Port of Sacramento

[gene goss]

Took the boat out for a run around the port yesterday.....seen some pods of threadfin shad on the surface with some stripers working them up in the canal that goes to the lockes. This area can be fished with a float tube or a small pram. The threadfin are about 2 1/2 inches long....i fished the top of the high tide, and caught a couple of 23" before i move on to check out another place.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great Gene

Is winter the prime time for Stripers in the Port of Sacramento?

I have fished it a couple of times or the years but do know some fly fishers who almost "lived there."

The Tread-fin Shad that were planted 40 years ago in places like Folsom Lake, Lake Oroville and Lake Almanor for food fish washed all the way down into the valley rivers and Delta. They seem to like lakey areas with little current or tide movement like Mildred, Franks Tract, Port of Stockton and Port of Sacramento.

I worked at "West Capitol Rod & Gun" many years ago that is a few miles from there. We use to be able to go through the locks but they have been closed for years now.

I know they have a 'yacht club' on the north side but is there any access for small boats?

[Scott V]

I might have to head out there next weekend myself. Hopefully I will get into some stripers tomorrow on the delta at Blanton's Striperfest. I got lucky and hooked up with a ride so I can be in a boat and not my pontoon for once.

Man I miss my bass boat, why did I ever sell it? Anyone want a real nice fiberglass dune buggy, will trade for a good bass boat.

[novofish]

Anglers can hand launch small craft at the Barge Canal Access area.
Take the first right/light just after you cross the canal going Southbound on Jefferson Blvd.
Large gravel parking (in blue on my "map")
Paved (slippery) ramp is in red.

[David Lee]

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[Hatch]

Thanks for the info Novo. I'm not worried about the crowds. Not many people have the "Get up and Go" to actually make it crowded any way. Keep after them.
Hatch

[mar]

Thanks for the post. I used to fish it a lot in my pontoon. Lots of skunky/dinkfest days with a few epic sessions. The port was where my striper addiction took a turn for the worst. I haven't been back there since the dirt road was closed.
Excellent place for a quick morning session. Nothing beats going to work smelling like fish :-)

[David Lee]

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[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Since "9-11" and with this economy only a few really popular places get crowded anymore.

Trinity River when they get a big run of Steelhead, Little Truckee River in summer, Lower Yuba River when it is good, Fuller lake in summer, Delta on the weekends, Nimbus Basin.....

My guide friend Fred Gordon says the Upper Sac is almost never crowded anymore.

I think that there are just less people fly fishing now.

[gene goss]

I belong to the Lake Washing Outboard club, and they have a ramp on the north side of the turning basin....its a 5 year waiting list....and with over 500 members it can get crowded on the weekends....at this time of the year the water is very clear, and a bright sunny day will put the stripers right on the bottom (39ft.)....i found a very foggy day in mid-week is the best time....this place is not about catching big numbers of stripers...there are a zion theadfin in the basin....and with all that food in the water....it is not easy.

[novofish]

Yeah, the Port can be interesting!
Last time there the rowing teams were out there training.
One boat came pretty close to us, and apologies were accepted!;)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

We are starting a large special interest group today that will shine the light on the secret Port of Sacramento, the top fly fishing destination in Nor Cal, to get federal funding to put a giant marina, RV park, restaurant, water park, wild animal park, huge hotels and 10 lane boat ramp.

We will have a special web site for this with email addresses to the people in charge.

On our opening day we will have a Bass Derby and professional water skiing demonstrations.

Jet ski races will be in the afternoon.

Yahooooo..................destroying on.

[novofish]

Just don't have any contact with the water there!:D

[Darian]

Bill,.... You forgot a golf course.... :nod:

[Jgoding]

Novo, it's ok now isn't it..... no more raw sewage last I heard but it does smell out here in the evenings........ this year seems especially bad.

[novofish]

Jgod: It might not be so bad really, but when you're in a sit-on-top kayak you are constantly sitting in about 3" of water. Recently, I've been using a sit-inside kayak to avoid constant Port water contact with some of the more "sensitive tissues":D

BTW it always smells like diesel there.

[Jgoding]

LOL Novo.

I don't know if it's the port, but I live right by it, but this year in the evenings in the last couple months it can really stink and not like diesel.... more like some musky animal type smell

[Scott V]

LOL Novo.

I don't know if it's the port, but I live right by it, but this year in the evenings in the last couple months it can really stink and not like diesel.... more like some musky animal type smell



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