Half Pounders are definitely in the AR

[fishing&beyond]

I’ve been seeing posts this week on social media of fish in the 12-20inch range being caught. They were very bright fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I fished the lower American river for these silver beauties for about 60 years, first with the old crawling Night Worm.

We got to believe after years of witnessing this that the end of August was the target date for schools of them to show up from Watt

Avenue down to Cal Expo/River Park/the Log Hole/Golf Coarse. When they first come in they are in schools and are silver and seem to

eat anything size 8 or smaller. After they have been in for a few months they seem to spread out, take on a trout coloration and feed

on insects, etc. After they get "trouty" I swing a #12 Caddis pupa on 3x tippet to kind of match the hatch. Right at dark we use a #12

dry caddis. Early and late is best in September's sunny hot days.

On the Internet it said the Watt Ave temp today was 65 degrees.

Fish barbless, land 'em fast and get rid of them quickly? I don't even like to touch them anymore.


You can hire Andy Guibord at Kiene's to take you out one morning or evening soon to learn about swinging for Half-pounders.

[Twowheelsonecamera]

I was out tonight swinging on about six feet of 12 lb mono with a steel head spey, spotted a fully emerged steel with one massive paddle. scooted down about fifteen feet and switched from nymphs to the spey fly. Third or fourth swing, a slam and rip to the other bank. Snapped me off which I can work with, that's a real strain getting a fish that runs across the river in these temps. The AR has been holding good temps at depth might I add. 65, as is average according to the graphs. Keep an eye out for feathers if you tie, I've come across a bunch of large clean feathers lately, enough for at least two dozen flies lol.

[Smitty Fish]

I’ve got a zip lock bag full of feathers. Spey feathers.

[PV_Premier]

Wouldn’t surprise me if that big fish you hooked was an early salmon. Saw a couple on the Yuba today. Also found a couple of shiny things there too.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Heard there were some small Steelhead in the Sac and Feather rivers.