American River at Watt

[spinfisher]

Big disappointment here! Heard the smolt were in , I fished from eight to 11:30, nada! I saw one fish taken on a spinner thats it! Thought I would share.

[STEELIES/26c3]

The smolt were in because DFW planted them at Howe in February and many, rather than going downriver, went upriver to Watt...

Those smolts become our returning steelhead in two years...

I won't tell you what to do but I personally won't target smolts.

I fished the Watt area the other day and after the third smolt... decided to leave that stretch alone and pursue stripers instead.

Try higher on the river and you'll stand a better chance at a blueback or a bigger, hatchery fish.