Lower Sac fishing has been great one day, slow the next, then good again

Sacramento River - CA


by The Fly Shop
9-12-2013
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Current River Conditions: River flows are 8,030 cubic feet per second. Steady. Fishing has been great one day, slow the next, then good again. Everybody is getting into fish though. Water conditions are excellent! Best bite happens late morning through the afternoon. The fishing is still slow after 3:00 PM. We have had better dry fly fishing at sunset. There's a caddis hatch right as the sun disappears for the evening. Fishing nymphs like #18 PT's, Red Copper Johns in #18, #14-16 Micro Mays in Red... those are good flies right there. Rubber Legs in #6-8 are doing well this week along the lower sections of river South of Redding.

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: You will find a mixture of rainbows from a tiny 8" to a burly 23". The mid sized fish in the 16"-18" range will bust you up, breaking all your junk off if you don't let them take line when they shoot out from where your are standing, munching on your $1.90 fly pattern for pleasure. Expect Lower Sac rainbows to use the entire river against you. Mmmmmkay.

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:

• Dean's Twilight Caddis #12-14
• E/C Caddis Tan #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!