Nor Cal guide reports: USac, LSac, McCloud, Pit, Fall, Klamath & Trinity
October/November
Our first significant storm of the season arrived to end October bringing some rain and freshets moving steelhead on the Klamath and Trinity Rivers and putting them on the grab. The weather also sparked the bite for trophy trout on the Lower Sac and Fall River but dampened it a bit on our local freestones, the McCloud, Upper Sac and Pit. The storm has passed and we are again enjoying incredibly warm weather and the most brilliant fall colors in memory. The National Weather Service is forecasting warm sunny weather early this week which should make for very warm and colorful fishing conditions and hopefully spark the October Caddis hatch on local freestones as well. Later in the week cooler temps and showers are predicted which we hope and expect will send even more steelhead our way.
The Klamath River is showing excellent numbers of early steelhead and fishing has been good to great. Flows have been steady @ 1,000 cfs, a bit below the norm and water temps are holding in the fifties making for ideal conditions for nymphing as well as swinging flies. Guests have been finding a number of immature fish and half pounders along with several adults each day.
The Lower Sac has also been outstanding, with excellent catch rates including an above average size as the Salmon are spawning and the egg bite is in full swing. Guests have even seen a few fish near the mid twenties! Some steelhead have also arrived on the lower reaches and with the water clouding a bit, the bite hasn't been as technical since storms arrived. The river has been busy but we expect it will lighten as the Trinity River takes off with some fresh steelhead moving into the upper river.
The Trinity River has been fair to good as it has been a bit technical. Experienced steelheaders have found it to be good, putting some good numbers in the boat while less experienced folks have found it more challenging to make the most of opportunities. Some Chinook in the system is making for a solid egg bite but many of the fish are coming from transitional lies, particularly during recent storms. Guests have enjoyed solid if not spectacular days on this Northstate gem, we hope you make it up soon!
Fishing on our local freestones, the McCloud, Upper Sac and Pit Rivers slowed significantly last week from the hot bite earlier in the month with the cold weather, as air and water temps dropped dramatically. Flows on the Pit and Upper Sac also increased making conditions more difficult.
Our guests have had to work a bit harder for their fish during the day but the evening bite has more than made up for it. We hope and expect the bite will pick again up this week as conditions stabilize, particularly for the dry fly October Caddis which has been in full swing.
The weather did get some Blue Wing Olives going with fish rising late in the day for these tiny morsles and with both BWO's and October Caddis in action it will be a good time for a send off trip on the magical McCloud or Fall River as the season closes November 15th.
While fishing on the Fall River has just been fair, last week the dry fly action picked up and our guests enjoyed great success a couple of hours each day casting dries to big fussy Rainbows. A reminder that the Upper Sac and Pit are now open year round.
I apologize for not posting trip reports more frequently as we are experiencing our busiest season ever and it has been a challenge to keep up to date. Fortunately the fishing has been exceptional and many recent guests have enjoyed some of the best fishing and catches of their lives. For pics of our guests and a complete report please visit our website. The fall season is shaping up to be one of our best ever. Drop us a line to check on the latest conditions whether you are seeking guide service or not. We hope to see you soon!
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