American Report

[Salmonriver]

So yesterday, I took the trip to the river to throw some lines. I knew going into it that I would most likely have a long day with little activity but it was the first time this year and I could not have thought of a better way to spend the day than on the water. I hooked up on my second cast and lost the fish after about 3 minutes. The weight was nice and it had potential. I spent half the day in the upper area with a spinning rod and after having enough of watching the sad display of non-sportsmen like attitudes, I switched over to a fly rod and moved down river. Now understand, I grew up fishing the great lake tributaries in upstate NY and I return there every year in December for some cold steelhead action. I have never seen guys act that way and it is disappointing none the less. Anyway, after moving down river, I had some small fish with some nymphs and caught a very large sucker (not a fan of them but fun to fight on a fly rod). I saw a few salmon roll and that was it. I have no complaints about the drive or the day on the water. I do have one other complaint.

Upon taking my first glimps of the river, I was disappointed and deeply saddened by the condition and lack of water. I felt like the indian in the old commercial rowing through the river in his canoe and seeing all the garbage and then having the tear fall from his cheek. I can not understand how the river was flowing at 4,000 cfs in July when I was there to the 600 or 700 yesterday. July there are no spawning fish and as we all know, there should be salmon pushing through and spawning now as they have for hundreds of years! Now understand, I do not design rockets on the weekends and do not believe myself to be the smartest of men. But what I do know is later in the year salmon spawn and the steelies follow. So why are the flows not at least 2,000 cfs now? I heard summer flows keep the salt out of the bay but that is not a good enough reason for this terrible level of water. I cringe at the combination of the words "water" and "management" when used in a sentence by an elected Californian person.

That was my day and I will continue to pray for rain and great flows this next year. I am sure I will make another trip this month and will definitely be swinging for some steelies in the spring !

[jerole1978]

I agree I've been down to sailor bar a few times gunning for steelhead and the water flow is depressing that's for sure. I think I'm going to fish the lower yuba and lower feather till the American gets into better shape because the way it sits now it's just not very encouraging.

[John Sv]

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think the water masters are playing with the state plumbing to keep pushes of fresh water in at the Delta, and minimize salt water push/intrusion. For a while they were using Sac River water from Shasta, but to help with the salmon spawn there, they are now sacrificing (for lack of a better word) Folsom/American water. Yes? No?
Edit: whoops ,said it backwards... first they were using Folsom/american water and now they have switched to Shasta/Sac water.

[Darian]

water supplies several municipal water providers around the area of the dam. Folsom water level is reported to be at or near minimum pool. Water managers must be saving water to meet demand. Not much, if any, left for release to the river. Sure hope it starts raining soon.

[SeanO]

Yes that is correct, John.

DWR blew through the AR and Feather water first and are now using Shasta water. The Sac river was very very low earlier in the year.

The idea was to save water for the endangered winter run chinook on the Sac river below Shasta dam. The other valley rivers don't have this particular strain of fish.

Drought and water diversions suck is all I can say.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think the water masters are playing with the state plumbing to keep pushes of fresh water in at the Delta, and minimize salt water push/intrusion. For a while they were using Sac River water from Shasta, but to help with the salmon spawn there, they are now sacrificing (for lack of a better word) Folsom/American water. Yes? No?
Edit: whoops ,said it backwards... first they were using Folsom/american water and now they have switched to Shasta/Sac water.

[Mark Kranhold]

State salmon/steelhead slayers! If it's not with flows its with hatchery mismanagement!! Will we have Salmon returns in the next 10 years with this sad state management???

[Sheepdog8404]

Gad you at least found some fish OP! Check out that PM I sent you too.

[winxp_man]

As usual the CA Aqueduct was full of water to the brim when I went down to LA on business about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks ago. That keeping the delta salinity down and all does not make sense when water is running down the aqueduct at the rate I saw.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Before the dams on the lower American River I heard it was a world class Small Mouth Bass fishery.

I also heard it almost dried up every summer for lack of flow in the lower reaches.

This is how most of the valley rivers were before the dams.

They also had huge runs of salmon and steelhead.

.