Wild Rainbows Offer Top Sport Until July 16 Salmon Opener

posted in: Reports, Rivers and Streams | 0
This angler was all smiles after landing and releasing this huge Sacramento River brown trout during a spring trout fishing adventure. The fish couldn’t lay off a Dick Nite Spoon.

Temperatures are soaring in the upper reaches of the Sacramento Valley and that means it’s time the hit the Sacramento River for epic wild rainbow action.

Both Mike Bogue of Mike Bogue’s Guide Service and Kirk Portocarrero of SacRiverGuide.Com report good to very good rainbow fishing on the Sacramento River below Redding.

Bogue’s clients have been catching rainbow up to and beyond the three pound mark on a variety of plugs and baits. Bogue typically starts the day working runs with back trolled crankbaits. Later on he explores deeper areas with both Pautzke curred roe and Pautzke Salmon Eggs.

Portocarrero is offing both fly and conventional tackle trips for rainbows that average 14 inches and range up to 20 plus. When using spinning gear, Kirk’s clients are scoring with a combination of egg imitations and small spoons.

A lot of anglers are wondering how the river salmon fishing is going to be when the season opens on July 16?

Of course no one knows, but there have been some positive signs. Salmon have been spotted in the Red Bluff area and some have already been caught and released by anglers trolling for stripers in the Delta. All in all, things are looking good with salmon in the ocean and plenty of water in the river.

If you’d like to fish during the opening week, give Bogue or Portocarrero a call, as spots tend to book up quickly.