Fishes Upper Sacramento River
River · Northern California · California
Upper Sacramento River Fishing Guides
Thirty-eight miles of classic pocket water from Box Canyon Dam through Dunsmuir to Shasta Lake, a wade fishery under Mount Shasta with wild rainbows in every seam.
Gauge location. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides on the Upper Sacramento River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Upper Sacramento River
The Upper Sacramento is a wading river and it is one of the best in the West. From Box Canyon Dam below Lake Siskiyou it runs south through Dunsmuir and Castella to the head of Shasta Lake, dropping through granite pocket water, plunge pools and boulder gardens with Interstate 5 and the Union Pacific line following it the whole way. That access is unusual and it is the river’s great gift: dozens of pull-offs, marked river access trails, and a fishable run within a few minutes of a parking spot for nearly forty miles.
The fish are wild rainbows, mostly in the ten to sixteen inch class with a real chance at larger, and they are strong out of proportion to their size in the fast water. The river recovered from a 1991 chemical spill that killed everything in it, and the recovery is now the standard story guides tell on the first morning. Short-line nymphing and high-sticking dominate technique, with excellent dry fly fishing during the summer caddis and October caddis emergences.
The Delta gauge above Shasta Lake reads the whole river. It is a small stream by tailwater standards, and the numbers reflect that: a few hundred cfs is normal summer water and wades comfortably, while spring runoff can multiply that and make the pocket water unfishable and genuinely dangerous. Winter storms come off the Pacific and can spike the river overnight.
Dunsmuir and Mount Shasta City are the base towns, both small, both with fly shops and lodging, and both a short drive from the McCloud and the Trinity if you want to spend a week fishing three rivers.
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Access
Box Canyon Dam and the Cantara Loop: top of the river near Mount Shasta City.
Dunsmuir city accesses: numerous marked river access trails through town.
Prospect Avenue, Hedge Creek and Mossbrae area: walk-in access in the upper canyon.
Sweetbriar, Shotgun Creek and Sims Flat: Interstate 5 exits with campgrounds and trails to the river.
Castle Crags State Park: park access with camping and river frontage.
Delta and Pollard Flat: lower river access near the gauge above Shasta Lake.
Seasons
Late April through mid-November is the general season on most of the river; check current rules before you go.
Late April through June: runoff dependent, big water early, then excellent as it drops.
July and August: prime wading, caddis and stoneflies, cool canyon mornings and hot afternoons.
September through November: October caddis, fall colors, low clear water and the fewest anglers.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Upper Sacramento River?
As of Oct 22, 2:30 am, the USGS gauge SACRAMENTO R A DELTA CA reads 211 cfs, the 29th percentile for this date. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Upper Sacramento River?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Sacramento Sucker on the Upper Sacramento River in California.
Are there fishing guides on the Upper Sacramento River?
GuidedFloats lists 1 guide and outfitters on the Upper Sacramento River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Upper Sacramento River?
Box Canyon Dam and the Cantara Loop: top of the river near Mount Shasta City. Dunsmuir city accesses: numerous marked river access trails through town. Prospect Avenue, Hedge Creek and Mossbrae area: walk-in access in the upper canyon. Sweetbriar, Shotgun Creek and Sims Flat: Interstate 5 exits with campgrounds and trails to the river. Castle Crags State Park: park access with camping and river frontage. Delta and Pollard Flat: lower river access near the gauge above Shasta Lake.
When is the best time to fish the Upper Sacramento River?
Late April through mid-November is the general season on most of the river; check current rules before you go. Late April through June: runoff dependent, big water early, then excellent as it drops. July and August: prime wading, caddis and stoneflies, cool canyon mornings and hot afternoons. September through November: October caddis, fall colors, low clear water and the fewest anglers.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Upper Sacramento River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the California agency site: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland/Regulations