Trout Fishing (non-yak) - Upper Sac and McCloud Rivers

I recently had one of the most fantastic long weekends in a very long time, maybe over several years.    I visited some of the rivers i used to fish long, long ago -  my beloved Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers.  The weekend was so perfect, I couldnt believe it was reality.   I thought i must have died and gone to heaven, yet i couldnt even imagine heaven could be so wonderful.  The river was just as beautiful as i had recalled over the years, clear, blue, green, fresh waters, running fast, white, frothy tail trailing behind the boulders.   Pine and oak trees covered the mountainsides, while thick, green vegetation lined the streamside banks.   The air was warm, yet had pockets of coolness, as the misty droplets from numerous waterfalls mixed with the scent of pine that rejuvenated the soul.  Wildlife was abundant, as a deer came down to drink from the river right next to us, and mallard ducks landed in the river upstream.  Brilliantly colored butterflies were everywhere, and at times we walked through clouds of fluttering wings.   Wild flowers grew from the rocks around the river banks.   And the sound of the flowing river constantly filled the air.   
 
A thunderstorm was forecasted for the weekend, and i was urged to cancel the trip.   But, i havent been to McCloud or Upper Sacramento in about 15 years, and i didnt even care of it poured rain on me all weekend.   As it turned out, the weather was absolutely perfect - not hot and not too cold.   At one point i commented maybe some clouds would be preferred so our shadows would not hit the water and scare the fish.   Within half an hour, we got some clouds.   It seemed like the trip was too perfect for reality, like we were guests being shown around for our first day in heaven.   I am not used to it when everything goes so well.

I didnt even care if I didnt catch a single fish.   I just wanted to absorb the scene and rejuvenate my spirit.    But, it wasnt to be that kind of weekend.  The fish wanted to ensure a memorable trip.   Even my poor performance couldnt keep the fish off the hooks.   The first evening, i fished for 2.5 hours, hooked 12, landed 5 on the Upper Sac.    The second day, fished all day and hiked out at dark, hooking about 15, including some very nice fish, landing 6.    It was a terrible hook/landed ratio.   I was clearly not doing something right.  My friend landed 12 fish that day.    The next day, we fished 1.5 hours on the Upper Sac again before hitting the long road home.   I decided to use a dry fly for a change, which I found so much more enjoyable.    The fish seemed to appreciate that.   There seemed to be a fish behind every rock i cast to.   I landed 6 fish in that 1.5 hours, including some of very surprising size.   The fish were all beautiful and very strong, good size, with broad shoulders.   It was a great pleasure to admire the destinctive markings of the  McCloud Redband Rainbow Trout.
 
What a weekend that was.   And now, i am sweating through a very busy week of work.   But, the memories of the weekend still give me comfort, as every time i shut my eyes, i see again the swirling waters of the McCloud River, or the eager trout rising for my dry fly on the Upper Sac.

On this trip, I rediscovered my fly fishing roots. I took up fly fishing because of the TOTAL experience - clear, cold, running streams, mountains, wilderness, smell of pines, flowing water, the sound of the river, delicate fly casting, finesse- the total experience. Catching fish was icing on the cake.   With a lot of the other fishing I do (non-kayak), I find that  my focus is on the fish - how many, how big, with less perspective on the total experience.    With kayak fishing, as in fishing great trout streams, the greatest pleasure is in just being there.
 
While I can't always fly fish in streams, I noticed a passion for kayak fishing similar to trout fishing.    There are so many similarities and parallels between kayak fishing and fly fishing -  the link to an old and traditional method, simplicity, manual/handpowered (no gearing in the case of fly fishing reels), closeness to the natural elements, being one with the nature of the river, sea, lake, water craft, fly rod, being an active participant in the same water as our quarry as opposed to being a bystander to the scene, quiet serenity, ruggedness, expertise and skill requirement.   In both fly fishing and kayak fishing, the participants  have deliberately chosen a more difficult, less traveled path, which perhaps reflects an independent spirit that defines our character.   

Now I know why I have become so nuts about kayak fishing.


Pictures to follow.

some pics...

flyaker, i know what you mean, i have been flyfishing for 30 years, not as much as i wanted to in the last 6 or 7 but that passion has come over me in the last year with kayak fishing, glad you had a good recharge of the batteries, cameron

Great spirited report, Flyaker.  Thanks for your excellent observations on the Total Experience.   

more pics.   havent figured out how to load them all at once.  keep getting timed out.

haha jai boi   Flyaker man tat is very descriptive the whole time im reading it i felt like i was there the smell the flow of the water the wildlife everything you were so detailed it was incredibly awesome thanks for the goose bump tat is why we do wat we do catching fish is just an icing but the scenery is priceless. Thanks for taking me there i look forward to more of your reports.

Keo

mopics...

nomopics..

Great report thanks for the great storie!!! As Jai Boy stated, I felt like I was there....What are those purple tags you have on your vest?

Awesome report.  The picture of the water cascading over the vegetation is stunning, using it now as my desktop background   

Awesome report.  The picture of the water cascading over the vegetation is stunning, using it now as my desktop background   

Agreed. That is one of the best Northern California pics I have ever seen.

Thanks for an awesome read and pictures Flyaker. You weren't kidding when you
said the place was like heaven. The only thing missing was the street of gold.

Jedmo

Great Report Flyaker,
Upper Sac, McCloud, Hat Creek are my home waters
If you want trout from the yak in this area try Baum Lake just east of Burney.

 

nice report , you write like ernest hemingway!

Great report thanks for the great storie!!! As Jai Boy stated, I felt like I was there....What are those purple tags you have on your vest?

Thanks for the compliments, folks.   It really was an indescribably terrific time.   

At McCloud River, i fished the Nature Conservancy, where they allow only 10 anglers on a 5 mile stretch at a time.  The purple tag has a number on it, indicating I was the 9th angler on the water at that time.   

Great Report Flyaker,
Upper Sac, McCloud, Hat Creek are my home waters
If you want trout from the yak in this area try Baum Lake just east of Burney.

 

thanks, Banjotad.   I would love to fish that area by yak some time.   Do you know anything about Fall River or Lower Sac -  can it be done by kayak? 

Thanks for an awesome read and pictures Flyaker. You weren't kidding when you
said the place was like heaven. The only thing missing was the street of gold.

Jedmo

The place was better than heaven.   Given that or the streets of gold - no brainer -  i'd be back up there in a flash.