This post probably should be titled "Everything Always Happens All At Once."

The backcountry’s opening up, bugs are flying around the Upper Sac like confetti, and when I called Oregon Guide Dave Roberts from the river to taunt him about catching trout on a Pink Cahill, he fired right back with the news he’d caught 30 Rogue trout on a stonefly dry.

Damn.

Of course, we’ve got a few stoneflies of our own:

Golden Stone, Upper Sacramento River
Yup. The Golden Stones are playing the Upper Sac.

Normally, I try to find a philosophical underpinning for my fishing reports, but today’s crazy, and the time I spend writing this means less time writing paying work, which means less fishing down the road.

You get the drift.

So here’s the scoop:

  • #16 Pink mayflies (we creatively call them the "Pinks") started somewhere around 10:30-11:00
  • Golden Stones were much in evidence, though the fish apparently tune into them a little later in the day
  • There are many rumors circulating about Green/Brown/Gray Drakes – and the fish who eat them
  • The Upper Sacramento is still a bit high, but eminently fishable
  • Wayne and I left at 4:00 (things to do), but the fishing was supposed to be better later in the day
  • I fished my 8.5′ 5wt Steffen glass rod (soft tip for pocket water casts, but enough guts to pull a fish out of fast currents)
  • Bring sunscreen

I had ten grabs over the course of four hours of fishing — all on a #16 pink cahill. Sadly, I only landed one.

Wayne had fewer grabs on his golden-stone sized stimulator, but actually managed to get one into the net:

Upper Sacramento Rainbow Trout caught on a Golden Stone
Pretty Rainbow Trout who made a simple mistake; that ain’t a stonefly

The Upper Sacramento is all green and gorgeous, and a after a long winter and an interminable spring, the color simply dazzles my weary, monochromatic eyes.

Wayne Eng on the newly green Upper Sacramento River
Wayne Eng on the newly green Upper Sacramento River.

Decisions, Decisions

The problem with spring is that everything happens all at once; I’ve twice put off my alpine small stream trip to fish other venues, always reasoning I’d fish it next.

Of course, now the week is half over, and Saturday and Sunday are spoken for (a shot at a pair of alpine brookie lakes).

So in addition to staving off divorce and making a few bucks, I’m faced with a choice between Rogue stones; a ready-to-break-open Upper Sac; and my poor, neglected alpine stream (for those counting, that’s essentially four choices, but only three days).

I know most the Undergrounders are in tears; my plight has almost certainly touched you deeply.

Wayne Eng fishing the Upper Sacramento River
Wayne Eng fishing the far side of a current tongue (1 grab, no fish).

Never fear, Undergrounders. I’m a survivor. I’ll make it.

See you somewhere (I simply haven’t decided where yet), Tom Chandler.

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