All of us here at The Fly Shop^® will tell you that the McCloud River, located within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, is one of those scenic wonderlands well worth the price of admission just to be there, even if you never wet a line. We must warn you, however, that anglers on the McCloud frequently lose their focus on the fishing, they become so ensconced by the natural beauty of the river canyon.

When not distracted by the scenery, the fishing on this river can be remarkable. The McCloud's cool waters, flowing off the flanks of Mt. Shasta, provide a healthy habitat from the river's resident rainbow and brown trout. In fact, the rainbows of the McCloud River (Salmo Shasta) are perhaps the most famous strain of trout in the world. Most of the trout of South America and New Zealand were originally "relocated" from the McCloud River.

The river itself is unlike any other, cascading through boulder-strewn pocket water into emerald pools. All of this cool, aerated water creates perfect conditions for stoneflies, and the McCloud has lots of giant Salmonflies and Golden Stoneflies. When these big bugs are hatching, it's feast time for the trout!

There are also lots of caddisflies in the river, including the massive October Caddis, as well as multitudes of mayflies. The incredible insect life on the McCloud are another of the things that make it such a marvelous fishery, with various dry flies rising consistently throughout the season and productive nymph fishing in all of the many pockets and pools.

The McCloud opens to fishing on the last Saturday in April, through November 15. May and June are probably the "prime time" months on the river because there are so many great hatches that time of year, but the river fishes well throughout the season. And one can't forget the big brown trout that migrate up the river from Shasta Lake in the fall. These brutes can be a real adventure, chasing big streamers in the deep pools.