March Madness

I get asked all the time "What's the best time to fish the lower Sacramento?" That's a tough question to answer considering the Lower Sacramento offers good to great fishing all year long, but there are a few months that stand out with me and March is at the top of my list. So why March you may ask? My answer is Brachycentrus. Some would say Grannoms. That would be a correct answer too. Brachycentrus and Grannoms are the same thing, a caddis fly that is found in Western streams that hatches in spring and fall. On the lower Sacramento, the hatches during March are pretty thick. For the trout, March is the first big meal of the year. Consider that the Trout haven't had much to eat since the the salmon runs of late fall early winter and for most trout, spawning will start in April and go through July. The trout need energy, so they eat aggressively and consistently which leads to good fishing. And good fishing is what March offers. By late March most of the fish have gianed weight, size average is 16" and many go 18"-20". The good fishing of March carries over into April. I would pick March if I were you. Just so you know, March can be nasty in the form of wind. We are still in winter mode and storms will push through the north state during this month. Does that mean the fishing won't be any good? Well, nothing beats a sunny calm day, but good fishing happens in bad weather all the time. Be prepared to fish in the rain. Your going to catch a lot of trout and have a blast doing it!
There are plenty of opportunities for fishing dries, but nymphs are the most productive method.