If there’s one season that I could put at the bottom of my list, it would have to be summer. Hot, muggy days are not my forte usually. Thankfully the Delta breeze kicks in most evenings so fishing is doable those particular hours.
Fishing pressure has been light in the metro Sac area as of late, simply due to the fact that Shad have almost entirely disappeared and the stripers are very thin in the system.
A group of my close friends and have been hitting miscellaneous areas on the American River almost daily. So far in the last two weeks, my four friends and I have had close to a dozen good hits and follows which has resulted in about a ½ dozen hook-ups. Four legal fish have been landed so far. Definitely not outstanding fishing but the stripers are there.
Right now with the current conditions (high flows and cold water), I would suggest throwing sub-surface plugs that run the 1 to 3 foot range, as well as swimbaits and rat-l-traps. When the flows come back down, try the same baits but also try topwater baits like zara spooks and pencil poppers. Bait fishing can be a good bet with crawdads and jumbo minnows.
Lower in the system, a few anglers have been braving the whitecaps in Rio Vista, trolling deep and shallow water plugs along the west bank for schoolie stripers. No one has been bait fishing in their boats – its pretty much a futile attempt when the winds are bad (like they are every summer).
The only other species anglers are going for in the metro Sac area is Catfish, with just about all areas kicking out fish. Again, try cut baits like anchovies, mackerel and sardines. Try fishing the Port of Sacramento, Knights Landing and the Sutter Bypass. The Locke in Walnut Grove as well as Clarksburg on the Old Sacramento River are also good places to try.
That’s it for this week. My top pick right now would be catfish. They’re plentiful, provide a good fight on light tackle and are pretty good eating too. Catch a couple and have a summer night fish fry. Fishing for me however will have to wait for a few weeks, as my schedule has gotten a bit too bloated to fit anything else.
To all, have a fun time on the banks and as always - make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.
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