Sacramento - Why is fishing so difficult out here?!

Or am I just bad?... Lol. I've saltwater fished my entire life. (MD, FL, WA, SoCal) I'm stationed out at Beale but live in Roseville. I've tried a couple spots:

(Verona @ American River) Used mixture of bait and lures to try to net bass or catfish.

(Granite Bay @ Folsom Lake) Mainly crankbaits, plastic worms..

I haven't caught anything in three different trips. Never really had to work this hard for fish before. Are the fish here real finicky? Any tips or suggestions on other places to try close to Sac would be awesome. Thanks!

You should hook up with steveislost he looks like he's doing good

Fishing around sacrmento can be fantastic and some of the best in the stte ImO...like every fish, there are seasons and times of the year when fish bite better..granite bay/folsom lake is a awesome bass fishery in fall the fallwinter and spring..the american river is also a jewel, but can be challenging for some..check out local bait shops and do some local recon and you'll soon be catching some fish, ricci/fishworks

What kind of plastic worms and crank baits are you using.  As for worms I would only be using hand pours.  Cranks i would try a rapala jointed shad rap and some norman dd 16  in crawdad or shad.  What time of day are you fishing?

Fishing around sacrmento can be fantastic and some of the best in the stte ImO...like every fish, there are seasons and times of the year when fish bite better..granite bay/folsom lake is a awesome bass fishery in fall the fallwinter and spring..the american river is also a jewel, but can be challenging for some..check out local bait shops and do some local recon and you'll soon be catching some fish, ricci/fishworks

I'll def do that. I find myself going out a lot more now that I have a yak so I'm just trying to soak up as much info as possible. Thanks.

 All my bass lately have been on a black/blue senko wacky rigged, or a strike king sexy shad. I don't fish the AR or Sac for bass. Foothill lakes or delta are the best for bass right now. Some small ponds around too are working well. Just keep trying. There are fish all over.

Don't think Verona is at the American River bro. 
There are a ton of stripers in the system right now. Just a lot of schoolies.

Don't think Verona is at the American River bro. 
There are a ton of stripers in the system right now. Just a lot of schoolies.

Ah, not the town I meant Verona Marina off of Garden Hwy/Vernon Road... where the Feather River and AR meet.

Definitely going to be trying for Salmon, though. I get back from WA on the 16th just in time..

The feather meets the Sacramento river at varona, the AR river meets the sac river  at discovery park about 15 miles  or so down from varona.
 fishworks is spot on you need to know when to catch certain fish in the system. Other wise your just pissin' in the wind!
 keep a ear out for the salmon hookups late summer/ fall, it's going to rip this year!
Sunny

Don't think Verona is at the American River bro. 
There are a ton of stripers in the system right now. Just a lot of schoolies.

Ah, not the town I meant Verona Marina off of Garden Hwy/Vernon Road... where the Feather River and AR meet.

Definitely going to be trying for Salmon, though. I get back from WA on the 16th just in time..

 

You can't go wrong fishing with any of the guys who responded to your post.  Sac Crew FTW.

You can't go wrong fishing with any of the guys who responded to your post. 

Until now. 
EVERYONE who has fished the Sac area gets skunked now and then.
I think the area takes a little more patience than most.
What Adam said, excluding me, and you'll be fine.

I'll def keep an eye out. Thanks for the info.

Try Shad if you want to get into some fish, they are still in on the American. Threw the spey rod at upper sunrise yesterday evening, picked up quite few once it started getting dark. Full blown lineup yesterday, get out way before dark to get a good spot. This has been the best run in several years, get out soon, the run is winding down...