4/18 Lower Sacramento River through Redding (Non-Yak)

I did a guided drift boat trip on Wednesday 4/18 with a guide from the Fly Shop in Redding.  Weather was overcast and sprinkled off and on all day.  First three casts I had fish on, ended up with 25 to 30 hookups and 11 to the boat.  Missed a lot of strikes again.  All fish fought hard, one large fish I was fighting pulled so hard I had a cramp in my arm and had a hell of a time getting it to the boat.  Everything was caught on nymphs and rubber legs, virtually no dry fly action except in very few spots.  A few holes we drifted through we had hit after hit after hit.  Very few people on the water, most guides launched downstream from the Sundial bridge, by where the golf drive range is.  Water clarity is excellent with no staining after last week's storms. 
A short video:
http://

ended up with 25 to 30 hookups and 11 to the boat. 

Sounds like a well-worth sore forearm for the next day or so.  Great fishing up there.  Thanks for the report. 

Nice fish dude, welcome to the north valley slayers backyard 

P.S.- I need to learn how to fly fish 

T.L. Tim

Nice fish dude, welcome to the north valley slayers backyard 

P.S.- I need to learn how to fly fish 

T.L. Tim

I am far from an expert fly fisher, I was able to learn a lot that day from the guide I went with.  PM me if you want his name.

Nice fish, that was a bruiser of a 'bow! 

Tim, we need to get back out there before they jack the flows up. 

P.S.- I need to learn how to fly fish 

T.L. Tim

+1

Thanks for sharing, beautiful fish,

Sweet! Caddis coming off yet? I was up there on Sat and it was bit slow, probably because the weather was just turning nice. Fished above sundial and around 44 bridge, walk/wade. Fished hooked were big and fiesty though. Some March Browns and small caddis came off sporadically but zero rises. This was before they bumped the flows up to 4500 on Monday. When those caddis start popping it will be eazy peazy. I think a May drift is in order.

Probably hit the upper sac the friday afternoon before general opener on my way to less pressured waters. If someone wants to hook up for a few hours let me know.

Sweet! Caddis coming off yet? I was up there on Sat and it was bit slow, probably because the weather was just turning nice. Fished above sundial and around 44 bridge, walk/wade. Fished hooked were big and fiesty though. Some March Browns and small caddis came off sporadically but zero rises. This was before they bumped the flows up to 4500 on Monday. When those caddis start popping it will be eazy peazy. I think a May drift is in order.

Probably hit the upper sac the friday afternoon before general opener on my way to less pressured waters. If someone wants to hook up for a few hours let me know.

Lots of bugs flying around in the afternoon  (Caddis flies, lots of Stonefly cases on bridges, etc.), it was in the high 60's but overcast and sprinkles.  the fish had enough time to settle down by wednesday after monday's flow uptick, still some debris here and there though.  overall an excellent day! 

Nice fish, that was a bruiser of a 'bow! 

Tim, we need to get back out there before they jack the flows up.

I think that one went almost 20".  Hell of a fighter!   
I lost at least two that were bigger........
guys, it is not that hard to fly fish.  you could pick up a inexpensive rod and reel combo already loaded with line and go at it.  I mostly learned by watching youtube videos and fishing small streams in the Sierra, it is easier to do sight fishing, you would spot a trout in the stream and start throwing flies until you find what it wants that day.  I usually have good luck stripping silver wooly buggers, there would be several trout chasing it.  indicator fishing like I did with nymphs and an indicator down the Lower Sac is a different story.  Most of the stream fishing you only need to throw a roll cast as there is too much shrubbery, trees, etc. to throw long casts.
Dan, you could have a lot of fun with a fly rig in the Moke and Lodi Lake with warm water fish. 

Nice fish, that was a bruiser of a 'bow! 

Tim, we need to get back out there before they jack the flows up.

I'm ready Ben, lets get a float organized, there is only 2 weekends left B4 GS6  , can we squeeze it in ?

Guys, the flows are bumping up, see below link:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/queryRES?KES

How long does it take to settle down to good fishing after they jack up the levels? And what are optimum levels?
Thanks,
Jeff

Jeff, the bite will remain 'on', but it's just harder to fish with the faster current, especially from the yak.  They jump the flows up typically mid-May to around 12,000 - 14,000 cfs to deliver water for agriculture and keep the river temps low for the salmon.  Flows will remain about that level until around October or so, when they'll drop back town to what we are seeing now, about 4-5,000 cfs which is ideal.

The river can be yak fished all summer, it's just a bit tougher.  Still plenty of good runs, and lots of access to gravel bars for wading.

Seems to be a fair amount of interest from my southern brotha's, looks like a Sac River fish n' chill may be in order!  With GMS6 and all the other tourneys going on it'd be tough to get something rocking early, so I think we should calendar something out in late October or so.  Any takers?

-beenfishin

How long does it take to settle down to good fishing after they jack up the levels? And what are optimum levels?
Thanks,
Jeff

the guide told me that the flows were raised monday, we fished wednesday and the fish had settled down.  still debris on the water by wednesday though.  the guide also said the river fishes well all year long at all flows but I would imagine it can't be too comfortable floating the river in the summer in 100+ degree days.