Little has changed this week on the Sacramento River, in regards to salmon fishing anyway! Limits of large adult king salmon seem to be the norm, up and down the Sacramento River from Woodson Bridge in Corning, Ca. to Roosters Landing in Anderson, Ca. Salmon fishing charters and salmon fishing guides on the Sacramento River have primarily stayed working up top (the area of the Sacramento River surrounding the famous “Barge Hole”). Centering their efforts on the largest accumulation of salmon currently in the Sacramento River! All waiting to spawn, in the weeks ahead. The healthy 2019 fall run chinook salmon run has aided in easy limits for local fishing guides and their clients. While prime time salmon fishing is still currently underway, and will remain so for a couple more weeks. It is safe to say this season has been a very prosperous one.

Although the world famous barge hole steals much of the salmon fishing interest, and attention during the month of October. Great salmon fishing is still being had below the Red Bluff Diversion Dam as well as the Woodson Bridge region of the Sacramento River. Daily success has far exceeded the “got lucky” response by naysayers who want to believe the Barge Hole is the only game in town. Fishing guides like John McGee of Legal Limit Sportfishing and Robert Petty of North State Salmon, have found stellar success for their clients. Both salmon fishing guides working out of the Woodson Bridge boat launch area in Corning, Ca. Bringing in mixed daily bag limits of some chrome bright newly arriving chinooks, as well as some salmon that have been laying around staging for the upcoming spawn. On the darker side as far as quality is concerned.

The DWR (Department Water Resources) has started restricting water flows on the Sacramento River. The river has dropped considerably over the last two weeks. Even more reduction is scheduled in the near future. Popular boat ramps like Woodson Bridge are currently challenging to launch out of. Sacramento River water levels have dropped enough to leave some launch sites almost unnavigable. Trying to make it out of the shallow channels of the boat launches leading to the river have left jet boats disabled. Rocks and debris clogging up the intake grates. Causing water restriction and cavitation to the jet pumps, and disabling the vessels before leaving the launch sites. It is suggested to wait for daylight before launching. If you haven’t been frequenting your favorite launch several times a week, it may have taken on major changes since the last time you launched there. The same goes for general navigation on the Sacramento River. Submerged gravel bars that boaters have been able to drive over all season, are now only several inches deep at best. Boating accidents caused by beaching a boat on a exposed or barely submerged gravel bar are extremely dangerous. Passengers and operators can sustain major injuries, or worse upon impact. Suddenly coming into contact with a gravel bar at full speed, is similar to hitting a brick wall. A sudden and abrupt stop, sends everyone tumbling to the front of the vessel. Again, it is urged to wait for daylight hours to navigate if you are unsure of any particular areas of concern. Crashing is a sure way to ruin a great day on the Sacramento River. A quick reminder for boaters on the Sacramento River. There is NO VESEL ASSISTANCES, and NO TOW COMPANIES currently operating on the river.

Sacramento River flows are being adjusted periodically this week. The Sacramento River, although being on a steady drop. Saw a 2000cfs (cubic feet per second) increase in river water flows. Spiking the Sacramento River level and sending the king salmon up river in high gear. The Sacramento River is scheduled to have several more pulse flow releases in the coming days. The releases are actually very beneficial to salmon fishing as a whole. They are in efforts to prevent “natural spawning” Fall Run Chinook Salmon from spawning at a artificially high river level. Leaving their spawning bed’s literally, high and dry. For example! Last years spawning 2018 Fall Run Chinook Salmon, in the area of concern ( Redding, Ca). Was completely decimated by the dropping of the Sacramento River. After the entire fall run had already spawned at the artificially higher flow rate (6,000cfs - 8,000cfs) the Sacramento River currently has. But will be reduced to around 4,000cfs by this time next month. Essentially cutting flows in half. Don’t quote me here, but I believe the number of naturally spawning pairs of fall run chinook salmon numbered somewhere around 15,000 spawning pairs. Almost twice the amount of spawning pairs Colman National Fish Hatchery spawns (8,000 pairs) which produces the 13 million fry needed for their program. With a 1% return rate as adult salmon. The program theoretically produces 130,000 returning adult salmon annually. If you are still able to follow what I’m putting down, this is where it gets disturbing. So do to the mortality of the entire 15,000 “naturally spawning” pairs of fall run chinook salmon. We potentially lost more then 260,000 returning adult fall run chinook salmon for the 2021 fall salmon run. Not to mention naturally spawning salmon have a better return rate then the 1% return rate of hatchery reared salmon. In a nutshell the fluctuation of river level flows is a good thing. It is a solid attempt to curve a serious situation with the Sacramento River Fall Run Chinook Salmon. As well as put a lot more Fall run chinook salmon back into the Sacramento River for anglers to catch.

Mike's Fishing Guide Service for Sacramento River fishing targeting King Salmon, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, American Shad and Rainbow Trout. The Best Sacramento River Salmon Fishing Guide and Striped Bass Fishing Guide on the Sacramento River.