It's here!  View Mike Pawlawski's "Familiar Waters" Father's Day program as seen on the Outdoor Channel this past January.  In April 2009, the Familiar Waters crew filmed for two days at the ranch.

Here are links to two video formats.  We are in the process of creating a more formal video page for this feature.

Congrats to Mike Pawlawski and Mike Bias and thanks to all who were part of this program.

Note: these are large files, so don't exceed your broadband usage quota!

Quicktime Video:  http://sugarcreekranch.com/vids/familiarwaters.mov  (78mb, 16:22)

Windows Media Video:  http://sugarcreekranch.com/vids/familiarwaters.wmv (70mb, 16:22)

If you are on a slower connection, let the whole video play first to get it into your computer's file cache.  The second time you play it, the playback will be smooth.

 Early season fishing can be a treat.  I was at the ranch in early February, arriving with an acute case of cabin fever and winter civilization doldrums.  About half of the four days I fished were nice weather, the other half were not that great, but not that bad.  It's just amazing to be able to be out there tromping around, casting and catching in early February.  

Here's what I look for at SCR to maximize my opportunities in getting fish and large fish:

Just communicated with Mike Kalpin, and he's concerned about potential flooding in the area, and is working to minimize risk and damage.  There's an abnormal amount of snow in the surrounding mountains (great for the coming season), but a big warm rain storm could be a problem, melting the snowpack all at once. Hopefully, we just get the normal slow warmup and gradual runoff.

On the good news front, local guide Fred Larimer reports "fantastic fishing" right now on the South Pond.  Lots of rise rings all day long.  Recently, anglers have been drawn to the North Ponds and the South Pond has not seen the intense fishing pressure of past years.  This is the year where it could be wise to put the South Pond on your fishing calendar!  As always, this water holds some of the Ranch's biggest lunkers.

Wes Wada  

Advance notice that Sugar Creek Ranch will again host Denny Rickards and his Stillwater Fly Fishing Clinic.  The date will be Saturday, April 10th.  The clinic-only price will be $150 which includes Denny's instruction, a lunchtime BBQ, and fishing at the Ranch.  A great value and a very fun, popular event.  There are also packages available if you want to stay overnight or make it a weekend affair.  We will update the CLINICS page with all the new details within a couple of days.  

Get on board today by calling Mike Kalpin with your reservation details at (530) 467-5213 or CELL 530 598-1542. 

 Michael Christian and Rick Bend of Arcata, CA have posted a new fishing report from their trip to the Ranch January 8-10th.

"...after the fish wised up to midges, eggs and leeches, I started hucking crawdads...BANG. The grab on a crawdad is unnerving, we like that kind of stress.  So Rick ended up catching 4-5 bruisers and I lost every one...coming unpinned after just ripping it up.

Sugar Creek rocks in the winter..." 

 Denny Rickards' popular Stillwater Clinic returns to Sugar Creek Ranch on Saturday, April 10th.  Learn as Denny talks about his stillwater techniques and flies from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.  Then use those techniques to fish the Ranch, with Denny present the rest of the day.  A BBQ lunch is provided.  Clinic registration is $175.  Packages are also available for those who want to make a weekend of it from Friday evening through Sunday.  We will post the details on the web site shortly.  

Congratulations to Larry Garrison, Medford, OR.  Larry's email for a try at the FREE DAY came in at 8:15am Sunday.  There is still one more free day up for grabs and two 2for1 certs.

Mike Kalpin

January has been pretty nice so far.  Most days have been above freezing, yeah.  No ice on any of the water.  Midges hatching daily with fish rising just about every afternoon.  Last weekend two guests who fished Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday became true believers of the big and heavy crawdad pattern.  Sunday morning they both landed several fish at 6-8lbs and had some tremendously strong grabs that just about pulled the rod away from them.  When the fish started rising to the midges both guys went with dry patterns and spent the rest of the day landing 12" - 20" fish.  I asked them to please send in a report to be published on the reports page.  Wes will post it jiffy quick upon arrival.

Mike Kalpin

I want to express my thanks to all of you who keep checking in to see what's going on at the ranch.  First two emails I receive with, "FREE DAY" in the subject line will receive a certificate good for one day, (Mon-Thurs), of fishing for two anglers.  No, you can not win both certs.  I'm learning.  Third and fourth emails will receive a 2for1 cert, (2 anglers/pay for 1, Mon-Thurs).

Send email to mike@sugarcreekranch.com.  The order the messages arrive will be determinant.

I will randomly be offering similar freebies and discounted trips on this page.  Again, thanks for your interest. 

Mike Kalpin

 Denny Rickards has a lot of fans in the many anglers who have fished the Ranch. As noted in an earlier posting, Rickards has been working on a new book, and it is available now.  It's called Stillwater Presentation.  

Here is a cover photo and descriptive info from Denny Rickards' web site:  

"My thanks goes to all you guys and gals who have inquired about the availability of my new book 'Stillwater Presentation'. 

The book has 17 chapters, 287 pages which is almost 100 more than my first book 'Fly Fishing Stillwaters for Trophy Trout,' close to 200 color photos and is hard bound cover. Retail price is $39.95.  All orders will include a signed copy. It's taken me almost three years to research and write it, and this book includes everything you need to know in order to fish and catch trout in lakes, reservoirs and ponds.

That includes understanding trout behavior, the impact of nature's conditions on trout and their food sources, learning which line, pattern and retrieve matches the zone you choose to fish, where to start your day, positioning to make the right cast and much more. This is as complete a book as I think you will find on fishing stillwater including a chapter on testing your knowledge on a variety of lakes from April through October. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed researching with rod in hand on the water."

To order, visit the Rickards' web site: www.flyfishingstillwaters.com/books.asp