My column of two weeks ago forecast salmon coming into the Sacramento River system on the high tides associated with the full moon. This did not materialize to any meaningful extent. I blame the high water temps and low flows in the valley rivers for my failed prediction. The salmon wisely stayed outside the Golden Gate.

There have been some anglers on the water prospecting for salmon but a fish for an entire day on the water is the best that I have heard reported. Justin Leonard (Out Cast Guide Service) fished a couple of days at the Oroville Wildlife Area in the last week. The first day there was one other boat trailer in the parking lot and his was the only rig on the other day he fished. The parking lot count says it all, with regard to fishing for salmon.

Ten days ago there were salmon at Verona where the Feather and Sacramento Rivers join. Since then there were fish spotted moving up the lowest stretch of the Feather River. Not big numbers but some salmon.

Tom Page (Reel Anglers Fly Shop) has been down on the Lower Yuba regularly, floating the river for trout. This past weekend he noticed the first salmon of the season in the Yuba. Last year at this time there were good numbers of salmon in the system.

The salmon out in the ocean have to come in at some point. There are great reports of ocean salmon from British Columbia down to the Bay Area. Going out on the Pacific is your best bet currently.

In the meantime some of the salmon guides are on the Delta trolling for stripers. Last winter there were few stripers to be found on the Delta but this summer they have been plentiful. The lower end of the Delta has been fishing well on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin sides. These are your best bet for a big fish in freshwater.

In the Sierra, stream trout fishing is an early morning pursuit at best. The water is then at its daily low temp. Once the sun gets onto the water and the temps rise, the stress of being fought can easily result in the fish dying, even if it swims away. It won’t be long and the shorter days and cooler nights will turn this around. In the heat of the summer the stream side vegetation transpires a lot of water to keep cool. Once the air cools off in the autumn, the trees reduce the amount of water they use. Stream flows can actually increase with cool weather, without rain. Be patient, summer is on the downhill slide.

The kokanee fishing is nearing the end of the season. On Bullard’s Bar the mature kokanee are migrating towards the mouth of the North Yuba. The other close fishery is Stampede near Truckee. Stampede is still producing fish but they are in the process of getting ready to spawn as well.

Eagle Lake near Susanville is still producing rainbow trout. The water temp is 72 degrees from the surface down to 35 feet, finally getting to the mid 60s at the bottom in 70 feet of water. There is an algae bloom starting at 6′ below the surface and extending down from there. The top 6 feet is relatively clear water. The main determinant of fish location in the heat of summer is dissolved oxygen. The coolest depths are oxygen depleted relative to the needs of rainbow trout.

In the last ten days the night time lows dropped from the 40’s into the high 30’s for three days. As we get into September the 30’s will become the rule and the lake will begin the slow process of cooling down.

Val Aubrey has been doing well fishing the depths of 8′ to 12 ‘ in the upper layers of the green algae. Thomas Buoyant spoons in red/gold and red/copper have been the top lures. The smaller sizes have been more effective.

The annual tui chub minnow hatch began in early August and is still ongoing. The schools of these minnows are a main food for the trout. The trout will get underneath the school and drive it toward the surface. The pelicans then come down from above to feed. These birds are a good indicator for locating trout. Val has seen this quite frequently over the submerged rock piles in the lake.

Based on her decades of fishing Eagle Lake, Val has noticed that at Labor Day weekend the predominant wind direction shifts from south and west to coming from the north. With the low water levels this can build up a sand bar at the north facing launch ramp. The other contributing factor to the gravel/sand bar at the ramp is boaters “power” loading their boat onto the trailer. This digs a hole and pushes the material up, blocking other boats from launching. Please winch your boat back onto your trailer during low water.

As the water continues to evaporate the lake level is still falling. Launching may become a major problem in the early fall until we get some significant rain.

Dry times are a sign that wet times are coming. Pray for rain! A good wet cycle will do wonders for our sport.

Denis Peirce writes a fishing column for The Union’s Outdoors section and is host of “The KNCO Fishing & Outdoor Report,” which airs 6-7 p.m. Fridays and 5-6 a.m. Saturdays on 830-AM radio. Contact him via his website at http://www.trollingflies.com

My column of two weeks ago forecast salmon coming into the Sacramento River system on the high tides associated with the full moon. This did not materialize to any meaningful extent. I blame the high…

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