Upper Sac/McCloud

[PV_Premier]

Quick report from the Upper Sac/McCloud rivers...

Fished Saturday night and Monday morning on the Upper. All reports are that fishing is "fair" and that would also classify our experience. Saturday late afternoon/evening hooked a good number of fish on size 10-14 October caddis pupae in relatively fast, deeper water slots plus a few on dries in the slower stuff. Biggest fish was 16-17". Yesterday morning was a complete strikeout from ~8:30-noon, I couldn't believe it. Had a couple of grabs on the indo rig and on October caddis dries, but pretty quiet all around.

Sunday fished the Conservancy property from 8am-1pm. Got one decent brown 18-20" size range and a good number of 9-14" browns and bows. All fish subsurface, stonefly nymphs and super skinny profile baetis/PT style stuff. Lost a couple really nice fish in the pocket water on the tiny flies, it happens.

Fishing pressure was lighter than I expected it would be on both rivers, particularly since it was a holiday weekend.

If you think the smoke and haze is bad in Sacramento right now just head up to Dunsmuir. Visibility was 1-2 miles the entire time with a north wind pumping smoke out of Oregon.

[cdevine]

PV- Excellent report. Sounds like you covered a lot of water. Like Bob says from Ted Fay small black shat (SBS) seems to be the ticket later summer. I really want to get back up there in the next 4-6 weeks.

Sorry to hear about the smoke. Fire season seems to be have exploded lately. That is such a beautiful spot to take in that I'm sure it was a bit of a bummer with air quality/smoke. I had to take a detour down to the EW due to the Slinkard Fire. Fortunately rains seem to have helped a lot.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

October is coming fast so get a trip planned to a favorite fisheries.

Fall Steelhead, trout lakes and trout streams should all be good then.

[PV_Premier]

PV- Excellent report. Sounds like you covered a lot of water. Like Bob says from Ted Fay small black shat (SBS) seems to be the ticket later summer. I really want to get back up there in the next 4-6 weeks.

yep SBS was the game on the McCloud when the rubberlegs wasn't.

one thing i forgot to mention is that the gnats were absolutely ferocious, worse than i've seen anywhere. BRING A HEADNET, they were unresponsive to DEET. without a buff, i would not have been able to continue fishing...and even with it, it was miserable at times especially hiking between spots away from the water. not as bad on the Sac as on the McCloud.

[Rockman]

I can vouch for the gnats. We fished last Friday and I rarely wear a buff, but I thank god I had it. Never in my life have I been attacked by bugs like that. While wading, they stayed away. I believe the cooler air while we wet waded kept them at bay, once on the shore, you are at their mercy.
They love your face!
Be prepared!

PS. the road in is in the worst shape in a long time too.

[cdevine]

Thanks for the heads up on the bugs. Some of my favorite places this year have been tough at times due to the overzealous little critters. Earlier this summer i got the piss scared out of me by the buzzing sound of mr rattler on the Mccloud near Ash. Any sightings?

[Rockman]

I have fished the McCloud a lot, ( I retired up here). I have seen rattlers before, but never on the McCloud. Guess I'm lucky��

[PV_Premier]

Thanks for the heads up on the bugs. Some of my favorite places this year have been tough at times due to the overzealous little critters. Earlier this summer i got the piss scared out of me by the buzzing sound of mr rattler on the Mccloud near Ash. Any sightings?

no buzzworms for us on either river. knock on wood i didn't see one all summer even on the NFYR or Sierra County creeks where they are a near guarantee to run into. i did get rattled at on a Placer County stream early in the season but never saw the snake.

plenty of racer and garter snakes though.

[cdevine]

Yeah that was the first one I've seen on the Mccloud. I heard stories but never witnessed myself. I hike quite a bit and trail run as well in the foothills and honestly it wasn't a big year for snakes. (at least across my path) Maybe the high water washed out dens? No complaints by me.

Its gotta be a great time to be on the Mccloud. Cooler days/nights, less crowds with kids back in school/summer winding down, and some folks thinking about hunting. I'm salivating a little just writing this.

Thanks for sharing your experience.