american salmon

[Ed Wahl]

the big push has finally arrived, salmon moving through at goethe park fairly regularly now. if you've never hooked one on a fly rod you really must come down and check it out. be prepared, it gets kinda crowded but normally a good bunch of people. yeehaw. chasing them down the rapids is such a rush.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Ed.

They are really late this Fall. October is usually our big month.

Be sure to fish somewhere below Ancil Hoffman Park on the lower Americanriver becuase the upper part is closed till Jan 1st.

I think the river has plenty of Salmon and Steelhead in it right now.

If you want to see some fresh Salmon caught go to the Goethe park Bridge and take a look. Like Ed says it is a little crowded but exciting to see.

[Adam Grace]

This salmon season is weird. I heard that people are still pulling'em out of the bay! Go figure!

Good luck with those American River Salmon!

[mike N]

Hey Ed,

It was nice fishing next to you this afternoon.

Shall our rods be returned promplty.

Miken

[Ed Wahl]

It's nice to put a face to a name. with any luck the fish gods are appeased. for the benefit of everyone else, our rods were'nt confiscated or stolen, they were broken. met miken yesterday evening on the river while salmon fishing.turns out we're both using back up rods and we broke our main rods at the same spot doing the same boneheaded thing.gotta cut mike some slack, but i broke one there before and should have known better. i gotta keep reciting my mantra, don't treat it like a trout, don't treat it like a trout. hah, fun stuff.

[Jgoding]

Hey Ed,

What flies do you use for salmon on the American??

thanks,

Jeff

[Ed Wahl]

he jeff, i use a simple egg size bead melted onto the shank of a hook. if you fish at goethe park you'll lose a lot of flies so the cheaper the flie the better. i've lost over a dozen a day several times. there's a lot of large cement chunks in the run but most of our snags are on lost mono & gear from the spin fishermen. you going down there? ed

[Jgoding]

Hi Ed,

I usually fish about a mile down from the bridge or so. A couple of nice runs and rapids down there but I was thinking about trying for some Salmon as I've seen them coming through. I will be out there today around 4pm hopefully. Probably go for steelies but I might throw an egg pattern around, but I only have my 6wt.... my 8wt, I only have a shooting head but I guess I could throw an ESL.

Jeff

[Ed Wahl]

an 8 wt. and shooting head is all you need. fish the top of the arden rapids, right at the top. the salmon coming up the rapids will often stop at the top and hold there for a little while. if i can get off work a little early i'll shoot down there. good luck. ed

[Jgoding]

Arden Rapids... is that where all the bait guys line up?? Right below the bridge?? I went a bit lower, about 12 guys down there in my second favorite run right before some rapids. I see the two same guys there each time I go out throwing spinners or something at fish shooting up some shallow rapids.... A bunch of guys below them and a bunch above, no one caught anything as far as I could see. Saw a few skunks swimming around and shooting up the rapids too. One scared the Sh$% out of me as it was getting dark and all of a sudden I see a big white "stick" brushing by my leg... well it wasn't no stick but a big ol skunky male I think with all that white stuff growing on his back... poor guy...

I think I know where to fish but it's hard with all the bait/gear guys who camp the damn runs all day... it's like they aren't even catching anything but they setup so no one else can work the area...

Personally, i think it's fun to watch the fish though so it's still a fun trip.