Looking for a fly fishing trip or guide in the Napa Valley?

We’re here to help!

Are you interested in incorporating some memorable fly fishing to your Napa Valley vacation plans? We offer exciting fly fishing trips right here in the Napa Valley and in a few minutes from down Town Napa anglers can be fly fishing for wild Rainbows, Striped Bass, Smallmouth, Largemouth and Spotted Bass and Steelhead. Don’t know how to fly fish? No problem. We’ll teach you. Don’t want to bring your own gear? No problem, we will provide all the necessary gear and instruction.

Visitors to the Napa Valley get to experience some of the most beautiful wild rainbow trout anywhere!

Along with wild trout on Putah Creek, Bass on Lake Berryessa, guests in the Napa Valley have access to some great fly fishing for steelhead on the Russian River and striped bass right here on the Napa River. Additionally within reasonable drive time there are Steelhead on the Feather and wild rainbows on the Lower Yuba.

The Napa River flows through the heart of the Napa Valley. In its lower reaches it is a tidal influenced river with a healthy population of stripped bass. They run from 14 to 28" and vary from a pound or two all the way up to 10 to 15 lbs.
If you would like to escape and experience great fly fishing here in Napa then keep reading... or Call (707) 287-2939 any time for a current fishing reports, river conditions and information. Dates fill up quickly so don't delay. You may also fill out our Online Trip Request Form. 

We look forward to assisting in adding fly fishing to your Napa Valley escape. Click any of the waters listed at the top of the page or read on if striper fishing on the Napa River might be in in the cards for you.

Seasons on the Napa River

Spring
March, April and May - Early Spring in Napa can be quite wet with much of the yearly precipitation coming in January, February and March. These increased spring flows along with tidal influences can leave the river very murky and not ideal fly fishing conditions. By May however river flows have slowed and the river begins to clear. Spring is not the peak season by any means however as long as river clarity is conducive we generally can still find some of the smaller resident fish (14 to 20" range).

Summer
June, July and August- Starting in June fishing conditions and weather begin to produce good conditions for fishing which continue all Summer long. We generally don't find many of larger Fall fish (6 to 10 lbs)however we frequently find good numbers of the smaller and medium sized "schoolies". All through the dog days of Summer we have fun targeting these hard pulling line siders on 6 and 7 wt rods. There are opportunities for top water fishing at the beginning and end of the day.

Fall
September, October and November - Beginning in September fishing begins to improve and builds all the way through the end of November. Larger concentrations of big fish are caught as we get closer to Thanksgiving. Most years the first heavy rain which happens around the end of the month slows everything down. This is the time to target both good size and numbers of fish. November is our favorite month to fish for striper on the Napa River.

Winter
December, January and February - December, January and February are generally less productive than September to November. There are fish in the system and we do get out this time and catch a few however the high murky waters due to rain make it hard for fish to see our flies. As long as the weather and water clarity allow we fish!

Napa Valley Fishing

As far as fishing on the Napa River goes our guides are Coast Guard approved captains. They have put in the hours that it takes to learn a fishery like this. They generally fish from outboard boats equipped with a center console and modern electronics. This allows us to maneuver the labyrinth of canals, sloughs and bays safely in search of fish and have room for our clients to cast. We utilize fish finders to locate fish, schools of bait and equally important to search for the right structure and depth where fish are likely to be. Fly fishing for striper involves lots of casting and stripping. Anglers intent on fishing them should be proficient at casting or at least willing to learn and aware that there will be lots of it involved.

Most of our fishing is done from The Oxbow Public Market in downtown Napa all the way to the southern sloughs and main channel near Mare Island, Vallejo.

Napa River striper Charter Rates

Full Day Charters:
Consist of 8 hours of guided fishing and instruction with lunch and drinks provided - $650 (1 or 2 anglers)

Half Day Charters
available upon request $485 but do not include lunch (1 or 2 anglers)

Putah Creek

Putah Creek has the largest stream living wild trout in California, where fish to 30”+ are caught each year! At Off the Hook our guides are patient consummate professionals and boast a combined total of over 50 years of fly fishing the creek. They know where to find fish year round even with water levels that fluctuate drastically along with the seasons. They help our clients land more of the largest fish that Putah is famous for than anyone else.

Anglers coming to Napa get to tangle with some of the largest average size trout in the state!

In addition to the public access points our guides have private access to the water around Canyon Creek Resort. Our clients enjoy use of the facilities on their guided day with us. 

Even experienced Putah Creek anglers will benefit from spending time with our knowledgeable guides. They will share tips and techniques that will help you unlock the mystery of consistently catching fish here. They know this stream intimately and are fervent in their desire to protect, preserve and restore this fantastic fishery.

Putah Creek - The Species

Putah Creek is home to a beautiful strain of wild rainbow trout. These fish are very colorful with a copper hue, large spots and crimson sides from cheek to tail. Fish in the 24 to 30+ inch range have kept persistent anglers coming back for years while frustrating those not in the know. These are Winter spawning fish are worth protecting for generations to come. From December 1st through March 1st we stop guiding the creek to allow the fish to procreate un harassed. Future generations of anglers and trout thank you for your cooperation on this.

Putah Creek - The Fishing

Putah Ceek has earned a reputation as a technical nymphing fishery with large fish eating small nymphs on light tippets. Multi-fly indicator rigs are employed with tippets to 5x and 6x. There is some minimal dry fly action available seasonally on Putah, however small mayfly nymphs and midges fished sub surface produce well year round.

We fish 5 to 6 weight rods predominantly for these wild gems.

In 2009 after a lot of work from non profits such as Putah Creek Trout(PCT), and Trout Unlimited(TU) working in conjunction with the Department of Fish and Game, Putah received a much needed catch and release status. Our guides continue to work closely with several NPO’s and agencies to ensure that Putah Creek is protected and restored to its rightful place as a California blue ribbon Trout stream. We are encouraged by seeing good numbers of juvenile trout, and there are a good number of fish up to the 20+ inch range around. 

Putah Creek - The Seasons

Fall and Spring are the very best times to fish on Putah Creek. This time of year offer good fly fishing and the chance at a fish of a lifetime.

March

Early March is one of our favorite times to fish Putah. Fish are post spawn and flows are typically coming up to around 100+ cfs. Warmer weather mid day can bring Blue Wing Olive(Baetis), Yellow Sally and Caddis hatches. Throw in some small midge patters to your set up and it can make for some great nymphing. Most fly anglers are either Steelhead fishing during this period or have put down their rods for the winter and have not broken them out yet. This is welcomed by those looking for some solitude as well as good fishing.

April to June

Fishing can be decent during these months though with better weather usually come more anglers. As the weather warms to 80's we shift our efforts to fishing early and late in the day. This is a good time to get out on the creek before the typically high Summer flows begin. This happens to meet agricultural needs of farmers down stream. 

July to August

Flows ultimately increase to 600 to 700 cfs by mid July! This makes for challenging fishing. Successful anglers use longer leaders, more split shot and slightly larger flies. Caddis and Baetis are active and they along with midges continue to produce. Fishing with a guide is recommended during this time of year to improve your chances and to assist with wading and best access points. Careful wading is important on Putah Creek year round. We suggest fly fishers use a wading staff rubber soled/studded boots and a wading belt especially during the high Summer flows.

September to October

This period is prime time on Putah Creek. Summer crowds are starting to wane by October and cooler temps seem to put fish in the mood to eat and get ready to spawn. Fishing can be good throughout the day and into the evening. Using Baetis and small midges can be productive. 

November to January

Fish begin spawning in Late November and this important process continues until February. We highly recommend not fishing during the spawning. It is imperative that anglers fishing during this time of year leave these fish alone to reproduce so the efforts to make Putah A Blue Ribbon Trout stream will be successful. If you do decide to fish this time of year focus on deeper runs and again use small Midges, Baetis or egg patterns. If you are not sure what a redd looks like feel free to call us for more information. A quick rule of thumb is if you can see the fish is in shallow water over sand or gravel area DO NOT CAST to it and please stay off the gravel! You have a responsibility to preserve and protect Putah Creek and one way is to cherish and guard this age old spawning ritual.

On Putah Creek you never know if the next cast will bring the fish of a lifetime. Allow Off the Hook to assist you in drastically improving your success on this remarkable Northern California gem.

Putah Creek - Guide Rates

Full day fishing trips - Consist of 8 hours of guided fishing and instruction with lunch and drinks provided - $625 (1 or 2 anglers) Half day trips - Consist of 4 1/2 hours $485 (1 or 2 anglers)

Guided trips with Off the Hook endorsed guides include rods, reels, terminal tackle, lunch, beverages, bottled water and flies! A limited number of boots and waders are available on a first come first serve basis free of charge! Call (707) 287-2939 to check sizing and availability.

Note: California fishing licenses, transportation and Gratuity not included.

Half day guide trips available upon request.

In addition to guided fly fishing, we offer group or corporate trips, intro to fly fishing classes, gift certificates and one of a kind wine country tours.

If you would like to book a Napa River, Putah Creek or Berryessa fly fishing experience for yourself call 707-287-2939. We will be happy to reserve some fly fishing to break up the wine tasting and good eats during your time in Napa.

Lake Berryessa

Berryessa offers a variety of fly fishing opportunities within about an hour drive of San Francisco, Sacramento and a few minutes from the Napa Valley's renown food and wine. Escape from the ordinary wine country experience and include some exciting and memorable fishing to your wine country itinerary.


If hard hitting action for spots, smallmouth, largemouth, Crappy and trout is your game, then Berryessa may be your spot!

The species:

Largemouth: Lake Berryessa Largemouth average 1.5 -2.5 lbs, with 4-7 lb bass being very common. For a good day anglers can expect 20-30 bass days stripping streamers and topwater poppers. Experienced casters usually do best when targeting the larger fish as precision and being able to cast a good distance come into play.

Smallmouth: Smalmouth bass in Berryessa are a blast on a fly rod. Although usually smaller in size than largemouth cousins these awesome game fish with their red eyes and bronze color are fun fish on light fly tackle. Berryessa is home to a good populations of "smalleys" which can be caught year round along rocky shores.

Spotted Bass
Spotted Bass are found in Lake Berryessa in good numbers and will readily take a fly virtually any day of the year. Most of the year they can be found along rocky shore line or drop offs mixed in with smallmouth and largemouth. They often fall for our Float and Fly technique especially early and late in the year.

Crappie
Caught mostly in the Spring from 4 to 12 ft depth these fish can really pad the numbers and are a welcome piece to the Berryessa grand slam or super grand slam.(Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted Bass, Trout, Kokanee and Crappie)

The Seasons and Fishing:

Berryessa, Jan to February

Bass spawn in the Spring here in California including Berryessa. Prior to February and before spawning begins fishing is at it's slowest. Bass are in deeper water but will still eat a well placed fly. The challenge is finding them and the appropriate depth where they will feed. We don't get our 30 to 60+ fish days in winter however there are plenty of fish to catch and trout are caught with some regularity then as well. Starting in Late February or early March here at Berryessa bass begin to move up and into the shallow areas of the lake or to rocky drop offs for most of the day. We employ our Float and Fly technique to bring awesome numbers of fish to hand early in the season. Catching 50+ fish in a day is very doable. Largemouth begin move to shallows to spawn at this time and can be very territorial and defend their nest from other fish or even an intruding fly pattern. Spring fishing can be good as early as February and run all the way through June. 

Berryessa, June to August

In the summer on Berryessa bass generally spend their days and nights resting in deep water, but they move to shallow water to feed in the morning and evening. This is our favorite time to get them on top water poppers. These shallow areas usually have vegetation or other structures to attract minnows, insects, crustaceans like crawdads or other small creatures for bass to feed on. In addition, these shallow areas tend to be adjacent to the deep waters where bass rest. So we target along points or steep ridges and the shallow areas around the edge of the lake. Rocky points, floating or submerged vegetation, docks or coves filled with trees are prime bass habitat and Berryessa has some of each of these elements. Fishing early and late in the day is the best time to be on the water.

Berryessa, September to December In the fall around September once the kids have gone back to school the lake gets quieter at least mid week. During this time we go back to the Float and Fly mid day but ply the edges and shallows with poppers in the morning and evening. As Fall becomes Winter and water temps cool, bass move to deeper water and top water flies becomes less productive. During this time we fish deeper along drop offs or rocky shores. Streamers and Suspended patterns work best and we can adjust our depth to get to where they are holding and feeding.

Guided Trip Options

Full Day: $625
(8 hours) 1-2 anglers with lunch provided

Half Day: $485
(4-5 hours) 1-2 anglers

We are happy to provide rods and reels at no additional charge. We can also accommodate a third angler for $150 additional per day.

We can accommodate 2 to 3 boat trips with ease with a little bit of advanced notice. Corporate trips, wedding parties and couples trips are all welcome. 

Getting Here

Our trips meet at Markley Cove Marina. It is located at 7521 Ca-128 in Napa. 

From San Francisco head East on Highway 80 to Vacaville. Exit there and take Ca-505 North to Winters. Exit at East Grant Avenue (highway 128 and go West towards the Lake. Markley Cove will be on your right a little way past the dam overlook.

From Sacramento head West on Ca I-80 through Davis. Look for signs for Ca-505 North just before you get to Vacaville. Head north on 505 East Grant Avenue (highway 128) and go West towards the Lake. Markley Cove will be on your right a few bends past the dam overlook.

From Napa there are two ways to get to Lake Berryessa. You can head east on Ca-120 which turns into Ca-128. Follow it to Markley Cove Marina which will be on your Left prior to coming to the dam overlook and heading down into the canyon to Putah Creek below the dam.

Or if you prefer highway driving you can head south on Highway 29 to Jameson Canyon and highway 12. Head East on Ca-12 to Ca-80 East. Continue East to Vacaville. Exit and take Ca-505 North to Winters. Exit at East Grant Avenue (highway 128 and go West towards the Lake. Markley Cove will be on your right past the dam overlook.

Your exciting Lake Berryessa fly fishing adventure awaits! Call Now (707) 287-2939 for up to date fishing reports, current river conditions and information on experiencing enjoyable and memorable fly fishing for yourself. Dates fill up quickly for many of highly sought after guides so don't delay. You may also fill out our Online Trip Request Form. 

Booking a Napa Valley guide

To make a reservation, please give us a call at (707) 298-2939.