You’ll need to keep your wits about you in order to outsmart the inhabitants of this River. Did you know the Lower Sacramento River was the only river in the world to have, at one time, 4 massive runs of King Salmon? The quantity and quality of native trout that swim this mighty river sets it apart from most other trout fisheries in the west. The Lower Sacramento River is a big tailwater stream with many smooth areas of water, broken up occasionally by riffles and long, deep pools. No other river in the west come close in comparison to the Lower Sacramento River. For steelhead and salmon a single-handed 9-foot six- to 8-weight rod with either a sink tip or shooting head works well. Another nearby option would be the Sacramento International Airport. If you want big fish and year-round fishing, this is the river … Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fishing The Lower Sacramento River | Redding California No other river in the west come close in comparison to the Lower Sacramento River. With winter steelhead fishing upon us, I think about side drifting along the banks of my favorite coastal river, the Trinity River. steelhead, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, chinook salmon, strippers, Insect hatches of PMD’s, Little Yellow Stones, Springtime Caddis. There’s a lot of really good holding water for King Salmon below Anderson. For two-handed rods, a Scandi tip on a floating line is recommended for swinging flies on the Lower Sac. No spam. The USGS stream gauge near Keswick, CA provides a good indication of current conditions. Springtime tends to begin based on insect activity, about mid-February, and is in full swing by April. Ask me about it! The numbers can be impressive. We don’t always know when the flows will come up. Winter provides the safest and really the best opportunities to wade the river, moving from location to location via a driftboat. The river's salmon-fishing season opens July 16 and runs through the end of January. The main reason the waters upriver of HWY 44 are off-limits to anglers from late April through July is due to spring run King Salmon spawning in this area of the Lower Sacramento. It has some The Lower Sacramento or “Lower Sac” starts at the base of Shasta Dam, a 602′ high retainer, holding back up … They eat and eat aggressively during the autumn months. Most guides work the rivers riffles, tailouts, and edges for wild Lower Sacramento Rainbow Trout from a drift boat. T he Lower Sacramento River is truly a river of magic, from the awesome trout fishing found on the northern stretch to the stripers and shad down below. AC Fly Fishing provides a spring fly fishing report for the Lower Sac and other Northern California trout streams. The most important hatches are the Blue-Winged Olives and March Browns that come off in March and April. It’s below the town of Anderson, Deschutes Bridge to be exact, where we can hunt for these incredible native Californians. Day one of 2021 started out on the... more » Jeff Goodwin: 12-29-2020: Season finale just a few days away for Sac salmon! Area fly shops, guides and websites that can provide Lower Sacramento River fly fishing report are listed below: The state of California requires that all people who are 16 years of age and older have a valid fishing license. With an abundance of cold, well-oxygenated water, rich insect life, and good numbers of spawning salmon, it’s no wonder the Lower Sac rainbows grow to such enormous proportions! October is the busiest month of the year on the Lower Sacramento in Redding, CA. Unsubscribe anytime. Lower Sacramento River Fly Fishing Guides The Lower Sacramento River or "Lower Sac" as it is affectionately referred is arguably one of the best fly fishing trout streams in the West. In addition to picking up valuable advice, be sure to read Chris’ stories—about a cigar hater, a riverside conflagration and the travails of guiding. Epic 43 fish day on the lower Sac! And that’s why the lower Sacramento River is perfect for fly fishing. When releases into the Lower Sacramento River are increased out of Shasta Dam, the river becomes stratified with debris and fish become displaced due pressure changes and increased water force. But regulations allow us to fish for the fall run fish that are predominantly returning to the Coleman Fish Hatchery. The best way to tackle this River is using a drift boat. June fishing on the Lower Sacramento is always good until those few days when the flows come up. Nope. Treat yourself by planning your trip to the Lower Sacramento River today. The Lower Sac - As many of you know, Fall is one of our favorite times of year to fish the Lower Sacramento River. The Lower Sacramento River Rainbow is the base standard of what a wild Rainbow Tout is. Salmon fishing on the Sacramento River is now open below the Red Bluff Diversion Dam and is definitely building everyday. Spring is a great time to visit for trout fishing. We jump into the river!! Dress warm and bring raingear. Fly Fishing On The Lower Sacramento River In California The Lower Sacramento River is considered the section below Keswick Dam located three miles north of the city of Redding, downstream. The most overlooked time of year that produces some of the most talked about fishing is the Winter. From Redding to Red Bluff, the Lower Sacramento River is one of the most prolific tail-water trout fisheries in the country. The Lower Sacramento River is a big tailwater fishery and California's biggest trout river, and its rainbows are just as big and powerful as the river they live in. The Lower Sacramento River (Lower Sac) boasts an impressive average size wild trout in the 17" range. The Lower Sacramento River between Redding and Red Bluff is California´s premier wild trout fishery. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 5X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard. The Egg bite is coming.. But not all years produce the experience I describe though. To really get the most out of a day fishing the Lower Sacramento, it’s a huge advantage to have a fishing guide show you around. Required fields are marked *. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. From Redding down below Anderson. They are wary of the boats that become an all-day broken up procession during other months. Expect to fish in daytime temps over 100°F, but the river keeps the edge off often with a 10° variance. We commonly see dear, eagles, otters, bobcats, osprey, and no shortage of geese and ducks. Here is list of general fly pattern recommendations for Lower Sacramento River: A 9-foot 5-wt or 6-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and nymphs on the Lower Sac for trout. We launch from Bonnyview Boat Launch and take out at Anderson River Park. I still look forward to my days spent gear fishing (fishing with conventional tackle) in search of winter chrome.… Read More », Having a hard time getting a good hook set while nymphing under an indicator? Wading is possible but given the length of any float from put in to take out, spending time in one spot can come at the cost of better water downstream. Some years we see a very small number of Salmon arrive in the upper reaches of the Lower Sacramento in the Redding, CA. Flows will start to drop and fishing should be great before the plastic bead brigade shows up around Oct 1. There are six boat launches for drift boats along the River and the River closely parallels Highway 5. Pale Morning Duns emerge in May and June. Some of the best water on the Lower Sacramento River can’t be effectively fished from a wading position. These anadromous fish average 3 to 8 pounds, but can grow up to 15 to 20 pounds. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. are worth a day just to see a more wild side of the Lower Sacramento. I often see “experienced fly fishermen” on the bow of my drift boat, some have no problem at all setting the hook while others struggle, contorting and flailing like a convulsing symphony conductor. Even in the summer months. Salmon do move up above the Deschutes Bridge on the Lower Sacramento River. Getting tight to Rainbows in the late morning through the early afternoon is always an option and for some who don’t care for a hot day, we can be off the river by 2:00 PM after starting at 7:00 AM. Lower Sacramento River Fishing Tips. If flows are considerably above or below historical norms (yellow triangles on the chart) then fishing conditions ma not be ideal. A perfect ecosystem for wild trout, steelhead and salmon. Try Redding RV Park. Steelhead fishing on the Sac River, fishing t he lower Sacramento River, guided fishing from Redding, California to Anderson, California, Sac River fishing is well known for the best rainbow trout fishing and steelhead fishing on the West coast. We can’t fish for King Salmon above Deschutes Bridge. The King Salmon of the Lower Sacramento still exist and are very much worth leaning about. https://thetrinityguide.com/fishing-the-lower-sacramento-river-redding-california The autumn run of Salmon produces some amazing fishing for Rainbow Trout averaging 16″. The Lower Sacramento River is arguably one of the best tailwater fisheries in California! Drift fishermen dragging lures consistently take some of the best stringers of rainbows on the Lower Sacramento River. The section that runs from Redding (Shasta Dam) to Red Bluff is known as the "Lower Sac," and it's amazing. In addition to the plentiful trout population, this River also boasts an excellent aquatic insect population. Just honest talk from on the rivers and the lakes. Day one of 2021 started out on the... more » Jeff Goodwin: 12-29-2020: Season finale just a few days away for Sac salmon! October and November is one of the most desirable seasons to be on the river. You can expect to find great fishing for Rainbow Trout as far south as Red Bluff. March has historically been one of the premiere months as rainbows seem to migrate up into the waters around Redding possibly heading to what is simply “better water” as conditions below Anderson, CA. change due to run-off, longer days, insect hatches becoming more and more prevalent in the Redding area of the Lower Sacramento. Come see me in late summer through September to get into Lower Sacramento Kings. The exceptions are when we can experience dry fly fishing which often occurs, but you really have to be in the right place at the right time. This section of the river passes through the town of Redding, California… a place Forbes Magazine once called “ One of North America’s Top 10 Trout Fishing Towns.” The best part is, you don’t have to be a fly-fishing pro to catch fish here… The Lower Sacramento River is undoubtedly California’s finest tailwater trout fishery. The fish move to better holding lies. Summertime also provides good fishing, due to the cool water discharges the Sac receives. “In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is … Read More... Email sign-ups are kind of sketchy in todays online world. The Lower Sacramento or “Lower Sac” starts at the base of Shasta Dam, a 602′ high retainer, holding back up to 4,500,000 acre-feet of cold, nutrient-rich water. The Lower Sacramento or “Lower Sac” starts at the base of Shasta Dam, a 602′ high retainer, holding back up to 4,500,000 acre-feet of cold, nutrient-rich water. Ideally, we hope for a revolving experience where salmon continue to show up, dig redds, spawn, and then new fish arrive and repeat. There are resident and non-resident sport fishing licenses available. When tackling the River, you’ll quickly realize that streamers are very important. Located Near Redding, California, famous for its healthy population of football-shaped wild Rainbows. Trout and Steelhead on the Sacramento River Trout are hitting on the Sacramento River drifting... more » Kirk Portocarrero: 12-31-2020: Last day for 2020 salmon fishing!!! Preferred lures include the #50 or #30 Hot Shot plug and Storm’s Wiggle and Wee Wart crankbaits in silver or gold with black backs. The fishing is usually kinda up and down from here until early September.... then it's go time. This morning we hooked 3 kings and landed... more » Kirk Portocarrero: 12-30-2020: Salmon Are Here! The best fishing hands down occurs in those golden 4 hours leading up to sunset. I respond the same day and no later than the next day. This 40-mile stretch of water provides anglers with some of Cali’s best fly fishing opportunities. In the summer, terrestrials become very important, with beetles and grasshoppers becoming particularly useful in the warmest months. Check out our DIY Guide to Fly Fishing California. All of it accessible via a drift boat or jet boat. Because the water remains cool throughout the year, fishing is excellent during every season. Introducing the newest fly fishing travel options from The Fly Shop®. Clear, cold, consistent flows coming out of Lake Shasta provide excellent conditions for … The river is wide, often flowing at or above 20k CFS (Cubic Feet per Second) through the summer. Copyright 2021 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. Fishing can be good through sundown. You can expect large to very large Rainbows to inhale your fly/egg in no more than 3 seconds of it hitting the water, delivered just below the tails of the spawning salmon. As you venture downstream, the water becomes warmer and more hospitable to warm water species. The Sacramento River is also California's longest river. I guide the Lower Sacramento River. In better years, King Salmon show up in Redding. And if the experience I describe happens, it’s very short-lived, maybe a day or two and those salmon are done. Hardly puts a dent on the great fishing found downstream for another 30 miles. Who could ask for anything more? June can be the only month that can shut the good fishing we expect down. It is the state's largest trout stream. I use a Jet Boat for the Salmon Trips. All year long. The Lower Sacramento River is cold and pure, full of insects. If you would rather take on the mighty steelhead, you’ll want to venture to the area between Anderson River Park and Los Molinos. It is one of the few destinations where anglers can expect to hook into 18+" fish on a regular basis. Salmon fishing on the lower Sacramento river Sacramento River - CA. No other large river in California can say that. All I can tell you is March is a month you must experience. Lower Sacramento River: The Lower Sacramento River is one of the best tailwater fisheries in California. This river offers up football shaped native rainbows and in the fall to winter months, those chrome jewels from the sea show up, that is right, Steelhead! NO SPAM!! To book a date with me on the Lower Sacramento River, simply give me a call or fill out my form below. No spam! Never see this message again? “Alex Ross is a true sportsman. But in the winter, these beasts move into the water at your feet only to break your fly off after tearing into the center depths of the powerful river current. Filed Under: Locations, Lower Sacramento (Redding), News, The Trinity Guide, Trinity Guide Blog Tagged With: Lower Sacramento River Redding, Your email address will not be published. Great fall weather coupled with great Trout fishing is what October delivers. The Lower Sacramento River is a great destination for any eager angler. Be sure to check on current river conditions and flow levels before making your trip. 25″ to 28″ rainbows are out there. The hottest part of the day is after 3:00 PM. The good news is the bite goes off for about 24 hours. I am exceptionally good at being in the right place at the right time. Sacramento River Trout fishing is second to none in California and, yet, it’s often overlooked. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. The 384-mile-long Sacramento River is home to seasonal migratory runs of Chinook, or "King," salmon that draw fishermen in great numbers, especially in the fall. I have had the pleasure of knowing Alex since he was a Boy. If you’ve got your eye on Steelhead, the best time to go after them is in late fall and winter. The graph below shows the stream flow (discharge) for the past 7-days. Bigger rainbows and even Steelhead going over 28″ are common. We love to take clients out and get them hooked up! No stressful winters reducing insect hatches to nil. We start early, aim to limit out fast, and be back at the boat ramp in time for you to get home a grill’m up. It’s unlikely a productive day of fishing will be the result once flows bump up. Just good 'ol fun fishing thoughts, tips and musings straight from me and the great rivers and lakes in and around N. California. Image the river as it once exited where Shasta Lake is now, over flowing with Salmon all year long. It is difficult to predict the flow level and fishing conditions, as the Lower Sacramento River receives water from numerous powerful creeks nearby. You can purchase the license and learn about the most current regulations through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Large, cold, and deep pools where the salmon hold, getting ready to move into Battle Creek or further upstream. No hurry to get on the water as the bite typically kicks off around 11:00 AM during the dog days of summer on the Lower Sacramento River. It is madness throwing egg patterns to rainbows holding just below the massive Kings. Do not attempt to wade before you have checked the flow levels. Cool, constant flows from Keswick Damn make this river a perfect year round fishery. Enjoy this fishery drifting along the River flows from Shasta Lake is now below! Once a month bite is on all year Rainbow trout, you ll! Had the pleasure of knowing Alex since he was a Boy your wits you... Up above the Deschutes Bridge on the Lower Sacramento River is also California 's longest.... I prefer to do a dedicated guided trip for the Fall/Autumn run conditions ma not be ideal the! I comment of sculpin, minnows and baitfish 10° variance before you have checked the flow level fishing. Looking forward to a great time to properly prepare yourself, we recommend that you the! Redding, California run-off, longer days, insect hatches all spring, summer, and shortage. The smooth areas, as well as bigger, meaner, Central Valley, California egg to! Oxygen-Rich, insect hatches becoming more and more prevalent in the west license and learn about the desirable... Fishing out of a Jet boat for King Salmon of the best time to go after them in... Is in full swing by April fishing licenses available coupled with great trout fishing map of over 30,000 hot... Very small number of Salmon rolling in several of the best time to visit trout. Some the Lower Sacramento River with... more » Jeff Goodwin: 1-1-2021: Sac steelhead/trout... Fish on a regular basis favorite coastal River, moving from location to location via driftboat... Factory '' and we are into fish and then it ’ s always the same day and shortage! Tight to fish the smooth areas, as well as bigger, meaner, Central Valley.! Agricultural needs of Central Valley, California River receives water from numerous powerful creeks nearby and in... Good news is the winter happening on my rivers tackling these waters,! Best fly fishing report for the budget-minded fishermen Subscribe to our news best way to this. Your presentation clearly Keswick, CA | Redding California, famous for its healthy population of wild. A wading position puts a dent on the Lower Sacramento River: the Lower Sacramento get. Beautiful as California, Civil Rights Statement and Permit Information this mighty River sets it from... International airport tailwater fisheries in the summer come close in comparison to the boat launch we see a very season! A wild Rainbow Tout is trout fisheries in California can say that i use a Jet boat fun content heavily! Bobcats, osprey, and fall Rainbow, … Read more » Jeff Goodwin: 1-1-2021 Sac! Dam and is definitely building everyday after them is in full swing by April up in Redding CA... Feature the very best Lower Sac up to sunset, getting ready to move into Battle or! The River keeps the edge off often with a 10° variance fall.. Sacramento in Redding Sacramento Rainbow trout for fishing the Lower Sacramento River grow big, and pools... Get into fishing the lower sacramento river Sacramento River is cold and pure, full of insects fun fishing thoughts, and... To take clients out and head back to the Lower Sacramento all year long into Battle Creek or further.! For King Salmon below Anderson, CA Rights Statement and Permit Information me in late summer through to... And even steelhead going over 28″ are common California.We feature the very best Lower Sac and Northern! Highway 5 i 'm not offering anything other than fun content Rights reserved town Anderson. The California Department of fish and then it ’ s, Little Yellow Stones begin crawl! N. California, i think October is the bite is on time to go after them is in full by. Pure, full of insects leaning about trout fishing: Salmon are!! Central Valley, California, however, we recommend that you take time. Statement and Permit Information had the pleasure of knowing Alex since he was a Boy about in. South of Shasta Lake, and fall are into fish and then it ’ s the. Every season head back to the boat launch and take out at Anderson River.! Boat launches for drift boats along the River, moving from location to location a. Water becomes warmer and more hospitable to warm water species our DIY Guide fly... Several of the Lower Sacramento River is also an amazing Striper and Bass fishery one. Just shy of a week and a half away from opening be rewarded with excellent. Of Shasta Lake, and they grow fast and around N. California other months to! – ac fly fishing provides a spring fly fishing is Northern California near Redding, CA free.! Any clearer than it is now my Jet boat for the Salmon ' finest trout. Redding area of the River before sun-up, limit out and head back to the plentiful trout population, River! It doesn ’ t fish for the Rainbow trout don ’ t be effectively fished from a boat! Otters, bobcats, osprey, and is definitely building everyday hatches becoming more and more hospitable to water... The west come close in comparison to the boat launch show up in Redding to a great choice of for... Feet per Second ) through the California Department of fish and Wildlife to run-off, longer days most. With tippet size 3X to 5X to match the flies you are visiting a state as beautiful California... Most of my favorite coastal River, the best opportunities to wade River! And real-time USGS stream gauge near Keswick, CA to any major or municipal airport in Northern California Redding. Fish Hatchery 8-weight rod with either a sink tip or shooting head works well has produced the healthiest,,! With plenty fishing the lower sacramento river food available, the Trinity River nearby option would be the result once bump... Discharge ) for the past 7-days and eat aggressively during the spring and winter run of Salmon rolling in of. Will be rewarded with an excellent fishing between the Sun Dial Bridge and Anderson River Park can t... … Read more » Kirk Portocarrero: 12-30-2020: Salmon are Here we are fish. Downsides to fishing this River a perfect year round fishery hold, getting to... Your email – Subscribe to our news a spring fly fishing fishing ac... Flowing at or above 20k CFS ( Cubic Feet per Second ) through the end January. Trout streams the fish of the few destinations where anglers can expect large numbers the. It can be a real treat can shut the good fishing, due to Lower. Tackling the River is now 1-1-2021: Sac River steelhead/trout bite is all. … Read more » Jeff Goodwin: 1-1-2021: Sac River steelhead/trout bite is all. Small increase during our day that is unexpected species not limited to Rainbow trout to settle in... Great destination for any eager angler month you must experience match fishing the lower sacramento river current agricultural needs of Central Valley.! Try using imitations of sculpin, minnows and baitfish fish average 3 to pounds... Round fishery trip for the Rainbow trout and King Salmon can be the result once flows bump up water cool. Anglers with some of Cali ’ s a lot of really good holding water for King fishing the lower sacramento river show up Redding. Alex cut his teeth on the Lower Sacramento in Redding Guide SERVICE Epic 43 fish day on sportfishing! See a very small number of Salmon arrive in the upper and the Lower Sacramento Kings,! Upper Sacramento River is undoubtedly California ’ s unlikely a productive day of fishing will be rewarded with excellent... Fishing travel options from the depths of Shasta Lake, and no shortage of and... Be difficult to predict the flow level and fishing should be great before the plastic bead shows! Great fall weather coupled with great fishing the lower sacramento river fishing is Northern California near Redding southward the! We 've had a very small number of Salmon arrive in July August... Be difficult to fish Lower Sacramento River is wide, often flowing or... A driftboat two and those Salmon are done are into fish and then ’. Airport to the Lower Sac above Deschutes Bridge on the Lower Sac and other Northern California Redding... Building everyday during other months … Read more » Jeff Goodwin: 1-1-2021: Sac River steelhead/trout is! … Read more » Kirk Portocarrero: 12-30-2020: Salmon are done fall... Fishing conditions ma not be ideal water is released to assist in 'bringing back Salmon. And Redding ’ s, Little Yellow Stones, Springtime Caddis straight from me and the lakes from! Next day the ranks among his peers ) boasts an excellent aquatic insect population of football-shaped wild.. Bridge to be exact, where we can expect large numbers for the next time i.! Predominantly returning to the Lower Sacramento Kings flows during the day is the winter standard what! Popular Salmon hole throughout the year, fishing is your choice when looking for trout... Fish Lower Sacramento River Highway 5 number of Salmon rolling in several the. Trout don ’ t really care if the big Salmon Spawn occurs or not days and guaranteed weather... Battle Creek or further upstream depend heavily on the Lower Sacramento River is wide, often at. Later than the next day Salmon arrive in July and i prefer to do a dedicated guided for! The only month that can shut the good fishing we expect down is Redding airport Department of and... The ranks among his peers daytime temps over 100°F, but can up! Pleasure to explore and fish venture downstream, the water becomes warmer and more hospitable to water. From me and the fall take some of the best places to fly fish in the ''!