Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3718 Aug 17-31 | Page 19

Marconi Av El 1 Bryte Broderick 3 Lake Washington Fair Oa d Blv Watt Ave 50 Howe Ave 50 Fruitridge Road 99 160 Florin Rd Parkway 160 Florin Meadowview Rd Gerber Rd Freeport Sheldon Rd 160 5 Laguna West Elk Grove Blvd Bond Rd Elk Grove Rd Courtland by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). “At the Santa Rosa meeting, I put this question to Michael O’Far- rell: In the past when you have jack returns of around 24,375 fish like we saw in 2017, how man three- year olds would show the following year?” “O’Farrell said anywhere from 200,000 to 1 million fish would show the following year,” noted McManus. “Everybody in the room gasped. They realized the forecast developed this year had consided the lowest rung of possible out- comes.” McManus noted that the charter boat fleet has reported catching early limits off the coast since the beginning of the season. “We have to consider many of the fish they are hooking are two-year-old fish. The big number of two-year-olds showing now is largely because of the high flows of 2017. Remember that it set re- cords,” observed McManus. “One good sign also is that we’re seeing a real variety of fish This angler successfully battled this hard-fighting from 18 to 22 inches, suggesting Chinook on the Sacramento River in the metropolitan that fish aren’t coming from a single area during a trolling adventure with Captain Monte source. This suggests they are Smith last fall. coming from a number of different Photo courtesy of GOLD COUNTRY SPORTFISHING, Oakdale. rivers and tributaries throughout California. Only time will tell. numbers of fish that anglers are fishing on That’s an optimistic sign,” said McManus. McManus also noted that there is a the river. John McManus, President of the Gold- “pretty good” showing of three-year old fish 10 pounds and over on the ocean. en Gate Salmon Association, attributes “These fish were born at end of the the surprisingly good showing of salmon drought in 2015 and into the early part of on the ocean to two major factors: good 2016. Those fish had benefits of the 2016 downriver flows during the winter and late winter and spring rains that broke the spring in 2016 and 2017 and a change in drought here in Northern California,” said hatchery salmon smolt release procedures McManus. 6 N. Stone Lake Hood klin d o Ho 99 Franklin Fran Rd Launch Ramp Key Isla nne 99 4 Fishing Notes • Striped Bass offer the most consistent fishing during March, April and early May, but they can be caught in the Sacramento River year round. Fish sardines, pileworms and jumbo minnows. When the water is relatively clear, boaters can troll with Rapalas, Rebels and Bombers on spreaders with wormtail jigs. The Port of Sacramento and Sacramento Deep Water channel offer a unique striper fishery in the late fall and winter months. Bank fishermen drift live minnows and toss out wormtail jigs and plugs for the stripers. • American Shad follow the striped bass in Ri ve April, May and June. Hot spots for shad r include Discovery Park, Miller Park, the Minnow Hole and the Freeport area. Lots of bank fishing access can be found on the Sacramento County side of the river. • King Salmon Season begins on July 16, but the peak of the run is from 84 September through mid-December. The Clarksburg Rd stretch from Garcia Bend to Clarksburg can be particularly productive for trollers using Kwikfish, Flatfish and spinners. Clarksburg Shore fishermen find success with Mepps #5, Blue Fox and homemade spinners. • White Sturgeon offer decent action from Freeport to Courtland in the winter and early spring, both shore and boat fishing are productive. The best baits are Central Av ghost shrimp, eel and pileworms. • White and Channel Catfish provide the Hamilton Rd top sport in the summer and fall when Greendale water temperatures are at their warmest. Fishing from a boat is most productive, since you can fish the deep holes that catfish like to hold in. Mackerel, anchovies, sardines, crawdads and chicken livers are en all good baits. acram S Courtland Rd along the • Smallmouth Bass can be found rip-rap of this entire section of river. Toss out plastic worms and crankbaits in 160 crawdad patterns during the spring and summer. ks Sacramento 160 Port of Sacramento Turning Basin Arden Way River 50 80 160 Camino Av American 2 West Sacramento 80 Salmon Fishing Regulations: The salmon fishing sea- son is set at the California Fish and Game Commission meeting every April after the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopts the ocean salmon fishing regulations. The salmon season in 2018 runs from July 16 to December 16 except on the Sacramento River and on the American from the Jibboom Street Bridge to the mouth. The daily bag limit is one salmon and the total possession limit is two fish this season. Review the California Fresh Water Sport Fishing Regulations Booklet and Supplement for more information. Discovery Park/American River Parkway 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 and Howe Avenue in the American River Parkway and at the Broderick Boat Tramp, Miller Park Re- gional Park and Garcia Bend on the Sacramento River. Park information: www.sacparks.net, Sacramento Coun- ty Department of Regional Parks, Recreation and Open Space Administration, 3711 Branch Center Road, Sacra- mento, CA. 95827. For General Parks, Golf and Rangers Information, call (916) 875-6961. Fishing Information: Fisherman’s Warehouse, Sacra- mento, (916) 362-1200; Elkhorn Outdoor Sports, Rio Linda, (916) 991-5298; Broadway Bait Rod & Gun, Sacramento, (916) 448-6338, Sacramento Pro Tackle, (916) 925-0529. Fishing Guides: Guides are available for king salmon, striped bass, steelhead and shad fishing during the dif- ferent seasons. Guides available for salmon fishing in the river in the metropolita