It has been good...
For the month of July I have been focusing on two rivers... The Lower Sacramento for big wild rainbow trout and the Trinity River for spring-run salmon and steelhead.
Lower Sac Rainbow...
Trinity River summer-run steelhead...
(Image: Unicorns do exist in the mystical and magical Trinity River... summer steelhead fishing in flip flops & board shorts in northern CA)
On the Lower Sac I'd say it's been decent for big, wild rainbows but far from red-hot. The daily air temps sure have been red-hot though!!
We are seeing daily temps regularly hit the 100 deg mark or higher on some days. How do we stand fishing in this heat and how do the fish react to these high air temps??
Well, we just deal with it.
Fortunately, the water temps in this massive tailwater river stay COLD, like, 53 degrees cold. So, when we get a little too hot -- a quick wade session or just dipping your hat in the cold river will cool you right down. I've met few anglers who will actually go swimming in the 53 degree water. (Seanyboy and Jeff M you know who you are...)
August 1st will mark the "Re-Opening Day" on the upper section of the Lower Sac and this will provide a little boost. That upper stretch above Hwy 44 Bridge might not seem like a lot of water - but it does offer a few more good spots to hook some fish.
I think the biggest factor as to why this is an exciting time is that this section has been closed for 4 months while the winter/spring Chinook salmon spawn...those trout up there not only have had a vacation from fishing pressure - but they've been chowing on salmon eggs this entire time! They get dumb AND grow big. 2 bonus reasons to come fishing in August.
On the Trinity River it's been a very tough season for spring-run salmon. Not many fish around this summer and the water temps seem really warm as you go downriver which is making the few fish that are in the system zip through and upriver awfully quickly. But mostly there just aren't many springers around.
On the bright side, however, we have been hooking a few nice steelhead. These are wild, summer-run steelhead along with some little half pounders in the mix. These fish are aggressive and hammer things pretty well... again water temps... they are grabby. These steelhead jump a lot and will wake you up!
(Images: Jon and Mike came to fish for springers but we ended up landing more steelhead (unicorns)... 4 for 6 on this day which is a very good day steelheading during the "season" let alone in July!)
We did have a pretty solid day salmon fishing last week with some good peeps, Bill and Eileen D. They always have the fishy karma and positive mojo going and were able to limit out on king salmon and land some nice steelhead, too. Best day I've had all season and it was a complete surprise. Couldn't have happened to a nicer couple...
(A brace of nice Chinook salmon and wild steelhead C&R from the Trinity River...)
Currently, I am all booked up for July and have just a few days open in August. Contact me ASAP if you wanna get some days on the calendar to look forward to. With all the craziness going on right now spending a day floating the river and focusing your mind on the ebb and flow of the water and the sights and sounds may be just what you need. I'm grateful to be out here everyday... I'll happily share this slice of paradise with you.
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Sorry it's been a while since I have updated the blog and even posted much on the SM platforms (check out my Instagram @ReelAdventures for more weekly fishing stoke) I've sorta needed a break from it all...
The remedy was towing the family camper up to McCloud for a week of R&R along with some personal fishing and a few days guiding thrown in (still working while on vacation, haha).
It was real nice getting out of town and out of the daily schedule while resetting the mind, body and soul. I took advantage of eating off the BBQ all week long (fire+meat=can't be beat) guiltless afternoon beer(s) and allowing for some lazy days in the hammock with no agenda. The best was daily swimming sessions w/our daughter in the cold, mountain lake or river as a break from the typical shower.
What I am excited about next 2 months...
1) July 1st was the opener of salmon fishing for spring-run Chinook on the Trinity and Klamath Rivers. I will be focusing on springer season through July and into August if the run holds up... contact me for more info on this for next season - my July is pretty much booked solid right now. I will also be doing trips on the Lower Sac here in Redding. Summer caddis are blowing up and this hatch should be mega the next few months.
2) August 1st will be the re-opener of the top section of the Lower Sac (Sundial Bridge section) This is usually a great time to get back on the river!!! Having this extra beat provides more options and it doesn't hurt that the trout have been getting bigger all summer after a 4 month break from anglers. First two weeks of August will have appreciable quality fishing...
There are some really cool things happening in September as well, but we have time to discuss that later...
Walk and wade rivers... Upper Sac, McCloud, Pit River:
Contemplating swimming or fishing...McCloud River, CA
The Lower Sac will be even better after August 1st when the top reopens... I still have a few dates open.
For anglers coming into the area to fish or a fish report of sorts...
We are now into the Summer Season and as some refer to as the Dog Days of Summer. Days are LOOOONG and can get quite warm here in Northern California. Choose your fishing time wisely. There are periods of the day to focus your efforts right now. The fish eat every day - but they don't eat all day. Early mornings might be good but the late afternoon to evenings are often best and typically any time the direct sun is off the water. Chase the shadows if you are fishing the walk n wade rivers.
The exception to this is on the Lower Sac where its deep, fast and COLD water all day long. We can have fantastic fishing right in the middle of the day when the caddis are active. Although as good as it is - it'll often be even better in the evening time once the sun goes down. Dry fly fishing in the summer can be off the charts.
Please visit www.reeladventuresguideservice.com for more info...
We have been super busy these past few weeks rambling and fly fishing all over Northern California from the Upper Sac, Lower Sac, Pit River, Fall River, Shasta Lake, etc... The list of potential destinations on any given day can seem almost unlimited.
(Solitude and fresh mountain air on the Upper Sac... walk and wade paradise in gin clear water)
Our mountain freestone rivers are the place to be when the valley gets hot. The heat hasn't really hit us yet in Redding... but I assume by late June it will finally creep into the 100's eventually. It's been a very mild early summer season so far.
(Travis on another wild rainbow from the Upper Sac...)
I am pretty much booked up the rest of June and the month of July is filling up quickly. Get ahold of me asap if you wanna set some dates this summer or fall. *I am excited about many things this summer and we have some cool itineraries planned... Right now I have a lot of open dates in mid August and September... contact me to find out more about the BEST fishing options we have at this time of year.
I will be fishing the Trinity River in July for springer salmon season... along with some trips on the McCloud River, Upper Sac, and Pit River. August we will still be fishing salmon on the Trinity with a big return to the Lower Sac for the re-opener on Aug 1st. The month of September is a lot like June... Lots of options. I like Fall River, Pit River, Trinity River and of course, the Lower Sac. We will start seeing those early steelhead showing up as well.
Time to get on it and plan a trip soon!
www.ReelAdventuresGuideService.com for more info and contact
