General Information:

Fishing on the Sac has improved a lot over the past week, with much more consistent fishing for big rainbows, and a few steelhead still in the lower reaches.

The first few chinooks from the late-fall run have started to show up, providing a little more egg action than we saw last week. When the trout aren't eating eggs, they seem content to feed on big stoneflies or small mayflies and midges. There are also a few alevins starting to hatch, so expect fish to take alevin patterns from time to time from now through February.

Rain is still much-needed in the North State, though the trout seemed to have resigned themselves to a dry winter and are eating like they should this time of year. Still, fresh rain would be great to bring up another batch of salmon, turning on the egg-bite once again, as well as bringing out the Baetis hatches that can be very good on overcast winter days.

Wintertime is generally one of our favorite seasons of the year on the Lower Sac, with consistent action for rainbows, rain or shine, behind spawning salmon, and steelhead still coming in fresh on the lower drifts. The later in the winter we get, the bigger the fish, as they can gain weight fast with the high-protein egg diet.

Fishing Conditions:

There is quite a bit of "steelhead green" color coming in from Keswick, with about 4 foot visibility; great color for this time of year, enough turbidity to make the salmon, trout, and steelhead comfortable, but not so much to adversely affect the fishing.

Once we get some rain the late Fall run of fish should start to arrive. Whenever you see salmon in shallow water dropping fresh eggs in the redds, there's a good chance there are trout attacking egg patterns nearby. Drop a small mayfly or caddis nymph below and egg pattern for the best success.

Flies:

?Ģ Single Eggs, Surreal Eggs, & M.C. Redd Reapers #8-12
- Shrimp Pink
- Orange
- Peachy King
- Champagne

?Ģ Micro Mayfly #14-18
- Black - Brown - Olive - Yellow

?Ģ Hogan's S&M #16-18

?Ģ Zack's SSMK #18

- Black
- Olive

?Ģ Fox's Beaded Poopah's
- Cinnamon

?Ģ Zaddis
- Amber

?Ģ TBRL Copper Johns #16-18

?Ģ Fred Gordon's Prince Nymph #14-16

?Ģ Super Floss

Rubberlegs
- Brown/Brown

The Fly Shop's?? Tips: The City of Redding voted on 3/18/08 to close the Lower Sacramento River at Cypress Street Bridge to ALL BOATING ACTIVITY at any flows 7,000 cfs and higher. The Boat Passage will remain open to drift boats at flows lower than 7,000 cfs, though it is still recommended ONLY for experienced rowers as there are some serious hazards in the river at the bridge construction project, with only a narrow chute (20 feet wide) to navigate.

Also, there is bridge construction on the Highway 44 bridge in Redding and the North Street Bridge just upstream from Anderson River Park. If you're boating on this stretch of river, make sure that you take the posted route through the construction zone, it is the only safe way to go.