San Francisco Area River Report 11/10/05

[Wahoo!]

Rivers: The Trinity finally got the rain it needed and jumped all the
way up to 600 cubic feet per second. It since has dropped to about 375
CFS, which pleases guide Steve Huber plenty. The lower river still might
be running high, but the upper stretch is about perfect. And the
increased flow, Huber said, is sure to have pushed more steelhead into
the system and up toward Junction City and Lewiston, where he happens to
fish. Huber goes after the fish with plugs (sardine-wrapped K-14 and
K-15 Kwikfish) and roe. There also are plenty of fly fishers on the
river, dead drifting their stonefly patterns and GloBugs. Word of
conservation: The salmon are on their redds and actively spawning.
Probably would bode well for the future if we're all careful not to
wader-walk over their eggs. Back to fishing ... On the Lower Sacramento,
the salmon fall-run is in full swing, with guides reporting near-limits
and limits of kings 18 to 25 pounds. Most of the action, or at least the
vast majority of guides, can be found from Anderson-Balls Ferry to Red
Bluff, with K-15 and K-16 Kwikfish (silver-chartreuse, sardine-wrapped)
working early, then roe the preferred bait late-morning into afternoon.
Also, there are trout. A whole lot of trout. These are local 'bows, 1-3
pounds to 6 pounds, and they really like roe and GloBugs, as they're
currently feeding on salmon eggs. Several guides are offering
salmon-trout combo trips ... Guide Bob Sparre fished the American River
at Gristmill on Wednesday. Did not so much as see a salmon jump. No fish
there yet, he said. So he loaded the boat with anglers for a night trip,
as the salmon remain stacked in the lower river. Typical night, he and
two paying customers will land as many as eight salmon (limit is a
generous three per person). Word from the water powers, though, is that
the American flows will be bumped up below Nimbus Dam, which should coax
some of the salmon upstream.

[catfishmaster]

Thanks...great report.