Klamath River Fly Fishing Lodge & Steelhead Guide Service

We are a “destination fishing resort” and feature guided steelhead fly fishing. We target the Middle Klamath River, Lower Klamath River, Trinity River, and Cal Salmon via drift boat, jet boat, raft and by guided wade fishing. We specialize in leading you to steelhead on the traditional "tight line grab" of a swung fly. Our target waters are close enough to easily allow us to nightly return you to your private cottage or deluxe home for a hot shower and a 5-star lodge dinner.

Our steelhead season starts in late summer as we transition our guest ranch and Fish Lake operations into our steelhead fly fishing lodge. Our full service fishing rates are based on guide packages with meals and lodging included, but can also be arranged a-la- carte for steelheaders who may not need a professional guide or a cabin and meal package. Stand alone fishing rates are based on a $200/person drift boat guide day and $225/person jet boat guide day.

Steelhead Fly Fishing Using Local Guides With The Home Court Advantage

Doug Cole, the ranch owner and lead guide, and his family and staff live here and fish here. Our "home turf" advantage of intimately knowing the mid Klamath, lower Trinity and Cal Salmon allows us to lead you to the best possible fishing day. Our guiding signature is in taking steelhead on the “swung fly” as our predominant tactic, in accessing remote and seldom pressured river sections, and in our extreme work ethic as we strive to build your fishing adventure. Your fishing experience here will rival anything you might find at a fly-in resort.

Fly Fishing The Swung Fly Verses The Drifted Indicator

A typical fly-fishing day with us involves a mixture of tactics based on the classic "greased line" method. We cross current cast, mend and swing the fly downstream through targeted water to produce that "grab and run" hit made famous by Pacific steelhead. We also team fish the swinging fly with extended drifts using boat movement. We quietly walk the boat alongside holding water while you cast from stable boat decks. We cast dries to undercuts and pockets, and we swing waking patterns across glides. We also dead drift nymphs under indicators in the cooler Winter water temperatures...but you will NOT spend your entire day watching a "bobber" while fly-fishing the Klamath or Trinity in the Fall, since our emphasis is on the "tight line take" from a swung fly. It is important when you book with us to tell us what level of activity you prefer. Aggressive wade fishermen and Spey casters will be taken to different water than those wanting a more relaxing day casting entirely from the boat. We recommend our July and September clients to consider the Lower Klamath below Weitchpec for a steelhead "spey"day. Come and try our spey rods if you want to see how it feels.

Steelhead Fly Fishing Gear Suggestions

Gear - For the mid-Klamath we suggest you bring two rods: an intermediate sink tip rod in a 5 wt - 8 wt range as your main rod and a back-up rod with a floating line. For the larger water of the Lower Klamath we recommend a minimum of a 7 wt single handed rod or 12 foot spey rod. Any gear you do not have, we do have. We provide the guide, the drift boat dory (2 guests per boat), all shuttles, tippet and fly patterns as needed. It usually works best if you bring your own tippet and patterns and we fill-in the voids. We also stock an inventory of rental waders and boots if you need help outfitting some of your party ($25/day/wader & boot set). Don't forget your fishing license with steelhead stamp, and a rain jacket with layers of poly-pro, since we do not cancel rainy fish days. Trips are only cancelled when the river is unsafe or un-fish able. Also, since we float some difficult stretches of white water, we will require that you wear one of our comfortable fishermen's life jackets while on the river.

Steelhead Fly Patterns

Suggested fly patterns are all available on-line at the Redding Fly Shop or from our ranch gift shop. Our staff is also prepared to supplement your inventory of missed patterns from our stock and this service is included in your trip fare. We will not "nickel and dime" you for tippet or flies. Visit the Fly Shop Store

Some of our favorites are: stone fly nymphs, assassins, herniators, muddler minnows, and all the traditional wet fly patterns such as the silver hilton, wooly bugger, brindle bug, skunk, mossback, purple peril etc.

Fly Fishing Ethics At The Marble Mountain Lodge

We are a "catch and release" steelhead guide service taking home only the memory and photographs. Photo CDs of your fishing day are also included in your trip fare!

Your licensed and bonded guides are Captain Doug Cole, Heidi Cole, and Peter Cole (Marble Mountain Ranch owners). We hope you will make us your choice for your guided California fly fishing trip and offer these tips on selecting a fishing lodge and guide service.

Be sure to visit our Steelhead On The Fly blog for current fishing reports, and commentaries. For more general ranch information or reservations, please visit our California guest ranch home and visit The Klamath River Report for river, road and weather conditions.

We are licensed by the Coast Guard as OUPV #26242. We are permitted by the Klamath National Forest, and have been licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game since 1994 - guide license number 1983.

Please visit our sponsors who support us on their pro-staff: Hyde Drift Boats , Abel Reels, and Sage Fly Rods. We also support The Federation of Fly Fishers.

May we also suggest The Fly Fishing Place Online Fly Shop as an online source for fly fishing articles, fly fishing reports, quality fly fishing gear and premium quality steelhead and trout flies.