the pond was muddy. However, Bob Pearcy managed a 7 pounder there on the infamous Chartruese Bunny Leech a SCR staple. We immediately split up on the South and Middle Ponds. Some fish were working the surface and Ron recommended a Midge or BWO. Right off, Bill Rains hooked a nice fish on a BWO and 5x. There were many refusals on 5x, so 6x was needed. This made the breakoffs more frequent. Warren Caldwell managed a nice fish on the South Pond. John Hodgson camped most of the day at Middle Pond 4 and managed several fish on midge emergers. Cary Boyden found the ticket in the late afternoon taking several fish on a Flash Back PT. Jim Rains caught a sizable 6 pounder on a Grasshopper. Things picked up momentarily on Middle 4 in the afternoon when Ron Rabun told Warran, "drastic times need drastic measures. Let's mess with there minds." and put on a #8 Orange Caddis Stimulator. A couple twitches, BAM, a nice Rainbow on. Warren missed several using the same technique. Nymphs and midges on light tippet seemed to be the fare most of the day.

All-in-all the day was a challenging still water day with everyone landing a nice Rainbow. Everyone caught fish and hooked several more. SCR provides a rewarding fishery with some tests of skill and patterns. Most of the fish ranged from 3 to 6 pounds. Everyone concurred another outing in the Springtime was in the cards.

WHAT'S AT SUGAR CREEK FOR NON-FISHING
SPOUSES?
See these great comments from a guest.

GROUPS AND FAMILIES
Sugar Creek Ranch can be a fantastic place for your group or family gathering! Take a look at this
report from a July visit...

ALLAN SLATTERY
"Every hookup resulted in several sizzling runs. These fish used every trick in the book...

I have fished other private ponds in Northern California, but never experienced the power and fight of the trout we caught at Sugar Creek Ranch...the surface feeding during the last 3 hours of daylight was breathtaking and non-stop action.
"

BOB MEYER
"Extremely hard fighting rainbows. Seeing your line and then your backing disappear from the reel can be a frequent event."
<><

photo: Wes Wada

ERIC SAMULI
"I was videotaping my wife playing a fish. She was a good three minutes into the battle when the fish turned and bolted to the far side of the pool. The run was over fourteen seconds long, and it took over 200 feet of line and backing!?"
<><

photo: Ray Beadle

STEVE METAXAS
"I caught trout that I only saw pictures of in magazines. Big, heavy, Alaska type trout with coloring that could only be done by nature. The huge, football shaped 30 inch rainbow. The 6 pound rainbow, jumping like a tarpon, sealed it...."
<><

<><

photo: Wes Wada

RAY BEADLE
Holder of 8 world records past and present
"Most awesome pond fishing experience ever...Quality of fish second to none...Only ponds I know of with natural reproduction...You guys have got the best of the best."
<><

photo: Kim Cowell

MICHAEL FONG
Editor and Publisher-
The Inside Angler
"These rainbows are some of the hardest fighting fish Chris and I have ever caught. They wil literally destroy the pawls and springs of reels not designed to handle strong running fish."
<><

JIM GADE
"These rainbows fight so hard they remind me of the Mendocino coast winter run steelhead I used to catch as a young lad in the 50's."
<><

GALEN PETTEY

...We hooked a few fish that were too big to estimate weight on. The north ponds yielded some fish that weighed more than even a 1X tippet and a smooth Abel drag system could handle, but it was nice to see a parabolic bend in my seven weight.

BERNIE TAYLOR
outdoor writer
"We spend thousands of dollars traveling around the world in search of big trout. At Sugar Creek they are large, almost beyond the imagination. And certainly within the budget and distance of most West Coat fly fishers."
<><

ED DIGARDI
Professional Guide
"I have fished Alaska and all over California, and
I have never had more fun fighting double digit rainbows than at the Sugar Creek Ranch."
<><

LARRY GARRISON
"What a place. Beautiful crystal clear water and huge fish. If you are looking for a place to have the stillwater experience of a lifetime I would highly recommend Sugar Creek Ranch. I know I'll go back."
<><

PAUL LEONG
"A good number of anglers mentioned that they have never seen so many huge trout that fight so furiously ...often leave an angler dropping his jaw in amazement."
<><

LOIS KILBURN
flyfishing instructor
"Remember that these fish are naturally spawning in the ponds (no triploids) and as such deserve to be played and landed with care. It is a wonderful fishery that I am sure you will return to many times over."
<><

SHAWN COULTER
"This has to be the best kept secret in Northern California. I caught two
of the largest Trout
in my life."
<><

GALEN PERRY
"The trip was worth every penny invested in truly one of the best trophy rainbow trout fisheries I have ever experienced. "
<><

MATTHEW CAMP
"The fishing was so good that I had to take a break and rest, which I have never had to do before. Even then, it was amazing. Seeing mountain peaks with snow on them and the beautiful scenery and the trout rising in the ponds - well, it was all I had hoped for and much, much more."
<><

ZACH SOINILLA
"I cannot say enough about the grounds and the stuff for a young, inquisitive girl (or boy) to see and do there. It was extremely safe along the water and the grassy areas, bridges, and small streams made for good exploring.

We drove all around the ranch and saw deer, ducks, bald eagles, ospreys, and jumping trout."
<><