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The 2006 Sacramento River salmon season shows signs of a delay similar to the late trout season in the Sierra. Usually by mid-August, the salmon run on the Sacramento River is in full swing. I have been running the Red Bluff Diversion Dam salmon count as a sidebar to this column (See Page B3) so you could gauge when to get out on the water.
On the 17th, there was a spike in the fish counts that correlates with the theory that better numbers of fish will move into freshwater from the saltwater on the full moon. The theory goes that many rivers have sand bars at their mouths and the high tides associated with the full moon facilitate salmon migrations.
The Sacramento River has no sand bar, but a week after the full moon, you will see an increase of salmon in the Woodson Bridge to Red Bluff zone. This can be a good way to schedule trips well in advance. But as with all things fishing, there is no guarantee.
I checked with the Bay Area fleet and, two weeks ago, the salmon disappeared outside the Golden Gate. Craig Stone from the Emeryville Sport Fishing Marina said that their focus has been on the wide open rockfish bite due to the lack of salmon.
Craig said that this same scenario occurred during 2002. The salmon fishing died in August. That year, the fish followed the sardines north all the way to Oregon. When they finally came back in September and October, they provided the great fall fishing. Good salmon fishing off Bodega Bay and the Bay Area will be the harbinger of the good bite on the Sacramento system.
The Feather River is a part of the Sacramento system and the fishing is similar. Craig Bentley of Huntington's Sportsman in Oroville reports salmon are being taken daily in the Feather River both at the After Bay hole and up in the low flow. But the numbers are low for the fourth week of August. Spinners have been the number one lure on the Feather.
On the Lower Yuba River, below Englebright Dam, the fishing has been tough. The Gold Country Fly Club had a "Fish Out" on Aug. 12. The results were poor with about half dozen fish being taken. Other club members report similar results on float trips down the river over the last two weeks.
On the bright side, Englebright Lake is fishing well at the back end where the cold water comes in. One of my reliable sources reports decent results fishing from the "No ski" buoys up to the mouth of the South Fork. The fishing is good from first light until the sun gets on the water. Then the bite drops off. The bite picks back up once there is a wind riffle on the surface. The best results came trolling Apex lures between 10- and 20-feet deep.
Twice in the last week, some Oroville locals have "pulled all-nighters" for catfish back the middle fork arm of Lake Oroville. They have been using anchovies and cut mackerel. The largest catfish weighed in at 17 pounds.
After the sun goes down, look for catfish near incoming water. As you go back the middle fork arm, you will find cooler water that attracts bass as well as catfish. The bass are close to the bank in low-light conditions and move down as deep as 30 feet during the day. Catfish are active in most foothill lakes this time of year.
Another good sign for fall fishing is that the "half-pounder" steelhead, with a few adults mixed in, have been in the lower Klamath River for a week. The prime time for this fishery is the month of September.
I will be teaching a steelhead fishing class in conjunction with the Sierra College Community Education in September. For more information refer to the "Kaleidoscope" catalog in your mail or go to www.sccommed.org.
ooo
For the last six days the number of salmon crossing the Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento River have been:
8/20/06 - 30
8/19/06 - 36
8/18/06 - 59
8/17/06 - 164
8/16/06 - 90
8/15/06 - 65
Year to date from May 15: 2,402
Last year to date: 3,823
ooo
Denis Peirce writes a weekly fishing column for The Union and is host of "The KNCO Fishing & Outdoor Report," which airs 6-7 p.m. Fridays and 5-6 a.m. Saturdays on 830-AM radio. He may be reached via e-mail at denisp@theunion.com.
On the 17th, there was a spike in the fish counts that correlates with the theory that better numbers of fish will move into freshwater from the saltwater on the full moon. The theory goes that many rivers have sand bars at their mouths and the high tides associated with the full moon facilitate salmon migrations.
The Sacramento River has no sand bar, but a week after the full moon, you will see an increase of salmon in the Woodson Bridge to Red Bluff zone. This can be a good way to schedule trips well in advance. But as with all things fishing, there is no guarantee.
I checked with the Bay Area fleet and, two weeks ago, the salmon disappeared outside the Golden Gate. Craig Stone from the Emeryville Sport Fishing Marina said that their focus has been on the wide open rockfish bite due to the lack of salmon.
Craig said that this same scenario occurred during 2002. The salmon fishing died in August. That year, the fish followed the sardines north all the way to Oregon. When they finally came back in September and October, they provided the great fall fishing. Good salmon fishing off Bodega Bay and the Bay Area will be the harbinger of the good bite on the Sacramento system.
The Feather River is a part of the Sacramento system and the fishing is similar. Craig Bentley of Huntington's Sportsman in Oroville reports salmon are being taken daily in the Feather River both at the After Bay hole and up in the low flow. But the numbers are low for the fourth week of August. Spinners have been the number one lure on the Feather.
On the Lower Yuba River, below Englebright Dam, the fishing has been tough. The Gold Country Fly Club had a "Fish Out" on Aug. 12. The results were poor with about half dozen fish being taken. Other club members report similar results on float trips down the river over the last two weeks.
On the bright side, Englebright Lake is fishing well at the back end where the cold water comes in. One of my reliable sources reports decent results fishing from the "No ski" buoys up to the mouth of the South Fork. The fishing is good from first light until the sun gets on the water. Then the bite drops off. The bite picks back up once there is a wind riffle on the surface. The best results came trolling Apex lures between 10- and 20-feet deep.
Twice in the last week, some Oroville locals have "pulled all-nighters" for catfish back the middle fork arm of Lake Oroville. They have been using anchovies and cut mackerel. The largest catfish weighed in at 17 pounds.
After the sun goes down, look for catfish near incoming water. As you go back the middle fork arm, you will find cooler water that attracts bass as well as catfish. The bass are close to the bank in low-light conditions and move down as deep as 30 feet during the day. Catfish are active in most foothill lakes this time of year.
Another good sign for fall fishing is that the "half-pounder" steelhead, with a few adults mixed in, have been in the lower Klamath River for a week. The prime time for this fishery is the month of September.
I will be teaching a steelhead fishing class in conjunction with the Sierra College Community Education in September. For more information refer to the "Kaleidoscope" catalog in your mail or go to www.sccommed.org.
ooo
For the last six days the number of salmon crossing the Red Bluff Diversion Dam on the Sacramento River have been:
8/20/06 - 30
8/19/06 - 36
8/18/06 - 59
8/17/06 - 164
8/16/06 - 90
8/15/06 - 65
Year to date from May 15: 2,402
Last year to date: 3,823
ooo
Denis Peirce writes a weekly fishing column for The Union and is host of "The KNCO Fishing & Outdoor Report," which airs 6-7 p.m. Fridays and 5-6 a.m. Saturdays on 830-AM radio. He may be reached via e-mail at denisp@theunion.com.
