Guide Notes

Ted Fay Report : November 28, 2018

November 28, 2018Rick Cox

Winter has finally decided to creep in, the mountain has gotten it’s first coat of snow and the beautiful clouds of the season are showing themselves off. As I write this it has been raining all day and is forecast the rest of the week along with a possibility of snow. The local rivers are all closed with the exception of the Upper Sacramento which is open all year. I tip my hat to another great season up here and give gratitude to our rivers that bless us with their beauty and the pleasure they give us. And thanks to to all of you who respect this wonderful resource we get to enjoy here. On the up side this weather is bringing in a fresh push of steelhead on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers so it’s time to get the big guns out and go chase some beast.

Party Over Till Next Season Photo by Rick Cox

The Upper Sacramento River

With rain the norm for the USac is she runs like a roller coaster showing off rapid rises and drops. Rain is supposed to be with us through this week so best wait till it ends and settles a bit. Remember, this river can fish very good for some quality fish during the Fall and Winter season. Think big rubber legs, Winter P.T.’s, S&M’s, Micro Mayflies and soft hackles. An occasional Blue Wing Olive hatch will bring noses, sometimes big noses up to sip these bugs so be prepared to switch over to throwing your favorite BWO pattern. This time of the year is a special favorite for me, the opportunity is there to get into one of the big fish that this river holds and you don’t have to mess with the dinks of summer, they are hibernating heaven knows where.

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Looking Forward To Seeing The Beast Again

The Klamath River

The Klamath just keeps rocking with a stellar run of half pounders and adult steelhead. Whether fishing flies under the bober or swinging through a favorite run we have been finding fish. This Fall has produced one of the best half pounder runs seen in years and now the adults are showing. With above average precip forecast for the north state the next 2 weeks things will continue to improve and I encourage you to get up here to join in on the fun. We have some great Klamath guides available to show you where the fish are so give us a call.

The McCloud River

Just got notification from the Forest Service that the road from the dam to Ash Camp will be closed December 1 due to unsafe conditions. No idea when it will be repaired, hopefully before April 27, 2019.

Cheers

Rick Cox

Wild Waters Fly Fishingh

877-934-7466

Ted Fay Report : November 6, 2018

November 06, 2018Rick Cox

Fantastic Fall here in Dogpatch. The weather has been mild for the most part with the morning temps hovering around 30 degrees. Unfortunately there is no rain in sight and Mt. Shasta is down right naked with no white stuff covering any and all of her body parts. The National Weather Service is showing nothing but above normal temps and bone dry precip for the next 2 weeks. This isn’t starting off very well for me and you, so am not going to even think the D word for the time being.

McCloud River Report

The McCloud has really put on a spectacular show for us this Fall with its mosaic of brilliant colors. So with the river closing very soon (November 15), the popular October Caddis hatch and the quest for the big brown trout the river has been packed with anglers. It’s been tougher lately to bring fish to the net but there have been stellar windows where we have been lucky to experience hungry fish. Mornings have been the toughest due to the frigid conditions so I recommend the afternoon. Nymphing is solid but we have also enjoyed some outstanding dry fly fishing with some quality fish taking Stimulators and small mayfly patterns such as Baby Adams and Humpys. BTW too we have been witnessing the abundant leaf hatch, always popular this time of year.

Upper Sacramento Report

The USac has been producing a few lake run fish lately. To get away from the crowds I recommend the lower river from Lakehead up to Gibson and the possibility of hooking into one of these explosive fish. You get above Gibson and you start seeing more anglers. From Sims up to Ney Springs the October Caddis are still abundant so definitely throw your favorite imitation. The great thing about this river is it’s open all season so with the lack of rain so far and the McCloud closing soon this is a great alternative to consider for you junkies.

Klamath River Report

The steelhead are here and the run of early fish has been very good. A lot of half pounders so far but there are definitely adults in the mix. Reports from the lower river indicate this strong start to the season will continue as more more fish enter the system. Fish are being taken on single handed and two handed rods swinging and on the bobber with a couple of bugs hung off it.

Give us a shout if you want to join in on the fun here.

Cheers

Rick Cox

info@wildwatersflyfishing.com

What An Amazing Brownie Year On The McCloud Photo by Rick Cox

If you have any further questions call the shop and when you are in the area swing by and bug Bob.

Ted Fay Report : October 16, 2018

October 16, 2018Rick Cox

Damn Brown Hunkered Down Under Rock Photo by Rick Cox

The Fall season recipe is in full swing here in Dogpatch. Crisp mornings prevail, brilliant colors from Mother Nature’s paint brush grace us and the days keep getting shorter and the nights longer. All of this of course kicks the fish in the butt and the happy meter for you fishers should start rising.

The McCloud River is living up to its Fall reputation for fishing. The Brownies are getting very active in preparation for their spawning soon. This has to be one of the best if not the best Fall I’ve witnessed for these beast, am seeing a German Brown hatch like no other. Not only am I finding them in their typical lies but have been finding them in some very strange locations too. Streamers and nymphs are the current ticket but as the October hatch increases they will start gobbling on top … tighten your boot straps and enjoy. A word of caution, be aware of their redds when they start their mating thing which starts shortly. Then too lets not forget the Rainbows, we have been seeing some very nice ones coming to the net all the way from the dam down through Bollibokka. These guys have been on the dries mornings and evenings with midday results using the bobber. Expect to see Caddis and Mayfly hatches late afternoon so throw on the trusty Adams or Elk Hair Caddis for success. The downside here though is the crowds, you will have to search around for water to fish but at least you will have a good social experience meeting new friends and swapping lies.

The Upper Sacramento River is in great Fall shape too. The October Caddis are out in abundance and fighting crowds here isn’t as bad. From all reports the entire river is fishing very well with some big boys being caught from mid river down to Delta. Be prepared to see a different landscape on the lower river since the fires though. Evenings are good for dry fly fishing right now and a big Stimulator in the pocket water has been successful. Otherwise nymphing has been the ticket using October Caddis Emergers, Fox Poopahs, Birds Nest, Micro Mayfies, Gordon Prince and P.T. patterns. The downside here is the leaf hatch on the windy days. Be prepared to catch more leaves than fish.

For those interested in Steelhead the Klamath River is having an incredible half pounder run throughout the system. Our guides report finding them from Happy Camp up to Iron Gate Dam. Also some very nice adults can be found in with these pods hanging with their little brothers and sisters. On the Rogue we are also finding some nice Steelies. We are getting into some quality adultsand it should just get better and better as we go further into Fall.

Give us a shout if interested in spending a day with one of our excellent guides.

Rick Cox

1-877-934-7466

rick@wildwatersflyfishing.com