Fly Fishing the Upper Sacramento River in California
This includes a Upper Sacramento River fishing report.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We also have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes. They make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater/Freestone/Spring Fed
Species
Rainbow Trout
(Wild)
Size
Small-Medium, approx. 35 miles long
Location
Northern California
Nearest Towns
Dunsmuir, California
Season
Year-round – main stream only.
General season last Sat. in April to
Nov. 25th. Catch and release all year
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of California
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 & 12 ft., 5 or 6X, Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Superb Five or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Upper Sacramento River, California Fishing Report – April 26, 2024
The stream is flowing well above normal level and stained from runoff. Good hatches continue to take place and we have been getting a few good reports from customers prior to the higher water levels. Our articulated sculpin and leech streamers are working very good. The levels may go up due to runoff from the predicted warmer weather but hopefully, it will clear up soon.
Stream Conditions:
Rate: 2250 cfs
Level: 6.78 ft
Afternoon Water Temperature: 53
Clarity: stained
USGS Real-Time Stream Flow Data
Weather Forecast: (click the link below to see more detailed weather info)
Recommended Trout Flies:
Brown Sculpin and White Belly Sculpin and Articulated streamers, size 6/4
Black Matuka and Olive Matuka Sculpin, size 4/6
Blue-winged Olives: size 16, 18 nymph, emergers, duns and spinners
Aquatic Worms, size 12, pink, red, and others
Midges: Cream and Red (Blood) midges sizes 20/22, larva, pupa and adult. Our larva and pupa midge flies, pre-rigged in tandem, are very popular here. You can fish them under a strike indicator keeping the larva fly near the bottom. https://perfectflystore.com/product/pre-rigged-tandem-midge-larva-pupa-tippet
Stream Description:
Upper Sacramento River must provide the ideal rainbow trout habitat. After a train car load of pesticide was dumped in its upper waters in 1991, the river recovered within a relatively short time to again become a heavily populated wild trout stream without having to rely on stocked trout. It’s a very diverse river that has a dense population of hard fighting rainbow trout. Fly fishing the Upper Sacramento River is ranked at the top of the better California fly fishing destinations. The river begins from the flow through the Box Canyon Dam at Lake Siskiyou. It ends at Lake Shasta, near Redding. The total length of the upper river is about thirty-five miles. Its first couple of miles are in the Box Canyon. Its a very narrow canyon that flows to Ney Springs which is the first access point below the dam. Numerous springs and small tributary streams add to the flow. It is a beautiful setting with springs coming through the walls bordering the stream at certain places. The river widens below Ney Springs. Fishing remains good down to CantAra. At CantAra, the Union Pacific Railroad tracks begin to paralleling the river providing access. From CantAra to Dunsmuir more springs and small brooks increase the flow of the river. It becomes more like a typical freestone stream as it winds its way through canyons. This area isn’t fished as much as many other sections of the Upper Sacramento. The river is closely followed by Interstate 5. Just about any exit will take you close to the river. There is a large tributary stream that flows into the river at Mossbrae Falls. It is a beautiful, moss covered area where the stream flows into a pool. The river continues to increase in size from Dunsmuir to Soda Creek. Access to the river in this area becomes much easier. It’s heavier flows become more difficult to wade. The Soda Creek area is probably the most popular area to fish for visiting anglers. Below Soda Creek downstream to Sweetbriar, a distance of about five miles, the river flows through Castle Crags State Park. Fishing in this park puts you out of sight of the residences along the river. It is about four miles from Sweetbriar to Sims Road. Access is provided at Conant and Flume Creek Road. The Sims Road area is another very popular fly fishing section. At Sims Road, the river widens as it flows through a wider valley. There are numerous access points all the way to Lake Shasta. The river is not unlike a large spring creek in this section. The flows slow down and become much smoother. The river gets larger in this area. There are plenty of access points in this section of the river. Gibson, Pollard Flat, Shotgun Creek, Shiloah, Dog Creek and Lakeshore at Lake Shasta are a few of them. The water levels of the river constantly change throughout the year. The makeup is very diverse. There are pools of all sizes, pocket water with runs and riffles, undercut banks and a variety of other physical makeup. Catching trout greatly depends on where you fish at any given time and the particular methods, techniques and strategies one uses.
Fly Fishing Guide to the Upper Sacramento River:
The methods and techniques for fly fishing the Sacramento River vary from the upper box canyon section to the lowest section above Lake Shasta. The Upper Sacramento River actually begins as two tiny streams that flow into Lake Siskiyou. This is in reality, the only freestone section of the Sacramento River in the sense that everything else lies below and downstream of a dam. The river really begins below the Lake Siskiyou at the Box Canyon Dam and is a tailwater although many want to call it a freestone stream. The river flows for thirty-eight miles into Shaska Lake. The entire river is closely paralleled with Interstate 5 and is accessible from almost any exit. In addition, all but the upper few miles of the river are closely paralleled with railroad tracks, offering access to most of the entire river. This requires some hiking but makes it possible to fish just about anywhere on the river. The uppermost couple of miles in the Box Canyon is in a very narrow canyon that can be accessed from Ney Springs. Below there, it widens out some. The next access downstream is at CantAra. This is where the railroad begins to parallel the river. One problem in fishing the Upper Sacramento River is its clarity. The water is almost always extremely clear and deceptively deeper than it appears to be. There’s a lot of small brooks and springs that add to the flow between Ney Springs and Densmuir. This part of the river flows through some very beautiful canyons. They seem to be rarely fished. From Densmuir downstream to Soda Creek the scenery changes from remote canyons to a more residential atmosphere. This is a very popular area of the river to fish. The same setting continues downstream to Sweetbriar. The Castle Crags State Park is a popular area to fish because it is void of the house along the river. Conant, Sims Road and Flume Creek Roads provide additional access in this area.Within the next few miles, the decline of the Upper Sacramento River flattens out some and the water becomes smoother. There are several access points along the river some of which are Shotgun Creek, Pollard Flat, Gibson, La Moine, McArdle Flats, Dog Creek and Lakeshore near the lake. During the early part of May, melting snow or the Spring Runoff, raises the water levels to a point the river become difficult or impossible to fish. The river is usually takes until the first to the middle of June before it subsides to a fishable level. During July and August, the hot weather can raise the water temperatures up in the lower section of the Sacramento River, and you are better off fishing the upper sections. In September, the water cools down and the action usually picks up. Most of the upper river consist of pocket water. You have riffles, runs and pools that give it the appearance of a freestone stream. In effect, considering all the water it picks up along the way, it is a freestone stream. The generally accepted methods of fishing in the Spring is to match the hatches. During the summer, the surface action subsides and nymphing becomes more popular. High Stickin is the best method to fish the pocket water with nymphs. Fall is the second most popular time to fish the Upper Sac. There are more hatches, including one hatch the river is known for – its Fall Caddis.
Upper Sacramento River Hatches and Trout Flies:
Our information on aquatic insects is based on our stream samples of larvae and nymphs, not guess work. We base fly suggestions on imitating the most plentiful and most available insects and other foods at the particular time you are fishing. Unlike the generic fly shop trout flies, we have specific imitations of all the insects in the Upper Sacramento River and in all stages of life that are applicable to fishing. If you want to fish better, more realistic trout flies, have a much higher degree of success, give us a call. We not only will help you with selections, you will learn why, after trying Perfect Flies, 92% of the thousands of our customers will use nothing else. 1-800-594-4726
This stream provides a very diverse population of aquatic insects. Blue-winged Olives are about the most consistent of all the mayflies and other hatches for that matter. They start hatching in April and continue off and on, depending on the species, into November. The larger baetis, size 18s, hatch mostly in April and May and then again in September and October. There are several species of smaller, or Little Blue-winged Olives mixed in throughout the year. Green Drakes hatch in part of the river beginning around the first of May and lasting through June. This is not a very heavy hatch but there are some present. The next most consistent mayfly is the Pale Morning Dun, or PMD. They start hatching about the first of May and can last into October. There are two species present, but it is almost impossible to tell the difference with the naked eye so that is irrelevant. The Spotted Sedge is the most plentiful caddisfly. There are more than one species of them but it makes no difference as they all behave and look alike. They start hatching around the first of May and last all the way into the first of September. The next most plentiful caddisfly is the Green Sedge. It hatches from about the first of May to the middle of July. The larva of this caddisfly is the most important stage of life. Most anglers call it the Green Rock Worm. The big caddisfly hatch, as far as anglers are concerned, is the October Caddis. These larger caddisflies are hatching when nothing else of importance is hatching other than some BWOs. True to their name, most of the hatch takes place during October although it can continue on into November. The Upper Sacramento River provides a good habitat for stoneflies. There are some Salmonflies in the river that hatch during the month of May each year. A larger hatch of the Golden Stoneflies occurs from about the first of May through June. The most plentiful species of stoneflies are the Little Yellow Stoneflies. Most anglers call these Yellow Sallies. They hatch from the first of June through the month of August. Terrestrial insects can be very important during the Summer on the Upper Sac. It is possible to run into a flying ant fall anytime during May and June. Don’t bet the ranch on it though. From June through September, ants can be found along the banks of the river. Grasshopper are also plentiful from July through September. Beetles can be found from June through September and imitations of them are also effective at times. Don’t overlook the mighty Midge. They can hatch anytime of the year, but become more important when the water is cold and nothing else is hatching. Streamers that imitate baitfish, minnows and sculpin are very important flies to have anytime you are fishing the Upper Sacramento river. They work best during low light conditions such as early and late in the day. Several of our Perfect Flies have been tested and proven successful on the Sacramento River. If you haven’t already tried them, we certainly hope you will. We are confident you will be pleased with the results. We have specific imitations of everything that hatches on the river.
Stream Report Archive:
01/19/20 The stream levels are okay at this time but there is heavy snow and rain in the
forecast everyday for the coming week. There’s still plenty of insects hatching but nymphs and streamers is your best bet.
02/10/2020 The stream levels are low and the water clear. You have to be careful to not spook the trout. We are still getting good reports from customers.
02/25/22020 The river is still running below average with good numbers of trout being caught by our customers. There are some hatches taking place and some trout are being caught on the surface. Send us an email for a recommended fly list.
04/27/20 Stream levels are in good shape and the water clear. There are lots of insects hatching. The warm weather has them a couple of weeks ahead of schedule.This coming week should be a good one.
05/09/20 Stream levels are very low now but there is rain forecast for everyday this coming week. Conditions should be good. There are some good hatches underway and you should be able to catch plenty trout.
05/22/20 Conditions are very good with good stream levels and lots of hatching insects. You should be able to catch good numbers of trout.
06/04/20 The river is still low but there are some great hatches taking place and trout should be able to be caught in good numbers. Make good presentations and stay hidden from the trout as best you can.
06/15/20 The stream levels are low and you have to be careful to not spook the trout, but you should still be able to catch plenty. We continue to get good reports from customers.
06/27/20 The stream levels are still well below normal but our customers are still catching trout in good numbers. Stay low and as hidden from the trout as possible,. make good presentations and use Perfect flies which look very much like the real things.
07/10/20 The stream levels are quite low and you should use extra caution to stay hidden from the trout. There are lots of insects hatching, terrestrials are working, and our customers are still sending in some good reports.
07/23/20 Stream levels are fine and we continue to get good catch reports from customers. There are still a lot of insects hatching and terrestrial imitations are working fine as well. This coming week should be a good one.
08/06/20 The river is a little below normal but in good shape. You do need to use stealth and stay as hidden from the trout as you can. Dress to match the background. Using Perfect Flies, which look much like the naturals, is a big help.
08/29/20 The stream is running at a normal level but normal this time of the season is a little low, so you still need to use caution to stay as hidden as you can. There are still some good hatches and our terrestrial imitations are working good as well.
09/16/20 The stream levels are in good shape and the water clear. There are still a lot of hatching insects and our terrestrial imitations like the Japanese beetle, Carpenter ants and Sandwich hoppers are also working good.
10/09/20 The river is in good shape with good stream levels and clear water. We recommend fishing the upper section above Dunsmuir. There are still some good hatches taking place and our Sculpin streamers are catching some nice ones.
10/28/20 Conditions are good. There are still some good hatches taking place and our sculpin streamers are catching some nice trout. The stream levels are fine and this coming week should be a good one.
Note: We are discontinuing posting of the archive due to the large number of reports we already have.