California Fishing Reports ยท Shasta Region
Hat Creek's wild trout section runs from Powerhouse 2 down to Lake Britton, a spring-fed meadow creek with big, wary rainbows and browns.
Looking for the latest Hat Creek river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Hat Creek โ Wild Trout Section.
Current flows
Wind forecast
Hat Creek fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The gauge near Hat Creek reads around 110 cfs, clear and steady as usual.
BWOs and midges on long leaders. Fish move up on cloudy afternoons.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Wild Trout Section, bring: JuJu Baetis #18-22, Zebra Midge #18-22, Parachute Adams #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18, RS2 Emerger #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Hat Creek details
| Access | Access at Powerhouse 2 and along the trail to Lake Britton off State Highway 299. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 3,000 ft |
| Nearest town | Burney, California |
| Best season | Spring through fall |
| Fish | Wild rainbow and brown trout |
| Regulations | Special catch-and-release rules apply on the wild trout section. Check the California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations for the current rules. A California sport fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older. |
| Leaders and tippet | 12 ft leaders, 6X tippet |
| Camping | Cassel campground and Lassen National Forest campgrounds |
| Kids | Partly. Easy trail access. |
| Good to know | Fish are very selective. Go small and light. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Check the season.
Spring
PMDs and caddis.
Summer
PMDs and evening caddis.
Fall
BWOs.
How to get there
From Redding, take State Highway 299 east past Burney to Hat Creek.