"Keyboard" Thoughts on Upcoming Season....

[OceanSunfish]

Aside from the fact that there needs to American Shad abundant enough to populate our local rivers so that they are 'catchable'.....

I thought I'd share a little info for no better reason than being hopeful...

December 1996 and January 1997, Blue Canyon receieved 44 inches and 33 inches of rain respectively. Folsom was at 490K AF in late December 1996, (425K AF today) but spiked to 865K AF by January 3rd, 1997.

The outflow from Natoma reached 106K CFS in early January 1997 and quickly receded to 4K CFS for the rest of the winter. The outflow dropped further to a consistent 2.5K CFS by early April where it stayed through May and into early June. Please note, that there were some spikes of + or - 500 CFS, but the flow was very consistent throughout that particular shad season.

Blue Canyon rainfall for February, March, and April 1997 was 1.70, 2.97, and 3.16 inches respectively and below normal.

NOAA preditictions included a similar pattern for late 2010 and early 2011 where all the rain and snow would come in November/December with dry January through March...... We'll see if you'll really need that switch rod yet....

I'm not a hydrologist, not even a good amateur, but with proper water management by DWR and BuRec, (ugh) it would appear as though the flows in the American for this spring should be very consistent and at the 2 to 3K level. And, maybe we'll get a little early heat too unlike in recent years.....

In summary, I'm a big fan of river flow consistency and early heat when it comes to shad being drawn into the American River from early May throughout the season. The 2000 and 2001 seasons were very good lasting well into late June; even at the log hole. The Caveat, of course, is that the shad population was pretty heavy in that time frame.....

In any event, the "yo-yo" flows has got to rattle the nerves of those fish who are not contracted to always head up the same river.... And, they are nervous little fish, those shad are.

Food for thought on a fishery that provides a lot of fun and recreation for those fortunate to be able to fish the A after work, etc.

[Jeff C.]

I have to agree with you about needing steady flows early in the season (and having some heat early help a lot too). Last year the flows were high and the water was cold so a lot of the shad just bypassed the American. The ones that did hang a right at the confluence shot up river due to the high flows (the bite was non-existant at the Log Hole). The cold water made them sluggish and even when good sized pods were found they did not agressively start biting until it warmed up.

[OceanSunfish]

Well, so much for hoping for lower consistent flows throughout the early spring.....

Now let us hope that unlike most fish species of Northern CA, the shad numbers are way up, so much so that fresh fish continue to run up towards Sacramento from the GG well into mid June when the flows on the American are inviting/WARMER!

[Darian]

If this weather pattern keeps up, we'll be able to fish for Shad in the bypasses....

[OceanSunfish]

If this weather pattern keeps up, we'll be able to fish for Shad in the bypasses....

Ha! I heard the only decent steelheading right now on the Feather are in the ponds way up in the 'rocks' now that they are flooded.....

Those ponds upriver from Harringtons may see some shad, steelhead, et. al. too.

Sadly, many smolt, fry, and alike will get washed into the bypasses and stranded as food for birds when the bypasses dry up.... Conicidently, isn't this use of the bypass a suggestion of the 'water grabbers' as part of restoring habitat for fish.....

Enough already! It can stop raining today and Sac will have over 100% of annual rainfall for the season......