The lower Sac has been on again off again for fly fishermen

Sacramento River - CA


by The Fly Shop
1-18-2012
Website

Current River Conditions:
The fishing has been great one day and tough the next! Our guides have been putting anglers on some huge rainbows. Pro Fly Shop Guides Ross Wilkerson and Greg Kennedy came off the river on Monday with reports of 18-20" rainbows. Nice!!! River flows are down to 4,300 cubic feet per second.

Hot flies in your fly box will be #6-8 dark to golden stones with rubber legs, #14-16 PT Nymphs and Bird's Nests. Can't leave out Pseudo Nymphs and RK's BWOs!

If you plan on wading the Lower Sacramento here in Redding, CA., consider purchasing a PFD and a wading staff!

Click here for up to date Lower Sacramento flow

By the way- "Good fishing can be found at these private water destinations this winter: Luk Lake and Steiner Lake"

The Fly Shop's ? Tips:
Fishing a long, 9' leader tapered to 3x (the second fly can be attached using 4X) with a big indicator and an SSG split shot will get the flies down to the fish. If you are wading the river and not in a drift boat, add another AAA or even a second SSG to your rig. The sooner the flies get to the bottom of the river, the more time you spend "fishing". At this time of year, look for hatches of Baetis, BWOs and midges. The "egg" bite is slowing down and mostly done.

Bridge News: All of the construction projects have finished their in-river work, so there are no longer hazards in the river at any of the bridges, and there are no longer flow-related boating restrictions anywhere on the river. Yeah!

River Fact: How did the Sacramento River get it's name? In 1808, Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga, on a journey to find suitable sites for the construction of missions, became the first foreigner to see the river clearly. Judging its huge breadth and power he named it Rio de good Sacramentos, or "River of the Blessed Sacrament".

Flies:

Dries:

• Mercer's Missing Link #14-16
• Parachute Profile Spinner BWO
• Norman's Loop Wing BWO
• D&D Cripple-Any!

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Mercer's Sac Fry
• Pale Alvin #6-12
• Zack's Soft Alevin
• Zack's Zaddis Amber #12-14
• Fox's Beeottis
• Fox's Cinnamon Poopah #12-14
• RK Flatulator BWO
• Eng Thing #14-16
• Mercer's Gidget
• Pat's Rubberlegs #4-8
• Zack's Thurmantor Stone • CB Birds Nest #12-16
• S&M #16-18 (Any Color)
• Pseudo May #16-18
• Red Micro Mayfly #16-18
• Skip Nymph #16

Streamers/Leeches:
• Muddler Minnow #10
• Freshwater Clouser Olive/White
• Spruce Matuka

Eggs:
• MC Redd Reaper
• Micro Spawn
• Single Eggs
• Surreal Eggs
• Boles Bazookas