Lower AR

[Troutsource]

Any thoughts on swinging caddis in the evenings for trout / halfpounders this time of year (along the edges)? I've always waited until the flows drop later in the year, but it's so damned close it's hard to resist giving it a shot now.

If this is a lost cause, I'd love to take the switch rods out for Shad and Stripers, but we won't have a boat.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think that there are some trout/half-pounders in the river year round.

Aug/Sept/Oct is a the normal fall half-ponder run.

Dec/Jan/Feb for Winter run SH.

March/April/May for the Spring run of Half-pounders.


This is Striper time Aug/Sept in the Lower A


This hot I would fish early and late when it is low light and cooler.


Maybe the Hatchery down to Sunrise for Half-pounders?


Paradise Beach for wading for Stripers?

[Mr T]

Don’t know how productive it might be but there’s not much better than a nice evening sundowner swinging a fly. I’d go just for the therapy!

[Reese]

I was out yesterday and talked to a guy who by noon had picked up his third half pounder on a mix of swung flies and nymphs under an indicator. I could barely believe him until I saw him pick up another a little while later out of a run that at lower flows doesn't exist.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Reese......roughly where.......not exactly though.

Jeff C, our Shad master, catches Steelhead while fishing for Shad.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I would swing a #12 caddis emerger on 3x tippet with a floating line early and late in the day.

[Reese]

Thanks Reese......roughly where.......not exactly though.

Jeff C, our Shad master, catches Steelhead while fishing for Shad.

It was in upper river. Its a great run but at lower flows, I'd walk right past it.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the past years it seems like late August is when we get our Fall Half-pounders into the Lower American River.

We look for these fish to be showing or feeding on the surface early and late in the day.

We look for them in the riffles from Watt Avenue to Paradise Beach/River Park area.



How it would start is someone would come into the shop and say that someone by the golf coarse / Log Hole was catching big trout wading with a spinning rod. Then we would call some friends and let them know.

I would go out mid-August on real early morning anywhere from above Watt Ave down to the Last Chance Riffle at the bottom of Paradise Beach.

When ever there are any number of Half-pounders in a run, in the AM and PM they will be rising.

Remember to fish barbless and don't "eat them."

[Troutsource]

Great info -- thanks everyone. Planning to hit either the American or Yuba Saturday evening. On the American we may use our switch rods in case we switch from halfpounders/trout to stripers or shad. Yuba reports sound less promising overall. Planning to hit the Truckee Sunday.

I wonder if, with the high water year and the new top-water spillway, the water temps are cooler than usual this summer on the American -- which might help with any holdover trout.

[Smitty Fish]

I landed a 20 inch wild summer steely, half pounder. Last weekend upper A. No picture.