Reports

Lower Sac Summer Striper from last week

September is going to be a wild card this year as we are on the back end of the driest water year that I can remember and while drought/water shortage is a real issue there is still going to be some good fishing this september.

Open DATES:
Sept. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 
Oct. 19, 25
Nov 1, 11, 22, 24-26, 29, 30, 
Dec 20, 21, 27-31
Jan 2, 4-10, 17-19, 24, 25, 


Stripers - Water temps remain in the mid 60's to Low 70's on the Lower Sac outside of chico and while flows are low fishing has remained fair to good on any given day. Lots of small fish with some nice mid size fish mixed in. On most days we are getting a shot at a "big" fish in the 10+lb category with a few in the 20+lb range. There is a healthy population of resident fish in the Sac and while numbers of fish are not always the reward there is a shot at some BIG fish. 

Lower Yuba River - Spent a day this weekend on the Lower Yuba and fishing was fair. Flows have dropped to 1200cfs and should drop again here shortly. I did see a pod of salmon moving up river in the lower river and a few stray fish shooting through the riffles in the upper river. We did catch a few nice fish in the 14-16" range on nymphs. Most of fish were caught on rubber legs, red copper johns, and birds nest. Nothing seemed to be the "hot fly" is seemed it was more about finding feeding fish. There were a few caddis fluttering around but only saw a few fish rise throughout the day and nothing constant, typical Yuba one and done fish. Fish seemed to be spread out in the shallows, holes, and runs...not much of a pattern as to where we caught fish. Seemed to be when the fish were hungary we caught them first pass through the run. Changing flies, weights, drops, etc didn't seem to matter. Traditionally the egg bite here starts the last week or two of september so plan accordingly. 

Lower Sac Trout and Steelhead - With warmer water temps in the Lower river the salmon are not holding up, they are shooting up river to find cooler water, moving what salmon are in the river into the upper reaches from Bend up. Trout fishing I have heard has been good and I imagine that with the warmer lower river water temps the steelhead are moving up river quickly as well. Late September and early October should be good this year but the word is the bulk of the salmon run is still hanging out in the ocean waiting for cooler water temps....maybe a two stage egg bite or just a late one this year. Flows are suppose to drop to 3500 as of Oct 1...this is really low but it is good that the flows are dropping early to avoid dewatering salmon reds like last year. 

Lower Feather River - Salmon are in and flows in the Low Flow are 1300cfs and the High Flow is 1700cfs...pretty skinny in the high flow but I think this is the new norm with low water in the lake and the busted up power house. September is a great time to catch a fresh king on the swing or look for some early steelhead. In the High Flow crowds can be an issue but there is plenty of room for everyone as many salmon anglers congregate in specific spots and with the increased flows in the Low Flow boats and wader fishermen have plenty of room.  I expect the steelhead fishing should start picking up the first week of October. f