This blog is intended for the purpose of public awareness, and public comment surrounding the Sacramento River Fall Run Chinook Salmon die off. Which to date is still occurring on a daily basis. Including the American and Feather Rivers (the two largest tributaries of the Sacramento River). Very little has been mentioned about this atrocity. A handful of dedicated salmon anglers fishing the Sacramento River near Sacramento, Ca. Posted some concerning videos via social media, of dead or dying chinook salmon, as they float by the anglers. The fact this massive die off has been happening for over a months time. It still somehow has avoided the attention of mainstream media. Keeping most citizens unaware of this critically devastating situation. It is more then likely nothing can or will be done about this unnecessary killing of Sacramento River Fall Run Chinook Salmon. Until this species of king salmon reaches run counts low enough to get them listed as federally endangered by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) nothing will be done to save them. Water mongers can kill them off without any repercussions.

I want to be completely clear on the fact that these Fall Run Chinook Salmon are in fact being killed. This is not a act of nature. These are not post spawn zombies. These are otherwise perfectly normal and healthy king salmon. Arriving in river to complete their migration and spawning as Mother Nature intended. As has always occurred on the Sacramento River. For as long as history is relevant here in Northern California. Regardless of all human interruptions and alterations to their habitat, these salmon have survived everything that has been thrown at them. For the first time that I am aware of, a large unknown number of this years Sacramento River fall run kings met their demise. Ultimately at the hands of the Bureau Of Reclamation. However liability is stretched many different directions through the state and federal agencies involved in the decision making of the SRTMP (Sacramento River Temperature Management Plan 2022). Including sadly, our own California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Whom last time I checked was responsible for the safety and well being of our states wildlife.

Something I would like to point out concerning the negligence of CDFW on this matter is this. If a single, or a group of persons senselessly killed this many salmon they would be facing an array of charges at the District Attorneys office. As well as loose their privilege to fish in the future. When a state or federal agency knowingly kills off thousands of salmon, not even a eye is bat at the guilty party. Merica! 😡

In the twenty four consecutive days I documented these fall chinook salmon dying off. I would estimate that well over a thousand had perished. The mortality caused by disease and infections from living in lethal river water temperatures. This number in actuality could easily be several thousand dead chinook salmon. Considering the actual amount of time I documented this disaster. The exact number will never be known. I’ve based my estimation on what I personally witnessed floating by me while I was involved in guiding. Over this twenty four day period I documented as few as six dead salmon on a single day, and as high thirty two dead salmon in a single day. With a daily average of thirteen “floaters” (dead salmon) daily over the twenty four day period. A total of 364 dead chinook salmon.

The 364 dead salmon I alone witnessed, is merely a fraction of the total loss off Fall Run Chinook Salmon. As I mentioned I cannot accurately estimate the total loss. However during this twenty four day period I was only on the river six to eight hours a day. Assuming mathematically that the average of dead salmon continued day and night (which is highly likely) for a twenty four hour period. The number of dead fall run chinook salmon would triple. Leaving around a thousand dead “floating” chinooks salmon during the twenty four hour time frame.

Other things to consider that would add to the total loss of dead salmon are these…1)-The death of these salmon started days if not weeks before my arrival in this area. 2)- I documented only what I saw floating by. Meaning salmon that died in a close proximity to where I was fishing. Tumbled by my location on the river bottom. As witnessed on the Feather River on several different occasions during this time period. It takes some time for the dead salmon to bloat and float down the river. Leaving a uncertain amount of mortality that went undocumented. 3)- I only counted this mortality in one small area. The whole American River system was only documented on two different daily occasions during this period. Dead salmon were witnessed and undocumented on the Sacramento and Feather River banks. Littered about sporadically with undocumented carcasses. Carcasses that got caught up in the debris that lines the river banks.

In conclusion we are faced with the disappointment that salmon will never win the battle over California’s priceless water. They are expendable to say the least. There will be zero protection for these Fall Run Chinook Salmon of the Sacramento River, until they become federally listed as a endangered species. As the Winter Run Chinook Salmon have. The days of salmon fishing in the Sacramento Valley of Northern California are limited. It has become apparent its not a matter of “if”. It’s become a matter of “when”.

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.