Denis Peirce

1 week ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

Lakes and valley rivers are the places to be for April fishing. The rains are gone for the time being, the days are getting longer and the waters are warming. This is the formula for good fishing. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. These flows have allowed the rivers to warm up. The Sacramento River is in the middle 50’s above Red Bluff, and it is 60 degrees from the Tisdale area down through Rio Vista in the Delta.

3 weeks ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

With the vernal equinox behind us, it is time to look for stripers in the valley rivers. In early March as the days are rapidly getting longer it is tempting to search for stripers in the valley rivers. In looking back over the years it is a bit premature to find them this far up in the system. After a long winter we want to think they may get here early but it rarely happens. I received reports from two guides who were scouting for stripers a week ago on the Sacramento and Feather rivers.

2 months ago | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The recent week of heavy rain has left us with little visibility in our rivers. The Lower Yuba has been high and dirty, having peaked at over 22,000 cfs last week. It has dropped to 6,000 cfs range by the middle of this week. The best bets for fishing are selected lakes in the north state. For local anglers Bullard’s Bar is a good choice. Bullard’s is at a lower elevation than Grass Valley and it has a lot of green water to fish. Bullard’s water temp is in the high 40’s.

Jan 24, 2025 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

The recent streak of good weather has provided the stability that is an important ingredient to good fishing. Frequent storm fronts separated by brief periods of sunshine are tough conditions for fish to establish a predictable pattern. Early in January Colin and I spent an afternoon on Englebright. The rains had only let up a few days before. The first thing we noted when launching our boat was how low the lake level was. Normally the lake moves up and down 4 to 5 feet over a 24 hour day.

Jan 10, 2025 | theunion.com | Denis Peirce

Many if not most years we get a stretch of warm days in January. I can delude myself into thinking that the worst of winter weather is behind us. But it is just Mother Nature teasing us with a hint of spring to keep us from leaving for the desert. Even if this is just a head fake, it does not preclude us from getting outdoors to enjoy a sunny few days after the rain we recently endured. The best fishing is probably to be found at Bullard’s Bar.