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Thread: The old American River Closure and Opener dates

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Antelope
    Posts
    384

    Default The old American River Closure and Opener dates

    Im working on a few changes that I will be submitting to DFG with the help of NCGASA in regards to our current closure and openers on some of our Sac Valley Rivers. What I am trying to find is what the old open and closures where on the American River a long time ago before the current Nov 1 closure and Jan 1 opener.

    Any information would be greatly appreciate.

    Please keep an eye or ear open for these requested changes. Rivers include American, Yuba and Feather. My request WILL NOT keep these rivers closed for longer, I want to keep the current fishable days open, and maybe on certain rivers add a few more days or more areas to fish. But with our salmon entering out systems later and later each and every year, we need to allow these fish to spawn in peace, spawn successfully and allow these eggs a chance to hatch and alevins to wiggle out of the rocks before being crushed by hundreds if not 1000s of feet on a daily/weekly basis.

    I have some great requests that Im putting together, and hoping with the help of NCGASA we can get some if not all these requests put in place. These fish need as much help as we can give them, and its up to us to give them a fighting chance.

    Thank you in advance
    And Always Remember
    Keep Those Line Tights
    Brian W Clemens
    Nor Cal Fly Guides
    530-354-3740
    norcalflyguides@gmail.com
    www.norcalflyguides.com


    "I have many loves and Fly-Fishing is one of them; it brings peace and harmony to my being, which I can then pass on to others."
    ~ Sue Kreutzer

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Granite Bay
    Posts
    165

    Default

    As a starter closing sailor bar to fishing from January 1st to April 1st would greatly improved steelhead spawning. There are plenty of river miles to target steelhead.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Antelope
    Posts
    384

    Default

    Mogaru, thank you for your input. Unfortunately there are many factors, dates, areas of closures and possible new regs that I've pondered over meticulously for several months now. Unfortunately any regulation change to take away fishing days or available water will not happen as dfg doesn't want to do that. The key there is taking away fishing days and fishable water, this is what I'm having to work around and I believe I have some viable and doable changes. Unfortunately your idea takes away more fishing days than the current closure as well as fishable water, as much as I would love to present this to DFG, it will get shot down immediately. I do appreciate your input, but there is a fine line that I have to walk across to make these changes even a possibility.

    The reason for this post is to figure out what the old closure was. I have been told it use to be closed till March 1st. That in itself can be used in making my presentation to DFG more credible, cuz at one point when we had more fish in the AR we kept that upper river closed till then. This is what I am trying to verify. I do know it was closed from 94 to 98 due to the lack of fish numbers, but the old closure is what I'm looking for.

    Thanks again for your input.
    And Always Remember
    Keep Those Line Tights
    Brian W Clemens
    Nor Cal Fly Guides
    530-354-3740
    norcalflyguides@gmail.com
    www.norcalflyguides.com


    "I have many loves and Fly-Fishing is one of them; it brings peace and harmony to my being, which I can then pass on to others."
    ~ Sue Kreutzer

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    Fresno
    Posts
    14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Clemens View Post
    Mogaru, thank you for your input. Unfortunately there are many factors, dates, areas of closures and possible new regs that I've pondered over meticulously for several months now. Unfortunately any regulation change to take away fishing days or available water will not happen as dfg doesn't want to do that. The key there is taking away fishing days and fishable water, this is what I'm having to work around and I believe I have some viable and doable changes. Unfortunately your idea takes away more fishing days than the current closure as well as fishable water, as much as I would love to present this to DFG, it will get shot down immediately. I do appreciate your input, but there is a fine line that I have to walk across to make these changes even a possibility.

    The reason for this post is to figure out what the old closure was. I have been told it use to be closed till March 1st. That in itself can be used in making my presentation to DFG more credible, cuz at one point when we had more fish in the AR we kept that upper river closed till then. This is what I am trying to verify. I do know it was closed from 94 to 98 due to the lack of fish numbers, but the old closure is what I'm looking for.

    Thanks again for your input.
    Up until about 3 years ago or so, the upper area above the Hazel Ave bridge was open to the dam. The wall area was often fished and it greatly reduced the pressure of fishermen below. I would love to see it opened back up and provide more room for throwing flies down below with less fishermen. Just my opinion on the issues the closure caused these past few years.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    7,786

    Question Old Closure....

    Brian,.... If you haven't done so already, check CA-DFW's archives. There must be one somewhere and it should include a record of applicable laws/regs in force at any point in time. Good luck....
    "America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."

    Author unknown

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Antelope
    Posts
    384

    Default

    Darian, interesting, I didn't know there was an archive, I'll take a look. Thanks for the info.

    Salmon River, unfortunately opening that up would cause more snagged and illegally kept fish like it was when it was open, as well as trash and homeless. Now that the fish ladders goes up into the basin it will never reopen. Personally I don't think closing that upper section, move the same amount of anglers down river. Those that fished up there did so due to stacked up fish and easily flossed. No other place an the American is like that, where salmon hold that thick.
    And Always Remember
    Keep Those Line Tights
    Brian W Clemens
    Nor Cal Fly Guides
    530-354-3740
    norcalflyguides@gmail.com
    www.norcalflyguides.com


    "I have many loves and Fly-Fishing is one of them; it brings peace and harmony to my being, which I can then pass on to others."
    ~ Sue Kreutzer

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    The OV
    Posts
    490

    Default

    The new ladder was part of the mitigation for the widening of Hazel Ave, with the added benefits of 1) eliminating the weir, which had one of the highest lost time injury rates in all of DFW, and 2) eliminating the constant law enforcement problems in the Basin. So, as Brian said, that area will not reopen, and I agree that a lot of those guys probably ended up at Thermalito Afterbay.

    I’d agree with an 11/1 to 3/1 closure above Sunrise at a minimum. Brian has researched this considerably more in-depth than I have, and it sounds like that alone won’t happen without a corresponding change, such as opening below Sunrise to year-round fishing.

    I had thrown the above closure out years ago, to both members of my 2 local fly clubs and to quite a few guys I knew on the river. I can tell you that there is very little support for it in the greater fly fishing community, or there wasn’t a decade ago at least. It will be an uphill battle, but one worth fighting.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Yuba City, Ca.
    Posts
    2,229

    Default

    Brian,
    I like to say I grew up on the American River way before so much of this poaching and flossing started taking place. My dad and I used to walk to the river behind Cal-Expo before there was a Cal-Expo, before they built the Hwy.80 bridge crossing, or the Sunrise Bridge, or Hazel Ave. We used to drive the old DeSoto right onto the gravel coming down Pennsylvania Ave. from Fair Oaks. There were always lots of salmon then. Large Mepps spinners were the lure of choice then and they worked fine as I remember.

    We used to park on the bluff over-looking the Nimbus Dam and you could see salmon in the river then too, but not the crowds like you see today. As the Sacramento area grew so have the crowds and the problems that come with it.

    The hatchery and Nimbus Dam are the end of the road for these migrating fish so they do stack up and fishing is easy, and so is poaching with the crowds that go along with it. Obviously this area needs better control. The spawning area, but how far down?

    I think Darian had the best suggestion as to finding records for what you want. There has to be records somewhere of all the rules and regulation dates that you're asking for. Where? I haven't the foggiest idea but I think I'd start asking at the main Fish & Wildlife office. They're probably stored in some warehouse or library vault but should be available to the general public.

    These are just my thoughts out loud. I like to reminisce about the old American River and growing up there.
    Tony
    TONY BUZOLICH
    Feather River Fly
    Yuba City, CA.
    (530) 790-7180

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Coleville, CA
    Posts
    61

    Default

    Brian,
    I have some copies of old fishing regs. I would be happy to check if I have any from the period that you are interested in.
    Dick

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    alameda
    Posts
    448

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