Fly Fishing Home
Trout fishing in and around Redding California has to be one of the best kept secrets in California. Time after time I hear customers say “Wow, that’s a pretty big fish” or “I think I’ve hooked a log” or “I think I have a salmon”… these words bring a smile to my face when I’m guiding on the Sacramento River near Redding all the way down to Red Bluff. Forbes recently named Redding California as one of the Top 10 Trout-Fishing Towns in America.
A bent rod provides a connection with nature that breathes life back into all of us. Fly Fishing is an incredible sport that teaches us we’re a part of an environment that needs caretakers. I’ve found, at times, Fly Fishing can be a bit intimidating and I try to keep things as simple as possible. When I guide people, I listen intently.
The Lower Sacramento River from the Sun Dial Bridge down river to the Anderson River Park provides some of the toughest fighting rainbows in the United States. Caddis hatches cover the Lower Sacramento River in the Spring and the spawning Silver Salmon create a prolific egg bite each Fall. The Cypress Road Bridge in Redding is a wading access point during the Winter when flows reach their seasonal lows. Knighton Road is an access point on the Lower Sacramento River for wading as well.
The Upper Sacramento River is a free-stone watershed. Fishing in the town of Dunsmuir is a walk back in time. New York Yankee great Frank Crosetti used to fish Dunsmuir California every year. In fact, he used to joke with his baseball buddies he could never make the October Caddis Hatch because he was always working in October (the Yankees were always in the World Series). High sticking on the Upper Sacramento River is a useful method for catching rainbow trout. Cantara Loop is a beautiful setting for fishing on the Upper Sacramento River right below Siskiyou Dam. The October Caddis hatch on the Upper Sac brings out big rainbows and some of the best observations from beginner fly fishermen. One of my customers asked me while fishing just north of Mossbrae Falls… “what is with all of these moths flying around”, I explained these are Adult October Caddis Flies. Today, we smile and laugh as we remember our first fly fishing experience together.
I look forward to sharing outdoor memories with you on the Lower & Upper Sacramento Rivers.
