September Ted Fay Report

9/1/2026 Ted Fay Fly Shop Report 

Greetings from the oldest operating fly shop in California, located in the heart of Northern California’s fabled trout-filled rivers! A gathering place for flyfisher folks for 76 years, where you can always depend on hearing the honest truth about the latest lies. 

Shop Talk: Everyone is talking about pupation! Okay, maybe not everyone, but at least the fly fishing nerds are. I’m not saying any names. It’s a cool sounding word anyways and it makes someone seem really smart in the fishy world of entomology. Many local angler’s favorite time of the year is approaching and it’s like an Dicosmoecus gilvipes is already flitting about inside their waders. They’re anxious and agitated trout bums, metamorphosing from dog days slumber until the pupae emerge from their sealed and cased lair…The question is, with this year’s much cooler than normal temps, will the Caddis start showing early? Anyways, definitely put this fall on your schedule to visit the North State for this epic hatch. And always, stop by the shop for the latest banter, river updates, to stock up on gear and try on the new Backcountry Skins!

Tip: When the rivers rise due to rains and get off color, it’s a great time to swing streamers. When streamer fishing, I recommend not staying at a hole very long. Keep moving, cover lots of water, and search for aggressive fish. Casting up stream with a sculpin style streamer and quick jerky strips downstream is a proven technique as well.

Upcoming Events:

• Mount Shasta Blackberry Music Festival:  Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM at Shastice Park. Labor Day weekend tradition with live music, multiple vendors, activities for kids, and blackberry pie. https://www.mtshastablackberry.com/

• Fly Tying Clinic and Social Gathering: 4-6pm every 2nd Saturday at Ted Fay Fly Shop. Come meet local fly fishers and learn some skills at the tying vise.

• Upper Sacramento River Clean-Up: September 26th

THE REPORT

Upper Sacramento River

Water Temp: Upper 50s in Dunsmuir area 

River Flows at Delta: After these rains the river spiked from 201 CFS to 434 CFS (Sept. 3rd)

The river near Delta doubled in size during this last storm that brought a fall chill to the North State .The transition of seasons is starting. Migratory Shasta Lake rainbows are moving upriver with more frequency, which means fresh, larger fish that haven’t seen too much pressure. They generally aren’t too picky on fly selection and a #12-14 Beaded Prince, Copper John or Pheasant Tail is a good, time-tested choice. Lake fish generally have copepods on them (see pic below) and are more silver. Black midges that are clinging to the rocks are now reaching maturity and will start to hatch in greater numbers soon. Using zebra midges or black brassies are effective nymphs. Cased caddis imitations are also a good ticket along with rubber leg stones. In the evening, small caddis and some small mayflies are hatching. Swinging wet flies like Partridge Soft Hackles (I prefer orange or purple) is an exciting way to get a feisty grab. Tan/brown beaded birdsnest nymphs were working well for a guide that I talked to as well as Blowtorch nymphs.. September is a beautiful time of the year to be on the river. 

Nymphs 

Rubber Leg Stone Nymphs (I prefer the Tungsten Bead Stone at Ted Fays)

Cased Caddis Mop Fly

Birdnests Tan/Brown #14-16

Little Amigos #16-18

Weiss Nymphs #16-18 

Baby Assassins #14-18

Copper Johns #14-18

Blowtorch #16

Dries

Parachute Adams #14-18

EC Caddis #16

Light Cahills #14-16

Foam Ants

Stimulators

Chubby Chernobyls 

Yellow Humpies #12-16

McCloud River

Water Temp: Upper 40s 

River Flows at Ah Di Nah: 220 CFS 

The McCloud rose about 30 cfs at Ah Di Nah during this last storm. As reported last month, it’s a great time to fish for browns. With that said, the pressure on this river is increasing as fall nears. If you're willing to scramble, you’ll find solitude. Flyfishers love the big browns and some come to this famous river just to fish for them. Use flies like large posse buggers, or rubber legs. The browns often strike out of aggression, so swinging streamers  can incite them to grab. Get your presentation deep, under bubbles, in shady lairs, against the banks in slots under the branches are spots where they wait to ambush their prey. Also, spend a bit of time searching out a hole before casting because you might just see one in its hold. Often they will chase and not commit. If that’s the case, remember that spot and go back later with a different presentation. I might sound like a broken record, but the dry dropper is a killer combo here, especially for the rainbows. 

Nymphs

Weiss Nymphs (Black) #16-18

BH Black APs #14-16

Dark Lords #14-16

Little Amigos #16-18

Brush Hogs

Cased Caddis Mop Fly

Tungsten Bead Black Stone

Dries:

Parachute Adams #14-16

PMDs #16-18

EC Caddis #14-16

Light or Pink Cahills #14-18

BWOs #18

Chubby Chernobyls

Lake Siskiyou

Water Temp: Upper 60s

If the weather keeps staying unseasonably cool, this lake is going to turn back on very soon for rainbows and browns to start coming up from the depths. As it is right now, the surface temps are still a bit too warm for the fish to recover easily if brought to the surface. By mid to late September, the fish should be coming to the surface and start feeding hungrily in preparation for the leaner, colder months ahead. This lake fishes great from Early Fall to Early Summer for trout. Fall is a great time to fish for browns as they come into the shallows to feed. Fish streamers (in combinations of black olive and brown) at the edges of drop off, along weed beds, shallow coves and near incoming streams. I’m a big fan of zirdles. Look for rising fish and target them with dries like Adams, Ants, Small Caddis or Griffith Gnats.

Current flows: https://www.tedfay.com/forecasts-flows

- Report by Michael Kielich 

A mysterious local named Jeff caught this beauty

McCloud Brown

(pic provided by Riley Renick of Wild Waters Fly Fishing)

Copepod

-a rainbow trout parasite found in lake fish

Upper Sac Rainbow

Tracie with Russian River Fly Fishers showing off this beauty

Mid-August Report

8/15/26 Ted Fay Fly Shop Report

Upper Sacramento River 

Upper Sacramento River

Water Temp: Mid 50s in Dunsmuir 

River Flows at Delta: 224 CFS 

It’s a great time to fish! The heat wave is over and we are experiencing weather right now that feels more like early Fall. The night time temps are in the low 50s and daytime temps are in the 80s. Trout like the cooler weather, and have been responding with more activity, especially in the morning and evenings. Locals and visitors are still reporting some good days if you put in the effort, but as is usual this time of the year, it is a nymphing game. Some fish are coming up for larger dries like #14 Chubby Chernobyls or Hoppers, so give that a try with a dry-dropper set up. I have been snorkeling in the river quite a bit and there are lots of fish of all sizes in there, and this shows how healthy this spring-fed tailwater is. When much of the West is in serious drought with low and warm rivers, we are lucky to have this beautiful river that gets most of its water from springs deep in lofty Mount Shasta. Stop by the shop to let us know how you’re doing and for the most recent info.

McCloud River

Water Temp: Upper 40s at Ash Camp

River flows at Ah Di Nah: 188 CFS

Last week I went to the McCloud to focus only on brown trout. I arrived during the heat in the middle of the day. I managed to bring a 13 incher to the net and had another one chase me a couple times from underneath the bubbles of a deeper run. I caught several rainbows as well. I ran into a young man who was doing the same thing and he had just a bit earlier caught what he said was the biggest brown of his life.  Another local went to the McCloud this week and did well on small nymphs, like caddis pupas, peaches and cream and pheasant tails in sizes 16 and 18. The water is still very clear and it’s great for sight fishing.

***There has been a bear around the Conservancy area of the river that has become far too comfortable with humans and it is causing some concern for those who run into it. The bears are along the river this time of the year to fatten up on blackberries, and they generally leave people alone. This particular black bear is too curious, so be watchful. Bear spray might be a good idea. 

-Michael Kielich

August Report

8/1/2026 Ted Fay Fly Shop Report 

Greetings from the oldest operating fly shop in California, located in the heart of Northern California’s fabled trout-filled rivers! 

Shop Talk: Calling more young anglers to the wonderful sport of fly fishing. Young folks, who like whacking through black berries, whose ears aren’t crisped with the beating Upper Sac river sun, whose rears haven’t been bruised and bloodied while sliding down McCloud River canyon taluses, whose shins aren’t scarred by Pit River boulders, whose eyes can still thread 6x through a size 20 hook eye, who swim holes just to get to the perfect run. Heck, you might even meet some of us older folks down there, like a guy named Fred, who at the age of 80ish still wades and swims the Pit River. The pay-off?: years of endless adventure into some of the most beautiful and remote places on Earth, peaceful seclusion in nature, and a lifetime of catching beautiful fish. It doesn’t get any better!

Tip: With warmer water temps and decreased oxygen in the rivers, especially the Upper Sac, fish mortality goes up during this season. Handle the fish with extra care; using a net and leaving them in the water while you are removing the hook. It is best to fish in the morning or the upper reaches of the river later in the day to focus on the fish that are less stressed in the cooler water temps. The lower river, by Shasta Lake, can get temps up into the 70s, so the fish down there generally migrate upriver where the temps are cooler.

Upcoming Events:

• Mount Shasta Summer Concert Series: Outdoor music event every Sunday at 6:30 at Shastice Park. See link for details. Mt. Shasta Concert Series

• River & Rail Brewfest (Aug 1, 2026): Head down to downtown Dunsmuir to enjoy craft beers, regional wines, local food, and live music. http://www.riverandrailsbrewfest.com/

• Mount Shasta Blackberry Music Festival:  Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM at Shastice Park. Labor Day weekend tradition with live music, multiple vendors, activities for kids, and blackberry pie. https://www.mtshastablackberry.com/

• Fly Tying Clinic and Social Gathering: 4-6pm every 2nd Saturday at Ted Fay Fly Shop. Come meet local fly fishers and learn some skills at the tying vise.

• Upper Sacramento River Clean-Up: September 26th - More Info coming next month!

THE REPORT

Upper Sacramento River

Water Temp: Upper 50s to low 60s in Dunsmuir area with temps rising significantly during the day.

River Flows at Delta: 231 CFS 

August is often a month where the fish are more challenging to catch on the Upper Sacramento. Months of pressure, warmer temps, fewer hatches all tend to suppress catch rates. With that said, many anglers are reporting good success lately, especially in hard to reach areas. Mornings and evenings are best. It’s mainly a nymphing game, but don’t hesitate to try terrestrials like hoppers, bees, ants, beetles etc. Give them a twitch to incite strikes. There are prolific numbers of midge larva clinging to rocks in the fast water, so using flies like a size 16-18 zebra midge can be effective. Try to get away from the crowds. This is the time of the year to bring a snorkel and mask to the river and do some exploration of the sub-surface environment. I have found that as long as I swim holes from their sides and don’t spook the fish, they will stay in their holding positions. It gives a fisher great advantage to see where the fish are holding and how, or if, they are feeding. I often hook fish that I have seen holding in their spots after I explore a hole. It’s also a great way to cool off and have fun!

Nymphs 

Rubber Leg Stone Nymphs (I prefer the Tungsten Bead Stone at Ted Fays)

Cased Caddis Mop Fly

Little Amigos #16-18

Weiss Nymphs #16-18 

Gasolina #14

Sunken Ants #14-16

Copper Johns #14-18

Blowtorch #16

Czech Princess #14-16

Dries

Parachute Adams #14-18

Light Cahills #14-16

Foam Ants

Mosquito #16-18

Stimulators

Chubby Chernobyls 

Yellow Humpies #12-16

McCloud River

Water Temp: Upper 40s - Low 50s

River Flows at Ah Di Nah: 195 CFS 

There might be no place finer for an angler to spend a summer day than on the magical McCloud River. The streamside still shimmers with bright succulent greens and the water is the turquoise blue that makes this river unique in California. The cool temperatures of this tailwater river keep the trout and fisher folks happy throughout the Summer season. The river is still running clear and has very little silt from the glacial melt on Mud Creek, which often happens this time of the year. Try smaller nymphs like BP Weiss Nymphs. Small black nymphs still are effective for the Rainbows. High stick nymphing the pocket water is very effective during Summer. The browns that migrate up river from Shasta Lake are now spread throughout the system. It’s not a numbers game, but if you focus on them you might just get lucky. Try larger sculpin-like patterns and find the shadowy areas, against banks or under the bubbles of deeper runs. Sinking lines can help get the presentation down deep. Heavy-weighted rubber leg stones can be effective as well.  Brown trout love cover, shadows and generally like low light conditions. Anglers who spend time learning the habits of these fish, have caught some whoppers over the years: we’re talking in the 30 inch range!

Nymphs

Weiss Nymphs (Black) #16-18

BH Black APs #14-16

Dark Lords #14-16

Little Amigos #16-18

Brush Hogs

Golden Stones 

Tungsten Bead Black Stone

Dries:

Parachute Adams #12-16

Mosquito #16-18

Light or Pink Cahills

BWOs #18

Golden Chubby Chernobyl

Lake Siskiyou

Water Temp: Mid 70s

Not too many reports from Lake Siskiyou lately. Summer time is not a good time to fish for trout on this lake because bringing them up through the warmer surface water often kills the fish. The smallmouth bass will be holding at the edges of deeper dropoffs and around any rocky structures. Focus on them with weighted lines using baitfish imitation streamers, buggers and crawdad patterns. Most lake fishers are waiting for the cooler climes of fall for the region's local lakes to turn back on. 

-Report by Michael Kielich

Current flows: https://www.tedfay.com/forecasts-flows

A chrome migratory Shasta Lake Rainbow caught in July

In August, fish under the bubbles (if you're lucky enough to find this hole).

1978 My first fish and the beginning of an epic adventure!