Fishing on the McCloud river has been crowded but the fishing is reported as great

McCloud River - CA (Siskiyou County)


by The Fly Shop
6-26-2013
Website

Current River Conditions: Mike Parker keeps the reports coming in this week saying the McCloud is fishing great, but it has been really crowded on the weekends. Fishing up at Ash Camp has been good, but these fish will start to move downstream any day. Start looking at the conservancy waters in the next week for better reports/results.

Best dry fly fishing happens near sunset.

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Fishing techniques vary during the spring on the McCloud. Fishing dry flies in the shallow tail-outs and lips of runs should tease up numbers of rainbows and brown trout. Fishing a big Stimulator dropping a Micro-May is a favorite approach. Suspending nymphs under indicators in the deeper slots, pockets and pools can keep a fly rod bent. Have split shot in sizes AB, AAA and SSG.

Wading boots with studs and a wading staff are a must on the McCloud, which is full of irregularly shaped rocks that can be very slick. The best results are produced by anglers who move from run to run. The more water you can cover, the more fish have a chance to see your fly, ultimately improving upon your existing good fortune of being out on the river, fishing! Be on the look-out for rattle snakes. Use a technique called High-stick-nymphing in the pocket water and deeper chutes. Re-fish all your way back to camp or the car throwing streamers into pocket water, next to downed trees/logs.

Water Flows:
Upper McCloud River flows
McCloud River at Ah-Di-Na
Lower McCloud near Bollibokka

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Aanes Mojo Stonefly Adult - Golden Stone
• Quigley's Stacker Stone
• The Thing From Uranus - Golden
• Mercer's Missing Link - #14-18
• D&D Cripple March Brown #12
• E/C Caddis - Olive #14-16
• Parachute Adams - #12-18
• Yellow Stimulator #8-16

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Eng Thing #12-16
• Swink's BTS GD #12
• TB Pseudo Mays - #18
• Zebra John #14-18
• Micro Mayflies - #14-16
• Mercer's Glass Bead Micro May
• Pat's Rubber Leg - Brown #6-8
• GB Half-Flashback PT - #14-18
• GB Poxyback Hares Ear - #14-16

Streamers/Leeches:
• Dietz Sculpin - Natural #4
• Beaded Micro Bugger - Olive #12
• Beaded Micro Bugger - Black #12
• Double Bunny - #2

Eggs:
• Micro Spawn - Oregon Cheese