The best time to fish the Lower Sac is either in the mornings or before sunset

Sacramento River - CA


by The Fly Shop
7-19-2013
Website

Current River Conditions: River flows are at 14,800 CFS at this time. Fishing has been fair to tough. Best fishing has been in the AM hours, quiet in the early afternoons and then a flurry of hook-ups during the last part of the day. Some anglers who are fishing near sunset are finding a few on dry flies. Flows have been up and down and so the fishing has been up & down. As long as the flows stay stable, expect good fishing all day! Expect fewer but bigger fish in Redding. More numbers below Anderson. Best dry fly fishing happens near sunset, after 8:00 PM.

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: Swinging flies like Poopahs, Bird's Nests, Skip Nymphs can provoke more than a few fish near sunset. Make sure you are fishing shallow water moving over a rocky riffle.

When it comes to trout fishing on the Lower Sacramento around Redding, CA., nymphing is by far the most productive fly fishing method. We fish deep on this river. Although a tapered leader will work when nymphing this river, we recommend constructing your leader out of 2X, 3X and 4X tippet or level fluorocarbon. Basically, tie in your 2X tippet at the indicator and pull off about 7.5-8.5 feet. Now grab your 3X and tie it in using a double surgeon knot to a length of 18"- 24". Go ahead and tie in your first fly. The second fly drops off of the hook bend of the first fly. Use your 4X tippet to tie in the second, smaller fly. We like to use "BIG" 1 1/4" indicators. SSG split shot also known as "Goose Shot" (ask Cory) 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".

Water Flows:
Lower Sacramento Flows

Suggested Fly Patterns:

Dry Flies:

• Foam Parachute Sulphur #14-16
• Mercer's Missing Link #16
• Quigley's Midget Caddis #16

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• CB Bird's Nest - #14-16
• Skip Nymph
• Fox's Cinnamon Poopah - #12
• KP Nosepicker PMD #16
• Mercer's Micro Mayfly #14-16 Brown
• Beaded Drifting Flashback #16
• Zack's Pseudo May #16 Black or Brown
• Gordon's Amber Wing Prince #14-18
• GB Superflash PT - Pearl #18
• Pat's Rubberlegs - #6-8

Eggs:
• Micro Spawn - Oregon Cheese

Fly Fishing Gear:
• The Fly Shop's?? Signature H2O Indicator Rod
• Rio?? Fly Line Perfect For The "Sac"
• Simms?? Solar Shirt/TFS Logo
• Dr. Slick/TFS Scissor/Hemostat
• An indicator that suspends heavy split shot!




More Reports

The Fly Shop Reports
for Friday, July 19th, 2013

Fall River: The Hex hatch is still going on Fall River
Hat Creek: A good time to fish at Hat Creek is at sundown
Klamath River - Upper - CA: Fishing is fair to "not so good" for steelhead and 1/2 pounders on the Klamath.

The Fly Shop Reports
for Friday, July 5th, 2013

Iron Canyon Reservoir: Fishing at Iron Canyon Reservoir is not great, & not bad
Keswick Reservoir: The fishing on Keswick Reservoir has been fair to good