Among them, the Upper Sacramento River passes in front of Wayne's place: fishing is excellent 30 paces from the front gate! Approximately 40 miles of the Upper Sacramento are fishable, from the Box Canyon dam below Lake Siskiyou, to Lake Shasta. Access roads and the Union Pacific railroad tracks provide easy access to almost the entire length. Baitfishing and harvesting fish is allowed in a stretch of approximately 10 miles, from Shasta Retreat above Dunsmuir downstream to Soda Springs. This portion of the river is stocked with rainbows, but also contains many wild fish. The remaining 30 miles of river is artificial lure, barbless hook fishing. Limits vary, with some catch-and-release sections, so please check local regulations carefully before fishing. There are a few brown trout in the Upper Sacramento, particularly above Lake Shasta. By far the most common catch is rainbow trout.

Unusually large rainbow trout sometimes move up into the Upper Sacramento from Lake Shasta.

Upper McCloud Redband Trout Lower McCloud Rainbow Trout

The great McCloud River is reknowned for its fishing and its fish: the genetic strain of the McCloud River rainbow is the root stock of rainbow trout transplanted successfully in Colorado, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Europe, and elsewhere throughout the world. In the upper part of the river above McCloud reservoir, you may catch the beautiful redband trout, a native variety of rainbow.   The lower part of the McCloud River has larger rainbow trout, averaging about 14 inches, with some much larger. It is also famous for its fall run of large brown trout.