Current River Conditions: Low is normal for this time of year. Water conditions are excellent! The low water conditions allow wade access at select riffles and runs. Ask us about popular wading areas. Some of the biggest, baddest rainbows come out of the Lower Sacramento during the winter months. Fishing the Lower Sacramento in December is a perfect plan. Expect to enjoy a productive fishing experience on this river through the winter!

There's very few salmon spawning but egg patterns will be selected by rainbow trout from Redding to Red Bluff. Egg patterns in orange, pink, salmon should be handy. Nymphs are working better and better since the egg bite has tapered. Try nymphs like #6-8 brown rubber legs, #16 Amber Wing Princes, Poxy Back PMDs in #16-18, #18 Black Zebra Midge. Insect hatches of BWO's, baetis are occurring. Could be just a matter of days before the fish figure out there's a great food source stuck in the surface film... overhead.

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: During the winter, hatches of BWO's can put rainbows on the surface, near the shore. Look for it in the late afternoons, cloudy days. 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 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:
• Mercer's Missing Link #16
• Hackle Winged May - BWO
• Norman's Loop Wing - BWO
• The Quigley Cripple - BWO

Nymphs/Wet Flies:
• Black Zebra Midge #18
• Mercer's Poxyback PMD - 16-18
• Hogan's S&M
• Olive BH Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18
• CB Bird's Nest - #14-16
• Skip Nymph
• GB Pheasant Tail Nymph #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 - #4-8

Eggs:
• Micro Spawn - Salmon, Steelhead, Shrimp
• Boles Bazookas - all
• Roe Gain Eggs - Light Roe, Alaska Roe

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!
• Dinsmore Non-Toxic Egg Shot - AAA & SSG