Tailwater · Mixed · Northern California

Lower American River

Middle Fork American River venue image
Google Places

Cold urban tailwater below Nimbus Dam, running right through Sacramento, which is its own kind of charm — good trout water with traffic noise.

Species

About as good as it gets

River high but settled. Fish are looking up — bigger flies, confident takes.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for rainbow trout
Ideal
14.4°Cideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for rainbow trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6412% weight
Conditions
Level
1.82 m
Water temp
14.4°C
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
33°C
Wind
SW 7 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1013 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

How to fish it · for rainbow trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year; barbless, with seasonal/steelhead closures — check CDFW
  • ESA-listed steelhead present: handle with care.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Cold urban tailwater below Nimbus Dam, running right through Sacramento, which is its own kind of charm — good trout water with traffic noise. It holds wild rainbows and an ESA-listed steelhead run, so the steelhead get respect and a wide berth. You fish it from a drift boat or on foot with indicators over Baetis and caddis, and in autumn there's egg fishing behind the spawning salmon. The flow and the temperature are both reservoir-managed, so the river answers to the dam, not the weather.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 3