Current River Conditions: River conditions are good and improving. Warmer weather this week will put the fish on the bite! I can't find a single reason why one would not select the Upper Sac as solid angling option this week. Expect to contend with snow pack near Dunsmuir. So you have to walk through some hard-pack snow to get to the rivers edge. No big deal.

The lower river near Lake Shasta is high, but fishing has been good based on the few anglers who have ventured onto this largely undiscovered winter trout fishery.

Anglers fishing dark stone fly patterns are doing best. Fly suggestions would include Mercer's #6 Poxyback Dark Stone, Zack's Thurmanator Dark Stone, Amber Wing Prince Nymphs in varying sizes. Wet weather will produce BWO hatches and rising rainbows! Yes! Control yourselves!

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Fish small #16-18 dark colored nymphs in addition to copper johns for best results through late autumn/early winter. Have a few #16 Parachute Adams handy. Pat's rubber legs is another good fly to have in your fly box. The rainbows of the Upper Sacramento river eat flies that are served up deep, in the rocks. Sometimes the indicator gets in the way of detecting strikes. These fish are really good at sampling a pattern, then spitting it out. Try fishing using the "high-stick" and "short line" technique.

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. 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.

Water Flows:
• Upper Sacramento River Flows

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:
• Parachute Adams - #14-16
• Adams - #16-18
• The Quigley Cripple - Callibaetis

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Zack's Pseudo May - Black #16-18
• Zack's Thermanator Dark Stone #6
• Mercer's GB Dark Stone #8
• Mercer's Dark Stone #6
• Pat's Rubber Legs - Brown #6-8
• GB Birds Nest - #12-14
• Gordon's Amber Wing Prince #12-18
• Swink's BTS
• Red Copper John #14-16
• Micro Mayfly - #14-16

Streamers/Leeches:
• Sheila Sculpin
• Woolly Buggers
• Muddler Minnows - #10

Fly Fishing Gear:
• The Fly Shop's?? Tapered Nylon Leaders
• The Fly Shop's?? Tough Nylon Tippet
• Simms?? Dry Creek™ Chest Pack
• Patagonia's?? Double Haul
• C&F S Series Waterproof Fly Boxes
• Dr. Slick/TFS Quick Release Forceps