The McCloud River Fly Fishing Report

John Rickard, Wild Waters Fly Fishing

The McCloud River opens this coming Saturday April 25. A recent look see shows the river in purrrrfect shape. A fairly wet winter and a couple of VERY BIG storms scoured the river clean and flows are sweet. Just to put things in perspective the rain gauge at the McCloud dam is currently reading 52 inches of rain which is pretty close to normal. Creeks and springs are running now that were dry last year … the same holds true for the Upper Sac… great conditions! The silver lining here is that we do not have to put up with snow runoff thus giving everyone an early season of normal flows. The poison oak, Chaparall Iris and Dogwood are busting out and a nice little hatch of flying ants was observed (put on an ant pattern). Caution when wading there are still fresh redds (spawning beds) around!! 

Don’t tread on me.