I'm driving up to Oregon for a bike race on Sunday and taking Monday & Tuesday off for some fly fishing on the way back, my 4 month pregnant wife will be with me and she's just getting into fly fishing. Anyone have any recommendations for reasonably accessible waters anywhere along route 5 or east of 5? She has waders and is happy to wade in if it's not too challenging, do some casting, or just hang out and watch if the scenery is good.
Long dirt bumpy roads are not a good idea but less than a mile or so is OK. Rock scrambling is also a no-go. I'm thinking some of the turnouts south of Dunsmuir for the upper Sac might be OK, but also thinking of the McCloud (upper section?) in that section 5 or 6 miles east of the town of McCloud Any suggestions? I've done a drive-by of the McCloud but never fished it, the upper sections look pretty approachable for a newbie. I've never been down by the nature conservancy property so don't know what that looks like.
She had a good time at Beaver Creek up by Arnold and also at Brandy Creek up by Shasta/Whiskeytown. Both are smaller creeks that are easy to wade across.
We'll be coming down 97 from Oregon so Hat Creek could be an option too, wouldn't be too hard to get over by Susanville/Quincy.
Good accessibility, good scenery, some willing fish, not too bumpy would fill the bill. Some hiking is OK, when she's not pregnant she runs marathons. I have to really throttle my brain back from the gonzo-commando type of go where no waders have gone before approach to "just keep it pregnant-friendly". But if I handle this right it will keep the door open for a lot more fishing trips in the years ahead .
Right away the upper sac and McCloud popped into my head as well. There are some easy access on the upper sac, the area's around cantara, and dunsmuir city park are pretty easy access, I'm having trouble remembering but the scarlett way access has realyl easy spots to access, fish around the bridge right at the parking area, and work downriver about a mile, some real good runs and really easy access. I have fished the McCloud once and its not really what i'd call real easy access, The spots I fished anyways, The easiest access I found was at the huge pool just below middle falls, its a well maintaned trail its just steep. The upper McCloud is a bueatiful river, Highly recomend atleast taking a look. I forget exactly were the barrier is that prevents fish from going upriver, but there is a point on the McCloud were it is managed for the McCloud redaband trout. although access is easy, I did not find many fish.
Agree with Shaun, Dunsmuir is a good bet. The river is in good shape right now.
If you want to make it easy for her, the planters right around town are dumb, dumb dumb. The locals hit it all the time, but the river right under the overpass (you take a left by the gas station) is a nice easy spot. There is a pool there full of not-so bright planters although the resident otters sometimes make life difficult.
Scarlett Way also mentioned is also a good suggestion.
Just got back tonight, we ended up staying at the Dunsmuir Lodge @ $80 per night, that was a success, stopped in at Ted Fay's fly shop, great little shop, had breakfast at the Brown Trout Cafe where the scrambeld eggs were another hit, and spent some hours Monday and Tuesday fishing the area around Soda Creek. We found many willing natives around the bridge and the pool below, from about 5" up to 15". My wife managed to catch a few on nymphs with & without an indicator so that really kept her interested and fired up for fly fishing. River looked great, wish I could spend a week up there walking the tracks and hitting some of the harder to access areas, but that will have to be a future trip.
Not much happening on the surface for hatches, a few stone flies, some caddis, some mayflies, but had more surface interest in terrestrials, particularly ants or beatle patterns, but prince nymphs and micro mayflies were the order of the day. Didn't really have a chance to fish anything but the deeper holes but that's where the fish seemed to be so it worked out OK.
Thanks for steering us towards the Upper Sac, turned out to be a great trip!
Glad to hear Dunsmuir worked out. The amount of access on the river is incredible and you can always find new spots or get away from the crowds should you show a little effort. It is a real nice fishery with a ton of wild fish.
The Soda Creek area is one of my favorites although it has changed quite a bit in recent years from storms....major storms will totally change areas you thought you were familiar with from year to year. That just keeps it interesting!
BTW, my favorite pattern for the Upper Sac is the Black Bomber which you can pick up at Ted Fay. Kind of a general usage fly that for whatever reasons kills them on the Upper Sac. I have used it on a lot of other rivers, but it is never as effective for some reason than on that particular river....
Agree, those bombers are a great fly on the upper sac. not sure why but they also love prince nymphs from my limited experience there. I'll be heading up sometime soon, for upper sac. and McCloud trip. It's been one of those must do trips for me the last few summers.
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