Sundial Bridge Section Re-Opens…
August 1st marks the re-opening of the top section of the Lower Sacramento River here in Redding CA. The water above the Highway 44 Bridge closes every year on April 1st thru July 31st to protect threatened winter-run Chinook salmon while they spawn.
The closure has a positive effect on the resident wild rainbow trout population in that they get a four month “break” from all angling pressure. The Lower Sac is otherwise open to fishing all year around below the Hwy 44 Bridge and gets a fair amount of drift boat traffic daily.
It’s no secret to those who love this highly productive tailwater river that this upper most section flowing under Redding’s famous, Sundial Bridge, holds the biggest fish in the system. And, when these amazing wild trout get a four month break from pesky fly fishers… while consuming lots of salmon eggs and prolific aquatic insects… they tend to get even bigger, stronger and more incredible. The closure has the affect of a “training camp” of sorts for these badass wild trout. Anglers are lined up to fish it on opening day August 1st, and the fish it seems, are ready and willing to show us a few new moves.
This August opener was no different. I was booked nearly a year prior - all 7 days the first week. It was a zoo on opening day… lots of jet boat traffic, drift boats, rafts, pontoons boats, you name it. I even saw a few SUP boarders casting a fly rod while they drifted through and around the melee. By the second day and especially the third day the crowds had substantially subsided. The fishing conditions were tough and technical. Definitely not as “easy” as years past.
The flows are currently 13k and that’s fast and pushy water, fishable for sure, but anglers have to make adjustments. Not as many fishable holding spots, not as many spots to easily backrow either. Fishing on anchor was much more difficult, too. For the anglers who have not been fishing the river all summer long (it’s been 13k for months) it is a difficult adjustment. You had to know your spots and have a plan.
Add to the higher water there’s also the complaint of weak bug hatches lately. Caddis are usually a mainstay right now and afternoon and evening hatches of hydropsyche and other summer caddis are usually on fire with these 100 degree days (they thrive in the hot weather) but our caddis have been a no-show this summer. PMD’ and PED’s are non existent, too. There are a few psuedocleons (bwo) coming off in the evening but it’s a size #22… so good luck landing many big ones in the fast water at 13K on those spring creek flies.
I would say that compared to other openers this years’ was the toughest since the CADFW began this closure several years ago (7 or 8 years now?) Despite that… we still had a great time and we still landed some gorgeous wild trout every day. Some days we landed more than we probably deserved.
Check my Instagram over the next few days and you will see what the Lower Sac is capable of and why many anglers feel that this is CA’s premiere wild trout river. One that you should have on your list to fly fish! My favorite times of year to fish this river are: Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter ;)
