Lower American will go down to 1000cfs......................

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

.........on Thursday, 9/15, so they can put the "pickets" in the fish barrier at the Nimbus Hatchery to guide the Salmon and Steelhead into the fish ladder.

As soon as the work is done it will go back up to ~2500.

I did have some very good fishing once many years ago when they dropped the river very low for a few days in the Fall.

I guess it really concentrates the fish?

You might get out Thursday and check out the structure of your favorite stretch of the Lower American River.

[Jasonh]

Good point Bill. I had a good few weeks of steelhead fishing in late august last year when the water was down around 1000-1200 cfs.

Jason Hartwick

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

It seems that the fishing goes off when the water flow goes up but it does bring in more fish.

When the water goes down in can be good that day? Maybe more hatches to with the shallow water?

In the '60s I fished the river once at 500 cfs above Watt Avenue. You could walk everywhere and see fish rolling and feeding in the AM and PM. It was waiste deep in the middle. Not a good thing for long term though.

[Rlynch]

Its way down there today. I ran over to Watt Ave. today on my lunch break and took a look around. I think I'll throw my waders in the truck tomorrow and maybe sneak in a long lunch so I can go poke around a little and check out that stretch a little more cafefully. Thanks for the heads up Bill.

[Mik]

Picked up 2 nice size---19in hatchery and 18in native and a couple smolts. I love steelies!!!

[Gregg Machel]

I couldn't believe how low the water was when I drove over the Watt Ave bridge today. It was almost like the river was cut in half it seemed. Didn't get a chance to get out, but I saw a lot of rocks where I usually say water.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Looks like it was around 800 cfs but now it is back to 2300.

[Jgoding]

I tried to get out to my favorite spot but the flows were back up before I could get out to it. I saw it was down to about 750 cfs and was thinking it would be nice to get out but damn work and traffic screwed me!! LOL

Jeff

[Charlie Gonzales]

Got out this morning thinking i would see low flows and easier wading but arrived to "normal" flows. i thought the wading was gonna be so easy I left my waders all balled up in the garage: not thinking to bright at 6:30 am. Anyhow, despite an up stream wind I did manage to find a couple. First one took a #10 birds nest of sorts, chunky fish that showed himself and then decided he didint want to play anymore; two more solid grabs on a smolt pattern.