24 Hours in the Capital
Since the lower American River runs through a city and county with nearly two million residents, the variety of recreational options beyond fly fishing is practically limitless. For visitors from out of town, nearly every access point to the river is conveniently located near lodging and dining. Dining choices range from trendy Michelin-starred restaurants near downtown in the Midtown district to familiar fast-food chains—including an In-N-Out on Sunrise Boulevard just down the street from the famous Sunrise access to the river. One of the area’s favorite Mexican fast-food spots, Adalberto’s, is on Bradshaw Road near Highway 50, only about a mile—as the crow flies—from the Gristmill access.
A DAY’S FISHING ON THE LOWER AMERICAN RIVER
Start your day by ordering the Stuffed Hashbrowns breakfast entrée at the River’s Edge Café on La Riviera Drive, just across the street from the Watt Avenue river access. The owner, I’m told, is a fly fisherman. A short walk across the street will take you right to the river. If you prefer, you can drive over the levee and follow the access road to the parking lot, where you’ll find some of the most varied sections of water on the river.
Depending on the time of year, you might fish a blue-winged olive hatch in the flat just upstream from the island or cast Elk Hair Caddis into the riffles between the island and the shoreline. In the fall, you can swing streamers through the 100-yard run flowing out from beneath the bridge in search of half-pounder steelhead.
When it’s time for lunch, head up to William B Pond Park. Before you fish, enjoy a Salmon Burger at the Bela Bru Café. Or, just across Fair Oaks Boulevard, Gami Burger offers every type of burger you can imagine. After lunch, what better way to walk it off than with a short trip to the area locals call the “Braids,” located in William B Pond Park about a five-minute drive away.
Once you enter the park, continue along the road to the last parking area, where a short walk leads down to the Braids. Here, the river spreads out into a network of small channels that serve as a nursery for juvenile steelhead and salmon. Relatively few locals even know about this spot, so chances are you’ll have it mostly to yourself. Once you step down into the river corridor, you’ll be amazed at how remote it feels—you quickly forget you’re in a city of two million people. It feels more like a patch of mountain wilderness right in the middle of the city. The narrow channels winding through this river-bottom oasis are perfect water for your 2- or 3-weight rods.
To finish the day, head up to the Sunrise access, one of the best spots on the river for both winter and fall steelhead fishing. If you’re there during the off-season, the north side of the island at upper Sunrise (upstream from the old Fair Oaks Bridge) offers plenty of pocket water and drop-offs that hold smolts and half-pounders when they’re in the system.
If you’re fishless after your time on the water, you can still get your fish fix—sort of—by visiting the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, which closes at 4 p.m. Just a couple of miles upstream (as the crow flies), you can see thousands of juvenile steelhead in the rearing ponds next to the parking lot.
As soon as the sun drops behind the bluff, it’s time for a beer and some food. Fortunately, you don’t have far to go. Just across the river from Sunrise access is Fair Oaks Village, home to one of the area’s best brewpubs. Try the Fig Pig Goat pizza and wash it down with a Chicken Foot Pale Ale.
And speaking of chickens, the village of Fair Oaks is famous for its feral chickens wandering around town. So don’t be surprised if, while sitting at an outdoor table, one hops up and takes the empty seat next to you.
