Sacramento River salmon have finally vacated the the lower section of the river. Where they have struggled to survive in lethal water temperatures. The section of Sacramento River from Knights Landing, Ca down river to Verona, Ca was inundated with a large school of Fall Run Chinook Salmon. They essentially stopped dead in their tracts by the instinctual notion to stop migration into what are considered lethal water temperatures by the salmon. Instinctively reluctant to commit suicide, the migrating chinooks held up in the most suitable conditions they could find. Unfortunately these conditions still took a toll on the Fall Chinook Salmon as they perished from these poor river conditions, on a daily basis. Hundreds if not thousand of salmon perished while waiting the arrival of cooler water. As it turned out the last full moon event seemed to drive the reluctant kings to migrate up river despite river temperatures being what they were (74-79 degrees). The survivors will find the suitable conditions that await them in the upper sections of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, and may bring some much needed relief to the salmon fishing guides and their clients who have been punished by the lack of arriving salmon.

Now we are in what we as guides consider the peak of the season. We await the month late arrival of the Fall-run Chinooks, or what’s left of them anyhow. This season will go down as one of the most difficult salmon seasons in history. Sadly it comes at a time when ocean abundance reports claimed a surplus of an extra 100K Sacramento River chinook salmon. Yet here we are in mid September and most guides fishing the upper river near the Barge Hole in Cottonwood, Ca. Are averaging at best one salmon per day. Unacceptable by guiding standards at this point in the season. Some full time guides have chosen to move with the salmon. Fishing unfamiliar areas and venturing far from home waters. Either way this season has tested the integrity of local salmon fishing guides and how they deal with a real time crisis. Up until this point in the season salmon fishing is considered a huge disappointment, and a failure by local guides.

The king salmon who pushed North up the Feather and Sacramento River this past week, should be arriving over the next week. Giving anglers something to get pumped up about. It is unknown at this rate if they may have strayed into other river system. However what is know is the fact they left where they were staging for the past month. Only time will tell the salmons whereabouts, and all we can do is wait.

As for the remainder of the Fall-run Chinook season, we can expect cooler Fall air temperatures to quickly cool the river water temperatures here in Northern California. Giving the remaining influxes of migrating chinook salmon (every full moon cycle a separate school of chinook salmon enters the fresh water to migrate and spawn) easy and safe passage through what was a fatal lower Sacramento River the past two months. Hypothetically returning things to normal as far as salmon season is concerned. Unfortunately, we will have to see in three years what the exact level of damage was done to this year class of spawning Chinooks. In the meantime pray for excessive amounts of rain to fill up reservoirs, keeping this from happening again next season. Tight Lines!

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.