Lower AR

[Troutsource]

Any thoughts on swinging caddis in the evenings for trout / halfpounders this time of year (along the edges)? I've always waited until the flows drop later in the year, but it's so damned close it's hard to resist giving it a shot now.

If this is a lost cause, I'd love to take the switch rods out for Shad and Stripers, but we won't have a boat.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think that there are some trout/half-pounders in the river year round.

Aug/Sept/Oct is a the normal fall half-ponder run.

Dec/Jan/Feb for Winter run SH.

March/April/May for the Spring run of Half-pounders.


This is Striper time Aug/Sept in the Lower A


This hot I would fish early and late when it is low light and cooler.


Maybe the Hatchery down to Sunrise for Half-pounders?


Paradise Beach for wading for Stripers?

[Mr T]

Don’t know how productive it might be but there’s not much better than a nice evening sundowner swinging a fly. I’d go just for the therapy!

[Reese]

I was out yesterday and talked to a guy who by noon had picked up his third half pounder on a mix of swung flies and nymphs under an indicator. I could barely believe him until I saw him pick up another a little while later out of a run that at lower flows doesn't exist.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Reese......roughly where.......not exactly though.

Jeff C, our Shad master, catches Steelhead while fishing for Shad.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would swing a #12 caddis emerger on 3x tippet with a floating line early and late in the day.

[Reese]

Thanks Reese......roughly where.......not exactly though.

Jeff C, our Shad master, catches Steelhead while fishing for Shad.

It was in upper river. Its a great run but at lower flows, I'd walk right past it.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the past years it seems like late August is when we get our Fall Half-pounders into the Lower American River.

We look for these fish to be showing or feeding on the surface early and late in the day.

We look for them in the riffles from Watt Avenue to Paradise Beach/River Park area.



How it would start is someone would come into the shop and say that someone by the golf coarse / Log Hole was catching big trout wading with a spinning rod. Then we would call some friends and let them know.

I would go out mid-August on real early morning anywhere from above Watt Ave down to the Last Chance Riffle at the bottom of Paradise Beach.

When ever there are any number of Half-pounders in a run, in the AM and PM they will be rising.

Remember to fish barbless and don't "eat them."

[Troutsource]

Great info -- thanks everyone. Planning to hit either the American or Yuba Saturday evening. On the American we may use our switch rods in case we switch from halfpounders/trout to stripers or shad. Yuba reports sound less promising overall. Planning to hit the Truckee Sunday.

I wonder if, with the high water year and the new top-water spillway, the water temps are cooler than usual this summer on the American -- which might help with any holdover trout.

[Smitty Fish]

I landed a 20 inch wild summer steely, half pounder. Last weekend upper A. No picture.

[Troutsource]

Wow, that's a helluva fish. Could you divulge anything about your method -- swinging, bobbicating? Thanks

[Smitty Fish]

Swinging a small clouser on a Tfo 7wt switch. Airflo skagit switch line 450 grain with 10ft T11. Upper American.

[hwchubb]

I haven’t been out much this season, but I’ve usually picked up an occasional half pounder (ie 14-22”) when skating caddis / soft hackles on the surface for shad. Don’t know about late July because I’m not sure I’ve tried then, but clearly some fish are still around. I used to run into a guy that just drifted worms, but have seen him pick up steelhead every month of the year in the American, including two chrome bright, 5# and 8# fish on July 5 one year. They’re definitely there, and an evening of wet wading and skating sounds pretty good about now...

[Troutsource]

Thanks, Guys. We may hit the Lower A Sunday evening, and if so, I'll post the results. Planning to fish the Truckee prior to that. I did that once. It felt so relaxing (wading-wise) driving back from the Truckee to fish the A.

[hwchubb]

Thanks - I’ve had skating on the brain since my last post. Will probably give it a shot for the last couple of hours tomorrow eve, more steelhead style (muddler or skater) than shad. See if there’s another 20” steelhead, preferably looking up.

[Troutsource]

We ended up fishing the Truckee Saturday evening and most of Sunday. Fishing was mediocre. I landed two big whitefish. They totally spaz out in the net.

By the time we returned to Sac we were exhausted and decided not to fish the American. However, I'm dying to hit it soon and will post something when I do.

Thanks again for all the useful and inspiring info.

[Troutsource]

I fished the Lower A (mid-river) Saturday morning from around 6:30am to 11:00am. Nymphed: high-sticking, bobbicating and swinging. Had 8-10 hits (almost all on the swing), landed a tiny smolt (high-sticking). It was great to be on the river as usual, a little hard to acclimate to the higher flows.

In addition to Skoal, my consolation prize was about 100 black raspberries (I think I only ate one stink bug in the process). However, in my state of nirvana, I fell backwards on a dagger-like stick pointed at my right ass cheek. I now have a football-sized purple bruise on my ass. I will spare the board from a photo. Very purple, spreading daily, hits of green and yellow appearing at the edges. A Van Gogh like quality.

There were some small mayflies (not trico's, not baetis). Their bodies were just like a zebra midge pattern. They had clear wings so I think most of them were spinners.

Saw a bunch of suckers, too. Last year I caught about a 20"er stuffed with eggs which I ate at home. I highly recommend it.

[MThompson]

Might need a tetanus shot? Sounds nasty. I would keep an eye on it.

[PV_Premier]

Tetanus shot because of the butt bruise or eating the sucker? Both sound nasty!

[MThompson]

Oh wow. Didn't catch the part about the sucker. I meant the puncture though. A few summers ago I got a hell of a case of cellulitis from swimming in the ocean with a small wound. Knocked me on my ass for a week. There's just a bunch of nasty bugs out there these days.

[Troutsource]

Just to be clear, I only ate the sucker's eggs, which were delicious. Eating the fish is almost impossible due to the skinny bifurcated bones. And my ass didn't actually get punctured, there's still only one hole on it. It was more like the stick applied a 1000-lb force as it dragged my waders across my ass flesh, thus leaving a streak of ruptured capillaries. Again, I will spare everyone from the pictures. But I've never seen anything like it. I'm quite proud of it -- the biggest bruise of my entire life. I just wish the cause was more glorious.