Lower McCloud River Interested Parties,

As you may be aware, McCloud Dam has been spilling approximately 150 to 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) for past several weeks. PG&E has been taking careful steps to manage the spill flow and increasing inflow into McCloud Reservoir by monitoring the reservoir level, maintaining the water surface elevation in Iron Canyon and McCloud Reservoirs, and diverting water through James B. Black Powerhouse to maintain the maximum amount of storage capacity.

Based on the current snowpack condition, increasing air temperature, and increasing inflow conditions into McCloud Reservoir, PG&E anticipates that the spill magnitude at McCloud Dam will continue to increase steadily over the next several days, and possibly weeks depending on the long term weather trend.

Click here for the most current flow conditions in the Lower McCloud River below the dam.

Click here or the most current flow conditions in the Lower McCloud River at Ah-Di-Na.

He even jokingly laid the crowding at the feet of last Friday’s Underground post, and while I’m always happy to see the instantaneous worldwide reach of the Underground confirmed, the sad reality is that the McCloud is one of the only truly fishable rivers in the area, and will remain so until temperatures warm, and it blows out.

We don’t call it the “McCrowd” for nothing.

Still — and purely in the interest of a science experiment — I’m tempted to fish the McCloud next weekend, but only after posting an article suggesting Lake Siskiyou is kicking out 20″ Rainbows and Brook trout to anyone who can fog a mirror*.

If the McCloud was empty, I’d not only have the place to myself, I’d also feed the megalomania that is slowly but surely building here at TU/Man Cave World Headquarters (in between bouts of kid-induced psychosis).

In what amounts to instant karmic recycling, Wayne and near-local Mark Motashem caught some nice trout in an interesting tributary on the Pit River, and I’d like to take the rest of this sentence to tell people not to bother asking where in an email (like a few did after my last small stream trip).

This part of the world isn’t exactly lousy with good small streams, and uncovering one is usually an act of enterprise that requires sharing with only your close fishing buddies. Sorry.

Egged Out By The Cold

Frankly, I think the sustained, unnaturally cold spring weather is taking its toll on everybody’s nerves, though perhaps none of us has suffered as much as the Steller’s Jays that built a nest on top of a ladder leaned up beneath our back porch. Some time ago I peeked around the corner to find the mommie obviously incubating an egg, but a long string of sub-freezing nights and mornings may have doomed that enterprise.

A quick Internet search suggests the egg incubation period is typically 16-18 days, and we’re well beyond that. Realizing I hadn’t seen the female for several days, I climbed the ladder and found an mommie-less nest containing a solitary egg.

My guess? The sustained 10-to-15-degrees below normal weather made it impossible to keep the egg warm, and it was abandoned when it didn’t hatch on schedule.

Of course, real bird experts are welcome to chime in, and maybe we can solve the Mystery of the Abandoned Egg. I’m kinda happy I didn’t make a big deal about the whole thing with Little M, who by now would be looking up at me with her big, innocent, trusting eyes, asking “where babies?”

See you where I’m not, Tom Chandler.

(*An abject lie, but not a bad one)

In fact, fans of the McCloud River should have noticed the flows are a basically fishable 370 cfs at Ah-Di-Nah, and the Upper Sacramento River is hanging in there around the 2000 cfs mark (high, but not impossible).

Once the weather warms (hint: that’s not happening this weekend), those numbers will become a distant memory.

If you decide to ditch the responsible adult portion of your life and fish the McCloud this weekend, keep two things in mind:

1. Flows could change at any minute
2. A cold, wet storm is coming, so better bring the warm clothing

Special Bonus Rumor

It’s possible someone — perhaps even an eyewitness — told me multiple mayflies were hatching on the McCloud, and that the fish were on them.

Then again, he also told me it was happening in a specific section, which suggests hiring a guide if you want the real skinny.

Go fish, Tom Chandler.

Click here to view the embedded video.

CalTrout already posted an article about the McCloud’s proposed flows — and this is clearly biology tech of the pocket protector, taped glasses type — but it’s also fairly clear and succinct, and when it’s over, you’ll realize the McCloud’s future is looking pretty good.

There are still emails flying out there predicting as much as 4x increases in spring flows and a river that’s wholly unfishable well into July, and it’s rubbish.

See for yourself.

Neither is exactly ideal for wading, but both are wholly fishable flows (if you don’t mind walking a bit).

They’ll probably remain that way through the weekend, and if you’re thinking of heading north for a little cannonball-split-shot combat fly fishing, that’s the good news — especially if you stumble onto one of the few spots with trout rising to March Browns.

The bad news?

With our springtime weather apparently still on a train north from Cancun (the weather forecast suggests a 70+ degree day isn’t even on the horizon), you may not see those Ideal-For-Fly-Fishing-Normally-Late-Spring Flows until the middle of July (if then).

See, the real runoff event hasn’t yet begun, and in fact, we’ve added to the snowpack the last couple days.

I could write about the horrific effects that three days of mid-May snow have on a writer’s delicate psyche (and advocate heavily for some kind of federal creative disaster relief), but in a rare display of courage, I’m going to stop sniffling and hope the Underground’s California readers are taking advantage of this rare pre-runoff bonanza.

We’ll pay for it later in the form of some serious runoff, and when it happens, I sincerely doubt that the word “courageous” will be used to describe those posts.

See you hiding the tears on the river, Tom Chandler.

UPDATE: You can find the snowpack/waterpack figures here, which will tell you the high snowpack and cold spring mean the Northern Sierras are at… 253% of normal for this time of the year.

We just posted an article at the CalTrout site (“The Facts About the McCloud Dam Relicensing Process’ explaining the final Environmental Impact Report’s recommended flows — including hydrographs graphically displaying the differences between the old flow regime and the proposed new one.

The highlights?

• Winter/early spring flows have been modified to better protect the McCloud’s spawning fish and newly hatched fry from the severe swings often seen under the old plan

• In the vast majority of years, fishermen will not experience any difference in the “fishability” of the river (wet years are out of control anyway, and dry years don’t present a problem to fishermen as much as spawning fish)

• Higher base flows in winter (when fishing is illegal) not only protect spawning trout, they also reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled spills in the spring (which do shut down the fishing)

• Contrary to all the rumors, there were few concessions made to whitewater folks (no pulse flows, extended spring flows, etc)

The Bad News

Outside of high water events (which suck equally under both flow regimes), the worst case scenario for fly fishermen involves a “normal” year with a late spike in flows; protecting spawning trout and fry requires a more gradual downward ramp than has been seen in the past, so flows will take a bit longer to settle out.

In fact, more gradual ramps and higher winter base flows (reducing the amplitude of the spikes in flows which strand fry and expose redds) are really at the heart of the modified flows, and because the above scenario only happens a few times a decade, it’s a pretty small price to pay for an enhanced trout fishery.

To see the actual data, I urge you to visit the CalTrout article and see the hydrographs for yourself.

After all, a few facts go a lot farther than a lot of misinformation.

See you being a water geek, Tom Chandler.

And not that warm, summer hail. It’s basically snowing.

Also, I’ve posted links to all the new McCloud River flow gauges on my links page.

Handy buggers, especially now that we’ve got sensors at Ah-Di-Nah, the Dam, Lake Shasta and at McCloud.

See you at the flow gauges, Tom Chandler.

With fishing commencing on the McCloud River tomorrow a.m., local guide Wayne Eng told me the McCloud is very high… but fishable (at least the mile above Hawkins Creek).

Below Hawkins flows are edging above 750 cfs. Those are the same flows I fished with Uber-fly angler Frank Smethurst on a fall trip, and while he managed to pound out just enough fish to save the day (a video day), I don’t think either of us would have said it was pleasant.

Sadly, the McCloud’s already crowded; Wayne said every square foot of real estate at Ash Camp was staked out by campers (yesterday), so a solitary experience it won’t be.

Frankly, in the interest of adding a badly needed element of entertainment to fly fishing, I’m proposing a WWF-style “Ring of Doom” where two anglers enter the fish cage to challenge each other for good water on the Upper McCloud — but only one leaves.

Once again, I’ve got fly fishing’s best interests at heart, yet the industry — predictably — will fail to recognize my genius.

Me? I just got off the phone with Wayne, and we’re still unsure where we’re heading.

I’ve got a couple spots in mind on the Upper Sacramento — good high water stuff — and may just show up and drown a nymph.

(Don’t forget Joe Kimsey’s 3pm Memorial at Dunsmuir City Park.)

Where Are The Undergrounders Fishing?

I realize tomorrow isn’t opening day for the majority of my readers, but in the interest of at least appearing concerned, I’m asking where everybody’s weekend plans are taking them.

Hopefully someplace where work isn’t an option; I’m thinking of declaring Work Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection, where you tell your clients you’re filing for protection, and they’re now legally obligated to wait while you reorganize your workload.

And go fly fishing.

See you on the opener, Tom Chandler.

Opening day on the Mccloud and Upper Sacramento Rivers has traditionally found anglers keeping a wary eye on the flow gauges while scoping out the weather forecast — and likely praying that PG&E didn’t wholly screw up the McCloud the day before opening day.

Oddly, damned little has changed over the years, though at least you can fish the Upper Sacramento before opening day. What about the very popular McCloud River?

Hell, I’m too lazy to even speculate, but fortunately, others aren’t. Here are the Underground’s notes on Opening Day (or, The World According To The Trout Underground) — aided by the thoughts of a couple local fly fishing guides.

First, The Joe Kimsey Memorial

Those in the area on opening weekend might want to drop by Dunsmuir City Park on Saturday at 3 p.m., where a tribute/wake/remembrance of Joe Kimsey will take place.

We mentioned Joe’s passing here, and while Joe was buried some weeks ago (in his trademark red suspenders), this is a chance for some of many fly fishermen Joe touched to say good-bye (informal).

Where: Dunsmuir City Park
When: Saturday, April 30, 3:00 p.m.

Bob Grace at the Ted Fay fly shop said it’s an informal gathering (that would be “Red Suspenders Optional.”

Alert Underground Reader Ed also shared this video featuring Joe Kimsey (Joe starts at the two minute mark). It’s vintage Joe (“Pardon my french”), and worth a few minutes.

Opening Weekend Guesstimations

The area’s cool spring continues, which means our runoff hasn’t really started yet, though when it does, it’s going to last a long time.

The question now is this: Will the Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers — currently fishable in places, though clearly threatened by runoff — hold up until opening day?

The answer lies in the Mt. Shasta Weather Forecast

Which suggests our cool spring is going to continue at least through the weekend.

Normally, we’re seeing temperatures heading upwards of 70 degrees (last year we didn’t really see 80 degree temps until June). That melts snow, which makes runoff, which blows rivers out.

That, it seems, is not going to happen this year.

The Upper Sacramento

Currently, the Upper Sacramento River is running between 2000 cfs and 3000 cfs at the Delta (link to the Upper Sacramento River flow gauge here. As local guide Steve Bertrand pointed out (and many others have discovered to the tune of aching feet), at anything above 2000 cfs, you tend to cover a lot of ground to find “fishable” spots.

At 3000 cfs and above, Bertrand starts looking for other rivers.

“It’s a good year to take advantage of our cool spring,” he said. “Once it warms up and that 170% snowpack starts to really melt, the river’s going to boom.”

Visitors should note that the Shasta Retreat Parking Lot is closed, so getting up to the area around Mossbrae Falls will require different access (blame Union Pacific).

The Lower McCloud

First, large chunks of the Upper McCloud are locked in the grip of snow drifts, so if you’re headed there on opening day, be prepared to park and walk.

The Lower McCloud is running 1600+ cfs at the lake, but is apparently fishable at Ah-Di-Nah and will likely remain so while PG&E is plays its usual game of starving the mile below the dam (and above Hawkins Creek) with 100 cfs flows.

Also:

• The Nature Conservancy section will probably not be accessible by the opener due to snow drifts
• The road to Ash Camp is blocked by rockfall, though this might change by the opener

This year, anglers enjoy the benefit of multiple McCloud River gauging stations, so take advantage of them:

Below McCloud Dam
Ah-Di-Nah
At Lake Shasta

Currently, the stretch below the dam and above Hawkins Creek (about a mile) is quite low, but PG&E has issued a warning about water spilling over the dam, and those flows could go up very dramatically (and very quickly).

If they don’t, you can still expect a fair number of fly fishermen to enjoy your low water with you.

As Craig Nielsen says, “Bring your own rock and enjoy the company of your fellow anglers.”

Opening Day Picks by Local Luminaries

Local Guide Steve Bertrand

“I had one of my best fishing days ever on the Lower Sacramento last week, and with Keswick releases apparently stuck at 6000 cfs, it could become on of those ‘days of a lifetime’ on the water for an fly fisherman.”

“I prefer to guide the Lower Sacramento from the jet boat with a single angler (more fishing time), but also take pairs down in my drift boat.”

“Hat Creek doesn’t blow out, so it might also be good.”

Steve’s Sleeper Pick: “McCloud Reservoir offers fly fishermen who are willing to cast streamers a shot at some big brown trout.”

Local Guide Craig Nielsen

Choice: “The McCloud Until the Dam Spills, though the Lower Sacramento is silly good right now.”

Backups: “Fall River and Hat Creek are seeing good hatches right now, and aren’t as affected by runoff.”

“Bring your own rock; it’s always going to be crowded on opening day because not much is fishable.”

Craig’s Sleeper Choice: flows on the Klamath scheduled to go to 2600-3025 cfs on May 1; that could be amazing fly fishing. Stay tuned.

Local Guide Wayne Eng

Choice: “The Upper Sacramento River is running high, but it’s definitely fishable, and you’ll have a a shot at catching your biggest Upper Sac rainbow of the year. They’re in great shape, though watch out for the late spawners and spawning redds.”

Sleeper Choice: “Some of Upper Sacramento trout are actually coming up and eating March Brown mayflies — a midday hatch found mostly on the middle river. You have to find the right place, but you can catch trout on dries.”

I’m ducking back into my text editor now in an attempt to get some work done, but you’ll hear more from me soon.

See you on opening day, Tom Chandler.

Fly fishermen have a love/hate relationship with rain; a little damp drizzle or light rain tends to fire the BWOs (or simply keep them on the water longer), which brings up the trout.

It can also start washing October Caddis into the river, turning the biggest trout you’ll see all year into real surface-feeding predators.

On the other hand, the heavy stuff – especially when driven by a little 15 mph wind (the case now) – isn’t so helpful.

We’ve all fished those days where – despite swaddling yourself in the finest rain gear money can buy – you end up sloshing a little by lunch, and by the time you get back to your home/hotel/tent/cave, you’re a wrinkled, pasty-looking “before” picture for an anti-aging product advertisement.

Flows on the Upper Sacramento have only gone up 40 cfs or so, suggesting we haven’t seen much rain yet (probable), though the forecast for today and Sunday is simply “rain.”

My hints for rainy day survival on the Upper Sacramento & McCloud Rivers?

The Big Bug

A little spike in flows can really get the trout feeding. I try to cover a lot of water using a big October Caddis dry, and I’ve been reminded a couple dozen times that shallow bankside feeding lanes can be hugely productive (“reminded” as in catching a great big trout out of nine inches of water after wading through miles of similar water without fishing it).

Just before noon, I try to find myself on a good BWO flat – a smooth-ish stretch of water that offers plenty of places for trout to feed, yet is bordered on its upstream end by a long riffle.

A good riffle is a bug factory (especially BWOs), and because trout aren’t stupid (at least when it comes to lunch), they’ll tend to congregate in the better chow lines.

And trust me – after you’ve put down a handful of these spooky fall trout – the availability of a few more is a real silver lining.

In ugly terms, more rising fish means more chances to work the kinks out of your small bug/wary trout game, and some of us experience a lot of kinks.

Finally, a lot of the water that creeps inside our little protective bubble of high-dollar Gore-Tex sneaks in through our sleeves, so make sure those neoprene wading jacket cuffs are reasonably tight.

See you in the rain, Tom Chandler