McCloud River

McCloud River Fishing Report 11/23/2011:

Saw a lot of great fishing on the McCloud this season! The McCloud closed for the year on November 15th, 2011. Opening Day is april 28th, 2012! See you then!

Hot Flies:#18-22 black Zebra Midge, #8 Pat’s Rubber Legs, #14-16 Black and Silver Copper Johns, #14 Licorice, #16 Brown or Olive Micro Mays, #16-20 Pheasant Tail Nymph, Various #14-16 cripple mayflies, Mercers October Caddis Pupa, #12-16 Hare’s Ear Nymph.

No river in America compares with the McCloud,  at least when it comes to rainbow trout history.  Have you been to New Zealand?  Caught a rainbow there?  Then you caught a McCloud rainbow. How about Argentina? What about Chile?  Your rainbow trout was in all likelihood a McCloud strain rainbow.  This river flows down a canyon once occupied by native peoples who where sustained by the river and its fish.  ”The McCloud”.  What a great name for a river. The “Mac” as it’s called by locals. The McCloud River was originally known as the “McLeod River,” after Alexander Roderick McCleod, the leader of a number of trapping expeditions for the Hudson’s Bay Company in Northern California.  A.R. McLeod’s expedition of 1829-1830 spent several weeks during that winter trapped by heavy snow near the headwaters of the McCloud River.

Upper McCloud River, Above Lower Falls

This river is a special place.  I think the experience of walking it’s banks is just about enough fulfillment, but catching it’s wild rainbows and browns on a fly rod is fuel to the fire.  Fishing the McCloud involves wading among rocks, irregular, precarious rocks and boulders.  Good wading boots and a wading staff are recommended by all.

What I can tell you is this:  It’s fly fisherman’s paradise.  Riffles, runs, pools.  coniferous forest, dear, bear, eagles.  Intense hatches of stone flies, mayflies and caddis.  Not necessarily at the same time and every day!  Brown trout from Lake Shasta migrate into the McCloud during the Fall months to spawn.  It’s not uncommon to find one of these huge lake run fish on the end of your leader.  Some of these fish go over 10lbs!!  Wild rainbow trout dominate the catching and releasing.

Best time to fish the McCloud river is when you can get there, but early to late Fall is my favorite time.  Spectacular fall colors, and friendly water conditions all contribute to a very memorable experience.  Early spring very popular with anglers because of all the thick insect hatches and aggressive fish eating off the surface!  I don’t mind the middle of summer.  In August, fish are found in the shady runs, down deep where it’s cold and comfortable eating small black or green Micro Mayflies.  Some of my best memories of fishing the McCloud  have occurred in August!

An angling experience on the McCloud will include a lot of walking on trails along the river.  Waders are a very good idea in the spring while in the summer, wading in your surf trunks is most comfortable. October-November 15th can be cool demanding waders, jackets, hats even gloves.

9ft 4 or 5wt rods are perfect.  A floating line will be the most used, but sink tips are ideal for fishing streamers in deep pools.  I use a 7.5 foot 4x leader with tippet rarely smaller than 4x.  5X or smaller may be used for #18 dry flies.

Expect to cover some water on this river.  I like to move from run to run, pool to pool.  Sometimes we find a spot that is just loaded with fish, but usually it’s 1-4 here and there.  Sometimes, the fishing can be tough!  Most of my guests that fish with me on the McCloud stay in Mt. Shasta or camp out at Ash Camp or Ah-di-Nah campground.

Contact me with questions please!  This is a great river!  I am looking forward to showing you some of the better riffles, pools and runs on this stream!