Sacramento River Fishing Report For January 23, 2018. Striped Bass Fishing Report / Northern California
Northern California's Sacramento Valley is soaking up what very little rain that has been dropped in this new year. "The rain that has fallen in the Sacramento River watershed, including the mountains here in Northern California has been soaked up by the still dry soil, leaving minimal runoff. The runoff that is gathered up by the geographic structure of the Sacramento River's watershed has been minimal to almost non-existent this 2017/2018 Winter. The loss of maybe three days of trophy striped bass fishing has been the only 72 hours all season that striped bass enthusiasts, recreation anglers, and Northern California fishing guides have had to endure of the river due to higher, muddier flows. Quite shocking actually, if you consider where we were with runoff this time last year; Unable to participate in this fishery at all from mid December through March of 2017. Not a single day in three and a half months. Quite the opposite this year as the Sacramento River near Woodson Bridge at Woodson Bridge RV Park is hovering around 5,000cfs. Last year Sacramento River levels touched 100,000cfs during January, around this time. Precipitation is over due and would be a welcome sight. Lake and river health in the future is dependent on enough water supply to maintain proper water conditions, and sustain suitable habitat for the inhabitance of the Sacramento River.
The drought years are incredibly hard for the out migrating salmon and steelhead juveniles that are trying to make their way out of the Sacramento River and through the Sacramento River Delta system and finally into the Pacific Ocean where they will live for the next few years. The lower than usual river conditions slow down out-migrating juveniles (steelhead for the purposes of this report.) Generally only migrating under the safety of darkness in these low and dangerous conditions. The predation takes a greater toll on these young fish as they have to make their migration through a couple hundred miles of striped bass. They use the rivers shallow gravel tail outs, and fast narrow funnels, where the highly aggressive and intelligent bass will gather and let the rivers narrow funnels, feed the downriver migrating juveniles right into the mouths of awaiting striped bass. This would certainly be bad for the loss of steelhead juveniles raised by taxpayers money as solution to mitigate the loss of nearly all the naturally occurring spawning habitat with the building of Lake Shasta in Northern California on the Sacramento River. So "thanks for nothing " is becoming the imaged portrayed by the angling public when it comes to Coleman National Fish Hatchery and it's release practices as of late. But as far as the striped bass fishermen and women of Northern California and the greater Sacramento River, "who cares?" seems to be a popular outlook at this point. "And keep 'em coming!!" also helping to explain just how good the striped bass fishing on the Sacramento River continues to be. The stripers are in full feeding frenzy mode and starting to appear so thick they look as though they may pop, as these 6 to 10 inch juvenile steelhead continue to be fed to them. For around a solid month, the food source has been available 24 hours a day and the stripers have turned into pigs. Needless to say, the trophy striped bass are still being caught by a very few select local guides, and even fewer recreational anglers. Guides having a success rate of nearly 100% right now on catching a striped bass over 20 pounds and likely 30 pounds, with chances at 40 pound class fish several times a week, and 50+ pound fish being landed on two different occasions since the new year began.
Paul Young from Anderson, Ca has been hauling in hogs constantly since the new year began back on January 1, 2018. Paul is a recreational angler who prefers tossing glide baits and hits the Sacramento River a couple times a week, with great success! Paul has a 53 pound striped bass to his name this new year. Among scores of other trophy class striped bass, including a 44 pound, and a 46 pound striped bass, all since the beginning of this new year. Billy Driessen driessensguideservice.com hands down has had the most successful year of all anglers that targeted these gargantuan predator fish. Since the Feather River salmon season ended on October 15, 2017, until current date, Billy Driessen has put a couple hundred trophy striped bass on the deck of his Koffler Drift Boat and that is no exaggeration. Fishing trips guided by Driessen's Guide Service have usually ended up with multiple trophy striped bass from 25 to 50 pounds by the end of these short winter days. Sacramento River striped bass fishing guide Mike Rasmussen has also been in on the action. Reporting several large stripers to 30+ pounds making it to the boat this last week. With plenty of schooly Line Sides to be had as well. If you are willing to grind and slow roll an A-Rig in the rivers deeper holes, Rasmussen and Driessen will both continue to guide this giant striped bass fishery until the Sacramento River is lost to higher flows. The longevity of what has been considered a miraculous weather phenomena is uncertain although I can safely say it has been upon us for a great deal of time. And a Pacific Ocean storm of any significant size would certainly wipe out the big striped bass fishing until it settles.
White Sturgeon fishing trips will be offered starting February 1, 2018 on the Sacramento River near Knights Landing, Ca as the head of the annual spawning migration has shown up in the lower river this week. Guided day trips for sturgeon on the Sacramento River run from dark to dark and are very productive in the month of February as the prehistoric fish pour into the area with every river rise and boat traffic is very minimal.
North Coast steelhead fishing is in full swing now with the last two rain events, and Dave Jacobs of Professional Guide Service has been taking full advantage this week, bringing in scores of dime bright, and ocean fresh steelhead every day for better than a week now. For reservation to book a tirp catching the hardest fighting, and most acrobatic fish in fresh water, contact Dave directly at callto:530-646-9110 or visit Dave on the world wide web at sacramentofishing.com. All inquiries regarding trip locations, dates, and fees for salmonsacriver.com guest wishing to fish for steelhead again in the California and Southern Oregon Redwood Coast, please contact Dave Jacobs directly at the number given above. Dave is a licensed Oregon Guide and retains one of the most sought after drift boating and steelhead fishing permits that a guide must possess to be able to guide on the wild and scenic upper Chetco River in Southern Oregon. If you have not previously visited the Chetco River, and particularly upper Chetco River you are missing out on a trip you literally must see to believe. Words just don't do the rivers fishing, and scenery justice. Mike's Guide Service will not be doing guided fishing trips on the North Coast this season as the winter striper fishing on the Sacramento River and its low clear flows has kept the operation fishing around home this winter, and all steelhead customers are urged to call Jacobs who is on site and fishing daily for these magnificent and powerful fish of the Redwoods. Steelhead season is considered to be at peak fishing around February 1st, so prime time for this run is knocking at the door. Contact Cpt. Dave Jacobs for any further questions or booking inquiries.
Mike's Fishing Guide & Charter Service For Sacramento River Fishing targeting King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Striped Bass, Sturgeon, Shad And Trout the best Sacramento River Fishing guide and Sacramento River Charter on Sac River