ray helaers
07-19-2004, 10:37 AM
In appreciation of the tips I recieved last week, I thought I'd offer up a report for anyone on their way to CA who could use a couple-hour break from driving.
I had decided that the McKensie sounded like an intriguing and practical option, being close to the interstate (shout-out to whoever that was). I stopped for last minute advice and directions at a shop in Eugene called the Caddis Fly. For the cost of a few flies (and a very useful little local map for only $3)the staff was courteous and helpful, if a little guarded, probably as it should be.
They actually steered me toward the Middle Fork Willamette, above a couple anadromy-blocking dams.It took about a half hour from downtown Eugene to reach the water they directed me to. The river was pretty, a little steep, and not at all small (It may have been a little high, but very clear). I had time (about 2hrs) to cover one hole pretty thoroughly, and hooked several smallish rainbows with a peacock and partridge soft hackle under a medium size stimi. It was fun. I'm not sure but I think the stream may be stocked. At any rate, it wasn't exactly the Williamson, or any other of the southern OR destination streams, but certainly worth the detour for a short break before getting back on the road. I would definitely do it again. (BTW the steelhead fishing in the mainstem Willamettte right in Eugene was supposed to be fantastic; I had not brought any steelhead tackle, and I was looking for smaller water where I wouldn't have to keep such a close eye on my eight-year-old.)
We went on and slept in Grants Pass. Sat morning we drove on into Yreka to get a CA license and some info. The Klamath sounded very enticing, but ultimately I decided to push on to Dunsmuir where I could fish the Sacramento essentially without having to leave the interstate. First fished in the City Park at Dunsmuir. Caught a few stockers. I don't know, but wonder if the river would have done better left to recover itself after the disaterous chemical spill that wiped out the trout back in the early nineties(?).
The heavy trout stocking to appease the Dunsmuir chamber of commerce since the spill might create some "fishing" but it seems to have left the river a pale shadow of its former self, aruguably one of the four or five best trout streams in the Pacific west (I would say even better than Montana because in the Sac the fish were native, but I'm an idealogue). The sad part is that CA acknowledged that stocking resident trout depresses wild populations, would in the long run jeopardize the recovery of wild rainbows in the upper Sac, but caved to Dunsmuir anyway. Stocking the river got people fishing (and spenidng money) right away, but I can't help but think the fishing would be better by now than what we've got if we had just let nature fix itself.
Moved downstream to the area outside the stocked region and caught a couple more, nicer but still not the Sac fish I remember from my salad days. I guess you can't go home again. Still, the water and the country is as beautiful as ever, a textbook mountain trout stream with access right off I-5, and spectacular views of Mt Shasta and the Castle Crags. My recommendation is to fish below Sweetbriar, the downstream end of the planted region. There is some very good water right below the Sweetbriar bridge, but I think the farther you can get from the planted section, the better.
One thing the Sac had over the Willamette was lots of teenage girls in bikinis. Now of course I'm old enough to appreciate their mothers in bikinis (an opportunity that presented itself as well), but I thought I'd throw it out for the consideration of some of you younger chaps.
The boy played in the water on the Willamette and waded with me in the Sac, standing right at my feet while I held his shirt collar in one hand and cast with the other. I was fishing a double nymph rig under a big bobber, not very conducive to casting lessons. But before we left I switched to a biggish parachute Adams and let him at it. He actually was casting pretty well and even mending, getting some decent drifts. If it hadn't been 3pm on a July afternoon, he might have risen a trout.
Got to our destination Sat eve (we were delivering their car to my parents in Walnut Creek), and flew home Sun afternoon. Quite a whirlwind, but actually kind of fun. The fishing, if a little pedestrian, sure didn't hurt, and broke up what would otherwise just have been a chore.
I had decided that the McKensie sounded like an intriguing and practical option, being close to the interstate (shout-out to whoever that was). I stopped for last minute advice and directions at a shop in Eugene called the Caddis Fly. For the cost of a few flies (and a very useful little local map for only $3)the staff was courteous and helpful, if a little guarded, probably as it should be.
They actually steered me toward the Middle Fork Willamette, above a couple anadromy-blocking dams.It took about a half hour from downtown Eugene to reach the water they directed me to. The river was pretty, a little steep, and not at all small (It may have been a little high, but very clear). I had time (about 2hrs) to cover one hole pretty thoroughly, and hooked several smallish rainbows with a peacock and partridge soft hackle under a medium size stimi. It was fun. I'm not sure but I think the stream may be stocked. At any rate, it wasn't exactly the Williamson, or any other of the southern OR destination streams, but certainly worth the detour for a short break before getting back on the road. I would definitely do it again. (BTW the steelhead fishing in the mainstem Willamettte right in Eugene was supposed to be fantastic; I had not brought any steelhead tackle, and I was looking for smaller water where I wouldn't have to keep such a close eye on my eight-year-old.)
We went on and slept in Grants Pass. Sat morning we drove on into Yreka to get a CA license and some info. The Klamath sounded very enticing, but ultimately I decided to push on to Dunsmuir where I could fish the Sacramento essentially without having to leave the interstate. First fished in the City Park at Dunsmuir. Caught a few stockers. I don't know, but wonder if the river would have done better left to recover itself after the disaterous chemical spill that wiped out the trout back in the early nineties(?).
The heavy trout stocking to appease the Dunsmuir chamber of commerce since the spill might create some "fishing" but it seems to have left the river a pale shadow of its former self, aruguably one of the four or five best trout streams in the Pacific west (I would say even better than Montana because in the Sac the fish were native, but I'm an idealogue). The sad part is that CA acknowledged that stocking resident trout depresses wild populations, would in the long run jeopardize the recovery of wild rainbows in the upper Sac, but caved to Dunsmuir anyway. Stocking the river got people fishing (and spenidng money) right away, but I can't help but think the fishing would be better by now than what we've got if we had just let nature fix itself.
Moved downstream to the area outside the stocked region and caught a couple more, nicer but still not the Sac fish I remember from my salad days. I guess you can't go home again. Still, the water and the country is as beautiful as ever, a textbook mountain trout stream with access right off I-5, and spectacular views of Mt Shasta and the Castle Crags. My recommendation is to fish below Sweetbriar, the downstream end of the planted region. There is some very good water right below the Sweetbriar bridge, but I think the farther you can get from the planted section, the better.
One thing the Sac had over the Willamette was lots of teenage girls in bikinis. Now of course I'm old enough to appreciate their mothers in bikinis (an opportunity that presented itself as well), but I thought I'd throw it out for the consideration of some of you younger chaps.
The boy played in the water on the Willamette and waded with me in the Sac, standing right at my feet while I held his shirt collar in one hand and cast with the other. I was fishing a double nymph rig under a big bobber, not very conducive to casting lessons. But before we left I switched to a biggish parachute Adams and let him at it. He actually was casting pretty well and even mending, getting some decent drifts. If it hadn't been 3pm on a July afternoon, he might have risen a trout.
Got to our destination Sat eve (we were delivering their car to my parents in Walnut Creek), and flew home Sun afternoon. Quite a whirlwind, but actually kind of fun. The fishing, if a little pedestrian, sure didn't hurt, and broke up what would otherwise just have been a chore.