Get Hooked: Flies Proven in the Waters of California’s Native Golden Trout

The Story Behind the Flies

Over the years, fishing for California's native golden trout has become an annual tradition. I found myself constantly hiking through small meadow streams tucked deep in the Eastern Sierras, narrow creeks winding through the Golden Trout Wilderness, and stretches of water so clear you could watch the fish slide through the current before they ever saw you.

Those trips taught me something pretty quickly.

The gear didn’t matter nearly as much as people think it does.

Sure, nice setups are fun to own, but when you’re standing knee-deep in a tiny backcountry creek surrounded by grass, granite, and silence, the fish don’t care what rod you brought. They care about the drift. The presentation. And most importantly — the fly.

I got to test that idea first hand on my most recent trip into the Golden Trout Wilderness just this past weekend.

I had spent the morning hopping between little meadow channels and shallow runs, watching native goldens dart through the current. At one point, almost as a joke, I grabbed a stick laying on the ground near the creek. I tied an inexpensive leader I had swapped off my sister-in-laws rod onto it, added one of my go-to flies that I’ve trusted for years, and flipped a cast into a small seam along the bank.

Within minutes, I was catching fish.

Not with a premium fly rod.
Not with some elaborate setup.
A literal stick and line.

And honestly, that moment summed up everything I love about these fish and these waters.

Native golden trout live in places that strip fly fishing back down to its simplest form. Tiny drifts. Quick reactions. Wild fish in untouched water. Out there, confidence in your fly matters more than anything else.

After enough trips, I realized I was reaching for the same handful of patterns over and over again. I started to put those exact flies together into one small box for my own trips. Friends would borrow flies from it and were blown away at the results on the water. I've shared dozens of the same patterns with other anglers on the creek banks and they would catch up to me later asking where they could get more of the same selection. 

Certain dries that floated perfectly in shallow meadow currents. Lightweight nymphs that drifted naturally through narrow pockets without spooking fish. 

Those flies became my system — not because they looked good in a fly box, but because they consistently worked where native Goldens actually live.

Eventually, Over time, that little personal box evolved into what now has become an idea to create the Native Golden Collection.

Not as a sales gimmick.
Not as a “magic fly” assortment.
Just a carefully built collection based on real days spent exploring golden trout water.

Every fly in the collection has a reason for being there because each one earned its place beside a creek somewhere deep in the Sierra. More than anything, I wanted to give other anglers the opportunity to experience the feeling of catching some of God’s most beautiful creations with flies that are thoughtfully selected and tied with the health of the fish in mind.

These native Goldens and the waters they inhabit deserve care, respect, and preservation. Fly fishing has always been about more than just catching fish to me — it’s about slowing down, appreciating wild places, and protecting the traditions that make these experiences possible in the first place.

Every trip into golden trout country teaches me something new and helps me grow as an angler. But sharing these flies and building products for others has deepened that appreciation even more. It’s made me more aware than ever of the importance of preserving not only these fish and their fragile waters, but also the art of fly fishing itself for future generations.

At the end of the day, that’s really what the Native Golden Collection represents to me — simplicity.

A reminder that some of the best moments in fly fishing don’t come from expensive gear or perfect conditions. They come from wandering into a quiet meadow stream, tying on a fly you trust, and watching a wild native golden rise from the current.

Sometimes, that’s all you need. 

This Limited Collection will be Available SOON!!! Stay Connected for the most up to date information on New release dates, upcoming EVENTS and more!