Whats the word on Sacramento Salmon Season Opener?

Haven't seen any chatter on the opening of Salmon Season around the Sacramento waters.  Any word on if there are any fishies in the system now or is it too early.  I go out on my buddies PB but would also like to hit some spots on my yak.  Any recommended areas that fit the kayak requirements ie. not overly populated with PB's, not overly fast current, access, etc.  I worked on my QRAS anchor system and got that all worked out yesterday.  Flatfish have been purchased.  Probably spool up some heavier line but we'll see how that goes.  Good luck to you guys doing the Albion.

Had one roll in front of me on the American this morning. I hear they are upmin the Feather near gridley too.

I am going to go out on the PB later today in Walnut Grove/Isleton area----too cold and windy right now.  Silvertrons and Kwikfish are rigged and ready to get wet.  If anything to report I will post again.  Have only seen two fishing boats go by my window so far this morning.------Jeff

Hey Jeff,  I made it out early this morning.  THought it was winter time.  Cold and choppy waters over at Clarksburg.  Made it out to the bend.  Only saw three boats, two were Salmon hunting and one was for Stripers (they got one).  Half an hour into getting my two Flatfish out and wiggling my QRAS anchor system came undone and as I had 60' of rope and float in 50' ft of water, the current took it and sank it never to be seen again.  That ended my quest (after a half an hour of trying to snag the line with my flatfish.  Sad days.  Going back this afternoon to see if I can catch my anchor line/anchor.  If that is successful I might stay out and try again.

Isn't the season already started...?

Isn't the season already started...?

I believe the river season opened today 7-16

Isn't the season already started...?

I believe the river season opened today 7-16

Correct.

Hey Racinrob, keep an eye on the American.  I'm hitting the Feather tomorrow on PB but would rather stick to my backyard and save the driving time/gas.  Stripers are verified just need someone to pop a Salmon.  Hopefully me, once I make another anchor line set-up.  Damn. it.

I use a LARGE boat fender about 18" long and 6-7 around. It would take one hell of a current to pull it under. Bright yellow to see it real easy if I do drop off of it.

I was using a 4" diameter by 16" white inflatable fender and that dude got sucked to Davie Jones Locker. Maybe dragged that anchor downstream like a parachute.  I think a lot more anchor line let out and the bigger fender will do.  That Sacramento River current is deceptive looking.  I couldn't keep that grappling hook and thin rope vertical unless I backstroked with the current.  Grrrr.  Oh well, another $30 lesson learned.

Sunday 07/17 fished Verona (where the Feather becomes the Sacramento River).  Haven't fished there for over ten years.  Still looks relatively the same with a bit larger Marina.  Wanting to beat the craziness, we launched out of the Airport area launch, a few miles south of Verona at the Sacramento International Airport turnoff.  Took about a half hour to cruise up in the dark.  Got to Verona around 4:45am.  Only three others anchored in.  At 5:30am there were only about 7 boats and at the peak around mid-morning there were probably only twenty boats spread out from the Marina up to the split.  Hardly anything compared to what I imagined and read was going to be like.

Fished that spot for 7.5 hours using the usual flatfish with sardine wrap 5 poles out.  Big fat nothing.  Took a cruise up the side tributary and found a beach to chill at for a while to get the skunk smell off with a nice dip.  DFG came by to do a head count and found out from them that only one Salmon had been caught so far of the people they had surveyed.  Met another DFG boat on the way out and the tally had bumped up to two for the day.  Drifted back to the boat launch fishing live minnows, but by 3pm the recreational boaters were out in full force and didn't stand a chance. 

0-2 but going to keep trying.

Man Steve that was a tough weekend! I am back in town now and ready to go get some salmon!
Only day I am busy this week is Wednesday with the wedding...
Lets get some salmon!

Thursday 07/21 paddled up the American above Watt to do some scounting around.  Found a nice stretch of water two islands up from  Harringtons.  Ended up trying to bum rush the rapids to try and force my way across the rapids to the island (going upstream) as soon as my heavy pig of a kayak slammed into the current it ripped the front around, got me sideways, and pushed the kayak out from under me.  Laughed a bit, righted the flipped over kayak, hopped back in, (re-entry testing confirmed and passed), and took inventory of the losses.  My shad pole was gone (my heavy duty pole I had leashed in but got lazy on my ultralight), the needle nose pliers and filet knife I tuck into the side webbing was gone, and the sunglasses that I borrowed from Matt three minutes earlier were surfing down the American.  Matt and I scanned the waters for about an hour but the current is still ripping through there and it was probably close to Discovery Park after an hour.  Leash it or lose it (that fact confirmed).  We did an adventure trek portaging through the pond and across some side creeks to get up stream and then white watered it back to the island.  Nice place to do some Steelhead, Salmon, Striper, Shad action.  Will be going back when the run starts up.

Friday 07/22:  Wanted to get my rigs tested out a little more as my opening day kayaking Salmon fishing was a fiasco (lost my whole anchor set-up).  After  buying all new rigging and a gifted anchor from Matt via another fishing buddy, I was back in action.  The Watt bridge is right in my background so I called Matt up and we headed out to get situated.  We had just set up Matts kayak with the QRAS anchor system so it was a trial run for him as well.  We picked a deep hole on the north side bank just downstream from the pipe outlet and before the powerlines.  Good pool but the current is cranking.  Because it looks deep it gives off the impression that it is lazy water.  No way that water is cranking.  It was a good test of the 8 and 10 lb mushroom anchors we were dropping.  I set out a Qwik Fish #16 chrome and chaurtruese and a cut bait Sardine rig.  Lots of leaves and branch rubbish flowing through.  The current was probably too fast for a #16 and we should have probably anchored down a bit farther as the water slows up a bit.  Sat out the evening for no action.  Everything works so just going to do the same testing spots and testing rigs until the Salmon population increases a bit.

Just a couple of photos of my day out in Clarksburg on sat opener and one on the PB at Verona.