Lower Sac!!!

I fished the Lower Sac on Tuesday the 17th and had a productive day....considering the flows (29K cfs.) I've never fished the river at these flows but I gave it a shot because cabin fever was getting the best of me. I launched my Lowes 1652 equipped with a Yamaha 60/40 jet at the Posse launch ramp.....the parking lot was empty! Unfortunately....my fishing day started(no pun intended) with a dead marine battery. I ended up purchasing a new battery from Myers Marine in Redding. As I was leaving the Posse Grounds in route to Myers, I stopped and threw a few casts from shore at the Posse picnic area. My primary set up was a pegged painted bead and a caddis nymph dropper. My casts were placed close to the edges of the water. On my second cast I was greeted with an indicator disappearing take! It was a rude 3 lb. bow with plenty of attitude. The fish was hooked and landed at the spot where fisherman access the Posse Riffle when flows allow for it! A gentleman looking on from the parking area had informed me I just landed "a nice fish"! I hooked 2 more fish in that spot, the last being the same size, but the fish wrapped me around a berry bush. Launching my boat for the second time with a fresh battery, I quickly realized that I was dealing with a monster of a river. I learned early on when navigating a boat and fishing a big river like the Lower Sac, losing your focus over a fish can be deadly. I constantly have to use the outboard to keep from being sucked into the edges of the river. Needless to say.....a marine battery makes all of the difference for a successful fishing day! I wasn't hooking up above the Posse Riffle so I decided to anchor on the left side of Sundial. Below the Sundial Bridge there is a viewing area for sightseers to enjoy the river's edge....unfortunately, the water from the Lower Sac buried the viewing area. The left side produced nothing! I ended up fishing the slower runs in the bay left of the channels! I hooked and landed several fish.....one being a 7 lb. squaw fish. I was really difficult reading the water because the flows were so high. The moment that made this entire trip an epic one is when I fished a side channel directly across from the driving range. I found a great slot and proceeded to drift through it! Again, as my indicator vanished below the surface of the water, the fly line from my six weight shot up the side channel like a rocket! I quickly started my outboard to keep my boat from drifting further away from the fish. Keeping tension on the fish, I slowly manuevered my boat upstream to some calmer water. The fish turned....and came directly at me! No....I was not using my large arbor reel! The fish decided to turn and swim downstream so I followed(engine off!) When we drifted into the main channel of the river the fish made its first appearance on the surface of the water. My heart rate soared as I realized I had hooked a monster rainbow! From this point, it was tug o war! I took what he gave me and eventually brought him to the net. I screamed with excitement and enthusiasm and wished one of my fishing pals could bear witness to this monsterous male rainbow trout! In the net, I placed the fish on my cooler which has a Scotts Fly Rod measurement sticker on it! The sticker wasn't long enough! The fish measured 22" and had shoulders like King Kong in his prime. I'm guessing 6 1/2 lbs.!!! We battled for an extensive period of time....so I wanted to get him back in the water. Man....what a fish! I took out and launched my boat at Bonneyview to search for some evening dry fly fishing. Never happened.....too much water! Don't like fishing the Lower Sac at flows higher than 20K cfs. But I'm glad I gave it a try.

Great report!

Thanks for taking the time to give such great details.

I was very encouraged to hear about how you managed your boat. I have been thinking of getting something similar and it sounds like yours was a very good investment.

Did the fish take the bead or something else?

Katz

Greetings Katz,

I purchased the boat three years ago from Sutter Marine in Yuba City. I have to say it's been the best purchase I've ever made. It's the ultimate weapon for conquering trout in big water. I also use it in the delta for stripers! If you want information regarding my set up, please e-mail me at matooka@earthlink.net. All the trout landed took the bead......the squaw took the micro poopah!

Thanks, Ed