Upper Sacramento River

Upper Sacramento River Fly Fishing Report: 5/14/2012

A popular river in late June through the summer, the Upper Sacramento has been fishing great early this year. Expect perfect conditions by mid June for the hatches of Golden Stones and Salmon Flies. It’s been a couple years since we have seen such perfect conditions as we are know experiencing. Fishing has been fair to good! Dry fly fishing is best in the early mornings and then again right at sunset. Hire a fishing guide for best results!

Hot Flies: #14-16 Gordon Prince, #16-18 Pheasant Tail Nymph, Pat’s Brown Rubber Legs, #12-14 Birds Nests, Zack’s TB Brown Pseudo May, #16 Brown Micro Mayfly, #18-20 black or red Zebra Midge, Shafer’s 3-D, #14-18 Mercer’s Missing Link, Cutter’s E/C Cadis, Yellow Rubberleg Stimulators.

“…35 miles of riffle, runs and pools. The stone fly hatches of June never disappoint!” Call 800-669-3474 to book a trip or send me an e-mail.

ABOUT THE UPPER SACRAMENTO RIVER

Stonefly hatches are ice cream to the fly angler. A guided day on the Upper Sacramento chasing select rising rainbows keying on golden stoneflies is a fly fishing delicacy seldom experienced but for a hand full of days in late spring and early summer. Water conditions on the Upper Sacramento near Dunsmuir, Ca. will be perfect for this year 2012. In June, I expect to find hundreds of large Golden Stones fluttering along river’s edge, dropping to the river’s surface to lay eggs and then, possibly, a pure Shasta strain rainbow trout munches down that Golden Stonefly. We have fly patterns that imitate the Golden Stonefly. Just casting these #6-8 brushy flies all day will lead you to countless opportunities to hit or miss! For flies think #6 Stimulators in yellow! There are other excellent patterns out there, but just that one should work.

35 miles of freestone stream, all of it accessible to the wading angler. Solitude can be found by walking just a little ways downstream or upstream of the occasional angler(s). Sometimes, conditions can be crowded in spots, but don’t worry, just move as I said. Plenty of fishing to go around!

Upper Sacramento River

The upper “Sac” is my favorite trout stream in N. California! Interstate 5 runs along most of it’s entire length.  Less remote than the McCloud or the Pit, I can easily take a break from fishing and enjoy lunch in downtown Mt. Shasta or Dunsmuir.

You will find 100% wild rainbow trout on the upper Sacramento!  DFG does plant trout in Dunsmuir, CA., but these fish typically run their course in a few months time.  Moving up or down stream by foot can be as easy as following the railroad tracks to more remote, uncrowded water that sees few if any anglers all year!  But be careful!!  Union Pacific trains routinely travel up and down the tracks all day!  Be alert!

This river is known for it’s thick golden stone hatches in the spring and October caddis hatches in the Fall.  The rainbows run the gamut for size: small to 25”!  Lake run fish from Shasta move in during late summer and behave like steelhead!  This river offers a great opportunity in December, just before the first major winter storm roles through, to sample some solitary trout fishing.  When everyone is on the Trinity, this river provides a similar fishing experience without all the hype!  The Upper Sacramento offers a scenic experience, wild “shasta strain” rainbow trout and solitude.  Unlike the Lower Sacramento, Trinity river or Fall River,  we will wade this river.  During spring and fall, bring your waders.  Mid to late summer, we can easily wade in shorts, surf trunks and wading boots.  A wading staff can come in handy.

My equipment list for this river looks like this:

• 4/5 WT Rod
• Floating line
• Tapered leaders 7.5′ 3-4X
• 4X & 5X tippet
• Thingamabobbers, medium size.
• #6-8 brown rubber legs, #18 Gordon Prince, #16 brown micro mayfly, Various stimulators, Turks tarantula in mid October.
• SSG split shot.