For many, California means Disneyland, San Francisco and Wine Country.  Many miss out on the stunning views and almost endless recreation available in the far north end of our state.

With Mount Shasta on the horizon and a plethora of lakes, streams, waterfalls and trails, Dunsmuir in Siskiyou County is a marvelous place to visit- the kind of destination where your blood pressure lowers 20 points upon arrival. It’s also conveniently located right off Interstate 5.

Bob Grace traded the world of high finance in the Bay Area for Dunsmuir in 1997, when he moved to Dunsmuir to take ownership of Ted Fay Fly Shop. Opened about 1950, it’s the longest continually running fly shop in the state.

The shop, like this region, is fascinating and historic, down to the authentic old signs that denote the prior shop owners.

Dunsmuir prospers because of the incredibly rich fish population from the Upper Sacramento and McCloud Rivers. People visit from as far away as Europe and Asia to catch trout in what the community describes as “the best water on Earth.”

The drought has been difficult on many in our valley, but the wet winter has brought optimism to Bob and others who benefit when more water flows. “It’s fantastic,” Bob remarked. “This was the slowest winter I had in five years and it’s all for good reasons.”

Anyone who has spent any time trying to land the big one can attest to how elusive fish can be. Bob’s top suggestion for success – focus on the process.