Current River Conditions: The McCloud is fishing great! Look for dry fly fishing to happen in the AM hours, before 11:00. You can still conjure a few more rainbows up on dries during the mid-day, but expect to cover a lot of water! Nymphing with Zebra Midges, Micro Mayflies, Pseudo Mays should produce hook-ups during the mid day fishing. Switch back to dries near sunset. Fishing a dry/dropper set up is a great plan! Used a #12 Yellow Stimulator dropping a black Zebra Midge today and it worked great! Caught fish on both flies.

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. Look for shady water mid day. The McCloud Rainbow does not like the Sun.

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:
• 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:
• Black Zebra Midge #18-20
• 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

Fly Fishing Gear: • Fishpond's?? Double Haul Chest/Back Pack
• The Fly Shop's?? Stocking-foot Chest Waders
• Chota?? "STL Plus" Convertible Wading Boot
• Split Shot For the McCloud
• Landing Net