Russian River

Current Report - May 12, 2008 - Mnday

This time of year you can look for Shad and Smallmouth Bass in the Russian River.

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Call the "Western Sport Shop" in Santa Rosa, Monday through Friday, and ask for Carlo for good fly fishing info.

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Russian River Information

This is a large river 70 miles north of San Francisco and at ~100 miles long was world famous for being a top fishing river on the West Coast. The river was famous for runs of Salmon, Steelhead, Shad, Stripers and a population of Smallmouth Bass. It's major set back was the construction of Coyote Dam in 1957 to create Lake Mendocino. Like many California rivers it has been dammed and then de-watered for agricultural use in this case. After this many of the famous runs started to decrease so they built Warm Springs Hatchery on Dry Creek to help rebuild the runs of salmon and steelhead. This has helped to some extent with runs of King Salmon in September and October but no fishing is allowed now in the river for them. There is a recent program to re-establish Silver Salmon in California rivers but they are off limits for now too. Steelheading can be very good in Jan/Feb if there is very little rain.

Salmon fishing on the river and it's tributaries is closed so they can make a comeback.

Steelhead start to return to the river in November and peak in January/February.

Shad run in May and June.

Stripers are not in fishable numbers anymore but are caught on occasion.

Smallmouth and Largemouth Black Bass are most active in the summer months.

There are roads that parallel the river for most of it's length but access is a little restricted by so much private property. The river is relatively flat so navigating it in a canoe, pontoon boat, kayak or small boat is fairly easy. It is prone to getting muddy with low visibility in the winter when it rains. Driving along it's length you enter small town like Jenner at the mouth on the Pacific Ocean. Here we have miles of flat open 'tide water' where herds of hungry Sea Lions wait to intercept the Salmon and Steelhead as the enter the river from the ocean. Killer Whales also wait at the mouth to intercept the Sea Lions, Steelhead and Salmon. This tide water is best fished from an anchored pram (small flat bottom boat). Driving up Hwy 1 you turn right on Hwy 116 and head upstream to Guerneville. The next town is Healdsburg, then Geyserville and finally Cloverdale. The Russian River is not subject to the 'low flow winter closure' like many other coastal streams.  All Russian River tributaries are close to fishing.

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Books

• No Nonsense Guide to Fly Fishing Nor Cal by Ken Hanley
• Fly-Fishing Nor Cal Waters by Lily Wong
  

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Lodging

• Chamber of commerce

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Russian River Maps

• Courtesy Fish Sniffer site.
• Courtesy FlyFishNorCal site.
• Stream Time map available.

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Local Shops

• Western Sports Shop in Santa Rosa
• King's Sport & Tackle in Guerneville

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Fishing Guides

• Kiene's Russian River Guide recommendations.