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Fishing Report

530 Outfitters Reports 05/29/24: Northern California Trout

530 Outfitters Reports 05/29/24: Northern California Trout

 

Northern California Trout: 

McCloud River

The McCloud River continues to fish good. Crowds have picked up especially on the weekends. But go for a hike and you should escape some of it! Fishing on the shallower rids, dry dropper has continued to produce and is fun to do is fun in the pocket water. More and more sightings of the big salmonflies and golden stones. Best flies include rubber legs, yellow sallies, pmds, princes and baetis.

Upper Sac

The Upper Sac continues to flow a little high but the flows are dropping and is opening more and more fishable spots along the river everyday.

Lower Sac 

The slower Sacramento River is fishing good with the flows stabilizing near 9k cfs. With the warmer temps we’re seeing more hatch activity. PMD’s, baetis, sallies and some golden stones lower on the river are all in play. On a recent evening float, we saw a few big caddis as well. Deep nymphing, shallow nymphing and dry fly techniques are all options which makes for a fun day. 

Fall River 

The Fall River has been fishing great this season and the recent warmer temps are only going to help. The upper river is experiencing a great PMD spinner fall, the middle stretch is seeing good numbers of PMD’s and baetis. Shallow nymphing, dry fly and swinging leaches on a sinking line are all options. The fish are spread out and in pods. We’ve seen a few smaller fish the past week after catching some very large fish that past month. It’s a great mix and the small fish are welcomed as they show a promising future. 

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Northern California Fishing Report, McCloud, Upper Sac, Lower Sac, Fall River

530 Outfitters Reports on 5.8.2024

McCloud River: The McCloud River has started off with a bang and the color of the river is looking like the normal McCloud we are accustomed to. Late April and early May was a little chilly in the McCloud river canyon but a couple extra layers and good fishing solved the chilly weather.

I think the cold weather is behind us and the weather forecast is looking great! I have been finding better fishing on the shallower rigs, dry dropper,  than the deeper indicator rigs. There haven't been many sightings of the big salmon and golden stoneflies yet, but there has been some--this warmer weather should help! I've mostly seen Yellow Sallies, PMDs, and Baetis.

Northern California Trout Fishing
 
Upper Sac: The Upper Sacramento continues to flow big. Not much to report on. But if you were to fish it, find the soft edges or pools and throw a big rubber leg! Current flows are 1500 cfs.
 
Lower Sac: May and June are known as prime months on the Lower Sacramento River. The warm spring weather that is on the forecast should spice things up with the hatches! With the whirlwind of weather and inconstant flows that April and early May brought, we are excited to see the PMD hatches start to get going in full force! Baetis and Caddis are also on the menu. 
 
Northern California Trout FishingNorthern California Trout Fishing
 
Fall River : Fall River season is here and it is already looking like a promising season with a strong bite already happening on the big spring creek. Mid morning hatches of PMDs and Baetis are getting the trout excited. May, June, and early July are some of our favorite months to be on the Fall River.
 
Northern California Trout Fishing
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Nor Cal Trout Fishing - July 2023

Nor Cal Trout Fishing - July 2023

 Nor Cal Trout Fishing - July 2023

Truckee River:

 

The Truckee has been fishing consistently throughout the summer! Both water color and temperature have been stellar. Flows were a little high earlier in the month due to run-off from the big winter snowpack, but now the river is in perfect shape for a trip!

 

Classic summer dry-fly opportunities can be had, however the Truckee fishes best with a variety of nymphs. Fish are also gorging themselves on crayfish this time of year, so streamer fishing can be a blast! It's pretty hot up there, so don't work too hard and beat the heat while wet-wading! Come through the shop to get those indicator or Euro nymphing rigs dialed in!

 

Flies: Golden Stones/Sallies- sz 10/16,  Caddis Larvae/Pupa (green/tan)- sz 16/18, Baetis- sz 18/20, PMDs- sz 16, March Browns- sz 14. Plenty of fish can also be had on a variety of streamers, as well as crawfish, worm, and egg patterns! It’s be a shame to skip out on the Truckee this summer, watch those flow gauges and get out there!

Matt Heron

Matt Koles

 

Yuba River:

 

In the last few weeks flows have dropped significantly to around 3,300 cfs meaning the Yuba is running cold and clean at a very fishable level!

 

The Rundown: Summer Hopper fishing is upon us! Dry droppers with big bugs and simple Grasshopper rigs should work great up through August. Fish are consistently holding tight to the bank, be observant and fish smart, risers are around! Drive up for some epic morning and evening fishing and try to beat the heat!

 

Tons of very healthy rainbows are feeding all throughout the system. There remains a potential to run into a Spring-run steelhead! A few fish from the spring have remained in the river due to the staunch excess of cold water! Try your luck at running into some valley chrome!

 

Flies: Chubby Chernobyl (yellow, tan, purple)- sz 8,10,12; Morris’s Hopper-sz 8,10,12,14, Plenty of other Hopper patters will also do the trick, Caddis are also hatching, try some Elk Hair Caddis or Mercer’s Missing Link-sz 14-18; Nymphs for dry dropper rigs: Caddis Pupa, PMDs-sz 14-18; Golden Stones 8-16, Duracell-sz 14-20

 

Captain Ben Thompson

Website: https://www.benthompsonoutdoors.com/

Phone: (916) 743-8290

Email: bthompson30@gmail.com

 

Feather River:

 

Summer isn’t necessarily prime time for the Feather, however, with the state having such a huge water year, things are a little funky! A number of Adult Spring-Run Steelhead remain present throughout the system, this winter’s surplus has provided comfortable holding water for these fish. Go try to test your luck! These fish are probably in a mostly trout-like state of mind after remaining in the river for so long, you can’t catch them from the couch, go see what the river has to offer!

 

Captain Ben Thompson

Website: https://www.benthompsonoutdoors.com/

Phone: (916) 743-8290

Email: bthompson30@gmail.com

 

 

Lower Sacramento:

 

The Lower Sacramento is sticking to its long-held reputation of an extremely consistent fishery all year round! Even with almost unbearably scorching temperatures throughout the Central Valley and North State, the Lower Sac is flowing cold and strong! It’s a perfect time to ditch the waders and cool off for the day!

 

All tributaries to the Lower Sac are pumping out cold, clean water, allowing 100% of the trout water in the main river to clean itself up! Great fishing can be had from Redding in-town all the way down to Red Bluff, get out there!

 

Currently the fish are shifting toward an almost completely Caddis-centered diet. Hydropsyche Caddis in all stages and sizes are showing up everywhere, and the fish are eager to take them. PMD and Stoneflies have also been productive. Like always, nymphing is going to be the most consistent method for picking up fish, but plenty of dry-fly opportunities can be had in riffles and tail outs during caddis hatches!

 

The Lower River is fishing exceptionally well for Striped Bass. Throw around a big Adachi Clouser and turn a hungry Striper, you’ll be into backing in a flash! Some very large fish have been caught down low this summer.

 

Fishing on the Lower Sacramento can definitely be done through the DIY Walk-and-Wade method, but for the full experience we highly recommend booking a guided trip through Capt. Ben Thompson or our friends at AC Fly Fishing!

 

Flies:

Nymphs: Caddis Larvae/Pupa (tan)- sz 12-16; Peaches ‘n Cream/TNT PMD- sz 14/16; Sweet Pea/Hogan’s S&M 14-18

 

Dries: EC Caddis, Mercer’s Missing Link, Elk Hair Caddis, PMDs- sz.12-16

 

 

Captain Ben Thompson

Website: https://www.benthompsonoutdoors.com/

Phone: (916) 743-8290

Email: bthompson30@gmail.com

 

AC Fly Fishing-

Website:https://acflyfishing.com/ 

Phone: (800) 201-5047 or

Email: info@acflyfishing.com

 

Upper Sacramento:

The Upper Sacramento is fishing great right now. While daytime temperatures are consistently exceeding 90 degrees, getting down to the canyon bottom with wet-wading equipment can be a perfect way to beat the heat!

 

Golden Stones have come and gone but there should be steady PMD and Caddis hatches in the evenings. Nymphing should be productive all day long, while fishing dries early and late in the day for eager risers can be a blast.

 

All the water from Simms campground and up has been excellent!

 

Flies:

Nymphs: Pats Rubberlegs/Poxyback Stones- sz 8-18; Peaches ‘n Cream/TNT PMD- sz 14/16; Sweet Pea/ Hogan’s S&M/Micro May- sz 14-18

 

Dries: Parachute Adams/Purple Haze- sz 14-18; EC Caddis, Mercer’s Missing Link, Elk Hair Caddis- sz.12-16

 

Chuck Volkhausen

Phone: (530) 859-3474

 

John Rickard

Phone: (877) 934-7466

 

 

McCloud River:

The McCloud has been somewhat unpredictable this season; dense snowpack from this year’s winter has brought about sporadic run-off events which have pushed sediment and large volumes of water into the lower river. These conditions can remain for a week or two before things start to clear up which makes pulling the trigger on a trip difficult. The road into Ah-Di-Nah Campground and the Nature Conservancy had a blowout earlier in the summer but has since been repaired and deemed safe to travel.

 

While the conditions haven’t been consistently optimal, the fish haven’t left the river! Fishing remains on the scale of Fair-Great depending on the day and water clarity! When the water has some decent color, the fish move into the shallower areas (riffles, shallow tailouts) to feed! Dry fly fishing can be a blast when fish are shallow!

Another underlying plus of the McCloud’s unpredictability this season has been a lacking of the usual summer crowds. With people wondering about a possibly washed-out road and high/dirty river, many folks have decided to stay away from the McCloud. This has allowed for a practically wide-open river to anyone who chooses to go! Walk-in tags at the Nature Conservancy should be easier to get than in past years, but you never know! If you want to get in there, it’s better to be early!

The Upper McCloud (above McCloud Reservoir) has also been fishing very well! The McCloud’s own species, the Native Redband trout, are found thriving in plentiful numbers in this isolated section of the upper watershed. The upper river is a spectacular place to bring the family for a summer camping trip and take a little adventure for some really cool fish!

 

Flies:

Nymphs: Pats Rubberlegs (Black/Brown)- sz 8-12; Poxyback Stone- sz 12; Sweet Pea, Hogan’s S&M, Micro May, Copper John, sz 14-16; Prince Nymph, Gordon’s Prince, sz 14-16

 

Dries: Parachute Adams/Purple Haze- sz 12-18; Mercer’s Missing Link, EC Caddis, PMDs-sz 14-18; Potentially Salmonfly/Golden Stone action- sz 10-14

 

Streamers: Dolly Lamma 06-02, Sculpin Patterns

 

Chuck Volkhausen

Phone: (530) 859-3474

 

John Rickard

Phone: (877) 934-7466

 

Pit River:

Good-Great

 

The Pit (Pit 3&4) has been fishing very consistently this season. As many know, a trip to the Pit is not for the faint of heart. Wading among the slick boulders and swift current that the Pit possesses can be difficult and, in some cases, outright dangerous. So, make sure your boots are in tip-top shape (both rubber condition and cleat installation), bring along a wading staff for some extra stability in the water, and most importantly, know your body’s limits.

 

Down to the nitty gritty- the Pit has had a good year. You can expect productive days using mostly nymphing techniques. Per usual, pocket water fishing is everywhere on the Pit, sift through a section with a Euro, Indicator, or Dry-Dropper Rig and see what you pick up!

 

Flies: Small Stoneflies- sz 12-16; Mayfly patterns (Sweet Pea, S&M, Perdigon)- sz 16-20; Caddis Pupa/Larvae sz 14-18

 

 

Chuck Volkhausen

Phone: (530) 859-3474

 

John Rickard

Phone: (877) 934-7466

 

Putah Creek

Our local creek is fishing well given the high flows. Flows have been bouncing between 500 and 600 cfs the last few weeks. As a reminder, Putah is used as an irrigational canal used to feed water down into the farmland near Winters, Davis Woodland. 

The standard flies are doing the trick. Flies such as S&M Nymphs, Caddis Poopah and Zebra Midges are doing well! If you'd like to spice things up try tossing Rainbow Warriors, Two Bit Hookers, and Jujubees!


The challenge with these high flows has been keeping the grass and weeds off the hooks, consider bringing the Euro rod out to maintain a much tighter connection and drifting the bugs below the grasses!

Great opportunity to toss Streamers as well. Sculpzillas, Small Peanut Envys and sparsely tied leaches are crushing at the moment! Fish these flies on an  intermediate line swung. Or on a fast sink line above the buckets and pools on the creek.

Reach out to Robert George 707-812-4671 or Clayton Ono 707-365-9012 for trips and availability.

 

 

 

 

 

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Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report

Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report
The Upper Sac is in perfect shape now. July is here but fortunately the days are very mild, we have experienced no serious heat waves yet and the water remains cold due to the continuing runoff. We are seeing the Golden Stones just about ready to leave the party but on the other hand some dynamite late evening dry fly fishing is still available. Although the word is out that the river is in excellent shape and you fly fishers are here in numbers the beauty of the river is that there is 30 miles of access. Most fish during the day are taking a variety of nymphs including soft hackles, Red Copper Johns, Dark Lords and my favorite the LBS (little black shit). Best luck has been getting the bugs down near the bottom, the fish are hugging it due to the very clear visibility.
Give us a shout if you want to experience some fun time on the Upper Sac this summer.
 
Cheers
Rick Cox
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Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report

Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report
The Upper Sacramento.
Flows are still very high but are dropping rapidly into shape. Its time to plan that trip and get on this amazing freestone river for its famed golden stonefly hatch. We will be wading and rafting this river in the next couple of weeks and can’t wait to share the results. Stay Tuned…
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Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report

Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report

Wildwater reports on 5.23.19

The Upper Sacramento River

The river has been bouncing around but has just dropped below 3000cfs. She’s a beast but its all about the edges and soft spots. Best to fish areas where it spreads out rather than the tight narrow ones you normally would fish. Be prepared too to see a completely different landscape in the lower river from the Delta Fire cleanup, fortunately, though the river itself survived. Again here expect a big turn around next week here, June should be dynamite! 

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McCloud River Fly Fishing Report

John Richard reports on 5.9.19

McCloud River Fishing Report

The McCloud River is still experiencing high flows (532 CFS at Ah Di Na), but the fishing is quite good. The higher flows may limit some access and adjust the way you approach your favorite spot but it is likely that you’ll thoroughly enjoy your day. Last week our guides caught fish in a variety of ways. We were thrilled to throw the dry...

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Upper Sacramento Fly Fishing Report

Rick Cox reports on 5.3.18

Upper Sac

image

The Upper Sacramento River is fishing great right now. With the diminished snowpack and lack of high water, May fishing will be some of the best we have seen in years. Most fish are being caught under an indicator but late afternoon and evening are showing signs of top action. We are starting to see the beginnings of Mayfly and Caddis hatches which will only get...

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Upper Rogue, Upper Klamath, Upper Sac Fly Fishing Report

Rick Cox reports on 3.22.18

The Coast

The theme the last couple of weeks around here has been excellent fishing for Wild Waters Fly Fishing. We have been finding steelhead at the coast, the Upper Rogue, Upper Klamath and even trout in our own backyard here on the Upper Sac. Last night the skies opened up with pounding rain and lightning, it has let up but more is forecast including snow through...

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