The Fish Sniffer

(Sacramento) Salmon fishing improved on the lower American before the upper section of river on October 31, but the action was never consistently good like it was last year. Releases from Nimbus Dam are only  1875 cfs.  

Russ Strickland of Hog On Guide Service reported top-notch fishing on the American on Saturday, October 27. 

"My buddy Chris Lewis and I had a killer time smacking salmon," said Strickland. "We landed 4 fish and had 4 other hook ups. We bagged 1 hen about 16 lbs and 3 jacks in the  6 to 10 lb range. All fish were caught back diving roe." 

 On his previous trip, Strickland landed a bright 28 lb. buck while fishing roe on a jet diver on the American.

“I went out on the lower American and got skunked on a trolling trip on October 23,” said Uncle Larry Barnes of Sacramento Pro Tackle. “I covered the river all of the way to the island below Business 80, but I never saw a fish roll. However, on the night of October 24 I caught two jacks weighing 4 and 5 pounds while fishing below the Twelth Street Bridge.”

Barnes used glow-in-the-dark T-4 Flatfish teamed up with sardine wrappers.  “I didn’t see anybody else catch fish either day,” said Barnes.

Anglers can continue to fish for salmon through Dec. 31 from Nimbus Dam to Hazel Avenue Bridge. The section from the SMUD power line crossing at the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park to the Jibboom Street Bridge will also remain open to salmon fishing through Dec. 16. After those dates, anglers can continue to fish for steelhead, striped bass and other species in those sections.  

The section from the USGS gauging station cable crossing near Nimbus Hatchery to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) power line crossing the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park closed to all fishing on October31. This section will open to fishing for steelhead and other species starting January 1, 2013.