The Sacramento River is California’s most important salmon river, a steelhead stream, a striper fishery, and a year-round bass and catfish destination all in one. Running nearly 400 miles from its headwaters near Mount Shasta to San Francisco Bay, the river changes character dramatically from reach to reach — cold, clear trout water near Redding giving way to wide, slow agricultural stretches below Red Bluff, and finally the broad tidal delta south of Sacramento.
Few rivers in the West offer the species diversity or the sheer density of fish the Sacramento puts on. If you plan your trip around the right run at the right time, this river will produce.
The Sacramento hosts four distinct Chinook salmon runs — fall, late-fall, winter, and spring — making it one of the only rivers in California with near-year-round salmon presence. The fall run is by far the largest and most accessible, with fish entering the river from August through December and peaking September through November. These are powerful fish averaging 15–25 lbs, with kings over 40 lbs caught every season.
The winter run Chinook is a federally threatened population — these fish are present January through March and are catch-and-release only. The spring run arrives April through June, primarily accessible in the upper river and its tributaries. The late-fall run extends the season into December and January in the lower stretches.
Sacramento steelhead are a native Central Valley strain that enter the river from November through March, peaking in December and January. They’re not the massive fish of the Klamath or Trinity — a 5–8 lb Sacramento steelhead is a quality fish — but they fight hard and occupy beautiful water. Battle Creek, Deer Creek, and Mill Creek are key tributary steelhead streams. A steelhead report card is required.
Striped bass run the Sacramento from the Bay into the lower and middle river, typically from March through July and again in fall. Fish of 5–15 lbs are common; trophy stripers over 30 lbs are caught in the lower river each year. The stretch from the American River confluence down through the Delta holds the highest concentrations. They feed aggressively on shad, anchovies, and swimbaits.
One of California’s most underrated fisheries. Shad invade the Sacramento in enormous numbers from May through early July, stacking up in the riffles and runs from Red Bluff down through Colusa. They hit small shad darts, spinners, and flies fished on light tackle — and there’s no limit. A 3–5 lb shad on a 6-weight fly rod is pure chaos.
The lower Sacramento and Delta hold white sturgeon year-round. These prehistoric fish can exceed 7 feet and 300+ lbs, though the slot limit (40–60 inches) means most legal fish are in the 10–50 lb range. Ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, and eel are standard bait. A sturgeon report card is required.
Largemouth and smallmouth bass inhabit the slower stretches, backwaters, and sloughs throughout the middle and lower river. Channel and white catfish are abundant from Sacramento south through the Delta, with night fishing on cut bait producing well May through September.
The upper river from Keswick Dam (below Shasta Dam) downstream to Red Bluff is primarily trout and salmon water. Cold, clear tailwater conditions persist year-round below Keswick, making this a productive steelhead and fall salmon stretch. The Redding area offers multiple boat launches and bank access along the Sundial Bridge parkway.
This stretch is also home to significant salmon spawning habitat — fishing is regulated seasonally to protect spawners, so always verify current emergency openings and closures with CDFW.
The middle Sacramento opens up into a wider, warmer river ideal for salmon drift fishing in fall, shad in spring and early summer, and stripers in late spring. Access points at Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area, Hamilton City, and the Colusa-Sacramento River State Recreation Area provide good bank and boat access.
The shad run peaks in this stretch — the riffles below Red Bluff in May and June can produce limits of 25+ fish in a morning.
The lower river from Sacramento downstream is tidal influence territory — wider, deeper, and home to the largest striped bass and sturgeon. The American River confluence near downtown Sacramento is a major fish attractor. South through the Delta, the river fractures into sloughs and channels holding bass, catfish, stripers, and sturgeon year-round.
Drift fishing is the dominant technique on the Sacramento for fall Chinook. The classic setup: pencil sinkers to get the bait to the bottom, a drift bobber (Corkie or Cheater) above the hook, and roe or a sand shrimp threaded on a salmon hook. Cast upstream at a 45-degree angle, follow the drift downstream with the rod tip, and set the hook at any hesitation.
Boat anglers position at the head of runs and drift through systematically. Bank anglers work the outside bends and tailouts where salmon rest between upstream surges. Water clarity is critical — in clear conditions, drop leader length to 3–4 feet; in off-color water, move up to 6 feet.
Back-trolling deep-diving plugs (Flatfish, Kwikfish, Brad’s Wiggler) is especially effective for holding fish in deep holes and runs. The motor holds the boat facing upstream while the current works the plug — a slow, controlled presentation that infuriates holding salmon. Wrap the plug with tuna or sardine for added scent.
The upper Sacramento near Redding is productive fly water for steelhead and fall salmon. Egg patterns, flesh flies, and large articulated streamers in chartreuse or orange produce on a sink-tip line. The shad run offers extraordinary dry-fly-style action on small Clouser Minnows and shad darts on 6–8 weight rods.
The lower river produces striped bass from bank access points near the American River confluence. Work swimbaits, large jigs, and cut bait along deep outside bends. Catfishing is classic night fishing: heavy sinker rig, cut bait or chicken liver, and patience. The bite peaks June through September.
Always verify current rules at wildlife.ca.gov before your trip — regulations change annually and emergency closures are common.
Best time for each species:
| Species | Peak Window |
|---|---|
| Fall Chinook salmon | September – November |
| Spring Chinook salmon | April – June |
| Steelhead | December – January |
| Striped bass | April – June, October |
| American shad | May – July |
| Largemouth/smallmouth bass | April – October |
| White sturgeon | Year-round (lower river/Delta) |
| Catfish | June – September (night) |
Guided trips: Guided drift boat trips for fall salmon are widely available out of Redding, Chico, Colusa, and Sacramento. For first-time Sacramento River salmon anglers, a guided trip is money well spent — guides know current fish locations, have equipment dialed in, and understand daily regulation nuances.
Boat launches: Cascade Boulevard (Redding), Woodson Bridge SRA, Hamilton City, Colusa SRA, and multiple Sacramento-area launches provide river access. Most county launches charge a modest day-use fee.
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