Sacramento Info?

[Bonsaiboy]

Hope it's ok to inquire here about fishing in the Sacramento area. I have been offered a position in Davis, Ca and was wondering if anyone had any first hand experience fishing in that area. I know I can do a google search and research it on my own, which I am, but just wanted to here from someone who has some experience fishing in that area. Thanks
-Bonsaiboy
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[Tin-Can]

Get out to where the Sacto River empties into the estuary. Can be outstanding Striper fishing there
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[MisterCompletely]

I'm from Sacramento area, but moved to Utah in 1975. During the spring and fall striper runs I was on the river almost daily. I'm told that the runs aren't as big as they were then, but I don't know. There is also sturgeon fishing, mostly early spring, and salmon fishing in the Sacramento and American Rivers, and even some steelhead to be caught. Oh, and shad in the American. But the stripers are the big draw, and extremely addicting.

I used to love to drive down to San Pablo Bay and get on a party boat for the stripers too, or you can go to the Berkeley Marina and go for stipers in San Fran Bay, or king salmon or bottom fishing outside of the bay ("deep sea").
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[Lonnie]

There is excellent fishing of all variety's. The above mentioned, there is great high country trout in the sierra's' Your an hour from clear lake which is one of the top large mouth bass lakes in the country. There is some wild trout areas on the sacremento river near willis (north of sac.)
And one of my favorites out there was Hat creek wild trout stretch in lasson county to the north.There is also a Lake alminore north of valejo and NW from davis that has excellent trout fishing for large trout, and it has a land lock strain of salmon related to king salmon that can be fun.Bottom line is , don't let fishing sway your dicision, the fishing there is actually much better.
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[Bonsaiboy]

Thanks for the info
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[Bonsaiboy]

Thanks for the info. Fishing for striper will be a first for me and looks like I'll have fun doing it.
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[Bonsaiboy]

Glad to hear of the variety. I'm not in the position to let the fishing decide either way, but it's good to hear that I'll enjoy it.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I lived in Sacramento for several years...right on the American River near Rancho Cordova. I could walk over the river levee and catch shad this time of year and then steelhead beginning late summer. Then salmon from early fall through winter. And if you timed it right...when the hatchery at Nimbus dumped in the steelhead and salmon smolts...you can fish down below the hatchery with a big rainbow trout pattern Rapala and catch stripers that were up in the river dining on salmonids.

Catfish and stripers all up and down the Sacramento. The junction of the American and Sacramento...at Discovery Park...was a great place for stripers and for salmon as they headed upstream. Also good for shad about now.

Then there is the shipping channel that runs from San Francisco Bay to Sacramento. Cats and stripers in there most of the time. And lots of canals and side channels up above Sacramento. Hit the Dunnigan Slough at Knight's Landing for crappies, bass, catfish and even stray salmon and sturgeon. Sometimes some good sturgeon right off the bank at Knight's Landing.

The Yuba and Feather Rivers up north of Sacramento have good trout, smallmouth bass, salmon and steelhead...in season. Shad too. Great on flyrods.

I also spent a lot of time hiking in the Desolation Wilderness area up by Tahoe. Squint your eyes and you would swear you are in the Uintas. Great fishing in the small lakes for a variety of trout species.

Plenty of good bass lakes...large and small. Spend the time to learn the location of some farm ponds and butter up the owners for some fantastic fishing.

Head south for some of the super bass and crappie action on many other lakes.

I used to say that Sacramento wasn't much...but it was right in the middle of a lot of good fishing within an hour or so any any direction.
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[Tin-Can]

First place I ever fished as a kid was Yuba River off the levies outside Yuba City (1961 - 62). Then was stationed at Beale AFB in 1975-77 and fished the Yuba County Gold fields north of the base. Could pay $5.00 and get in to fish or pan for gold all day (or both) Was some pretty good LM Bass in there. Haven't been back there since 1977 when I moved to N. Carolina.
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[Henries8]

I was born and raised in Vallejo just a short drive down I-80 west of Davis. I am really surprised no one has yet mentioned Lake Berryessa which if I recall correctly is probably the closest bass lake to where you are located. It is definitely closer than Clear Lake. It has a good population of Crappie, Largemouth, Trout, Catfish, and Blue Gill. I believe there is also Smallmouth in there but I never fished for them while I was there. I do remember you could use live bait on the lake to target fish but not sure if that is still in place.
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[MisterCompletely]

Yeah, I noticed right away when I came to Utah that there are no bait shops! In Cal, we bought our bait at a bait shop, be it live minnows of whatever size you wanted, or live clams, and all sorts of things. The reason I mention that is the bait shops would be a great place to start to get local info on the fishing.
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[night_flyguy]

Give RJ Waldron a call. He's the guide I fish with when I'm out there. Caught my first striper on a fly with him years ago. http://nwindoutfitters.com/
Try and work out a deal, like a last minute booking or have him call you if he has a cancellation.
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[UTBASS]

It's my home. You will fall in love with that area! There are several lakes , rivers and ponds you need to be aware of but the ones I am most in love with are Folsom Lake, Camp Farr West Reservoir and the Sacramento River. The two lakes are chuck full of crappie, largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, cannel cat and stocked rainbows. The river has all of the above and more!
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I loved Folsom Lake while I lived there. But I was heartbroken when I went back for a visit last year and saw all of the growth and development around it since I lived there. Actually got lost trying to find it.

And have you seen pictures of what it looks like right now...after the prolonged drought? Just a trickle down the middle of a big mud flat. It got like that back in 1977 too...but it came back strong when it refilled...just like a new lake.

Amazing the bass fishing in the canals and backwaters of the Sacramento delta area too. Miles and miles of water full of fish...and very few people molesting them. Good tule dipping on the main river too...during the right tides.
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