The Sacramento River 2017 King salmon season is set to begin just 6 short weeks from now on July 16th.  Central Valley salmon fishing guides and anglers alike are very excited about this years upcoming salmon season.  With all of the closures and restrictions placed on the north coast saltwater and KMZ salmon fishery, I believe the Sacramento and Feather Rivers will see good returns of King salmon that are typically caught in those areas on their way down to SF Bay. The closures of those areas will only help our fishing opportunities and catch rates on the Sacramento River system.  

The current situation on the Bay Area saltwater scene is revealing good numbers of salmon being caught on the charter boats.  This is certainly a good indicator that we already have a King salmon run building and they are all headed for the Sacramento River system!  Great river conditions are guaranteed with the surplus water we have on hand in our reservoirs.  This means good flows of cold water all season long.  King salmon thrive in these conditions and and there is no doubt that the cold water will be what's needed to pull the migrating salmon up into the rivers this coming season.

For those of you who are interested in experiencing fishing for the famed Sacramento River King salmon, it is important to understand that there are peak periods for fishing in certain sections of the Sacramento/Feather River systems. Although the Sacramento River season begins on July 16th, the best fishing in the section of the Sacramento that traditionally holds migrating salmon begins in August. The Sacramento River between Woodson Bridge and Hamilton City traditionally sees its best fishing from August 15th to September 15th. Mid September to Mid October sees the best salmon fishing is between Anderson (Barge Hole) and Red Bluff.  The Sacramento River late fall salmon season starts to turn on around Thanksgiving and will continue to build until December 16th when the river closes to salmon fishing for the year.  For those of you who enjoy fishing the Feather River system, and it was very good last year, mid September to mid October is a good time to book your trips there.

Now it's also important to know that peak periods of salmon fishing on the Sacramento River system can deviate from the aforementioned schedule and it's always a good idea to talk to your favorite fishing guide or look for current fishing reports to get a good idea of how the season is progressing.  There are many factors which drive the migration of the King salmon and if one of them is absent, the fishing can take an unexpected turn. King salmon fishing guides up and down the Sacramento River valley are currently booking salmon fishing trips and the top guides are already filling up their best fishing dates.  If you are interested in fishing with a guide for King salmon this year, now is the time to make that call and get your day of fishing reserved.