Salmon season on the Sacramento River got underway this past Friday (July 16, 2021). As the die hard salmon fishermen who attended this annual summertime event will tell you. It didn’t take long to figure out it was going to be another tough season opener. Despite the fact there were actually a fair amount of salmon hanging out in a few of their favorite holding holes. Both “dusty” (salmon that have been “in river” for some time), and dime bright king salmon made up the mix of the target species. Witnessed jumping around and marking up the fish finder. The fussy salmon just didn’t bite well. Plain and simple. There was that quiet, uneasy feeling of crickets chirping at 5:00am opening morning. After nearly ten minutes of dozens of anglers lines being in the water with no bites. Something that typically would be instantaneous on a normal season. There were no “yeehaa’s”, “fish on’s ”, or “got heeem’s”, heard for 30 minutes after the opening bell. Finally the silence was broken at the “Bow River” salmon hole below the Red Bluff diversion dam. Long time salmon fishing fanatic Brandon Brownfield was first angler to break the silence. As he leaned into and set up on a Sacramento River king salmon. The veteran salmon fishermen having a hunch the school of salmon slid back away from the 15 boats and 40 Kwikfish that bombarded the “meat and potatoes” of the very popular salmon hole, at 4:51am (legal start time). Other boaters instantly started jockeying for position in the back of the hole after seeing Brownfield hook up. Another half dozen fish were landed in the following hour of opening morning at Bow River. The salmon finally scattering from the boat pressure. Heading for the cover of fast shallow water.

Mike Rasmussen holding up a hen chinook salmon bearing the marks of a Pacific Lamprey. Rasmussen caught this king salmon while back bouncing a sardine wrapped K16 Kwikfish in the silver pattern, on opening day (July 16, 2021).

Down river a few miles at “Hunters Slough” the action started much faster and lasted a touch longer. This hole turning out to be the most productive salmon fishing hole on the Sacramento River for the season opener. Maybe a dozen salmon were caught in the first hour of salmon fishing. Primarily on plugs initially. Followed by another half dozen salmon landed by anglers who chose to “boondoggle” cured salmon roe. After a pause in the lure action mid morning. Finally petering out by 11:00am.

This insta picture of Sacramento River fishing guide Justin Thompson is from the “bamboo” hole on opening morning. Justin caught this king on a Brads Killer Fish wrapped with sardine.

The salmon fishing hole known as “bamboo” was a complete dud. With only a single salmon being hooked all morning. In what once was the most popular salmon fishing hole on opening day for the better part of the last decade. Fishing guide Justin Thompson being the only angler Friday morning to put a king in the box at the big, swirling, salmon hole. A depressing sight considering the dozens of salmon typically caught at this location on past opening days. A sure sign times are changing for the early season salmon action that was enjoyed by all anglers in the past. Prior to the removal of the gates and annual damming of the Red Bluff diversion dam a little under a decade ago. A time when double and triple hook-ups happened on every boat at legal start time on opening morning. Where the norm was limits of salmon for all anglers who attended.

Pictured here is Mason, who came to catch a king salmon with his friends and mentor Ryan Wake. Only a week before departing for the US NAVY. Where Mason will serve our country in the years to come. Thanks Mason! Great King Salmon you got.

Sadly the rest of the boat launches on the Sacramento River to the South of the Red Bluff diversion dam were quiet. With very little reporting of kings salmon being caught at any of the southern boat launches. A few fish were caught by anglers fishing the Woodson Bridge boat launch in Corning, Ca. Which appeared to be primarily dusty “springers” (Spring Run Chinook Salmon) for the most part. The remaining endangered springers left in the Sacramento River after drought conditions prevented this genetically unique salmonoid from entering the tributary of their spawning destination in “Deer Creek”. Unable to gain access into the creek in springs early months when the springers arrived. The few remaining, and last of their kind, federally endangered salmon were left holding in the deep hole where the Sacramento River meets Deer Creek. Anglers plucked off the the few remaining and highly aggressive springers that still lay waiting for the creek to rise. Seemingly putting the “nail in the coffin” to the existence of this salmon species. A species that once thrived in the Sacramento River. Averaging over 400,000 specimens annually prior to the construction of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam.

A boat ride up the Sacramento River near Red Bluff, Ca on opening evening of the 2021 salmon season. Photographed is Amanda Gradney and her son Ranger. Who likes to run point while driving in a jet boat.

All in all this opening day of salmon season was like the last several. The salmon have been dwindling rapidly. Mainly due to hatchery, and water management practices that do very little, if anything to increase salmon stocks. Having serious problems just sustaining a healthy salmon run to come up the Sacramento River. Our expectations and reports from the Pacific Ocean fishing charter captains remain high. A good run of chinook salmon are going to enter the Sacramento River this 2021 salmon season. A very welcome sight for local anglers. However, the future is a darker shade of grey, turning primarily black as we move forward in the years to come. If something isn’t done to curve this toilet bowl, downward spiral, of decreasing salmon numbers. We will loose these Fall Run Chinook Salmon to the Endangered Species Act, and Federal protection in the near future.

These two guests of fishing guide Danny Hamilton, hold up a pair of kings they caught while back bouncing Kwikfish below the Red Bluff, Ca diversion dam on opening morning around 9:00am.