Winter Fishing Upper Sac

[yankeefanbob]

Wondering how does the Upper Sacramento fish in the winter months, I quess the BWO hatch is prevalent but how about nymphing?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It is prime time right now.....

[yankeefanbob]

Thanks Bill, will it pretty much be prime time through out the winter too, I'm planning on being up in the Dunsmuir area January....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I am checking......



Lower Sacramento river guide and expert Tim Fox says it fishes all winter unless you get flooded out big time.


I think it is fished year round now in all kinds of flows.


I think April/May is the big Spring caddis time.



Fly fishing and fly tying leland Mike Mercer told me that October was his favorite month for the weather and the fish were very strong

fighters then.

[surrendertotheflow]

I love fishing the Upper Sac throughout the winter. Nymphing is very effective. Choose your style. The river remains fishable when flows rise, it can actually improve the fishing quite a bit depending on the location in my experience. Don't even have to get wet for some...

ps - tough exit for our Yanks. Glad to see Nats pull out the WS.

- Gus

[StevenB]

The Upper Sac can fish quite good during the winter. As mentioned the BWO hatch happens at around 1:00 PM most days,
sometimes the fish will rise good to the hatch and sometimes not so much (better on cloudy slightly rainy days).
Nymphing can be effective most days.
The fishing window is often short in the winter. (11:00 to 3:00 or 4:00).

River fishes OK at higher flows but accessible water will be limited.

For most anglers anything over 1,000 CFS is problematic.

anything under 3,000 CFS is doable but very limited.

Over 3,000 CFS is very difficult.

for reference normal summer flows are around 250-300 CFS

Most confusing thing about winter fishing is whether to fish high (Dunsmuir and up) or low (Simms and down).

It depends on the flows and where most of the water is coming from (out of Lake Siskiyou, or from the tributaries),

If the spillway on Lake Siskiyou is overflowing big then it is better to fish low

If most of the water is coming from the tribs then it is better to fish high

Normally the river does not muddy up much in the winter even with heavy rain, but since the Delta fire that may be changing.

We have seen Slate Creek muddy up the lower river a couple of times already this year.

Slate creek enters the river at La Moine.

[yankeefanbob]

The Upper Sac can fish quite good during the winter. As mentioned the BWO hatch happens at around 1:00 PM most days,
sometimes the fish will rise good to the hatch and sometimes not so much (better on cloudy slightly rainy days).
Nymphing can be effective most days.
The fishing window is often short in the winter. (11:00 to 3:00 or 4:00).

River fishes OK at higher flows but accessible water will be limited.

For most anglers anything over 1,000 CFS is problematic.

anything under 3,000 CFS is doable but very limited.

Over 3,000 CFS is very difficult.

for reference normal summer flows are around 250-300 CFS

Most confusing thing about winter fishing is whether to fish high (Dunsmuir and up) or low (Simms and down).

It depends on the flows and where most of the water is coming from (out of Lake Siskiyou, or from the tributaries),

If the spillway on Lake Siskiyou is overflowing big then it is better to fish low

If most of the water is coming from the tribs then it is better to fish high

Normally the river does not muddy up much in the winter even with heavy rain, but since the Delta fire that may be changing.

We have seen Slate Creek muddy up the lower river a couple of times already this year.

Slate creek enters the river at La Moine.

Thanks Steven...Great insight and info

[yankeefanbob]

I love fishing the Upper Sac throughout the winter. Nymphing is very effective. Choose your style. The river remains fishable when flows rise, it can actually improve the fishing quite a bit depending on the location in my experience. Don't even have to get wet for some...

ps - tough exit for our Yanks. Glad to see Nats pull out the WS.

- Gus

Hey Gus.....I'm gonna give Euro nymphing a try soon, been nymphing the conventional way for years ....yea it was tough this year for the Yanks, been a fan for 60 years, I was thinking about the Box Canyon area!

[yankeefanbob]

I am checking......



Lower Sacramento river guide and expert Tim Fox says it fishes all winter unless you get flooded out big time.


I think it is fished year round now in all kinds of flows.


I think April/May is the big Spring caddis time.



Fly fishing and fly tying leland Mike Mercer told me that October was his favorite month for the weather and the fish were very strong

fighters then.

Sounds good Bill.....

[steveg137]

Wow great great info on this thread

I need to get out with Steve B, heard great things