VOL.39 • ISS. 13
American River Facts
Location: The 23 miles of the American River from Nimbus
Dam to its junction to the mouth are located in the heart of
the Sacramento metropolitan area. The entire river is accessible
to bank anglers and boaters, since it is located in the
beautiful American River Parkway. The parkway is located in
a protected greenbelt that cuts Sacramento County in half. It
features a paved bicycle and running trail, many rest areas
and access from most neighborhoods adjacent to the river
parkway.
Fishing Season: The section from Discovery Park to
the SMUD powerline at the Southwest Boundary of Ancil
Hoffman Park, is open year round to fishing for all except for
salmon. The river above the SMUD powerline to the Hazel
Avenue Bridge is open to fishing to steelhead and other
fishing other than salmon from January 1 through October
31.
The salmon fishing season is set at the Fish and Game
Commission meeting every spring. The salmon season in
2017 runs runs from July 16 to December 31 except for the
small section of river from the Jibboom Street Bridge to
the mouth that closed on December 16. Review the California
Fresh Water Sport Fishing Regulations Booklet for
bag and possession limits, hook restrictions and additional
restrictions:
Day Use: The entrance fee for vehicles under 22 feet in
length is $5.00, except on summer holiday weekends when
the fee is $8.00. The fee for trailer or vehicle 22 or more feet
in length is $10.00 except for summer holiday weekends
when the fee is $13.00.
Annual Fees: Vehicle (private or commercial – $50.00
Motorized watercraft and trailer plus vehicle pass
– $100.00.
Boat launching: Concrete boat ramps are available at
Discovery Park, Howe Avenue, Watt Avenue and Sunrise.
Unimproved gravel launching is available at Gristmill, Ancil
Hoffman, Rossmoor and other areas on the river. The fee for
non-motorized watercraft is $3 (plus vehicle fee) and the fee
for motorized watercraft is $5 (plus vehicle fee).
Park information: www.sacparks.net, Sacramento County
Department of Regional Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Administration, 3711 Branch Center Rod, Sacramento, CA.
95827. For General Parks, Golf and Rangers Information, call
(916) 875-6961.
Fishing Information: Willfish Bait and Tackle, Auburn,
(530) 887-0839; Fisherman’s Warehouse, Sacramento, (916)
362-1200; Elkhorn Outdoor Sports, Rio Linda, (916) 991-5298;
(916) 448-6338, Sacramento Pro Tackle, (916) 925-0529.
MAP FEATURE
I-5
I-5
I-5
Sacramento Rvr
Discovery
State
Capitol
50
William
Land
Park
15th Street
Freeport Ave
Park
Sacramento
Executive
Airport
80 80
16th Street
American
North
Sacramento
Sacramento
99
160
River
80
Fruitridge Rd
Cal
Expo
Paradise
Beach
Glenn Hall
Park
Carlson
Drive
50
CSUS
65th Expressway
Cadilac
Drive
Del Paso Park
80
McClellan
Park
El Camino Blvd
Howe Avenue
Northrup
Pwer Inn Rd
Arden Way
Blvd
Guy West
Bridge
La Riviera
Dr
Marconi Blvd
Sacramento
Army
Depot
Fishing Notes:
June 12, 2020
American River
Discovery Park to
Ancil Hoffman Park
Watt Avenue
Salmon Falls
Park
S.Watt
Avenue
Carmichael
Unimproved Ramp
At Gristmill Area
Recommend 4WD
American River
Mira del Rio
Rosemont
Arden
Bar
Gristmill
Area
16
Goethe
Park
Ancil
Hoffman
Park
William B. Pond Co
Recreation Area
Folsom Blvd
Rancho
Cordova
• Fishing in the American from Discovery Park to the SMUD powerline crossing the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park is open year round, although
the section above the powerline is closed to all fishing from November 1 through December 31.
• Striped Bass are found throughout the lower American year round, but the best fishing is in spring and summer. Bank anglers and boaters use top water
lures including Pencil Poppers and Zara Spooks early and late in the day. During the day, bait fishing is the top method. Anchor fishing with live minnows and
cut anchovies and sardines is the most popular method for boaters. Back trolling, trolling and pitching live and dead bait is highly effective, particularly when
the water is low and clear.
• King Salmon The salmon fishing season is set at the Fish and Game Commission meeting every spring. In 2014, the salmon season ran from July 16 to
December 31 except for the small section of river from the Jibboom Street Bridge to the mouth that closed on December 16.
• Steelhead fishing is best in the late fall, winter and spring. Use nightcrawlers, roe, spinners, spoons, Glo Bugs and a variety of flies in the riffles and runs.
• Largemouth Bass provide a sleeper fishery from Watt Avenue to the mouth. Toss out crawdad crankbaits, plastic worms and live bait in the cuts around
structure.
• Other Species found in the river include American Shad (May through July). Bluegill, Channel Catfish and an occasional Smallmouth Bass
Bradshaw Road
21
Rossmoor
Bar
Mather
Park &
Airport
the American at times anglers don’t target
them. The peak time in the American is
from early May to the July 4th weekend,
but they can be found in the river both
earlier and later in the year.
This point became clear in early
March of 1968, when a friend and I went
steelhead fishing at Ancil Hoffman Park.
We saw the guy right next to us catch
three shad on three consecutive casts
while he retrieved a spinner for steelhead.
On another day many years later, former
fishing guide Barry Watson observed a
large school of shad in Nimbus Basin in
January.
The most recent shad-specific study I’m
aware of was conducted by then CDFW
fishery biologist Frank Fisher in 1979.
He remarked that they trapped shad in
different life stages moving through the
Delta throughout the period of the study.
An earlier gill net and trawl survey from
September 1963 through August 1963
by Don Stevens of the CDFW concluded
that shad were abundant in the Delta only
during their spawning migration.
“The Sacramento and Mokelumne River
systems supported larger runs than the
San Joaquin River,” said Stevens. “There
is evidence that while most shad spawned
far upstream, some spawned in several
areas in the Delta itself The catch and
gonad maturation data suggest that a large
percentage of the adults die shortly after
spawning, although
there is also evidence
that some spent shad
do migrate seaward.”
Not only are shad
caught at times in
the winter or early
spring by surprised
anglers, but anglers
will also hook
spawned-out shad on the American as
late as October.
Little is known about their migrations
at sea in California waters, though NOAA
Fisheries has observed, from the capture
of migrating shad at sea, that shad on the
West Coast are a coastal fish that stays
near the continental shelf.
“Their life at sea is poorly understood
but their ability to return to their
original spawning ground is known
to be exceptional,” according to UC
Davis. “In the fall, mature shad (3-4
years old for males and 4-5 years old
for females) return to estuaries where
their bodies transition to the fresh water
environment.” (http://calfish.ucdavis.edu/
species/?uid=4&ds=241)
There is no doubt that shad are a unique
fish that provide exciting action for shore
anglers and boaters using darts, jigs and
flies on the American and other rivers in
the spring.
NOTHING SAYS
FATHER’S DAY
LIKE FISHIN’!
TRACKER PRO GUIDE V175
Lots of big shad like this one are caught by anglers on the American
River on shad jigs and flies every spring.
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
3913
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