….the salmon anglers who attended its annual opening day event. In true barge hole fashion, the action didn’t take long to get underway. 5:03am (legal fishing time)-the fifty or so boats in attendance jockeyed for position in the center of the famous Barge Hole. Dropping their lures to the bottom as 5:03am arrived. It took less then a minute before the first yell was heard. In the clutter of green and red navigation lights, white anchor lights, headlamps, and flashlights, a smaller blue fiberglass boat called “Cloud 9”, occupied by three local salmon fanatics, with handles like “Salmon Hunter” and “Blub Blub”, had their net out. The first hook up of opening morning. The long time barge hole trio have the unofficial first fish from the barge hole this season.

In the following minutes the onslaught began. “Fish On, Fish On, Fish On”! Net’s flying, hoots and hollers echoing, kicker motors running…the controlled chaos had begun. Madness really! Everyone blinded while waiting for a bite from a Sacramento River king salmon. There is really nothing like opening day at the barge hole to compare it to. However believe me when I tell you, it should at least be seen once in your life if you have ever salmon fished anywhere before. There is nothing I can really compare it to off hand. It is in a way combat fishing. Although unlike every other free-for-all fishing location where testosterone runs high. At the barge hole the chaos is embraced by all for what it is. Chaos! There are seldom “word”, and even less seldom, altercations. The tangling up and swapping paint with other boats is mostly overlooked on this day. Everything is more or less shook off, and anglers are right back at the task at hand. As daylight gave way to sunrise and all the salmon in the area concentrated in the deepest part of the barge hole. It began! The egg wars started. Participating anglers switch their plugs (lures) for bait (cured salmon roe). Now the nets are flying even faster. Three hours passes at the barge hole with fish being fought the entire time.

A good number of chinook salmon had made it into the upper Sacramento River prior to its season opener. Loading up in the cooler waters of the Barge Hole. Ideal living conditions, and being at the mouth of the Battle Creek where Coleman National Fish Hatchery resides, makes this a favorite staging spot for chinook salmon. I would roughly estimate (and honestly I could be way off) that there were somewhere around 500+ salmon in the barge hole for the season opener. Of which I would estimate 200+ were caught (confirmed 116 were counted by CDF&W research biologist), and a couple hundred still remain. Now reluctant to bite since the opening day slaughter. Again, in true barge hole fashion.

Salmon fishing on the Sacramento River overall is tough at best. Salmon fishing charter services and fishing guide services struggle to get a fish or two in the boat on a daily basis. During a time in the season where a fish per rod average is typically had. The reason fishing is so tough? Terribly high river water temperatures. Extremely high Sacramento River water temperatures down river around Colusa, Ca to Verona, Ca are nearly reaching 80 degrees. With 79 degrees being recorded as the highest known temperature on the river. Occurring at Knight Landing, Ca. Let me be quite frank here. These temperatures are straight up lethal to salmon. Sensing these lethal river temperatures is keeping the migrating salmon from instinctively surging up the Sacramento River. The great majority of arriving salmon get stuck at the mouth of the American River in Sacramento, Ca. Where many will stray up the cold water of the American River. Along with the Feather River in Verona, Ca, which is also a half dozen degrees cooler then the Sacramento River, where these two rivers meet. The lack of arriving salmon on the Sacramento River is due to the fact that both of these mentioned rivers system have more suitable water temperatures, and ideal living conditions for the chinook salmon. The much warmer Sacramento River has had very few salmon trickling up it. Keeping the salmon fishing on the upper Sacramento River at a standstill. The fish that were around for the opener have now been pounded on for over a week and a half by fishing guides, and recreational fishermen who were looking for some steady fishing. With very few to no salmon moving into the river system daily. You can expect fishing on the Sacramento River to stay the same as it has been. Pretty poor at this point still.

Temperatures in the Sacramento River will eventually start cooling down come September. Triggering a up river migration of salmon that have been laying around down river all the way to the California Delta. When exactly will this happen? Who knows! Many Sacramento River salmon will be lost to straying. Heading up other rivers which were suitable at the time they came in river. By the time these salmon arrive a month and a half of the 2022 season will have been a complete loss. With the exception of the August 1st opening day. Eventually the “kings” will come though it is likely it may not be anytime soon. As far as the Sacramento River is concerned anyhow. This salmon season is unlike any other salmon season in history here on the Sacramento River. The management practices have completely halted, and changed the run timing for the Fall Run Chinook Salmon of the Sacramento River. Though our expectations remain high for some incredible fishing to come. It may just be a month later then usual. Good luck out there!

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.