Fall Half-pounder run info on Lower American River......... getting near.

[Troutsource]

Landed two 15-inchers mid-river this morning high-sticking a long riffle with a beadhead Prince nymph.

[Troutsource]

They were both hatchery fish so to make the wife happy I brought them home for dinner (also to prove that I was fishing, not gambling or womanizing, and that I actually know how to fish). I opened both stomach contents -- identical: about a hundred adult midges or mosquitoes in each stomach. Hard to tell exactly which. I didn't see a proboscis, and the water's not exactly sluggish so probably midges. Only one was in a pupal stage. It wasn't what I expected.

[fivefingers]

So I went out this morning specifically to target the half-pounders. I went to the bottom of Paradise Beach and found some fish rolling at the surface - I pitched dries and landed about 6" hatchery fish. These can't be the half-pounders - they were barely half-ouncers!

I'm not trying to say, "Hey! Where EXACTLY are the fish at!", but I was fishing riffles in that area and it seemed pretty devoid of fish. In fact, everywhere that seemed real fishy didn't even produce a take. I only got action where the little tykes were at.

I'm guessing you guys are going further up, past Watt Ave? What sort of depth are the fish holding at?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If you park at the south end of Ethan Way in the cultissack, walk the bike trail till you T-bone it near the river and turn Right, then walk

and look for a riffle in the river on your left.

That is what Andy and others call "Last Chance Riffle" or the first riffle from the ocean.

If you fish there early or late you might find some Half-pounders.

There should be a riffle there at 3,500 cfs but not sure about what it looks like right now.

____________________________________

My favorite place in the Fall is the 100 yards above the Watt Avenue Bridge from both sides.

[fivefingers]

If you park at the south end of Ethan Way in the cultissack, walk the bike trail till you T-bone it near the river and turn Right, then walk

and look for a riffle in the river on your left.

That is what Andy and others call "Last Chance Riffle" or the first riffle from the ocean.

If you fish there early or late you might find some Half-pounders.

There should be a riffle there at 3,500 cfs but not sure about what it looks like right now.

____________________________________

My favorite place in the Fall in the 100 yards above the Watt Avenue Bridge from both sides.

Well, huh. That's -exactly- where I was at... If we're thinking of the same place... I got there about 6am and finished up at about 10am.

I fished a 75-100 foot riffle from the point it starts at the north shore, and continued out into the middle of the river as the riffle continues outward at the river bend. Was using various bead-heads with a sz 16 mosquito dropper, sometimes free flowing, and sometimes with shot. At the shallowest it was about 8"-1 ft. As it goes out into middle-river, I guessed it to be about 4-5 feet. Not even a take.

Right above the riffle was a big shallow run where all of the hatchery smolt were surfacing.

[hwchubb]

Five,

Welcome to swinging for steelhead. I don’t claim to be an expert, but have been fishing the Lower American for 30+ years and have some idea which end of the rod to hold. I haven’t been out much the last month, but my results in the middle / upper stretches mirror yours. I’m committed to the surface / top six inches takes so I limit myself somewhat, but either there are taking fish in the run you’re in or their aren’t. If they are there in decent numbers, you’ll find some. Also, take reports with a grain of salt. Keep on keepin on!

[fivefingers]

Five,

Welcome to swinging for steelhead. I don’t claim to be an expert, but have been fishing the Lower American for 30+ years and have some idea which end of the rod to hold. I haven’t been out much the last month, but my results in the middle / upper stretches mirror yours. I’m committed to the surface / top six inches takes so I limit myself somewhat, but either there are taking fish in the run you’re in or their aren’t. If they are there in decent numbers, you’ll find some. Also, take reports with a grain of salt. Keep on keepin on!

I figured as much. I've been down to Bill's "Last Chance Riffle" about 4 times now, trying varying tactics: swinging streamers, swinging wets, nymphing setups, dries ... I've basically only seen juvenile stripers and smolts.

I'm guessing like most streams, there's resident fish that hang out in the system that meander about, and sometimes people catch those and assume they're a sea run fish. But maybe there's this half-pounder run in the system, and I'm subject to the classic steelheader's grind like everyone else, and I've just got to cast a few thousand more times!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Well, huh. That's -exactly- where I was at... If we're thinking of the same place... I got there about 6am and finished up at about 10am.

I fished a 75-100 foot riffle from the point it starts at the north shore, and continued out into the middle of the river as the riffle continues outward at the river bend. Was using various bead-heads with a sz 16 mosquito dropper, sometimes free flowing, and sometimes with shot. At the shallowest it was about 8"-1 ft. As it goes out into middle-river, I guessed it to be about 4-5 feet. Not even a take.

Right above the riffle was a big shallow run where all of the hatchery smolt were surfacing.

Very cool.....I did not even know if it was wadable/fishable from the north side this year?

Every morning and every evening the situation can change in every riffle in the river so keep going there if you can.

I would swing flies in the surface AM and PM and swing a sink-tip or indicator/nymph rig in the day time.


I would go out from about 6 to 9 am or 5-8 pm

[Smitty Fish]

Swung this one up last night around 7 pm. Upper river. Took out my 11 ft 6 wt Switch out with a 420 gr Rage head and a 10 ft poly leader and a small olive Slump Buster.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Very nice........thanks for the report SF......cool photo.


What reel is that?


With the flow up around 3,500 cfs there is no reason for the fish to stop in the lower river, (Watt and down stream).