California’s longest river is the Sacramento, running 400 miles from the Klamath and Cascade Mountains to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Two dams form Lake Shasta and split the river into upper and lower sections. The lower 350 miles of the Sacramento runs through major cities and remote areas, while the Upper Sacramento is a smaller mountain stream.

Chinook salmon arrive in mid-summer and continue to migrate through the fall and early winter. Most weigh in at 10-30 pounds, with 40 pound fish caught every year. Peak fishing for Chinook is in October, and the legal fishing season closes in December.

Steelhead migrate up the lower river in the early winter. They typically range 8-12 pounds, with 20 pound fish possible. The majority are hatchery fish, although some wild steelhead exist and must be released immediately if caught. They feed on salmon eggs, and insect hatches in the spring.

Resident rainbow trout in the 1-7 pound size offer excellent fishing opportunities in the summertime, especially on the upper section.

Striped bass migrate into the Sacramento to spawn in the spring and early summer, weighing 3-5 pounds and up to 20 pounds. They are mostly found in deeper holes at the mouths of the American and Feather rivers.

Sturgeon, the largest freshwater fish in North America, migrate up the river around the same time as striped bass. They have been caught up to 230 pounds in the Sacramento. Check regulations for legal harvesting size.

American Shad in the 2-6 pound range can be caught in April and May in high numbers. They prefer clear and warm water.

Many other species exist in the Sacramento, including channel catfish, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.

Much of the Sacramento River parallels I-5, offering hundreds of access points for boat and shore anglers.