Summer salmon fishing OK'd; first time in four years for Sacramento River

For the first time in four years, salmon fishing will be allowed this summer on the Sacramento River between Anderson and Red Bluff.

The California Fish and Game Commission Thursday laid out the guidelines for the season.

"It's a terrific season," said Harry Morse, spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Game.

On the Sacramento salmon season will be:

n From Aug. 1 to Dec. 18 between the Deschutes Road bridge in Anderson and 500 feet upstream of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam.

n From July 16 to Dec. 18 between 150 feet downstream of the Lower Red Bluff Boat Ramp to Knights Landing northwest of Sacramento.

Low salmon returns in 2007, 2008 and 2009 prompted the Fish and Game Commission to cancel salmon season on the Sacramento, said Doug Killam, a DFG biologist. A rebound last year and projected healthy returns this year brought its revival.

"What we are expecting is enough fish back for everyone to fish for them again," Killam said.

Scientists have said poor ocean food conditions caused the crash in salmon returns and predict that more food available in the ocean should mean more salmon in the Sacramento.

The river will remain closed to salmon fishing through Redding throughout the year, he said.

"If you catch a salmon up there you're supposed to cut the line and let it go," Killam said.

For the last 25 years or so that's been standard, said Dave Jacobs, who runs Dave Jacobs Professional Guide Service out of Redding. He and Killam said the closure upstream of the Deschutes Road Bridge helps protect salmon spawning beds.

The timing of the salmon season is also designed to help spring-run and winter-run chinook salmon, which are both protected under the Endangered Species Act, Jacobs said. The Fish and Game Commission opened a window for salmon fishing that focuses on the fall-run chinook, which typically has more fish than the other runs.

Jacobs said the dates announced by the Fish and Game Commission Thursday are close to what was a "normal season" on the Sacramento River before the crash in salmon returns. While the start is the same, the season will end about a month earlier than it did before the crash.

Jacobs said the earlier end is to prevent anglers from catching winter-run chinook.

North state guides, who over the last three years took clients to rivers as far away as Oregon to fish for salmon, are glad to return to their home waters, said Gary Manies, co-owner at Strickly Fishin' Guide & Tackle in Redding.

"There's a lot of excitement," he said.

And when people come from other parts of the state to fish, they pay for other things as well.

"It will be an economic boost all around for the whole community," Manies said.

Last year the Fish and Game Commission allowed a 22-day salmon season on the Sacramento River in October and Manies said his shop was busy. He expects it to be busy again this summer once the season starts.

"Even in the recession people want to catch salmon," he said.

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Source: http://www.redding.com