Spot Check
by Mikey Weir
Meandering right through the heart of California’s capital city of Sacramento is the Lower American, one of the state's best urban fisheries.
The Lower American refers to the 23-mile stretch between Nimbus Dam and its junction with the Lower Sacramento River. For being right in the heart of a major metropolis you’d be surprised at how intact the riparian belt is. It is not uncommon to see a diverse abundance of wildlife along the banks of the river including otter, raccoon, deer, trucky, coyote, fox and even the occasional bobcat or mountain lion.
There is lots of easy access to the river from the many trails and bridges and there are several easy floats with good put in and take out points along the river.
Being connected to the Delta means the Lower American has runs of a multitude of anadromous (ocean going) fish including Chinook salmon, steelhead, shad and striped bass. There is a state-run hatchery at Nimbus that supports a run of fall Chinook and winter steelhead. The river also supports a healthy population of wild trout.
Due to the different runs, different species are more abundant at different times of the year. In general, spring is a good time for half-pounder steelhead and trout. Late spring and early summer is when the shad come in. Late summer and early fall can be a good time to chase striped bass while the water temperatures are warmer. Late fall, the salmon come into the system and winter is a great time to chase adult steelhead.
With such a large watershed above it, the Lower American is subject to diverse flow regimes. The best flows for fly fishing are between 2,000 and 3,000 csf. Below 1,500 csf the fish can get a bit spooky. Above 5,000 csf, wading the river becomes dangerous and fish become more spread out.
The Lower American is a year-round fishery though there is a few-mile stretch of the upper river between Ancel Hoffman Park and Nimbus Dam that closes in the fall to accommodate the spawning salmon. Be sure to check the DFW regulations for closer times and slot limits on keeping fish. We recommend catch and release for all wild fish.