….here on the Sacramento River in Northern California. What else is there to say? Not much really! What “in river” salmon fishermen, as a whole, are facing this 2022 season, has never happened before. Ever! Not even during the year (2007) prior to the three year salmon fishing closure; which crippled the California salmon fishery. I ask myself how this could happened during a time of such advanced technology, extensive research, and state and federal funding opportunities. My final determination faces the realization that salmon doesn’t amount to dollars. They are more or less in the way of those lobbying for California’s water. Will salmon continue to exist? Will we see our children or our grand children fish for salmon in the years to come? Salmon will certainly continue to exist. On whatever level they fit into the picture. The long term outcome of the Sacramento River’s salmon population is all dependent on water. If we pull through the drought and water management isn’t a determining factor in the control of essential river flows. The King Salmon will thrive again in only a short time. Continuing to do so for as long as weather allows. For now? We are at the mercy of the mighty dollar and the ever expanding human population, and its dependency on water.

Salmon season passes in a Groundhog Day fashion. Seemingly, repeating the same performance as the day before, and the day before that, and before…The struggle to secure a single salmon or two for clients, has kept the majority of part time local fishing guides on the sidelines. Full time fishing guides are managing to scratch out a fish or two for their clients each outing. Hoping any day the large schools of Sacramento River Fall Run Chinook salmon, will start arriving in the upper river. The handful of full time salmon fishing guides who are still operating at the current time, are doing so in the cool waters of the “Canyon”, and world famous “Barge Hole”. Picking over the few new arrivals that show up daily, and throwing the entire tackle box at the salmon that have been lingering, since the upper river opened on August 1, 2022. Salmon fishing has been tough to say the least in this region of the Sacramento River. A far cry from the typical mid August salmon fishing we are accustomed to historically on the Sac.

Bank anglers targeting salmon have shared similar success as those in boats. Very little! The two most popular bank fishing destinations, for salmon fishermen, have had sporadic moments of glory. The largest and most popular bank fishing salmon hole lit up for a week or so, when local anglers yanked out daily bag limits of shiny kings. The “Outlet Hole” on the Feather River near Oroville, Ca wouldn’t give up those same shiny King Salmon to boat anglers, but skilled flossers ( bead fishermen) found a way to yank those kings off the Outlet Hole’s concrete wall. This only lasted a short time before the flossers had dwindled the staging salmon stock, to uncatchable numbers. Like everywhere else in the north state, the lack of newly arriving salmon, fail to keep the salmon numbers at sustainable numbers, for anglers to consistently catch them. On the Sacramento River side of the valley, bank anglers flossing for chinook salmon on the gravel bar below the famous Barge Hole, have had very limited success. Very few salmon have backed out of the depths of the fifty three foot Barge Hole, to hold on the big, long, flat below it. Where flossers can have their way with them. The bank anglers that have access to the private gated community of Lake California have been scoring king salmon by way of flossing. Using the West side of the riffle at the top of the Barge Hole as their bank fishing spot. Catching their salmon in the early mornings and late evenings when the sun is off the water and the salmon leave the security of the deep hole. Still success is limited to only a few fish per day.

With the no support or fight from salmon advocate organizations like the GGSA, Golden Gate Salmon Association), and the NCGASA (NorCal Guides and Sportsmans Association) thus far. Salmon anglers may as well get comfortable while waiting for some much cooler daytime air temperatures. The cooler temperatures will help to move the schools of Sacramento River Fall Run Chinook Salmon, up river to their spawning grounds. Only Mother Nature knows when this will happen. With no legal fight nor public outcry, the state and federal agencies who are tangled up together with the state’s largest water contractors in California’s ‘hydro-orgy.’ You can expect nothing will change. Not this year, nor any other year of significant drought. With no opposition or accountability, for laws mandating river water temperatures and flows be upheld; these trends are undoubtedly going to continue in the future. A future that looks severely compromised, if things continue as they are.

Mike's Fishing Guide Service for Sacramento River fishing targeting King Salmon, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, American Shad and Rainbow Trout. The Best Sacramento River Salmon Fishing Guide and Striped Bass Fishing Guide on the Sacramento River.