Rain and snow have made for great recipes for fishing on the Klamath and Upper Sac lately. It’s winter fishing time folks! The Klamath crowds have gone and our guides have been having outstanding days on it. The upper river above I-5 is starting to get some of the bigger winter runs that we always expect. Most fish are being caught on the leg and eggs setup hung under a bobber but if you love to swing think bigger flies and a sinking tip. Flows remain very constant so far, this has been an excellent choice for you steelheaders. Give us a shout if you would like to sample this storied river.  On the Upper Sac the big fish are coming out to play. It’s all about timing and windows of opportunity. Flows are like a roller coaster so look for receding flows. It’s a big fish heaven from now through the winter and it’s all nymphing with legs and your favorite nymph suspended beneath. Remember too it’s a completely different river with the increased flows so your old fav spots here are no more. Our guides know this winter fishery and can show you what I mean.

Upper Sacramento, Klamath and Lower Sacramento River Report 

The recent storms have not prevented our Wild Waters guides from getting out on our nearby rivers and finding fish. The Upper Sac has got snow on it from Ney Springs down to Shasta Lake. Access is more difficult but if you are willing to put in the effort you will not only find some hungry fish loading themselves up for the long winter but a completely different landscape that will take your breathe away. With another big storm forecast later this week (3-4 inches rain) the river will probably blow out which isn’t unusual for the winter. Once it settles though your window of opportunity is there so jump on it for some fun with some big fish ready to play. The Klamath remains solid with flows up top around 1000 cfs. Even with the forecast storms this section will not blow out and is a solid option for you steelhead junkies. We have been seeing a very consistent Fall run of steelies and the rain will continue to help tickle these fish to continue their charge up river. The  Lower Sac has been money for us this Fall and continues as such. This has been one of the best years for big rainbows on this river and our clients have been smiley all day long. This amazing fishery just continues to get better and better. If you want it all to yourself and beat the crowds that are normally there Winter is an excellent time for solitude on this big river. We are looking forward to getting over to the coast soon, the December’s storms are forecast to continue for the next 2 weeks at least, a perfect setup for the elusive beast we live for to start their migration upstream. We are booking trips from the Eel River north into southern Oregon so if you are dreaming of steelhead on these special rivers give us a shout, we have a number of excellent coastal guides at the ready.