We awoke this morning to a dusting of snow in Mt. Shasta after a week of unsettled weather. Though the weather gods haven't quite been able to make up their minds, the fishing has remained fairly good on the Upper Sac and outstanding on the Lower Sacramento River. The weather forecast is calling for clearing and much warmer weather in the coming week so we'll be breaking out the shorts and sandals with temperatures in Redding in the seventies and perhaps tipping eighty degrees on Wednesday! Consider this your invitation to get here now!

Flows on the Lower Sac have been steady and clear, slightly below the norm @ 5,800 cfs with no scheduled releases. We have enjoyed a steady parade of bugs with some Blue Wing Olives still popping on the blustery days along with some March Browns and the beginning of the spring time Pale Morning Dun hatches. A few lingering spring caddis pop on the sunnier days with the big summer Hydropsyche hatches preparing to take the stage! The River has been fishing well from top to bottom with weekdays showing considerably less traffic than weekends now that the word is out. We have some guide availability, so recommend you drop us a line to schedule a trip if you can sneak away!

While we have enjoyed several trips with a few solos and friends fishing together, most of our recent guests have shared their adventure with a family member, fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, and brothers have all experienced exceptional as well as some epic days together. Many of them enjoyed the best fishing of their lives and their biggest trout ever. What a treat to share a magical spring day fishing with some one you love!

Flows peaked @ 2,400 cfs on the Upper Sac earlier this week and are dropping steadily back to the norm @ 1,800 and remain clear all the way to Lake Shasta. We expect flows will continue to drop and conditions will improve. This is the time of year we hunt for trophies and while catch rates are lower than they will be next month, April is a time of year we get our shot at the biggest fish in the river. Our average fish is typically into the teens with an occasional true trophy topping twenty inches. It's were guides enjoy taking a day off from rowing the boat and casting for big hot 'bows that can be a challenge to land in the fast flows. A few guests sampled the river with some success last week as well.

We have seen a mixed hatch on the USac, with some Blue Wing Olives, March Browns and both spring caddis and some micro caddis. Rubberlegs and big stone patterns have also produced. Most of the fish are podded in the larger runs but the fast water at the head of a few runs also offered up some fine fish. We have been getting grabbed a couple times in most of the likely spots but with cold water the grabs are light so quick strike recognition and hook sets are key. Not much in the way of dry fly fishing...yet. With the weather improving and flows warming and dropping this freestone gem should start really turning on.

Drop us a line if you are headed our way, we would be pleased to hook you up with the finest local guides or if you prefer, send you in a direction you might most enjoy. We hope to hear from you soon!

Craig Nielsen
ShastaTrout