Sacramento River Fishing Report

The Sac River striper bite is really turning on. Fish are pushing up from the Delta and spreading throughout the system, with awesome action reported around Clarksburg. Anchovies are doing most of the damage, full chunks, especially early in the morning before the bite slows down mid-morning. Swimbaits and ribbon-tail worms are also getting bit. Shakers are still thick, but keepers, and even a few big ones, are starting to mix in. Bank anglers are scoring at spots like Bryte Beach and Garcia Bend, but high water has made access tricky in some areas. Water clarity is improving, and the next week could be prime, especially if the weather holds

Stripers are staging at Sherman Island, with fish stacking up on the north side, according to YouTube angler FishTherapy. Drifting swimbaits and lures has been productive, but bait is still the better option in the muddy water. At Knight’s Landing, stripers are holding in shallow areas near structure, ambushing bait and staying out of the main current. Live bait, cut bait, and swimbaits are getting grabs, but expect snags to be an issue. With flows dropping and water clearing, the bite should improve as fish push upriver in the coming weeks.

Check out his video for more specifics.

According to guide Justin Thompson, the Lower Sacramento River near Redding is in prime shape right now. Flows out of Shasta Dam have settled at 20,000 cfs, creating ideal conditions. The fishing has been outstanding side drifting bait, with anglers landing numbers of 4- to 7-pound rainbows and steelhead. Thompson reports landing 64 fish with a recent group over two days, and they had the river all to themselves. With sunny skies and 70-degree temps in the forecast, nows the time to hit the water.