"Opening" day is fast becoming something of misnomer around much of CA; flows on the Upper Sac just topped the oh-so-unpleasant 5000 cfs mark, and yesterday, local guide Steve Bertrand sacrificed a few gallons of $3.21 gas to reconnoiter the McCloud. He reports water flowing over the McCloud reservoir dam like money through congress, and while the water's relatively clear, it is up in the trees.
This LA Times article reports similarly high water in many Sierra rivers, with similarly tough sledding for fly fishers.

Interestingly, after my report of CHP traffic enforcement efforts yesterday, someone pointed me towards this post on the Norcal board which describes heavy enforcement in the Redding area. So wherever you're going, consider going there slowly...

Those awaiting the outcome of Chris Raine's Desperate Attempt to Build a Brookie Rod Before I Go To Tennessee will no doubt find the accompanying picture interesting. It's almost there...

Finally, so as not to incite any more threatening comments from overly sensitive readers, I'm not going to mention my upcoming Tennessee trip, though I did receive an e-mail from a Tennessee nameless Southeastern guide who said he floated a Tennessee nameless Southeastern river with a couple clients and absolutely hammered them on caddis dries all day long, including a couple of 17" fish. So with that in mind, I'll see you in Tennessee a nameless place.