Current River Conditions:
The weather has been excellent! We are just starting to see those spring-time caddis (Brachycentrus). These case building aquatic insects produce the first "super" hatch of the year. Expect the hatches to increase in intensity through the month of February. Do the rainbows eat these bugs off the surface? Does the little pig go wee, wee, wee all the way home? Pro guide Kris Kennedy saw lots of rainbows eating off the surface today and a bunch of rainbows in the net! The Sac is fishing great!!

The best results have come from anglers fishing out of drift boats. Treating yourself to a guided trip on the "Sac" should be considered at this time of year. The rainbows are not everywhere like they can be in the summer months. Focus on the shallow riffles. Best bite is mid day.

Best Flies:
#14-16 BH Pheasant Tail Nymphs,#16 Skip's Nymph, #6-8 Stonefly Nymphs like Zack's Thurmanator Stones and Pat's Rubber Legs. Mercer's BH Biot Golden Stones are a great choice lower in the river. For dry flies; Mercer's Missing Link will get you tight to the feisty Lower Sac rainbows! So will a #16 Elk Hair Caddis, trimmed flush! Enjoy! Fish dries on a 9' 4X tapered leader, tapered to 5X tippet.

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
• Mercer's BBE Golden Stone #8-10
• Pale Alvin #6-12
• Zack's Soft Alevin
• Fox's Beeottis
• RK Flatulator BWO
• Eng Thing #14-16
• 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