Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3903 Jan 17-31 2020 | Page 16

14 Jan 17-31, 2020 MAP FEATURE VOL.39 • ISS.3 The steelhead season began on the upper section of the American River on New Year’s Day below the Nimbus Fish Hatchery with the usual large crowd of anglers in pursuit of steelhead. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. American River Steelhead Season Off to Tough Start for Most T he opening of the steelhead season in the upper section of the American River in Sacramento County was slow for most, but some experienced shore anglers fishing below the Nimbus Fish Hatchery found solid results on the opener. As usual, a very large crowd of anglers showed up on the opener to get their chance at catching a big, bright steelhead. Many reported catching nothing, but some anglers did well. Anthony Windom of Sacramento reported good fishing on opening morning, landing a beautiful 9 lb. buck as well losing other fish while fishing a jig. “I saw a lot of people hook up this morning,” said Windom. “There were good numbers of fish showing in the river below the hatchery yesterday.” Rod Durrett traveled from Placerville to catch a pretty 19 inch steelhead while using an orange bead under a float. Art and Angela Maslyanka of Citrus HArt of Citrus Heights and his wife, Angela Maslyanka, had a great morning fishing below the hatchery. Angela caught and released one 9 lb. steelhead and kept another one around 3 pounds while drifting beads under bobbers, while Art Angela Maslyanka caught and released this big steelhead on January 1 while using a bead under a float on the American River below Nimbus Fish Hatchery. Photo by ROLAND ASPIRAS, Fish Sniffer Staff. landed a bright 6 lb. steelhead. “Besides the three fish landed by Art and Angela, I saw five other fish landed on the opener below the hatchery,” said Roland Aspiras, Fish Sniffer staffer. “I had one hook up myself, but lost it. I’d call it a fair opener.” Boaters reported tough fishing from Sailor Bar to Sunrise. “We had one grab while pulling plugs and then nothing after that,” said Jerry Lampkin of TNG Motor Sports Guide Service. “I saw at least five fish landed while going downriver. The best action was reported by one fly fishermen that caught and released two adult steelhead. There were a lot more salmon in the river than we normally see this time of year.” On December 31, Nimbus Fish Hatchery staff reported trapping 76 steelhead and spawned 9 pairs, the first spawn of the year, according to Gary Novak, hatchery manager. In contrast, last season the hatchery had trapped adult 447 Eel River- strain hatchery steelhead prior to the opener. Anthony Windom of Sacramento started the New Year the right way by There have bagging this hefty steelhead on the American River. Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff. been some openers where no 2019 arrived in the river in November and fish have been caught and others where December. big numbers of fish have been caught “2019 was a good year to view salmon below the hatchery. The best opener I at the hatchery. In all, about 11,500 fish ever witnessed was in 2002, when most came up the ladder this fall,” according anglers I talked to caught their one fish to Nimbus Fish Hatchery. “That is good limits. I fished for less than 30 minutes news for the commercial ocean salmon that morning, hooking a salmon and two fishery that relies on hatchery production steelhead, keeping one 10 lb. bright fish for a large portion of its catch. “ mid-morning after three other anglers “In-river, we saw a somewhat late let me fish their spot after each but overall average spawning year. Hopefully colder water temperatures over the winter will provide the conditions needed for the incoming steelhead to spawn, hatch and grow in the coming months. Keep an eye out for steelhead in the river and ladder between now and the end of February,” according to the hatchery. 2019 was a banner year for steelhead on took the American when the river was fishable. home a The facility trapped a total of 2912 quality steelhead, including 258 half pounders and 2754 adults, according to Novak. steelhead. “It was the second best year run over the The salmon were late past decade, only exceeded by the 3409 this year, so that’s why roe steelhead that we counted in 2018,” said imitations worked on the Novak. opener - and why anglers found The hatchery staff took a total of slow Chinook fishing most of the 1,225,000 eggs in the winter of 2019 to fall. Most of the salmon run in