Sacramento Salmon Question

[Deerhunter14]

Hey guys,

I've done my fair share of fishing over the years, but I am a newbie to river fishing. I've gotten myself all excited about the opener on July 16th, but dont really have a game plan. What are some good methods for shore fishing for Salmon? I've heard a heavy weight, 4 ft. leader, and salmon roe are one way to go. Any advice/tips would be very appreciated!:PETA sucks:

[map]

Hey guys,

I've done my fair share of fishing over the years, but I am a newbie to river fishing. I've gotten myself all excited about the opener on July 16th, but dont really have a game plan. What are some good methods for shore fishing for Salmon? I've heard a heavy weight, 4 ft. leader, and salmon roe are one way to go. Any advice/tips would be very appreciated!:PETA sucks:

Hello Deerhunter,

Well, salmon fishing from the bank of the Sacramento River is a shot in the dark, at best. The Feather will also open on the 16th, and it's a much smaller river with tailouts and riffles. Needless to say, with the over population in California, you can expect the Feather River to be lined on both sides with "bankie's". I stay out of there with my jet boat, but there will be a few brave souls anchored out in front of the "bankies".

Shanghai Bend is my favorite, and it's located about 3 miles down stream from Feather River Park at the confluence of the Yuba River in Yuba City. The Park is my second favorite. Shanghai Bend is a real beauty with a 3-foot high shelf that spans the river, and the shelf has a nice shoot through it. Plenty of wadeable water with tailouts and riffles in that area, too. I fish the shoot from the rocks, but I usually I fish the head of the pool just below the rock shelf.

When is comes to rigging your line, well, that is a variable and it will be best for you to watch to see who is catching salmon. The color and size of the lure will change from day to day, and from early morning to mid-day, and from mid-day to late afternoon. Current speed, water temperature, water clarity, etc are important factors. Like I was saying, watch to see who is catching all the fish.

At Shanghi Bend a lot of tree stumps go over the rock shelf and settle on the bottom of the pool, so I wouldn't cast something with a sinker into that pool. A bobber with the tail section of an anchovy floating vertical would probably be best. Or, maybe a bobber with some roe? Sometimes a small shrimp under a bobber will do the trick. What the heck, lets try a roe/shrimp combination with a chartreuse bead. Use a sliding bobber stop to set the depth of the bate. Salmon are mid-water fish.


I always let the farm laborers have a section of the bank for themselves. They work hard in the fields and deserve to have a little peace and quiet without us snagging their line. They live there, so we are fishing in their backyard.


Here is a picture of my Jet Boat for shallow water:

http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=53777&d=1240849899


Good luck on the opener.

[Deerhunter14]

Thanks map, I really appreciate the advice! I know it's going to be a friggin' zoo on the opener, so I most likely won't go until the week. Thanks again for the help.

NICE BOAT!

-Jack

[map]

Thanks map, I really appreciate the advice! I know it's going to be a friggin' zoo on the opener, so I most likely won't go until the week. Thanks again for the help.

NICE BOAT!

-Jack

I will launch in Veronia at the mouth of the Feather during the first week and I usually have a couple of empty seats.

[Deerhunter14]

Hey map, I sent you a PM

[map]

Jack,


It seemed a little early to start fishing for Salmon, so today I left the boat at home and made the rounds to see if anyone was catching fish. I checked out Knights Landing, Verona, Shanghai Bend, the mouth of the Yuba, and Discovery Park at the American.

The water is high and clear, and the Feather looked like a big lake. The rock shelf that crosses the river at Shanghai Bend is completely submerged, but there were few boats backtrolling there. A few bankies too.

If you want to try something different than swinging roe with a slinky through a riffle, then try Shanghai Bend just above the rock shelf. There is a deep slot right along the west bank that holds salmon. To get there: drive a few miles south of Yuba City on Garden Way turn east on Shanghai Bend Road and park at the levee. Walk straight for the river following the 2 huge rock monuments. When you arrive at the river walk north about 300 feet and you will find Clay Banks with a deep slot directly below it.

If you are safe and climb down to the edge of the river the salmon will see you, and if you fish from the top of the clay banks you risk falling to your death. Stay way back from edge! Anyway, a Gibbs Minnow lure is popular in that spot, but the triple hook must be removed and replaced with a single hook in order to be legal.

Truthfully, salmon fishing on the Feather River doesn't kick-in until the middle of September. At Knights Landing on the Sacramento River the Chromer's usually arrive on the 1st of November. The American River fish in the middle of October. I don't understand the new regulations?

[map]

Anything happening on the Sacramento River? Are the Salmon in now?