Trout fishing opener April 30th

Upper Sacramento River

Trout season opened on Northern California rivers today. Check out the early season picks, courtesy of Shasta Trout, if you’re planning on heading up to fish in Siskiyou County. The folks at Shasta Trout said this is the time to come pick your best Rainbow trout of the season. Read on to here what they said:

“Preseason Guide Picks, Previewing the trout fly fishing season in Northern California
The general trout season opens this Saturday, April 30th.  The McCloud, Fall River and Hat Creek will open after closing for the winter while we’ve been fishing the remainder of our rivers year round. Here are our picks for the opener and  a brief description of what is fishing best…”

Ted Fay Fly Shop has also been blogging on conditions on the Upper Sac and Rick Cox at McCloud Fly Fishing Adventures is ready for fishing on the McCloud River.

To learn more about fishing the Upper Sacramento River, check out the Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce fishing page. You’ll be able to learn about your lodging and dining options as well. If you’re thinking of fishing the McCloud River, the McCloud Chamber can help you explore lodging and dining.

Winter fishing from the Klamath River Lodge

Klamath River Lodge

It is the season for winter fly fishing and that Klamath River is a favorite wintertime destination of fly fishermen/women. If you’re looking for more than a one-day trip, consider staying with the folks at the Klamath River Lodge, where fishing the Klamath has a long history since the lodge was built in the 1930s. The Lodge is located on the Lower Klamath, near the town of Orleans, so you’ll get the true wilderness experience.

The Klamath River is a very long river, so you’ll want to acquaint yourself with the different sections and their traits, as well as current fishing reports. The Fly Shop provides a very nice description of the Klamath River, its seasons and current fishing reports.

If winter fishing doesn’t appeal to your sense of adventure, be sure to check out our river rafting section to read about summer fun on the Klamath.

Klamath River fly fishing workshops scheduled for March

If you’ve ever wanted to learn the fine art of fly fishing, or if you’re looking to improve your skills, two Spey casting workshops are scheduled on the Klamath River in March (one entry level, one mastery level). The folks at Shasta Trout are offering these workshops. Follow the link to learn more about “Introductory Spey and Switch Rod Immersion” set for March 13-15th and  Masters on the Spey at Klamathon Lodge scheduled for March 11- 13th. To read about current conditions on the Klamath, as well as the Lower Sacramento River, visit Shasta Trout’s fishing report.

Here’s a taster:

Winter Fly Fishing in Siskiyou County Update

Winter fly fishing in Siskiyou County is never wholly easy, but if you pick your spots (and watch your timing), you can catch fish – sometimes very big fish.

Local fly fishing guide Craig Nielsen often takes clients on drift trips down the Klamath River, and his recent fishing report suggests the fishing for steelhead has been good.

A local guide fly fishes the Upper Sacramento River

The Upper Sacramento River can also fish well, though we’re probably past the bulk of the BWO hatches. Nymphing during the midday hours is probably the best bet, though you’ll want to watch the flows closely; warm weather can melt snow and make the river hard to fish. (Hint: anything much above 1500 cfs means you’ll have to pick your spots. It’s best below 700 cfs, though the above picture was taken at around 1000 cfs.)

Lake Siskiyou can also provide winter fishing fun, especially after fish & game has dumped some of their gigantic brood stock in the lake.

Even though most of the streams and the McCloud River are closed until late April, there are still plenty of good fishing/fly fishing opportunities in Siskiyou County.

Fly fishing clinic offered on the Klamath River in December

Recent new from our friends at Shasta Trout:

We are writing to offer you an exclusive two handed casting experience Dec 10th, 11th and 12th.  Leading California Two Handed Casting Instructors, Chris King, Jeff Putnam, Jon Hazlett and Craig Nielsen are presenting an exclusive weekend Klamath River Spey and Switch Rod on stream workshop hosted by Klamathon Lodge.  All of the guides are certified casting instructors with the Federation of Fly Fishers.  The two night two day weekend includes demonstrations, on stream instruction and guided opportunities to cast for and catch both half-pounder and adult steelhead on the legendary Klamath River.

All meals, snacks and non alcoholic beverages are provided as is transportation to the river, including boat access to prime runs each day.  Rods, reels and lines will be available for guests to sample and use. The Klamathon Lodge is located on the banks of the most productive section of the Klamath River with a fabulous run just a few steps from the door.  This weekend is limited to eight anglers double occupancy and a guest to guide ratio of two to one!  Invite a friend.  Priced at only $795. Contact us now as space is limited and we anticipate filling quickly.
We have just posted our latest trip reports on the ShastaTrout website.  Our first big storm of the season arrived last week with rain that provided freshets and improved fishing for steelhead on the Klamath and Trinity and trophy trout on the Lower Sac and Fall River but dampened the bite on our local freestones, the McCloud, Upper Sac and Pit.  The storm passrf on Monday and the National Weather Service is forecasting warm sunny weather this week which should make for very pleasant fishing conditions and hopefully spark the October Caddis bite as well.

The Klamath River has a good number of early steelhead in and fishing has been good to great. Flows have been ideal at just above 1,300 cfs  and water temps are holding in the mid fifties making for ideal conditions for nymphing as well as swinging flies. The Lower Sac has also been outstanding, though catch rates are a bit below the norm. The size of fish has more than made up for few numbers with a good percentage of fish in the upper teens and twenties.  Some King Salmon have arrived along with some Steelhead on the lower reaches and with the water clouding a bit, the bite hasn’t been as technical since storms arrived.  The river has been busy but will lighten as the Trinity River takes off with some fresh steelhead moving into the upper river.

Fishing on our local freestones, the McCloud, Upper Sac and Pit Rivers slowed significantly last week from the hot bite earlier in the month with the cold weather as air and water temps dropped dramatically.  Flows on the Pit and Upper Sac also increased making conditions more difficult. We hope and expect the bite will pick again up this week, particularly for the dry fly October Caddis which was just getting in full swing.  The weather got the Blue Wing Olives going and with both bugs in action it will be a good time for a send off trip on the magical McCloud who’s season closes November 15th.   While fishing on the Fall River has just been fair, last week the dry fly action picked up and our guests enjoyed a couple of hours each day casting dries to big fussy Rainbows.  A reminder that the Upper Sac and Pit are now open year round.

For a complete report and photos from our trips, visit the ShastaTrout.com website which also features the legendary rivers we call home as well as bios on the finest local guides. ShastaTrout guides fish local waters as much individually as our competitor’s guides do collectively.  To check guide availability drop us a line.

Craig also regularly provides presentations to Fly Fishing Clubs and will be presenting his entertaining program “Seasons on the Klamath” to enthusiastic members at both the

Diablo Valley Flyfishermen on November 9th and the Flycasters of San Jose on November 10th.  Mark your calendar and join us for the festivities and companionship.  Better yet, contact us for a presentation for your group that is aimed to please.

If you are plannning to head to the Shadow of Shasta, do drop us a line. We are always pleased to share all we can whether you are seeking guide service or not.

Fall fishing: The Upper Sacramento River

Photo from Ted Fay Fly Shop

I just learned that the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association provides a North State fishing report every week. When I checked it out I found that the Ted Fay Fly Shop is providing updates for the Upper Sacramento River, the McCloud Reservoir and the McCloud River. The photos from the Upper Sacramento River are spectacular, it sounds like the fall fishing is pretty good, and you can book a guided trip with Ted Fay Fly shop if you’re new to fishing or want to refine your fly fishing skills – so a blog post was born.

While I have never been fly fishing, I can tell you this – the Upper Sacramento River is a place of wild beauty, and you should take advantage of any reason (excuse) you can find to spend time on her shores or in her waters. The Upper Sacramento starts below the Box Canyon Dam at Lake Siskiyou just outside of Mt. Shasta and continues down to Lake Shasta. You can read about the seasonal fishing characteristics on the Ted Fay Fly Shop website, and the Caddis hatch that happens in October.

You can learn more about fishing opportunities in Siskiyou County and find a list of guide services on the Visit Siskiyou website. You can also use the website as a resource to find lodging and dining options and read about other recreational activities in the area.

Here’s How to Check River Flows in Siskiyou County Rivers

Despite highly variable weather, fishermen are reporting good results on Siskiyou County’s rivers, streams and lakes, though you’ll want to check flows before you fish anywhere.

On some of the area’s smaller streams, the flows are apparently just fine – if this photo (taken last weekend) is any indication.

Want to check river flows?

Click here to check the Upper Sacramento River flows (at the delta).

Click here to check the new flow gauge on the McCloud River at Ah Di Nah.

And here’s a list of all the California flow gauges.

Spring’s Happening in Siskiyou County. Don’t miss all it has to offer!

Siskiyou County’s Fishing Forecast: Spring’s Late, But Fishing’s Great

Spring offers some of the best fishing of the year in Siskiyou County – both for conventional tackle anglers and fly fishermen.

This year’s cool (and downright cold) weather has delayed the hatches – good news for fishermen who haven’t yet made their plans.

On both the lakes and rivers, water temperatures are rising, and the fish (mostly trout) are becoming more active – as are the things they eat, including the big bugs the trout and fly fishermen both love.

An Upper Sacramento Green Drake (photo courtesy TroutUnderground.com)

And even if the fishing’s tough, the mountains in spring are almost impossibly beautiful.

Simply put, Siskiyou County’s almost never a bad place to be.

The Fly Fishing Can Be Great – If The Rivers Aren’t Too High

Fly fishermen are especially drawn to the hatches of big bugs – the Golden Stoneflies, the salmon flies, and later (some years), the fabled Green Drakes.

And why not?

A Golden Stonefly (photo courtesy TroutUnderground.com)

The big stoneflies represent a sizable meal for trout, making this one of the few (short) windows where the biggest fish in the river may happily eat a big dry fly.

The strikes are vicious, and the fishing – especially in the evenings – can be nonstop fun.

Tempering the excitement is the real potential for unfishably high spring flows – as the weather warms, the snow melts, the rivers rise, and the fly fishermen get grumpy.

The wet winter of 2010 saw our snowpack grow to 140% of normal, and spring has been slow in coming, so the rivers have been easing into runoff conditions.

In essence, the rivers are still fishable (but wading and fishing is tough). They remain high – and may become largely unfishable for a short time once the weather warms to really melt the snow.

That’s OK; while Siskiyou County’s blue-ribbon trout waters are the main attraction for fly fishermen, our lakes – and a few small streams – still offer great fishing.

The Lakes

Siskiyou County’s Lake Siskiyou continues to offer excellent fishing to anglers – both boaters and bank-bound anglers.

As the weather warms, trout fishermen will have to go deeper, but the smallmouth bass wake up – and fishermen ignore feisty, hard-battling smallmouth bass at their own peril.

A summer evening spent catching smallmouth bass on small poppers and surface lures – often from a float tube, which is a floating easy chair after all – is an evening well spent.

Castle Lake sits a mile high, so trout fishing remains good most of the summer. Many, many other lakes dot Siskiyou County, though some remain inaccessible until early summer due to snow.

The best places to find information on river levels and fishing?

Go to Visit Siskiyou’s fishing page, which offers links to flow gauges, guides and fly/tackle shops.

Siskiyou County’s Small Streams Offer Excellent Fly Fishing – And The Potential For Exploration Fun

While most fly fishermen are drawn to Siskiyou County to fish its blue-ribbon rivers – the Upper Sacramento, the McCloud and the Klamath – don’t overlooks the fishing opportunities offered by its small streams.

Along with smaller trout and few heavy hatches, anglers will find solitude on small streams – a draw for many fly fishermen.

Fly fishing Siskiyou County's small streams can be rewarding

Finding fishable small streams is half the fun; poring over topo maps and exploring the streams found there has become a highly refined part of the sport known as “bluelining.”

Blueliners are not afraid of a little exploration (or a little hike), and finding your own small stream can be a hugely rewarding experience.

Enjoy Spring in Siskiyou County!

Ten Tips For Successful Spring Fly Fishing in Siskiyou County

Spring fly fishing can be the most rewarding fishing of the year – provided you match the right techniques to the conditions.

Siskiyou County fly fishing guide Craig Nielsen offers up his Top 10 Tips for fishing in spring on his website, and they include useful tidbits like:

Tip #7. Match your Technique to the Water Type

Most folks have their best success covering big water in spring with an indicator and nymphs but it is not necessary to limit your strategy to one technique. Trout in springtime have been hungry for a while and a surprising number of them can be drawn to the surface opportunistically. Covering the water with a large dry fly with some weighted dropper nymphs can be equally or even more effective than deep water nymphing. Taking the indicator off and high sticking the heads of runs and pools also can aid in getting your flies down in front of the fishes face to get a grab. Save your small mayfly dry patterns and finer tippets to match the hatch should you be so lucky.

You can read therest of Craig’s tips here.

Enjoy spring in Siskiyou County!