Other than Steelhead, Salmon, Stripers and Shad what have you caught?

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the Lower America River?

There are also suckers, squawfish and LMB (in the slow water).

[Tony Buzolich]

I've taken a fair number of Smallmouth over the years.
Tony
p/s ... and lamprey too if you want to count those.

[OrthoAngler]

I have caught smallmouth as well (while fishing for stripers).

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Where have you caught Smallmouth in the Lower American River?

[OrthoAngler]

I was around the bridges near Sutter's Landing. As I think about it, maybe they were hybridized spots? They had red eyes, and their jaws did not extend back as far as the eye. I should have paid more attention, but was looking for stripers.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

where is Sutter's Landing?

[OrthoAngler]

A few miles up stream from Tiscornia. There is a railroad bridge, and the Capitol Expressway bridge near by.

[Tony Buzolich]

My first one that I can remember was taken right in the riffles at upper Paradise Beach. I was fishing for steelhead and this was quite a surprise.
Later, and over the years I'd often pick one up while fishing for striped bass mostly lower down in the river. I remember that rock wall below Paradise and above the highway bridge. Between and around the bridges coming out of North Sacramento and Hwy.160. Any of those rocky areas held bass ( and stripers too) . There were always lots of crayfish there and both fish loved them.
Tony

Now that I think of it, I've caught more blackbass (LMB,SMB, and spotted) while NOT fishing for them. I've always been after stripers and these other bass just show up incidentally.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Tony and OrthoAngler,

I would guess there would be some down below Hwy 80/Cal-Expo area.



All the Valley rivers had lots of Smallmouth in them before all the dams, when they were warmer rivers.

Before all the dams in California, the Lower American River was a famous smallmouth bass fishery.

Jack McLoughlin, USMC WWII, Sacto City firefighter, as a teenager used to guide people on the Lower American River for SMB.

[Mr T]

I used to fish right above the 160 bridge and do pretty well for smallish bass, red eyes, so I thought they were smallmouth.