Pram use on the American?

[Forelle]

Hello All,

I've been looking at getting a 10' Keaton or used Valco pram for using on lakes and the Fall river. I've noticed that quite a few folks posting her use them on the American too. Are folks drifting the river, from Sailor Bar down with these prams, or just putting in the lower sections with them?

I've never actually fished the lower river; are you able to motor up river in this section with the prams? And, are folks using these prams in the Delta too? Thanks for any insight.....

[Darian]

Forelle,.... I used an 8' TPL (now a Keaton) pram on the American in the upper Sunrise area for many years. Sometimes I drifted a short distance and sometimes I anchored and cast in the hole below the old Fair Oaks bridge.... The flows in the American during fall are easily handled if you're careful.

It was really good until everyone started drifting/rafting/trolling.... Not much room out there once the good fishin' starts.....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I think you could float the entire river in a good pram.

There are only two major rapids:

The one below the Sunrise Bridge a few miles is the San Juan Rapids.

The one below the Goethe Park Bridge is the Arden Rapids.

You can walk your boat around them.

First time I would have my boat lightly loaded and have a floatation vest on too.

You can come in on Sat or Sun and have Andy Guibord mark a StreamTime American River map for you.

We launch small boats with outboard motors and run certain stretches of river too.

You can launch at Gristmill and go down quite a ways then motor back to your rig.

You can launch at Howe Ave and motor up to Watt and down to the Fair Oaks Blvd near UC Sacramento.

You can launch at the mouth of the American and motor up to River Park/Cal Expo.

The entire river is 5 mph.

Joe Shirshac shuttles vehicles and trailers.

http://www.kiene.com/reports/rivers/loweramerican.shtm

There are links with info on our reports page for the river.