Lower Sacramento River              

Flowing

over 300 miles from source to sea, the Sacramento River reigns as California’s largest river and premier tailwater trout fishery.  From Redding to Red Bluff, cold, clean, flows provide native, wild, rainbows with a consistent buffet of caddisflies, mayflies, stoneflies, and midges.  Throw in the seasonal influence of salmon roe, flesh, and alevins and it’s no wonder “lower Sac” bows average a solid 16 inches with fish to 20 inches not uncommon.  Slack line nymphing accounts for the majority of day-to-day success however, various hatches can get fish looking up throughout the spring and summer.  For both novice and experienced anglers alike, he lower Sacramento River offers outstanding rainbow trout fishing opportunities every

                                                                                                         day of the year.  

The Secret Sacramento

To imply that the lower Sacramento trout fishery is a secret would certainly raise the eyebrows of those who know better.  However, most “Sac” regulars know very little of the river beyond the Posse Grounds, Balls Ferry, or the Barge Hole.  Each November, low agricultural demand affords the removal of the ACID dam (Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation District) opening the fishery from just downstream of Keswick Reservoir to Caldwell Park.  Late fall-run Chinook fill this upriver stretch often digging redds in quantities that span the river from bank to bank and spring caddis hatches can simply be outrageous.  Due to limited wade-in and drift boat access, a 16 ft jet boat serves as the most efficient tool to explore the fishery’s extensive riffles and flats through February.

Andras Outfitters  PO BOX 1387 Talent, Oregon 97540   530 722 7992 andrasoutfitters@me.com

Southern Oregon and Northern California Fly Fishing Guide Service