Opening day for the sport fishing fleet out of San Francisco and the Bay Area couldn’t have gone any better for the ocean conditions they were served! Never the less the salmon fishing vessels that went out this morning got rewarded with dime bright ocean grade king salmon. Reports from some six pack captains like Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing (209-855-1487) put them back at the dock with limits as early as 9:00am. Captain Gamez didn’t waist anytime going to work for his clients. Making for a memorable opening day, with the benefit of taking the most delectable salmon fillets possible. Call/txt Captain Gamez for availabilities if you want in on this salmon action. Reports from the larger party boats stated, red hot fishing action was had just outside the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco,Ca. One such party boat, the California Dawn, reported 22 limits for 44 king salmon on their opening day trip. Quality ocean bright kings to 27 pounds was reported by another party boat working the waters just outside the Golden Gate Bridge. Expect the action in the salt to stay outstanding as the season plays out through July.

River anglers….this couldn’t be any better news. This kind of salmon fishing we are seeing from the Sport Fishing Charters out of the Bay Area this morning is the kind of fishing we needed to see them have to know we are headed for a eventful July 16, 2026 opening day! As mentioned in previous fishing reports, this full moon phase is bringing the first big push of Fall Chinook Salmon into the Sacramento River system to eventually spawn. These king salmon pull out of the Pacific Ocean and stage temporarily in front of the Golden Gate Bridge before entering the San Francisco Bay. Continuing to migrate non stop until they reach the cooler waters of the upper Sacramento River and Feather Rivers. Where they will wait for fall to spawn. This Fall Chinook Salmon migration will take place on the next three full moons. Bringing fresh waves of king salmon up both river systems on each full moon. The quantity of salmon on each full moon migration should increase until we reach September. If this mornings fishing in the salt is any indication of what lays ahead, then hold on to your rod. We’re in for one heck of a season.

This push of salmon will spread out some once passing through the California Delta. Some king salmon will hit the brakes at Discovery Park in Sacramento, Ca. Where cold water enters the Sacramento River at the confluence of the American River. Giving the migrating salmon thermal refuge for a short stop. Other king salmon wil head strait to the top of the river system. As far as they can go. Which happens to be a fish hatchery on both rivers. The majority of migrating kings will swim until they find river water temperatures in the low 60’s, then begin to hold up. Stopping or slowing down their migration considerably. Eventually completely stopping when they reach water temperature below 60 degrees. Here they wait for late October and November to spawn. Typically the first king salmon start showing up around Woodson Bridge on the Sacramento River a week after crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge (these are the over achievers). The same applies at the “Outlet Hole” on the Feather River. The larger Majority of King salmon take around two weeks to show up to these same locations. If they find suitable river conditions down river of these locations they may not make it up river for several weeks. Weather and river flows dictate a lot of the river conditions the salmon are looking for.

This is exactly what we wanted to see for the opening day in the ocean. I’ll continue to monitor the progress of the Sport Fishing Charters in the weeks to come. For now I’d say there is good reason to dust off your tackle and prepare for some salmon fishing. Tight Lines