Lower McCloud River

Current Report - October 24, 2007 - Wednesday

Charlie Costner just emailed me that the river is muddy and unfishable?

Better check with the Ted Fay Fly Shop before you go.

Fall is big fish time on the lower McCloud River. Large Brown Trout migrate up from Shasta lake to spawn in Oct/Nov.

(L to R) Local guide Charlie Costner, happy client and big lower McCloud River Brown Trout.

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Call or stop by the 'Ted Fay Fly Shop' in Dunsmuir for the most up to date info. (530) 235-2969 

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General Stream Information

Take Highway 89 East off Interstate 5 over to the town of McCloud and turn south on Southern Avenue and head south past the Shell Gas Station. It is about an hour to the lower river from there. Most fly fishers are thinking of the lower stretch of the McCloud that flows out of the McCloud Reservoir downstream to Shasta Lake. It has a good population of small to medium wild Rainbow trout and is famous for some big Brown trout that come up out of the lake to spawn in the late Fall. Because this river comes out of the bottom of a reservoir it is a more consistent temperature having pretty good fly fishing all season. It is a colder river so early AM is not as important as other streams we fish in the summer.

Below the McCloud Reservoir you can fish at Ash Camp on the East side of the river by crossing the dam. On the West side of the river is first the Ah Di Na Forest Service campground and then beginning of the Nature Conservancy property. You can fish by reservation or first come, first served. Only 10 guests are allowed at a time on the Nature Conservancy property, 5 by reservation and 5 that are 'first come, first served'.

Most years this river fishes well early season with June being the peak month. In the Fall it gets some big Brown Trout up out of Lake Shasta so October till the closure, November 15th, it can be very good.

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McCloud River Map

• Only map I could find
• StreamTime has a good printed map at most fly shops.

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Books

• CA Blue Ribbon Trout Streams by Sunderland & Lackey.
• Fly Fisher's Guide to Northern California by Seth Norman.
• Fly-Fishing Northern CA Waters by Lily Wong
• No Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing in Northern California by Ken Hanley

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Fishing Guides

• Kiene's McCloud Guide recommendations.

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Local Fly Shop

• Ted Fay Fly Shop in Dunsmuir.

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Lodging & Restaurants in McCloud, Mt. Shasta and Dunsmuir.