Ted Fay Report : October 26, 2022

Hoping for a big winter

Fall has finally arrived in Dogpatch! The USac fishing is definitely picking up and the legendary October Caddis are dapping away on the water depositing their eggs for the next years generation. In my opinion it’s been a rather weird year for them so far, very few signs of O.C. below Dunsmuir but their thick above town all there way to Ney Springs. Normal years they are abundant down to Sims but what the heh, different year, spaghetti. Think about using LBS (Little Black Shit) and caddis nymphs down river from Dunsmuir and October Caddis patterns with LBS (broken record) north above town. Last hour of the day for Chubbys and Stimmies should bring fish up. Reports from the McCloud are saying the river is still off color but fishable. Hatches however aren’t very good due to the season long silt that was in the river. It’s as always a crowded (The McCrowd) affair there this time of the year so grab a rock and stand your ground. There’s also been a report of a menacing bear hanging around Ah Di Nah Campground. Bears do what bears do when they’re hungry. It’s been a terrible year for blackberries and apples so raiding a campsite is the next best option. From my years of experience fishing and roaming this river they are generally shy but when they are hungry they get more aggressive. I recommend hanging your food or storing it in your car although I have heard of them damaging a car/truck attempting to break in. The McCloud is a wilderness experience so be cautious, I have encountered over the years rattlers, storms of hornets, bears and mountain lions, it aint no picnic down in the canyon. As the old Boy Scout moto goes “be prepared”.

Just in the McCloud has bumped up flows out of the dam, 420cfs, and the river is blowing out. Turbidity has spiked to crazy levels again.

If you have any further questions give Bob a shout at the shop or just stop in and bug him next time in the area.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com

Fall showing USac

The classroom

The classroom

They’re back right on schedule, let the October Caddis parade begin

The classroom

Fall on the USac

Fall on the Rogue River

Fall on the Rogue

Rogue River steel

From the archives, USac brownie. They’re in the system and are getting randy

Denn y Bar mousee

Ted Fay Report : September 30, 2022

We got snow on Shasta

Just got back from a trip to Montana and surprise surprise we got snow and rain here…. frickin awesome! On top of that the McCloud is showing signs of becoming less turbid and the visibility is improving. Up to now reports haven’t been very positive on how the river is fishing. It’s tough going with no hatches showing but hopefully that changes. With all the silt on the rocks and bottom there’s a possibility that the aquatic life has been compromised, fingers crossed. If the bugs are going to start hatching it should be anytime from what past experience has shown. For now I would fish a big rubber leg with a dark dropper under a bobber or dredge the bottom. From what I hear takes have been super quick so best be on your game. We should be soon seeing caddis, mayflies and October caddis hatching like the old days hopefully so keep the faith.

On the other hand the USac fishing is picking up. The water temps have dropped below 60 degrees and hookups are occurring throughout the entire river. Some hatches are starting to show but sporadicly. For now, with the water clarity so good, I recommend nymphing using the LBS group of flies but when the October caddis start doing their thing shortly I would go with your favorite OC pupa. The dry fly game too will be picking up fairly soon so be ready with your favorite bullets.

Below is a list of recommended Fall bugs you should have …..

Nymphs

Dirty Bird #8-12

Posse Bugger #8

Red Fox Squirrel #8-10

October Caddis Pupa #8-10

Plump Poopah #8-10

Jimmy Legs #4-14

LBS (dig back to a certain previous report)

Gordon Prince #14-16

Copper John (red & copper) #14-16

Tan or Olive Fox Poopah #14-16

Soft Hackles #14-16

Dries

Humpy #8-16

Adams #8-18

X-Caddis #14-16

E/C Caddis #14-16

Stimulator #8-14

PMD #14-16

If you have any further questions give Bob a shout at the shop or just stop in and bug him next time in the area.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com

USac Freddie

Yellowstone river has changed since the spring floods

MT skies are picturesque

Intimate MT creek

MT Hot spring for the ole bones

MT Hot spring for the ole bones

Montana pastry porn

Ted Fay Report : September 3. 2022

Photo by Preston Dishon

Well our summer of dodging fires and smoke has come to an abrupt end. Yesterday started off with the Mill Fire early afternoon and then the Mountain Fire started up later. Extreme winds fanning both has caused catastrophic damage to homes in portions of Weed and the Lake Shastina area. Details have yet to come out about the number of structures burned but I’m hearing over 100 lost. The Mountain Fire is in an unpopulated area that’s dotted with areas of harvested timber. Prayers to all those who have lost homes and big THANKS to the brave fire fighters. For the moment Mt. Shasta south into Dunsmuir isn’t experiencing smoke but just to our north the air is unhealthy.

So back to the fishing, the USac has recently been fishing good. The current heat spell should wrap up this coming week and I’m seeing a cooling trend which is just about on schedule from my experience in years past. Fall is right around the corner and again from my experience the fishing will pick up. The bugs that are working (this is a broken record) are LBS and will remain so until the cool down.

The McCloud River is showing signs of getting close to some clarity but not quite yet. The turbidity has dropped to around 9, once again I prefer it closer to 3 but she’s getting there. Work has begun too on the Ash Camp road stabilization. You can see there is a gate and barricades at the dam preventing access and no foot traffic is not allowed.

Cheers

Rick Cox Fly Fishing - offering 40 years of fly fishing experience for half day lessons for beginners to ole dawgs. Checkout my Instagram post at rick_fly

530-925-0446

ricmcfly@gmail.com

Photo by Preston Dishon

The Classroom

Student gets it done

Work has begun on the Ash Camp road slide area

Hillside being stabilized

McCloud River visibility improving

There is a Fuel Management Zone contract that just started on Lower McCloud. See attached map for the area of the contract. It should last a couple months. There will be heavy equipment early on and some hand crews later.

Mill Fire heading for Shastina

Mountain Fire happening same day as the Mill Fire

Pennington Farm fruit pastry porn