April Ted Fay Fly Shop Report

Ted Fay Fly Shop Fishing Report 4/1/26

Correction from last week: The creek that flows into the McCloud at Ash Camp is called Hawkins Creek, not Ash Creek. (Thanks Steve!)

On the River Stories

A report from a reportedly reputable person said that an Oregonian, from Ashland, came last week and was fishing a small BWO dry somewhere near the Bikini Hole on the Upper Sac and landed a 24 inch Rainbow. He had a picture to prove it. Dang! Well ain’t that somethin’? You might ask, “Where is the bikini hole?”, but that is a different story for a different time and it might just get someone in trouble and I don’t want to reveal his NEW favorite hole. But enough of these musings: here’s the fishing report! 

Upper Sac Report 

Water Temp: 50 degrees in Dunsmuir

Current River Flows at Delta: 800 CFS 

The weather had been in the 70s for the past couple weeks, which is unusual, so the seasonal changes are earlier this year. I have been seeing a march brown here and there, small caddis and small baetis, but not too much yet. There have been lots of midges hovering over the surface on some days. We have a short bit of winter-like weather coming back, but the warm weather returns by this weekend. Fishing reports for the last week of March were good for some, with healthy rainbows brought to the net. On the days that I fished, the fish seemed to be holding more towards the middle and the tails of holes. The majority of the fish I have been catching are on an 8 or 10 Black Tungsten Stonefly (see pic) and a Purple Perdigon in sizes 16 or 18. Corey and Jessica, the new owners at Ted Fay Fly Shop, report that purple and red have been the good colors lately. The Salmon flies are starting to hatch, so if you see them, put on a stimulator and do a dry-dropper set up. The water is clear, so spend a bit of time looking for fish in holes before you start casting. Remember, barbless hooks only on the Upper Sac.

Nymphs 

Tungsten Bead Black Stone 

Golden Stones

Blowtorch #12-16

Duracells #14-16

Purple Perdigon #16-18

Lemurian Soft Hackle PT

Dries

BWOs #18

March Browns #14-16

Caddis #16-18

McCloud River

Water Temp: 47 degrees

Current River Flows at Ah Di Nah: 240 cfs 

According to Ted Fay Fly Shop, the few reports that were coming from the McCloud is that it was fishing decent, so I thought I’d go check it out on March 30th. It was an overcast late afternoon with an air temp of 61 degrees and water temp of 47 degrees. The water was clear. The Indian Rhubarb and dogwoods were starting to bloom. Very few bugs were hatching but I saw a few risers on small caddis and some tiny midges. I used an Elk Hair Caddis with a small baetis dropper underneath. I started to catch or get a grab here and there on the dropper throughout the hole I was fishing, but most of the fish were small (8-10 inches), had little fight in them, and were skinny and silver. This is the second time in a month that I’ve been down there and caught these cookie cutter fish that don’t look like McCloud River fish and I’ve come to the conclusion that these are fish that washed over the McCloud Reservoir dam during recent flooding and are now in the upper reaches of the river.  Another fisherman was down there with a Euro Nymph set up and he had been managing to land a few smaller fish, mostly with a Red Tag nymph. He caught one nice 15 inch brown fishing a tail out. I decided to walk about a half mile down river and try it there. Sure enough, I caught 3 or 4 fish and they all had that distinctive McCloud look and they fought like a vigorous McCloud rainbow ought. The fish were in pocket water and deeper slots. These fish haven’t had the pressure of a whole summer, so as it’s turning on, the fishing will get better, especially when the Golden Stones start hatching. April will be a good bet to get on this river to catch some hungry fish. The road to Ah Di Nah is open, but the campground is still closed. Remember, only barbless hooks may be used.

Nymphs

Brush Hogs

Duracells #14-16

Tungsten Bead Black Stone

Golden Stone Nymphs

Zebra Midges #16-18

Red Tag Nymph #12-14

Lake Siskiyou

Water Temp: mid 50s

As I’m writing this report, Lake Siskiyou is in the process of turning over, where the stratified layers of the lake mix together. The water is a bit murky and there has been very little surface activity, but as long as the Spring-time weather holds, this is about to change. Reports have been mixed, but those who know where the fish are holding are finding success. Stripping wooly buggers, balanced leaches under an indicator and chironomids are the go-tos right now, but callibaetis will start showing soon.

Feisty Upper Sac Bow

This McCloud Bow fell for a baetis dropper

Blooming Indian Rhubarb

-Thank you to Michael Kielich for this report!

Ted Fay Report March 3rd

3/1/2026 Ted Fay Fly Shop Report 

Migratory Shasta Lake Rainbow from Upper Sac

Upper Sacramento River

*Water Temp at Dunsmuir: 46 degrees 

Greetings from the oldest operating fly shop in California! 

Last weekend, the river was flowing just over 1100 CFS at the Delta Gauge. After a cold week, with the lows in the 20s, the water temperature was 42 degrees. The fishing was good, especially mid day until evening, with rainbows of all sizes caught. Feisty migratory Shasta Lake rainbows are spread throughout the system and average around 15-16”, but there are 20+ in the mix. These hard fighting lake fish tend to be larger and more silvery than the resident fish and they often have small, harmless parasites, called copepods, attached to their fins. After this past week's soaking rains, the river rose considerably, but is quickly dropping back into shape and the upper river should be fishable by mid week. Around 50% of the fish that I catch on the river this time of the year are on Black Rubber Leg Stone Nymphs. I prefer the heavy Tungsten Beaded Stones at Ted Fays. Purple is an effective color right now for the smaller flies: like Purple Perdigons and Purple Pheasant Tails. Other solid choices are Blowtorch Nymphs (size 12-16) and Lil’ Amigo Olives (16-18). If indicator fishing, don’t drag your flies on the bottom but make sure you’re adjusting your depth frequently so that your flies are drifting just above the bottom. At the end of your drift, let the flies swing a bit and wait for a tug. During the winter, the fish generally hold in the slower water where the main tongue of current broadens out in the holes. They are also in the tailouts, the edges of seams, behind boulders and close to shore and if you spend some time looking, you will often see them. Don’t approach the holes too quickly, because the fish close to the bank will often spook.

As long as the river is not too high, winter and early spring fishing on the Upper Sac can be some of the best days of the year; with almost no crowds and a good number of larger migratory lake fish. The fish aren’t as aggressive feeders in the colder water, and it’s almost all nymphing, but if you get the fly in their feeding zone, they will take it. These fish can zing some serious drag and give you a heck of a fight! If you do see fish rising, switch to #16-18 Blue Winged Olives and BWO Mayfly Emergers. 

McCloud River

Water Temp: 45 degrees at Ash Camp

I hadn’t heard too many reports from the McCloud lately, so I thought I’d go check it out this afternoon (3/1). Lush green moss, glacial blue water, thunderstorms rolling through the mountains and there wasn’t a soul in sight, either on the road or the river. It was a slice of paradise for those seeking seclusion. Fished the Ash Camp area. In about an hour landed 2 beautiful McCloud rainbows, about 12 inches each. One was on a Tungsten Beaded Black Stone and the other on a Lemurian Soft Hackle PT (a new fly at Ted Fay’s that I thought I’d try). PG&E must be filling McCloud Reservoir, because the stretch between the dam and Ash Creek has flows about as low as I’ve ever seen them. Ash Creek just about doubles the size of the river. 

Lake Siskiyou

Water Temp: 45 degrees

Best fished from a boat, this reservoir near the town of Mount Shasta is an excellent winter fishery with lots of healthy, and often large, rainbows and browns, as well as smallmouth bass. At this time, chironomids are hatching, and on warmer days you’ll see fish sipping them on the surface. Stripping small leech and bugger patterns (size 12-16) in black, browns and olive are effective, but if fish are rising, always be ready to switch over to small dries and emergers. Trailing a small (#16-18) birdnest off the back of your streamer can entice strikes as well. Most of the fish are in the upper few feet of water. Current flows: https://www.tedfay.com/forecasts-flows

For Guide recommendations: call Ted Fay Fly Shop at 530-235-2969

Flies for the Upper Sac and McCloud:

Bead Head Rubber Leg Jig Stone

Tungsten Bead Black Stone

Tungsten Jig Brush Hog

Lil’ Amigo Olive #16-18

Purple Perdigon #14-18

Lemurian Soft Hackle #16-18

Blowtorch #12-16

Duracell #12-16

Tungsten Jig Yellow Spot #12-16 (a Bob Grace recommendation)

Biot Mayfly Emerger #16-18 

- Report by Michael Kielich 

TED FAY REPORT

Beautiful morning.... 

Spring weather is on the way! For a little while, at least. Not exactly wet wading weather, but you’ll probably want your sunglasses. Gauge at Delta running at 2560 cfs as of 1pm today with the river forecast plot from NOAA showing a continued slow decrease in volume. The water is still a little off color but clearing up fast.  

We’re getting reports of bites with streamers and Blue-Wing Olives on Lake Siskiyou and Baum Lake. High water spots along the Upper Sac are fishable and some anglers are getting some action. Look for slow deep runs and soft margins. Heavy weighted flies and split shot will be your friends. Don’t forget about the BWO hatches as the air temperature increases.  

If you are in the area, make sure to stop by and say hello! Get your fish on!