Nor Cal Fly Guides
Lower American River
Nor Cal Fly Guides
The American River – Seasonal steelhead and fast-paced action close to home
The American River system is one of the most versatile fly fishing playgrounds in Northern California. On a single day, you can spend your morning wet-wading the Lower American River swinging for steelhead, shad, or striped bass, break for lunch, then jump in the truck and shoot up Highway 50. Forty-five minutes later, you can be standing knee-deep on the South Fork of the American River, watching dry flies disappear in steady trout rises. Few river systems in California allow you to experience that much diversity in a single day.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Lower American River Fly Fishing
Sacramento, California Steelhead • Salmon • Stripers • Shad
Guiding from Sailor Bar to the Mouth at the Sacramento River. Fly fishing the Lower American River has a way of leaving even the most seasoned anglers wanting more. It’s a river that constantly offers new opportunity, new challenges, and new surprises—and that is exactly why having a knowledgeable Lower American River fly fishing guide matters so much. A great guide doesn’t just help you hook fish. A great guide teaches you the river—when to be there, where to focus your efforts, where the access points are, why the fish are holding where they are, how to approach different water types, and most importantly, what to throw and when to throw it.
Very few river systems in California allow you to experience that much diversity in a single day. The Lower American is best known for its steelhead, salmon, shad, and striped bass, and each species brings its own season, mood, and unforgettable fight.
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Rugged Lower American River scenery, iconic steelhead moments
Nor Cal Fly Guides
Striped Bass — Power in the Current
While the Lower American does hold a small population of resident striped bass year-round, these fish can be difficult to target consistently due to their low numbers and heavy angling pressure. Everything changes, however, when the water warms and the striper migration begins.
Stripers typically start entering the river system in early April and remain present through September. The best numbers in the lower stretches of the river usually show from May through June. June can slow slightly due to the massive influx of shad—stripers often key in on those easy meals rather than flies. Once the shad begin to thin out, the striper fishing fires back up hard from July through August, and often into September and even October, depending on water conditions.
The most effective way to target stripers on the fly is by stripping or swinging clouser-style flies with sink tips, full-sink lines, or shooting heads. These fish are predators built for violence, and when they eat, everything happens fast and hard.
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American Shad
Shad begin entering the Lower American River in late spring, with early pushes sometimes happening as soon as April. As the days warm, the fishing steadily builds, with late May through July delivering the most consistent action. Even after the main migration has ended, late July evenings can still offer surprisingly good fishing under the right conditions. If you’ve never fought a shad on a fly rod, you’re missing out on one of the most exciting freshwater battles you can find. There’s a reason they’re called the “Poor Man’s Tarpon.” They are fast, acrobatic, and absolutely relentless once hooked. On the American, we target shad using two primary methods. One is swinging flies specifically tied for shad, letting the current do the work as the fly arcs across holding water. The other is drifting flies under an indicator, dialing in depth and dead-drift presentations through runs and seams. When used properly, both techniques are incredibly productive—and both will leave your arm sore by the end of the day.
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Steelhead — The Heart of the American River
Steelhead are what many anglers dream of on the Lower American River, and the river supports several distinct types that keep things interesting year-round.
Half-pounder steelhead can be found throughout the year, but they’re most commonly encountered from late spring through early fall. These fish can be taken on a variety of techniques including swinging flies, nymphing, and even dry flies during the right conditions. Don’t let the term “half-pounder” fool you—these fish are wild, aggressive, and full of spunk, typically ranging from 14 to 18 inches and fighting far beyond their size. This was the original native steelhead run on the river before winter-run strains were introduced in the 1970s.
The winter run steelhead that are on the American came from the Eel and Mad River systems, which were introduced by DFG in the 70s to protect the steelhead population after the dams were built. These fish can be caught throughout the length of the river from mid-October all the way through March. These fish range anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds. As far as fishing techniques go, these big boys can be caught with the same techniques used on their half-pound brothers, just scaled up a bit. Last but not least are the infamous Bluebacks. These are wild spring run steelhead that will make you earn every bit of line they take out. While these aren’t the biggest steelhead in the river, they do put up the biggest fight. They start showing up in March and are in the system well into May, even June. This is my favorite time to fish the American. If you are lucky, you could get the trifecta: steelhead, shad, and a striper in one day. If you want to get into steelhead and don’t want to travel several hours, the American River is where it’s at. Not only is it our backyard, but we have 30+ years of experience fishing this river system, and we know where these fish hold throughout the year. Come enjoy some backyard fishing on a great river like the American River.
Book Your Lower American River Fly Fishing Trip with Nor Cal Fly Guides
Whether your goal is to learn fly fishing, improve your spey casting, chase steelhead, or explore new Northern California waters, Nor Cal Fly Guides is here to help you grow as an angler while having an incredible time on the water.