Upper Sac Fishing Report – Nov 5, 2026

The October Caddis are still the headline on the Upper Sac. The shop's 11/4 report says the hatch is continuing and the odds of fish on dries should keep improving over the next couple of weeks. The recent cold snap also pushed more lake-run rainbows up out of Shasta, which makes the lower canyon worth a look with a streamer.

Current Conditions

Flows: About 220 CFS at Delta, up slightly from 210 last week. Low and easy to wade.
Water temp: No public temperature gauge on this stretch. Cold mornings have kept it cool, but this week's warm afternoons may wake the bugs up earlier.
Bugs: October Caddis, BWOs, midges and tiny mayflies.
Fish: Resident rainbows and browns throughout, with lake-run rainbows moving into the lower river.

What's Working

October Caddis pupae: Dead-drift through the riffles and let the fly rise and swing at the end of the drift.
Evening dries: When the egg-laying caddis come down near dark, an orange Stimulator, an October skater or a sedge pattern with a little twitch.
Daytime nymphing: Tiny nymphs in the fast, broken water, like size 18 or smaller zebra midges, small black mayfly nymphs and perdigons, with a rubber leg or Bird's Nest in the mix.
Lake-run fish: Sculpin and shad-style streamers in the lower canyon. They'll eat nymphs too, but the streamer grab is the fun part.

Where to Go

Follow the caddis. Start up high around Cantara and Box Canyon and work toward Dunsmuir. For lake-run fish, the lower canyon accesses like Simms, Gibson, Pollard Flat, Lamoine and McCardle Flat are the places to swing a streamer.

Weather & What to Wear

Dry and warm for November, with sunny skies, highs around 60 to the upper 60s, and lows near 40 through Monday. No rain means stable flows. Layers for the cold mornings and studded boots for the slick rock.

Regs: Check current CDFW regulations for the stretch you plan to fish.

Ready to book? Call or text me at (530) 722-8331.

Upper Sac questions this week

Is the Upper Sac fishing well right now?

As of November 5, 2026: The October Caddis are still the headline on the Upper Sac. The shop's 11/4 report says the hatch is continuing and the odds of fish on dries should keep improving over the next couple of weeks. The recent cold snap also pushed more lake-run rainbows up out of Shasta, which makes the lower canyon…

What flies are working on the Upper Sacramento River right now?

As of November 5, 2026: October Caddis pupae: Dead-drift through the riffles and let the fly rise and swing at the end of the drift. Evening dries: When the egg-laying caddis come down near dark, an orange Stimulator, an October skater or a sedge pattern with a little twitch. Daytime nymphing: Tiny nymphs in the fast, broken water, like size 18 or smaller zebra midges, small black mayfly nymphs and perdigons, with a rubber leg or Bird's Nest in the mix. Lake-run fish: Sculpin and shad-style streamers in the lower canyon. They'll eat nymphs too, but the streamer grab is the fun part.

What are the Upper Sacramento River flows right now?

As of November 5, 2026: About 220 CFS at Delta, up slightly from 210 last week. Low and easy to wade. Water temperature: No public temperature gauge on this stretch. Cold mornings have kept it cool, but this week's warm afternoons may wake the bugs up earlier. Gauge readings are provisional; see the sources listed in the report.

Upper Sac Fishing Report – Octobers On, Lake Fish Moving

Current conditions in brief