2019 Sacramento River late fall King salmon.

California’s Fish and Game Commission is considering a new proposal to extend the Sacramento River King salmon fishing season. Currently, the Sacramento River King salmon season ends on December 16th of every year. In recent years the Sacramento River late fall salmon run has been robust and has more than provided for necessary egg takes at Coleman National Fish Hatchery in Anderson Ca. Coleman NFH Managers and Staff have done an excellent job of managing this fishery, and the numbers of returning King salmon returning to the hatchery supports a season extension.

The proposal is to extend the Sacramento River King salmon season above the Red Bluff water diversion, two more weeks, which will extend the season closure to December 31st. Traditionally returning late fall King salmon start to show in the Anderson area in mid to late November. The bulk of the run arrives in January so anglers on the Sacramento River fishing for late fall King salmon currently only see the first of the returning King salmon before the river closes on December 16th. The season extension will give Sacramento River anglers two more weeks of recreational salmon fishing in 2020.

This is an exciting development for Sacramento River salmon fisherman and I applaud the Nor Cal Guides and Sportsman Association, Coleman National Fish Hatchery Managers, and the F & G Commission for making this extended salmon season possible. Its communication and cooperation amongst organizations and fish agencies that makes these kinds of opportunities possible. California’s Sacramento River has the potential to play host as a world class King salmon fishery, and its decisions like this that are certainly a step in the right direction.

I’ll keep our readers up to date on developments in the coming months and will announce the regulation change when it takes affect.

- Capt. Jeff