Sacramento River, CA

About Sacramento River

The Sacramento River is California's largest river and the backbone of the state's anadromous fishery, running roughly 400 miles from the slopes near Mount Shasta down through the Central Valley to its meeting with the San Joaquin in the Delta and San Francisco Bay. For anglers it is really several distinct fisheries stitched together: the cold, clear upper river below Shasta and Keswick dams around Redding; the broad, slower middle reaches through Tehama, Glenn and Colusa counties; and the lower tidal river near Sacramento that blends into the Delta. Few rivers in the country offer this much variety in a single watershed.

It is best known as a salmon and steelhead river. The Sacramento carries the largest runs of Chinook (king) salmon in California, including the famous fall run, plus winter, spring and late-fall runs, and it produces some of the West Coast's most reliable river salmon fishing. Below that headline fishery sits a deep bench of other gamefish: hard-fighting striped bass that run up from the bay, enormous white sturgeon, wild rainbow trout in the upper river, American shad in spring, and a strong warmwater population of smallmouth bass, largemouth and panfish. That combination is why the river draws everyone from fly anglers drifting the Redding stretch to trollers and bait-soakers working the lower river.

Fish Species

The Sacramento holds a genuinely deep species list. The standouts that make the river famous are:

• Chinook (king) salmon — the marquee fish, with multiple runs through the year and the heart of the fall fishery. Fish in the teens to twenties are common and larger kings show up every season.
• Steelhead — sea-run rainbow trout that ascend the river primarily in fall and winter; a prized, hard-fighting target for fly and gear anglers in the upper and middle river.
• Striped bass — migratory predators that push up from San Francisco Bay and the Delta, especially in spring, offering excellent trolling and bait fishing in the lower and middle river.
• White sturgeon — the river's giants, with fish well over 6 feet possible; a catch-and-release-minded trophy fishery in the lower, tidal sections.

Other strong options include wild rainbow trout in the cold tailwater around Redding (one of the best trout stretches in the state), American shad during the spring run, smallmouth bass in the rocky upper and middle river, plus largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie in slower backwaters and the lower river.

Best Seasons & Times

Spring is one of the busiest windows. American shad surge upriver, striped bass move up from the bay to spawn, and the upper-river trout fishing turns on with insect hatches. Mornings and evenings fish best as water temperatures climb.

Summer favors the cold upper river around Redding, where dam releases keep water temperatures ideal for trout and smallmouth even when the valley is baking. Fish early and late in the day; midday can still produce in the shaded, fast water. Lower in the system, summer is slower and best in low light.

Fall is prime time and what most anglers plan around. The fall Chinook run brings fresh, aggressive kings into the river, drawing trollers and bank anglers. Steelhead numbers build as the weather cools. The first half of fall, with dropping temperatures and stable flows, is often the sweet spot.

Winter is the steelhead and trophy-fish season. Steelhead fishing in the upper and middle river can be excellent on cold, clear days, and the lower tidal river produces sturgeon, especially after rain stirs the system and pushes flows up. Dress for cold and fish through the warmer midday hours in winter.

Across all seasons, low-light periods at dawn and dusk consistently outproduce bright midday, and a falling barometer or the days right after a flow bump can trigger strong bites for salmon, stripers and sturgeon.

Techniques & Baits

Technique depends heavily on which fishery and which stretch you target:

• Salmon — Boat anglers troll or back-troll plugs and roe, back-bounce cured salmon roe through holding water, and drift fish with roe or roe-and-bead combinations. Boondogging (drifting roe near the boat) is popular in the lower river during the fall run. Bank anglers do well with cured roe, spinners, and large spoons in deeper runs and tailouts.
• Steelhead — Drift fishing with roe, beads, and nightcrawlers; swinging flies and nymphing under an indicator in the upper river; and pulling plugs from a drift boat. Egg patterns and small nymphs shine when salmon are spawning and steelhead key on loose eggs.
• Striped bass — Trolling deep-diving plugs and large swimbaits, casting jigs and topwater in spring, and bait fishing with cut bait, sardines, or live bait near structure and current seams.
• White sturgeon — Heavy gear with bait anchored on or near the bottom; productive baits include grass shrimp, eel, and roe, fished in deeper holes of the tidal river, often best after rain raises and colors the water.
• Trout and smallmouth (upper river) — Fly anglers nymph with mayfly, caddis, and egg patterns and fish dries during hatches; spin anglers do well with small spinners, soft plastics, and crankbaits along rocky banks and riffles.
• Shad — Small bright darts, shad flies, and tiny spoons fished near the bottom in moving water during the spring run.

Match your presentation to flow and clarity: brighter, larger offerings in high or stained water, and more natural, subtle baits when the river is low and clear.

Access & Launches

The Sacramento River is a long, public waterway with a wide range of access. The upper river around Redding is popular with wade and drift-boat anglers and is well served by public launches and parks; guided drift-boat trips are common there. Through the middle valley around Tehama, Corning, Hamilton City, Colusa and the surrounding counties, there are public boat ramps, county and state river-access points, and bank-fishing spots tied to parks and bridges. The lower, tidal river near Sacramento and into the Delta offers numerous marinas, public ramps, and shoreline access, and connects to the broader Delta system.

Because the river spans so many jurisdictions, access varies by reach — some launches are paved public ramps, others are seasonal or primitive. A drift boat or jet boat opens up the most water in the upper and middle river, while the lower river fishes well from larger boats. Always confirm current ramp conditions, seasonal closures, and any day-use fees before you go, and respect private property along the banks.

Regulations & Licenses

A valid California fishing license is required for anyone 16 and older, and salmon and steelhead fishing carries additional requirements — most notably a salmon/steelhead report card that must be filled out as you fish. Regulations on the Sacramento are detailed and change frequently: there are season dates, specific open and closed river sections, gear restrictions (such as barbless-hook and bait rules in certain reaches), and species-specific slot, size, and bag limits that differ for salmon, steelhead, striped bass, and sturgeon.

Sturgeon in particular are tightly regulated with a slot limit and harvest reporting, and seasons for salmon can open, close, or be restricted within a single year based on run management. Before every trip, check the current California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations for the specific stretch you plan to fish, and verify any in-season emergency changes for salmon and sturgeon. When in doubt, practice careful catch-and-release, especially for wild steelhead and large sturgeon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time of year to fish the Sacramento River?
It depends on your target. Fall is prime for Chinook salmon and the building steelhead run, spring is excellent for striped bass and shad, summer is best for trout and smallmouth in the cold upper river near Redding, and winter is the season for steelhead and trophy sturgeon. Across the board, dawn and dusk are the most productive times of day.

What fish is the Sacramento River most famous for?
It is most famous for Chinook (king) salmon — the river carries California's largest salmon runs, including the renowned fall run. It is also a top destination for steelhead, striped bass, and white sturgeon, plus a world-class wild rainbow trout fishery in the upper river around Redding.

Do I need a special license or card to fish for salmon and steelhead?
Yes. Beyond a standard California fishing license for anglers 16 and older, salmon and steelhead anglers are required to carry and fill out a salmon/steelhead report card while fishing. Always check current California Department of Fish and Wildlife rules, since seasons, open sections, and gear restrictions change and can be adjusted in-season.

Can you fish the Sacramento River from the bank, or do you need a boat?
You can do both. There is solid bank and wade fishing, especially in the upper river around Redding and at parks, bridges, and public access points through the valley. That said, a drift boat or jet boat dramatically expands your water in the upper and middle river, and larger boats are common on the lower, tidal river for salmon, stripers, and sturgeon.