The Fish Sniffer

(Rancho Cordova) Nimbus Fish Hatchery has seen a great year for steelhead spawning. The facility has trapped 3,285 steelhead, including 3247 adults and 38 half pounders, to date, reported Gary Evans, hatchery manager.

“We’ve seen a fantastic return this year,” he said. “We spawned 20 pairs yesterday.”

However, the run is entering the tail end and the hatchery is expected to wrap up spawning operations within the next two weeks.

The facility has finished stocking over 400,000 steelhead yearlings weighing 4 to 4-1/2 to the pound in the lower river. Anglers are reminded to release these fish when they happen to hook them, since they are the future of the American’s unique urban steelhead fishery.

With clear, cold water conditions prevailing, steelhead fishing has slowed down on the river, though hard-working anglers are still bagging a mixture of bright and dark adults, along with some half pounders. “Anglers are still getting them, but it’s definitely slowed down,” reported Allen Fong at Fisherman’s Warehouse in Sacramento.

Bank anglers and boaters are using an array of Little Cleos, Blue Fox spinners, Wee Warts, Hot Shots, salmon roe, plastic worms, nightcrawlers and small jigs from the hatchery all of the way down to Howe Avenue.