Current River Conditions:
The Upper Sacramento River is fishing good! There's 35 miles of good water here that can be productive. The evening fishing up in and around Dunsmuir has been good. Anglers are finding rainbows eating October Caddis near sunset. Late afternoons offer scattered hatches of caddis (#18 dark and #18 tan) which doesn't necessarily mean the rainbows are going to eat off the top! Best chances for hook-ups through the day come to the anglers throwing dry-dropper rigs, or caddis pupae nymphs and various mayfly nymphs under indicators and/or employing the high-stick technique. Seems like the best bite occurs all afternoon! Experiences will vary!

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 in order to get the flies down to the fish in the faster, bubbly water. 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. Fish with lighter split shot, like a BB, and not so deep in the early mornings and later afternoon, early evening when rainbow trout are off the bottom of the river seeking food. Use stronger tippet like 2X-3X for bigger flies in the #6-10 range, 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 metham 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:
• Stimulator Orange
• Royal Wulf #10-14
• October Irresistible Caddis
• Goddard Caddis #8
• Turck's Tarantula #8
• Morrish Adult October Caddis
• Elk Hair Caddis #16-18
• Adams #16-18

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Zack's Zaddis
• Glo-Bubble Caddis
• Dark Lord's #14-16
• Posse Bugger #10-14
• Mercer's October Pupa
• Fox's October Pewpah
• Zack's October Zaddis
• Bottom Roller Psycho-Rycho
• Red Copper John #14-18
• Zebra Copper John #14-18
• Zebra Midge #16-20 Black
• 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