In addition to Chinooks, coho salmon also spawn in many California rivers. Spawning salmon will often strike a lure not out of hunger, but out of aggression. Others use live or cut baitfish or salmon eggs (also called roe). Many anglers use flashy spinners and spoons, or brightly-colored wobbling plugs to entice salmon as they head upstream. Also referred to as king salmon, Chinooks commonly weigh 10 to 15 pounds, but individuals weighting well above 20 pounds are caught every year.Ĭalifornia’s record king salmon, an 88-pound goliath, was caught in the Sacramento River in 1979.Ĭhinook salmon head into California’s rivers to spawn every year, and many rivers host multiple runs, often one in the spring and one in the fall.įishing for spring-run salmon often peaks from June through August, and fishing for fall-run salmon can be excellent from August through November.Įvery river is different, and the fishing also will change from the bays and tidal zones on up into the free-flowing rivers. In California, the most common and sought-after salmon species is the Chinook salmon. Many anglers employ 8-foot bait-casting rods and reels spooled with 20-pound line. Sturdy tackle and strong line are a must. Salmon are known for making runs that can strip the gears in your reel, if they don’t snap the line first. This article will show you the very best salmon rivers across California, so you can increase your odds of catching one of America’s favorite game fish. Some of California’s most prized and hardest-fighting game fish, salmon are also some of the most challenging to catch. When salmon make their way toward the mouths of California’s rivers from their Pacific Ocean haunts, fishermen are never far behind. Anglers should expect significant closures and check for regulation updates before fishing for salmon anywhere in the state. Editor’s Note: Officials are forecasting extremely low salmon returns to the Sacramento and Klamath rivers in 2023.
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