Chances are you have already heard, but it’s a great time to be on the McCloud. Lake run brown trout are being encountered on a daily basis. Our guides are mostly finding these fish by nymphing and throwing streamers. The cookie cutter size rainbows are also abundant. Size 14 and 16 mayflies and caddis have been the go-to (Copper John, Tan Pupa, Birds Nest). In the evenings, enough golden stone flies are still coming off to throw around the big dry fly (#8 stimulator).
Last week the river gained just a touch of color to it, but that didn’t put a damper on the fishing. It’s nearly impossible to predict exactly what the water clarity is going to do. Weather forecast is calling for some very reasonable high temps, which should help keep the river running clear. I would suggest getting out there and getting it while it’s good, who knows what good old mud creek has in store for us moving forward.
The word has been out that the river is fishing well, and the crowds are no doubt increasing. The road to Ash Camp is open, don’t be afraid to drive to a new access point or hike a new trail. Anglers tend to pile up in the same few areas. There is plenty of trails and water to spread out on if you are willing to put in some steps.
Finally, bring your tec-nu and watch your step. The poison oak is in full bloom and the rattlesnakes are even more abundant than the brown trout.
To book a trip give us a call at 877-934-7466 or email us info@wildwatersflyfishing.com
The McCloud has had a strong start to the season. Opening weekend through now has been productive using a variety of methods. There are plenty of cookie cutter sized rainbows around, along with a few big browns being found. Nymphing with size 14 and 16 mayflies or large stoneflies is productive throughout the day. Mid-day can produce some solid PMD hatches, making throwing the dry fly around well worth the effort. As we transition into consistently warmer temperatures, expect the fish to start looking for stoneflies on the surface. Water clarity has remained good, with the exception of a couple days after a large spring storm. The number of anglers on the river is starting to ramp up slightly, but finding a stretch of water to yourself is still very doable so long as you are willing to go for a walk. With the road now accessible to Ash camp, it should be easy for anglers to spread out more easily.
Upper Sacramento
The Upper Sac has remained mostly too high to really get in there and fish. As of today, it is at 1600 CFS and dropping. Looking up into the Eddy mountains – there doesn’t seem to be too much snow left to melt off. I imagine the upper reaches of the river will be fishing very well within the next couple of weeks.
After a very moist winter chasing steelhead all up and down the coast, our guides are looking forward to throwing some dry flies in the sunshine. Local streams are starting to shape up for what should be a good spring.
The Lower Sacramento was running at a massive 40k cfs, but has since dropped down to the mid 20’s. These flows should produce some productive fishing so long as it doesn’t get much bigger. Spring is a great time to get out on the Lower Sac, usually bugs are hatching by mid March and the river doesn’t get too crowded. The Upper Sacramento is still running well over 2,000 cfs and will likely be too big to fish for at least a couple more weeks. Finally, the McCloud has continued to stay clear throughout the winter and at excellent flows. There has been very little snow accumulation at low elevations, so barring any late season cold storms, access should remain good. Also, after many years of being closed, the road to Ash camp has finally been reopened.
It was nice having the river to ourselves all summer, but word has finally gotten out and people are out fishing the McCloud. Water clarity has improved even more. Visibility is up to about 4 feet, more than enough to yield some good fishing. There are a variety of mayfly hatches in the afternoon, but still haven’t seen an October caddis. Fish are finally starting to look up to some dry flies, a welcome sight after a long stint of fishing sub surface. Sounding like a broken record here: there are lots of brown trout around this year. Mid week Ah-di-na campground was nearing half full. I expect by this weekend getting a tag to fish the nature conservancy will require an early start.
Upper Sac
The Upper Sac has been a bit finnicky with weather changes. Nonetheless there are some bigger fish kicking around in the lower river. Some more warm afternoons in the forecast should mean good fishing ahead.
Klamath
Water clarity is improving quickly. There are clearly lots of fish moving through the system. If you are waiting to make plans to fish the upper river, I wouldn’t wait much longer. All signs point to another great fall on the Klamath.
Southern Oregon
Our guides ventured up to Southern Oregon to do some trout fishing on spring creeks. We got to see some awesome water and bad ass, lake run trout. Gin clear water and 6x tippet means we got more scenic photos than hero shots. Looking forward to spending some more time on these rivers next summer.
Fall is here and the fishing in Northern California and
Southern Oregon is really lighting up. There are too many great options this time
of year to report on, but here’s an update on a few rivers our guides have been
getting out on
The McCloud
Water clarity has improved dramatically on the McCloud. Visibility is up to 3 feet, which is more than enough to have success. Predicting what the water clarity will do is nearly impossible, but for the time being things look good. The fear of dirty water has kept the crowds away from the McCloud. Having the river nearly to yourself has been a common occurrence over the last couple of months. Our guides are having frequent encounters with lake run brown trout. If you have ever wanted to target these fish, now is the time. Dry fly-fishing opportunities are very limited at the moment, we have been having the most success fishing nymphs and streamers. We have a handful of mid-week dates still available, if you are interested in booking a guide feel free to reach out.
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The Klamath
Again, water clarity is a major player on the Klamath right
now. Due to mudslides the Klamath is still blown out between the Scott and the
Salmon. However, sections of the river that are clear are showing some incredibly
promising signs for this year. Our guides have been finding plenty of fish
eager to eat the swung fly. We have just a couple of openings through November,
reach out if you are interested in booking a trip.
Upper Sacramento
Fall time on the Upper sac means variety. From the pocket
water fishing in Dunsmuir to the large pools in Lakehead, this river has
something for everyone. We have been seeing some of the lake run fish starting
to make their way through the system. As the water temperature continues to
cool down, we will start to target these fish in the lower portion of the river.
The October caddis will start to pop any day now and the dry fly fishing will
really take off, particularly in the upper section of this river. Wild Water’s
has some mid-week availability through the fall. Check back for an early winter
report on this river. Although most people put the trout rods away once snow
starts to fall, winter on the Upper Sac can be an outstanding time to target
big fish.
Lower Sacramento
The Lower Sac is doing its thing. Lots of big fish, caddis, eggs, you get the idea.
Trinity
A few early outings to Trinity have showed some promising results. A couple of days on the upper river in early September showed a healthy number of Salmon around, as well as a few half pounder and adults mixed in. During a few days on the lower river, we were able to bump into a very solid push of fish. It’s been a while since we have put our eyes on this many anadromous fish moving through a river. These fish were happy to eat swung traditional flies on a dry line, or bugs dead drifted under an indicator. Given what we have seen so far, we are looking forward to spending some more time on this river through the fall and into the winter.
Upper Rogue
Although it’s not easy for us to drive past the Klamath, our guides have been venturing up to the Rouge this summer in search of the larger fish this river can offer. This time of year on the Upper Rogue is fly fishing only, and a great time to target these fish on the swing. Grinding out a handful of very early mornings and late evenings we were able to encounter a couple of summer steelhead. The number of salmon spawning, particularly above Shady Cove, is impressive.
Give us a call or send an email to book a trip or check in about conditions
Our favorite time of year to be on the water is just around
the corner. As temperatures drop, our fishing options start to open up.
The McCloud
Water Clarity continues to be an issue on the McCloud. The river
was fishing great for most of the summer, but August rainstorms have once again
brought dirty water. This river has had a mind of its own recently, and predicting
water clarity isn’t easy. However, over the last few days the water color has
been trending in the right direction.
With all of that being said… historically, big drought killing winters have led to high numbers of migratory brown trout in the river. This year appears to be following that trend. Our guides have been encountering these fish frequently, as early as June. When the river does eventually clear up, we could be in for some of the best brown trout fishing we have seen in a long time. We are eager to get back out there as soon as the water clears up, check back for updates.
The Upper Sacramento
The Upper Sac has been a much more reliable fishery than the McCloud just over the hill. It has continued to fish well throughout the summer, particularly in the upper stretches where the water stays cooler. Water temperatures have started to drop quickly. This allows us to fish some of the lower stretches of the river, which often hold larger fish. Once the October Caddis start to hatch, this river will really start to light up.
The Klamath
The Klamath dam removal is well underway, and this fall will be the last time we fish this river in its current dammed state. Iron Gate reservoir drawdown will begin on January 1st, which will likely blow the river out for some time. Early reports at the mouth seem to indicate good numbers of fish already entering the system. More fish should keep coming in with fall flow bumps and dropping water temperatures. Also, this year California closed commercial and recreational salmon fishing. This means that steelhead will be less pressured as they make their way up the river, and finding solitude on the river will be easier than ever. Starting mid-September, we plan on chasing these fish everywhere from Orleans to Hornbrook. Klamath Fish readily take a swung fly, making it a good choice for both the beginner and advanced Spey angler – particularly early in the season. Indicator fishing is effective throughout the season. The Klamath has had an outstanding couple of years, and we can’t wait to see what it brings this year.
Coastal Steelhead
Lucky For us, just as the Klamath season with be coming to an end with the reservoir draw down on Jan 1st, the coastal steelhead season will just be getting kicked off. Our guides can’t wait to get out to the coast and chase these elusive fish. We will be primarily focusing on the Smith River, but as is always the case with coastal steelhead fishing, flexibility is key.
Lower Sac and more
Of course, the Lower Sac, Hat, Pit, Baum Lake, and too many more to list are all great fall options. Give us a call or shoot us an email if you are interested in booking a trip.
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