Guide Notes

Ted Fay Report : January 19, 2023

January 19, 2023Rick Cox

Happy New Year, what a way to start off 2023. I’m thinking everyone prayed too hard for a wet winter and the gods gave it to us all at once. The rainfall and snow numbers are crazy good and am sure you all are aware of them. Needless to say I love the purge the river is getting on the USac. It went to 16k on the 14th, a FYI for you I remember a year when it reached 40k back in the 90’s. Now that’s a PURGE! For whatever reason the McCloud Reservoir has been kept low so it hasn’t really had a chance for a good ole fashion flush yet. It has spiked but unfortunately didn’t maintain a high flow, probably because the dam wasn’t spilling. I bet it spills and gets too high to fish early spring when the snowmelt kicks in. For now the USac is flowing just north of 2k, for those who know this river when it gets below that threshold our favorite high water spots open up and its game on. I expect too that we should be seeing a good push of lake runs just like the old days before the drought (love them). Given what I’m seeing we will continue to see a very slow drop in the flows if the weather stays cold and there’s no more rain and snow. So far forecast is showing bueno for the next 7-10 days so we may have our first opportunity to fish the river in 2023. The current snowpack is beyond ridiculous so once it kicks in with warming weather it’s going to be a high water year for fishermen and kayakers. Stay tuned kids.

If you have any further questions give Bob a shout at the shop or just stop in and bug him next time in the area.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com

Ted Fay Report : December 10, 20222

December 10, 2022Rick Cox

The heavens have answered us with abundant snow since early November. Dogpatch is doing a jig and praying for it to continue through the winter. Also, the snowpack is currently above average for this time of year, very very positive sign. The USac is going up and is north of 1300 cfs which is the first flush in a very long time. She has gone into her winter hibernation mode and accessing it requires snow shoes or ski mobile from Sims upstream, below that expect high water fishing. The water is cold so if you want to hook a fish you probably have to tap them on the nose. The McCloud River is currently snowed in too so forget any idea of fishing it, its recess time. We all deserve a good winter and so does the rivers so cool your jets if you are thinking about fishing right now or if you are driven be cautious out there. In the mean time enjoy your Christmas holiday. The shop is open for your holiday needs so pop in and give Bob some well deserved business or just give him a call and he can help you out with a gift certificate or shipping a gift.

If you have any further questions give Bob a shout at the shop or just stop in and bug him next time in the area.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com

When Pie Meets Bread new pastry whore stop in Redding

Merry Christmas from Bob, Steven and Rick

Ted Fay Report : October 26, 2022

October 26, 2022Rick Cox

Fall has finally arrived in Dogpatch! The USac fishing is definitely picking up and the legendary October Caddis are dapping away on the water depositing their eggs for the next years generation. In my opinion it’s been a rather weird year for them so far, very few signs of O.C. below Dunsmuir but their thick above town all there way to Ney Springs. Normal years they are abundant down to Sims but what the heh, different year, spaghetti. Think about using LBS (Little Black Shit) and caddis nymphs down river from Dunsmuir and October Caddis patterns with LBS (broken record) north above town. Last hour of the day for Chubbys and Stimmies should bring fish up. Reports from the McCloud are saying the river is still off color but fishable. Hatches however aren’t very good due to the season long silt that was in the river. It’s as always a crowded (The McCrowd) affair there this time of the year so grab a rock and stand your ground. There’s also been a report of a menacing bear hanging around Ah Di Nah Campground. Bears do what bears do when they’re hungry. It’s been a terrible year for blackberries and apples so raiding a campsite is the next best option. From my years of experience fishing and roaming this river they are generally shy but when they are hungry they get more aggressive. I recommend hanging your food or storing it in your car although I have heard of them damaging a car/truck attempting to break in. The McCloud is a wilderness experience so be cautious, I have encountered over the years rattlers, storms of hornets, bears and mountain lions, it aint no picnic down in the canyon. As the old Boy Scout moto goes “be prepared”.

Just in the McCloud has bumped up flows out of the dam, 420cfs, and the river is blowing out. Turbidity has spiked to crazy levels again.

If you have any further questions give Bob a shout at the shop or just stop in and bug him next time in the area.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com