Current River Conditions: Current river flows near lake Shasta are 357 cfs. At those flows, river conditions are excellent! Water conditions are unusually cold (and clear) in the lower river thanks to continued snow melt! Look for rising rainbow trout in the tail outs of select runs around 10:00 AM. #16 Elk Hair Caddis should be a good fly for tail out risers! Try a Dave's hopper and a #18 red Copper John. The hopper-dropper fly rig has been working well in the shallow, slower sections in between deep pools and swift water! The nymphing is good as always. Fishing nymphs like #16-18 Gordon's Amber Wing Prince, Fox's Black Micro Poopah, #18-20 Zebra Midge, #8 Brown Rubber Legs, #16 Brown Micro Mayfly, and Burk's #8-14 Bottom Rollers should get you into fish. This river is a great choice and should continue to produce good reports through September!

Click here for up to date Upper Sacramento River flows

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
When nymphing on the Upper Sacramento River, always use double the amount of shot to get the flies down to the fish. If a run calls for one SSG, put on two. If you're not ticking the bottom from time to time (yes, this means losing a few flies), you're probably not getting down to where the fish are feeding. Use stronger tippet like 2X-3X for bigger flies, example #6-10, 4X for smaller #16-18. Keep your first fly within 6-8 inches of your split shot. Stronger tippet means fewer flies will be left on the bottom of the river. Sink tip lines with streamers attached are a good plan when there is room to cast.

River Fact:
On the evening of July 14, 1991, a derailment on a horseshoe curve known as the "Cantara Loop" on the railroad north of Dunsmuir resulted in the release of approximately 19,000 gallons of metam sodium spilled into the Sacramento River. The biocide killed every living thing in the river for a distance of some 38 miles, devastating a popular fly fishing area--one of the most severe toxic spills in U.S. history. The Upper Sacramento River is now largely recovered from the spill.

Flies:

Dries:
• Royal Wulf #10-14
• Rio Grande King Trude #12-14
• Thing From Uranus
• Barr's Dropper Hopper
• Elk Hair Caddis #16-18
• Adams #16-18

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Dark Lord's #14-16
• Red Copper John #14-18
• Zebra Copper John #14-18
• Zebra Midge #16-20 Black
• Burk's Bottom Roller #10-14
• GB Birds Nest #12-14
• Gordon's Amber Wing Prince
• Pat's Rubber Legs Brown #6-8
• Micro Poopah Black
• Poxyback Golden Stone #8-14
• Micro Mayfly #14-18

Streamers/Leeches:
• Wooley Buggers
• Muddler Minnow #10