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TOP PICKS
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--The best striper action seemed to be downriver of Sacramento last week, from Clarksburg to Rio Vista. Fishing seemed to be somewhat slow around Sacramento proper. It's all gonna change with the high water from the recent storms, and more fish should move upriver. Bryte Beach was one of the better spots. Shad fishing was good at the mouths of the American and Feather rivers--at least until the river went higher. Those fish are likely moving up into tributaries like the American and Feather, but new schools should show up as the river drops back and clears once again.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--Striped bass had finally moved up to Colusa in decent numbers, and anglers were catching them from Grimes to Colusa on jumbo minnows and plastic worms. Anglers were working relatively hard for their fish, however. Big streamers were working, too, at least until the river rose. Anglers were hopeful that the high water will bring a fresh school of fish to replace the spawners which have begun to go back downriver. Most anglers have been concentrating on stripers, but fishing for sturgeon remained quite good, especially above Colusa.
AMERICAN RIVER--Steelhead were reported being caught in Nimbus Basin and shad up to Paradise Beach. However, striper fishing remained slow, apparently due to the cold water. Fly fishermen have been dead-drifting small caddis-like nymphs like hares' ears around Sailor Bar, while spin and conventional fishermen have been throwing hardware and drifting nightcrawlers.
FEATHER RIVER-- Striper fishing came back to life in the higher flows with some dandies weighing over 30 pounds being caught from Shanghai Bend to the Bear River. Shad were concentrated at Shanghai Bend, and steelhead, mostly small ones to 18 inches plus a few fish to 5 pounds, were being caught in the Low Flow Section.
RUSSIAN RIVER--The past week has been the best for shad so far this season, averaging maybe 3 to 5 fish an angler, but "that ain't nothing" compared to what should happen now after the rain! Nick Wheeler at Kings Sport & Tackle in Guerneville said flows went up to 700 cfs and are expected to 1000 cfs, which will bring the shad in big time in the next two weeks! Hang on
KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen--The first hook and line caught spring run Chinook salmon were reported caught in the lower end of the river last week. Water conditions were "perfect" even with the rain that put some green color into the water. CV-7 spinners in brass and two-tone green and chartreuse were the most productive lures.
MONTEREY--Quite a mix of action on the opener and opening weekend of rockfish season, with the Monterey Veterans chartering boats on Saturday to fish locally, but trips out of both Randy's Fishing Trips and Chris' Sportfishing finding open time to run down to Point Sur for phenomenal action on big rockfish and some lingcod. The only shadow was a slow bite locally for the vets on Saturday morning; the fish turned on later in the day, so it was a timing thing. Biggest fish reported were in the 10 to 14-pound class, with a lingcod caught on the Chubasco on Sunday biggest reported on the charter fleet.
GENERAL
NORTH COAST RIVERS
North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures. Always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed or no reports. The DFG's Low Flow Closure Hotline for north coast rivers is 707) 822-3164. For the Russian River and counties of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin, call (707) 944-5533. South Central Coast streams number is (831) 649-2886. Many streams closed, and others change to artificial/barbless only on March 31 and others on April 25.
ROGUE RIVER--Another terrible year of spring salmon runs here, with nothing worth going after unless you live here and have nothing better to do. Only 3 or 4 fish per 30 or 40 boats--you figure out the odds. Sure, there's better days, but not many, and there's many zero days end-to-end, said Dave Pitts, WON's Field Reporter. We'll try to get a handle on the dilemma up here and report on it.
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SACRAMENTO RIVER, Sacramento--The best striper action seemed to be downriver of Sacramento last week, from Clarksburg to Rio Vista. Fishing seemed to be somewhat slow around Sacramento proper. It's all gonna change with the high water from the recent storms, and more fish should move upriver. Bryte Beach was one of the better spots. Shad fishing was good at the mouths of the American and Feather rivers--at least until the river went higher. Those fish are likely moving up into tributaries like the American and Feather, but new schools should show up as the river drops back and clears once again.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa--Striped bass had finally moved up to Colusa in decent numbers, and anglers were catching them from Grimes to Colusa on jumbo minnows and plastic worms. Anglers were working relatively hard for their fish, however. Big streamers were working, too, at least until the river rose. Anglers were hopeful that the high water will bring a fresh school of fish to replace the spawners which have begun to go back downriver. Most anglers have been concentrating on stripers, but fishing for sturgeon remained quite good, especially above Colusa.
AMERICAN RIVER--Steelhead were reported being caught in Nimbus Basin and shad up to Paradise Beach. However, striper fishing remained slow, apparently due to the cold water. Fly fishermen have been dead-drifting small caddis-like nymphs like hares' ears around Sailor Bar, while spin and conventional fishermen have been throwing hardware and drifting nightcrawlers.
FEATHER RIVER-- Striper fishing came back to life in the higher flows with some dandies weighing over 30 pounds being caught from Shanghai Bend to the Bear River. Shad were concentrated at Shanghai Bend, and steelhead, mostly small ones to 18 inches plus a few fish to 5 pounds, were being caught in the Low Flow Section.
RUSSIAN RIVER--The past week has been the best for shad so far this season, averaging maybe 3 to 5 fish an angler, but "that ain't nothing" compared to what should happen now after the rain! Nick Wheeler at Kings Sport & Tackle in Guerneville said flows went up to 700 cfs and are expected to 1000 cfs, which will bring the shad in big time in the next two weeks! Hang on
KLAMATH RIVER, Klamath Glen--The first hook and line caught spring run Chinook salmon were reported caught in the lower end of the river last week. Water conditions were "perfect" even with the rain that put some green color into the water. CV-7 spinners in brass and two-tone green and chartreuse were the most productive lures.
MONTEREY--Quite a mix of action on the opener and opening weekend of rockfish season, with the Monterey Veterans chartering boats on Saturday to fish locally, but trips out of both Randy's Fishing Trips and Chris' Sportfishing finding open time to run down to Point Sur for phenomenal action on big rockfish and some lingcod. The only shadow was a slow bite locally for the vets on Saturday morning; the fish turned on later in the day, so it was a timing thing. Biggest fish reported were in the 10 to 14-pound class, with a lingcod caught on the Chubasco on Sunday biggest reported on the charter fleet.
GENERAL
NORTH COAST RIVERS
North Coast streams and rivers are regulated by low flow closures. Always call ahead to determine the condition of the river you want to fish. If not mentioned, the river is closed or no reports. The DFG's Low Flow Closure Hotline for north coast rivers is 707) 822-3164. For the Russian River and counties of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin, call (707) 944-5533. South Central Coast streams number is (831) 649-2886. Many streams closed, and others change to artificial/barbless only on March 31 and others on April 25.
ROGUE RIVER--Another terrible year of spring salmon runs here, with nothing worth going after unless you live here and have nothing better to do. Only 3 or 4 fish per 30 or 40 boats--you figure out the odds. Sure, there's better days, but not many, and there's many zero days end-to-end, said Dave Pitts, WON's Field Reporter. We'll try to get a handle on the dilemma up here and report on it.
More...
