As we inch closer to the 2026 “in river” salmon season here in Northern California, I can’t help but reflect on years past. My memory takes me back to when it all began. Salmon fishing that is. Nearly 25 years ago now. The “good old days” I guess I would say. When king salmon fishing was at its best as I have know it. Funny though, I remember my father, my uncles, and their friends telling me about their “good old days” when as I grew up. Always sure to remind me, no matter my success in field and stream, that in fact I had missed the best days. I’m sure many outdoorsman can relate to these discussions with their parents generation. Hold on though! The “good old days” didn’t start with my parents generation. Let’s take it a bit deeper. Through slight recollection myself and from my parents testimonies, it turns out their parents generation, my grandparents and their friends also talked of much better outings in the fields and streams then those of my parents. Making the point they too had missed out on the seemingly endless amount of wildlife they encountered on their outings (im guessing these days to be the original “good old days”). Much before their time hunting and fishing was completely for subsistence and survival, as apposed to sport fishing and hunting that people enjoyed as a traditional heritage. What disturbs me about all this is since the beginning of recreational sport hunting and in this case sport fishing. We as sportsman and women have been experiencing a fairly rapid and steady decline in our states fish and wildlife since European expansion moved west to California. Statistically speaking the likelihood of any species in California ever returning to pre colonization levels will never happen. In fact a rebound in fish stocks going back only two decades will very likely never be a achieved either. Historically speaking these kinds of wildlife preservation have never happened. What we are faced with now days is a type of crisis management. Meaning once there is a species in immediate threat of extinction, the state of federal wildlife agencies will step in and bring those species back to some kind of “existence” level in population. Typically this means closing all public access to a public trust ensured to citizens through our nations forefathers.

Particularly my memory likes reflecting on Sacramento River salmon seasons in the past. Also memories of times spent on the Feather River near Oroville, Ca. Engaged in salmon fishing during some of what I would consider in my lifetime to be tremendous runs of king salmon. I can remember the limit on King Salmon on the Feather River being three salmon per angler. With most fishermen achieving their daily bag limit on a daily basis. Places like the “Outlet Hole” on the Feather River where hundreds of bank anglers were in attendance every day. Most days every salmon angler would have a stringer tied off to the willows on the edge of the river, or sometimes even tied off to themselves, with salmon tethered at the other end of the stringer. Success was everywhere at this point in time. Didn’t seem like you could actually not catch a salmon or two, some years three on every single outing. Thrilled salmon anglers would show back up to this location day after day throughout the summer months of salmon season. I can even recall fishing next to a few guys that had quit their jobs because they just couldn’t leave the epic daily salmon fishing taking place at this time. Salmon fishing so good husbands lost wives, workers lost jobs, personal belonging and properties were pawned off or sold to support the expensive king salmon addiction. Some anglers lost all senses of responsibility and moral obligations when salmon fishing was this good. Blinded by the tug of a king salmon. Now you may ask yourself, will we ever see days like this again? History says “no chance” this kind of salmon fishing will ever happen again. I feel like the probability is in fact slim, but if it was ever going to happen again, it would be this upcoming season or possibly the next season. Then it will be back on the downhill slide, I’m almost certain.

I’m crossing my fingers hoping for a Sacramento River salmon season like we had in the early 2000’s. When I cut my teeth in the guide life! Pre dawn hours spent wrapping Kwik Fish with my mentor Dave Jacobs (professional guide service) who taught me a great deal about king salmon fishing. At this point in the early 2000’s we would know without a doubt, at the exact moment legal fish time came around every morning, and we sent those freshly wrapped plugs to the bottom of any given salmon hole on the Sacramento River, we would instantly be met with the violent strike from a Sacramento River king salmon. Sometimes two violent hookups would happen instantaneously (double hookups) in the predawn twilight. This is how every morning started through the first couple salmon seasons I experienced as a salmon fishing guide in Northern California. There was no “I wonder where I’ll get my first bite today”. Or “I wonder where the salmon are going to be this morning”. No! None of that. You knew exactly where you were going to catch your first king salmon of the day and where you would catch your last. Ending with limits regardless the size group of clients in your boat. The “good old days” as I knew them.

From the amazing salmon fishing of the good old days, to our current time here on the Sacramento River and its tributaries. I have been through, and learned a lot. A forced education when faced with a career path that saw some of the best salmon runs in recorded history, to several of the worst salmon seasons in recorded history. Including two separate three year salmon season closures in California. I can tell you accurately what a good or a bad upcoming season will look like. Here are several indicators that I have counted on over the good and bad years, to determine how the salmon fishing on the Sacramento River will play out during the course of a “normal” (open) salmon season.

First I take into consideration the “ocean abundance”. This is an assessment or better yet a guess by NOAA Fisheries as to the adult salmon living in the ocean prior to entering fresh water to spawn. I use the word “guess” because the federal fisheries administration is never correct in their estimations. Sometimes not even close. They’ve been off their projected returns by as many as 100,000 chinook salmon in years past. Typically they are only off by half that number. Never the less it can’t be counted on as accurate. Given that, this years returning chinook salmon projection, even if they were over on their estimate by 100,000 king salmon, we would still be in great shape when the season rolls around. This is actually great news and I accept this as a very positive key indicator we have an excellent season ahead of us.

Something else I’ve learned to pay attention to over the years, is how to judge what’s coming up the Sacramento River system by what California’s recreational sport fishing fleet is doing just outside the Golden Gate Bridge in the Pacific Ocean. Which if you don’t know the Golden Gate Bridge is essentially the gateway for the CVFCS (Central Valley Fall Chinook Salmon). Which is the specific run of king salmon we will be fishing for through summer and fall. The ocean anglers targeting king salmon outside the Golden Gate Bridge are a key indication and a direct reflection of what will enter the Sacramento River system as a whole. Including the Mokelumne River, American River, Feather River, and a few smaller tributaries that host a salmon run. Prior to each full moon during the summer and fall months the schools of Chinook Salmon which will enter the river to spawn, will stage up in the “shipping channel” or around the “north bar” in the Pacific Ocean directly out in front of the San Francisco Bay, and Golden Gate Bridge. If the recreational sport fleet is hammering on these staging king salmon consistently prior to the salmons departure into the fresh water. It can be assured consistent salmon fishing in the rivers is less then two weeks away. For example, if the sport fishing fleet is turning limits and back at the dock by say 10:00am on average. We are in for some very consistent salmon fishing. In river salmon fishing guides and salmon fishing charters in will also be returning to the dock early with boat limits of king salmon. On the flip side if the recreational salmon fishing fleet in the ocean is having limited or inconsistent success, we are likely headed for a season closure in the future.

Unfortunately with the new salt water sport fishing regulations the recreational sport fishing fleet is unable to fish for CVFC salmon outside the Golden Gate Bridge until June 27, 2026. Only two weeks prior to the season opening here in the Sacramento Valley. Leaving not much to report on as far as salmon fishing goes prior to the season opening in the ocean at the end of this month. This is by far my strongest indicator of what’s to come for us river anglers. So although I have a good feeling of a bountiful salmon season ahead, I can’t say with a great deal of certainty that in dead it will be bountiful without the ability to judge by what’s happening in the salt water. We will have to just wait and see how the sport fishing fleet does when their season finally opens. I’ll certainly be keeping a close eye on this and quizzing my contacts who are part of this fleet as their season develops.