Upper Sac

 

Upper Sac
by Andrew Harris





 My first trip to the Upper Sac was my first experience fishing a large wild trout stream. I was 18 and had been fly fishing for a couple years. All my fly fishing to date had been on very small streams, and I was eager to learn how to fish larger rivers. My dad and I booked a couple nights at the Cave Springs Motel in Dunsmuir. We hit up the Ted Fay Fly Shop and got some pointers from the late, great Joe Kimsey, who was lining up materials to tie up a dozen prince nymphs. We stocked up on flies and got some pointers about where to go. Joe pointed us to Scarlett Way Bridge, and off we went. We hiked the railroad tracks and found trails down to the river. We marveled at Mossbrae Falls and Castle Crags. We fished hard, caught some fish, and fell in a few times along the way.
I learned so much about fly fishing in those two days on the Upper Sac. I learned how to use a wading staff and position myself in the right place for fishing the pockets. I found trout willing to eat a yellow humpy in the pocket water. I sighted fish holding in deeper runs and caught them on nymphs. I even hooked some fish on dries in the long slicks and tailouts.
That first trip I made to the Upper Sac was in September of 1994. The river had just reopened that spring after a three-year closure forced by a major chemical spill. On July 14, 1991, a Union Pacific train derailed at Cantara Loop and spilled the toxic herbicide metam sodium into the river. All aquatic life was destroyed.
It’s hard to believe that this notorious spill happened twenty years ago. While I have no perspective on how present-day fishing compares to fishing prior to the spill, I consider the Upper Sac to be one of our premier wild trout streams today. I love fishing this river for all the same reasons today that I did on that first trip: The Upper Sac is very accessible, scenic, has lots of wild trout, and has an abundance of different water types, all of which hold trout.
With over 30 miles of public water, the Upper Sac has dozens of access points. You can get off to a good start by stopping in at a local fly shop and getting a map of the river. Most roads that lead to the river also take you to the railroad tracks. Use the railroad tracks as your highway to get to areas between the obvious access points. All parts of the river fish great at times. The main thing to keep tabs on is water temperature. The lower regions of the river can get quite warm during the summer months. Carry a stream thermometer with you and check the temp when you get to the river. A good rule of thumb is to look for water close to 60 degrees F. If the temp is over 65, move upstream until you find cooler water. Also, you can’t expect the fish to be all that active if the water is really cold. If you arrive in the morning and the temp is 50, the fishing will typically be pretty slow until the water warms up a bit.
The Upper Sac is open year-round, but has three distinct zones with different regulations. At the upper end of the river, from Box Canyon Dam downstream to Scarlett Way Bridge, you must use artificial lures with barbless hooks only and there is a zero limit. From Scarlett Way Bridge downstream to Sweetbrier there are no special regulations during the regular trout season (last Saturday in April through November 15th). DFG stocks this zone extensively during the summer months. They occasionally supplement the regular “catchable” size fish with some really big fish in the 3-5lb range. From Sweetbrier downstream to Shasta Lake you must use artificial lures with barbless hooks only and there is a two fish limit. All sections have a zero limit, artificial lures with barbless hooks requirement during the winter months.
The best times to fish are typically early summer as the runoff recedes and then the fall months of September-November. Watch the flows at Delta http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ca/nwis/uv?dd_cd=02%2C03&format=gif&period=4&site_no=11342000. During spring runoff it’s possible to catch some nice fish but you must cover a lot of water to find a fishable spot. The river really comes into shape as flows drop below 800cfs at Delta. Normal late summer flows are in the 200-300cfs range. Spring hatches include giant stoneflies, golden stones, and green drake mayflies. These bugs hatch during runoff and as the river drops, typically in May and June. Summertime hatches include little yellow stoneflies, caddisflies and assorted mayflies. The October Caddis is the staple during October and November.
The Upper Sac has a delightful variety of water types. Fish can be found in plunge pools, riffles, pocket water, runs, flats, and tail-outs. The pocket water is the easiest water to fish because you can get really close to the fish you are trying to catch. Try high-stick dry and nymph techniques in the pocket water. In the plunge pools and fast, deep runs, try lots of lead and a big Rubberleg stonefly nymph. In the flat water, switch to a long leader and a mayfly dry. Streamers like muddler minnows and woolly buggers can be fished effectively in most of the runs, riffles, and pools.
During most of the season, chest-high breathable waders are the best choice on the Upper Sac. In the winter neoprene waders are nice for their warmth. On hot days during the summer many anglers prefer to wet-wade. Wading staffs are very helpful on the Upper Sac. I like to wear felt boots without spikes.
Four-, five- and six-weight nine-foot rods are ideal on the Upper Sac. A four-weight is perfect for the upper access points like Cantara and Ney Springs where the river is smaller. A five-weight is the most versatile rod for the whole river. In some of the bigger water closer to Shasta Lake, a six-weight is the best bet. If you’re nymphing deep runs with a lot of lead or throwing streamers, a six-weight will get the job done. Come prepared with 3X-5X tippet and 9-foot leaders on the Upper Sac. Thingamabobbers and corkie indicators in various sizes work well for nymphing.
Some of the best nymphs for the Upper Sac are the Rubberleg stonefly size 6-8, prince nymph size 12-16, bird’s nest in brown or black size 14-16, micro mayfly in black size 16-18, and pheasant tail size 12-18. My favorite streamers on the Upper Sac are muddler minnows and olive crystal buggers in a size 6. Essential dry fly patterns on the Upper Sac include parachute adams size 12-18, e/c caddis size 14-16, and attractor patterns like royal wullfs and yellow humpies size 12-14. In the spring and fall be sure to try a stimulator size 6-8. On hot summer days throw your favorite grasshopper pattern.
Many anglers combine a trip to the Upper Sac with a day or two at other nearby destinations. The McCloud, Lower Sac and Klamath are only an hour’s drive. Within an hour and a half you have the Pit River, Hat Creek and Fall River. Spend three days in the extended area and there are countless combinations of rivers you could fish.