Tailwater · Mixed · Northern California

Lower Sacramento River

Lower Sacramento River terrain map
Terrain map

Big, cold tailwater below Shasta and Keswick dams, and it's stuffed with wild rainbows — the locals call them Redding bows.

Species

A proper day on the water

River high but settled. Match the colour and fish the seams.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for rainbow trout
Cool — slow
9°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for rainbow trout
  • Temperature8228% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6212% weight
Conditions
Level
4.31 m
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
33°C
Wind
SW 18 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

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
Good — water clarity 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.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year on the lower river
  • Check CDFW for seasonal reaches and gear rules
  • Flow is set by Keswick/Shasta releases
  • This reach holds ESA-endangered winter-run Chinook plus threatened spring-run Chinook and steelhead: do not target listed fish; release any unharmed.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Big, cold tailwater below Shasta and Keswick dams, and it's stuffed with wild rainbows — the locals call them Redding bows. The flow stays put year-round because it tracks Bureau of Reclamation releases, not the weather, so you can mostly forget the rain. This is drift-boat nymphing water: caddis, PMD and Baetis through the season. One thing worth knowing under your feet: this same reach below Keswick is the very last spawning water for ESA-endangered Sacramento River winter-run Chinook, so the salmon here are a thing to respect, not a thing to chase. Long, drag-free drifts over the gravel for the rainbows, day after day, and the fish keep coming.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 2