Spent Friday touring McCloud with Underground Fave writer and Bottlemania author Elizabeth Royte, who wanted to see ground zero in the Nestle water bottling plant wars.
We took a quick detour to the Upper McCloud (look, but don’t touch until late April). Like all trout streams you’re not allowed to fish, it looked incredibly inviting, though snow across the road made getting even to Fowler’s Camp a hike.
I know why we have a closed season on some rivers, but I can’t look at a closed – and perfectly fishable – trout stream without thinking those rules should apply to everyone but me.
It makes perfect sense when I’m thinking it (and sometimes early in the morning).
The Upper Sacramento
The flows are falling slowly and the Upper Sac is entirely fishable in places, but instead of fishing it, I’m heading south on a one-day charge to Sacramento and back (the L&T and I plan to heave a dead fish out the window of the car when we pass near Singlebarbed World Headquarters).
Sitting on my ass for 7.5 hours (not including food stops) isn’t exactly my idea of a wilderness adventure – especially when we’re experiencing the first nice day for a week up here.
When I get back, I’ve got a pair of Simms rubber-tread wading boots to compare to the Patagonias I reviewed here, and a 9′ 6wt mystery rod & reel outfit that’s also up for review.
Stay tuned, Undergrounders. See you on I5, Tom Chandler
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Please make sure you toss that fish out on the east side of I-5.
The Sand Dollar Adventures World Headquarters is just across the highway on the west side, along the Little Stinking.
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I would’ve offered to take you stink-fishing – but it’s more fun to envision you having to hold purse while she resupplies the household.
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Uh oh.
Envision away, fuzzy boy. We were there on Important Government Business. Important biz.
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Agreed. Sometimes I wish I could fish straight through October here. I think not being able to fish the extra month is what angers me the most. Fishing during the winter would be impossible due to the 5 feet of ice covering most bodies of water.
Good to hear about the wading boots though, can’t wait to hear the review.
Happy Castings
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Before we got the Upper Sac opened year-round (and by “we” I mean Chris Raine), the season ended Nov. 15 – right at the start of the best BWO hatches of the year, an appalling reality for a fly fisherman.
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