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
We have been experiencing some dramatic shifts in the weather from warm and sunny to cold, wet and windy. It makes for a challenge but also keeps the fish from becoming stale. They have been switching their diets around depending upon the weather from Beatis, PMD’s, Caddis, Stones, and the Sucker Spawn egg. If one is not working try one of the other. We’ve seen the best bite mid day. Dry Fly Fisherman are able to rise a few fish a day mostly during a PMD hatch. However, the majority of the fish are being caught side drifting with deep nymphs and Jaydecators.
The 10 day forecast looks like the warm weather we’ve been waiting for. We have talented guides available to take you and your fishing buddy on a “must do” float trip down this amazing river. Give us a call. 877-934-7466.
photos by Rick Cox
The Upper Sacramento River
The Upper Sac has seen some radical changes this last few weeks. From snow to rain, to hot days with snowmelt. We’ve seen this river fluctuate in flows and turbidity. However, I am pleased to say this blue water trout stream is now in fantastic spring shape and fishing well. We have seen some quality fish up and down this 40 mile system. Fish from 10” to 16’’ and bigger are being caught on the dry as well as the nymph. It is certainly not a numbers game but a quality spring day can make any angler smile. If you like fishing the big bug, we have seen those prehistoric Salmonflies flying over the river. There are always a couple pig rainbows looking for that big bug, be the angler that shows em a sample. Despite that big meal available, most of the fish are being caught on mayflies. A favorite technique is swinging soft-hackles through the tail-outs. You’ll see us doing plenty of walk n wade trips as well as floating the lower section is one of our rafts give us a wave, or a call.
The McCloud River
She slept well this winter with very few high flows and no devastating flushes. As I walk her banks now I can see spring emerging, the dogwoods are blooming, redbud is popping and the green of fresh growth is hard to ignore. Opening day is Sat the 26th. Not one of these trout have seen a fly for five months. The McCloud is our specialty and we have guides available. Lets get you out.
The Coast
Wether you just can’t give up swinging the spey rod, chasing steelhead or just love fishing on the coast, the Smith River is your bet. The river closes at the end of the month and is dropping into perfect shape for her last days of the season. Flows will be around 3000 this weekend. Still… chrome bright fish enter from the sea and charge upstream to spawn. Some anglers swear the biggest of the year come at this time. We have guides who love this place and one who lives on her banks.
Its been a great summer and the crew at Wild Waters Fly Fishing has been helping people catch fish all over our local waters. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys right now. Great guide trips coming from all around. Although the fishing has slowed on the McCloud and Upper Sac they still continue to produce everyday. The help of a good guide might teach some of the tricks to mid summer success. The Lower Sac continues to produce trout everyday as usual and some big ones are being hooked pretty regularly right now. But its not all about work all the time. We’ve been getting out and having some fun too.
Come one, come all, beckon your wild call. The McCloud River opened to fisherman on April 30th and has been putting on quite a show. Good hatches and rising fish means we have been having a lot of fun with dry flies. Be prepared with Grey Drakes, Golden Stones, PMDs and (fingers crossed) Green Drakes. The biggest concentration of fish are in the first miles below the dam, but you’ll find more bugs down river. June is our favorite month on this river so pack your bags.
The McCloud river is holding strong with 2′ or more of visibility. We have been seeing some very healthy fish come to the net. Hatches are not easy to find but fish have been reacting to a variety of different bugs throughout the day and into the evening. On the Lower Sac fishing remains hot. These fish are really showing what the Lower Sac is all about, with some of the fattest bellies on trout I have ever seen. If you feel like trout are easy to land, your not fishing here. The Upper Sac is low and clear and the upper sections have been providing some good fishing for the less experienced anglers. McCloud Res. is full of fish and were not having any problem picking up good numbers on any given day. Some hatches are still happening out there in the early morning and later part of the evening.
Our past week on the Nor Cal rivers has brought successful summer days of fishing for clients. Yes there is plenty of water up here, all of our streams are flowing at healthy levels and the trout are enjoying the cool water during the warm summer. Recent thunderstorms have even added a little flow to the rivers. The McCloud River is running a bit off color but that has not stopped us from putting fish in the net. The 60 degree water is just the right recipe for these bows and browns … angling pressure is light so enjoy the bite. The Upper Sacramento River has been fishing well on the mid and upper sections. On hot days we do not recommend fishing on the lower sections of the the river. Nymphing and getting your flies down has been the ticket here. Lake Siskiyou in the evenings is rewarding customers with a combo of trout and smallmouth bass. McCloud Reservoir is looking great right now and we are seeing double digit days of fish to the boat. Anthony Carruesco reports the following for the Lower Sac …
The early morning and evening fishing down here in the Valley has been stellar. Good dry fly happening at last light. Half day is the way to go right now.
Looking for some summer fun, give us a shout at Wild Waters Fly Fishing! Continue Reading →
Northern California has had some heat waves, thunderstorms, heavy rain, and a full moon to throw some inconsistent fishing over the last week. Overall, fishing has been good with some really big fish being put in the net on the McCloud River. Though there are some big fish in the system right now, the little fish have taken over the feeding lanes and voraciously grabbing our flies, a typical full moon trend. Plan on some great yellow sallies stoneflies and pmd hatches to make the dry fly the technique of choice. As the nights become darker daytime feeding of the bigger fish will return.
We are continuing to fish on the McCloud river, Upper Sac and Lower Sac. In general the fishing has been fair to good. We are seeing fish eat dry flies on the upper rivers and we only expect the hatches to grow each day. The Lower Sac continues to be a strong hold of good fishing. With all the trout streams open in California we have also been spending time on some lesser know waters. The best trout fishing of the year is just around the corner. Be ready!
Great to be back on the McCloud river. Another opening weekend blew by like the wind. Just a tease as we start the journey on yet another season in the one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Conditions were excellent and the fish were happy. Anthony, Carl, Jim, Andy, Chuck and John all came back with happy clients and stories of success. Thanks so much to the crew for your hard work and dedication. Were are more than honored to have you guys on our team and we always appreciate your help. Some awesome McCloud river photos here, if you want to get excited for one our favorite rivers, check em’ out.
Just wrapping up what has been an epic steelhead season on the Klamath, Rogue, Trinity and coastal rivers. There is certainly still some fishing to be had for these special brutes. Up next we start segwaying into trout fishing on the Lower Sacramento and Upper Sacramento Rivers. Rick Cox of Wild Waters Fly Fishing is reporting good results on the Upper Sac running nymphs from Dunsmuir downstream to Lakehead. Hatches are not happening yet in any significant numbers but fish are looking up to BWO’s, caddis and March browns. The Lower Sac also is fishing well with nymph’s being the most productive, but some PMD and caddis dry fly action can be had. The upcoming spring weather makes this river an ideal place for you to spend a day or two or three. Reports from Anthony Carruesco, Jim Roberts, Chuck and John are all exciting and we look forward to a great spring.
The Fishermen’s Spot’s client Peter came up to catch some fish with us.
Carl Mogerley holding a nice Rogue River hatchery fish.
Another day at the office…
and another….
A short break from the fish and attempt on some lizards. Good to see you out James and Rachel nice treat running into you guys.
Rogue River kicking down some nice cutthroat
and some steelhead too!
Back to work on the Lower Sac
First for everything… at least that I’ve seen, these boys swam across the Lower Sac. Thats cold, and a long ass way to go. Water Polo players, those of you watching, don’t try this at home.
Spey Rod fish, Rogue River!
Bobber Rod Fish, Rogue River!
A steelhead season winding down. I’m strait up tired! Drive, fish, have fun, sleep, wake up do it again.
This is what happens when your sleeping on the river! Your buddy takes your picture then wakes you up for one of these. Its a good life and the spring is just starting.
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