The American River provides the unique opportunity to fish for steelhead in an urban setting that is easily accessed by most anglers. Fall and winter weather conditions are good, and stream flows allow fishing during most years. In a state where steelhead runs have declined drastically, the very existence of this fishery is noteworthy, and the American River steelhead fishery remains a unique resource. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that 10.3 percent of all statewide steelhead anglers are American River steelhead anglers, and they make about 4,000 trips annually. At one time, steelhead in the hundreds of thousands migrated to the Sacramento–San Joaquin river system, including the American River, to spawn. The story of how the American River steelhead populations were decimated, yet have been able to endure to this day, is an example of how fisheries and wildlife management and conservation policies for many decades have shaped this important fishery.
Today, anglers are among the most prominent advocates for policies that will conserve and improve threatened steelhead runs throughout the state. The story of the American River steelhead runs provides an example of how, despite severe challenges to their existence, evolving responses to those challenges have been able to preserve this important resource and in the future can continue to do so.
Hydraulic Mining
The challenges to the existence of the American River’s steelhead began early in California’s modern history. Before gold was discovered, there were no substantial settlements, only missions and ranches along the coast. The streams ran uncontrolled, and salmon and steelhead were abundant, migrating up most Central Valley rivers. However, the discovery of gold in 1849 along the South Fork of the American River lured fortune seekers to the area from all over the world, and gold mining activities severely affected the natural watercourse of the American River. Hydraulic mining began in 1854 at several locations and washed tons of sediment into the river. Many reaches looked more like a war zone rather than a river. The California Debris Commission, a federal commission created by Congress in 1893, halted hydraulic mining in an attempt to regulate mining and reduce the sediment that devastated the river and its fish populations.
Efforts then were made to restore fish runs and to improve fishing opportunities. A 1915 article in the DFG’s California Fish and Game reported that over 360,000 steelhead fry had been transferred from the Sisson Fish Hatchery (later renamed the Mount Shasta Hatchery) for release in the American River upstream of the town of Folsom. An article in the Sacramento Union newspaper dated September 26, 1916 reported:
One of the first official acts of Frank M. Newbert, president of the state fish and game commission, after his appointment in 1911, in stocking the American River above Folsom with 200, 000 steelhead trout, is now bearing fruit. The steelhead or “sea run’’ Trout are now numerous in the American and Sacramento rivers, after having been driven from these waters by hydraulic mining operations Large numbers are
being caught by anglers who are fishing for other varieties of fish. The steelhead trout range from one to 12 pounds in size. Newbert is of the opinion that some of the smaller sized fish are of the last planting, which was made July 19 when 600,000 were planted in the American river near Mormon Island.
Unfortunately, halting hydraulic mining did not end the quest for gold. Gold dredges were constructed as an alternative and operated in and along the lower American River. In 1916, the Natomas Company was operating 11 active dredges there. From 1927 to 1952, several other operators joined the Natomas Company in dredging the river and adjacent areas. Dredging operations were generally curtailed during World War II, but were resumed on a major scale shortly afterward. However, increasing costs, the depletion of dredging grounds, and changing land values caused the dredging operations gradually to be curtailed. By 1960, only one active dredge was operating, and it was shut down two years later. Like hydraulic mining, the early dredging was devastating to the river’s ecology and the salmon and steelhead runs. Today, the results of dredging can still be seen all along the river in the form of dredge piles of round river rocks.
Dams
It was not just hydraulic mining for gold that threatened the existence of American River steelhead. When early gold mining became less productive, many Californians turned to farming and began devising systems to move water and irrigate crops. In the late 1800s, a dam was proposed to regulate the erratic flows and develop the waters of the American River. The US Army Corps of Engineers proposed constructing a dam in a survey of Western watersheds during the administration of Ulysses S. Grant. No action was taken, but this was the beginning, not the end, of proposals to dam the American River.
During the early part of the twentieth century, various private power companies, municipalities, farm groups, and state agencies reviewed the old Army Corps survey. The state envisioned a giant multipurpose water project and purchased a potential dam site on the Middle Fork of the American just east of the city of Auburn, but the Great Depression forced a halt to further planning. However, the US Bureau of Reclamation continued to conduct studies in the American River Basin in connection with a comprehensive plan for moving water in California’s Central Valley.
Eventually, the earlier studies evolved into the state’s Central Valley Project, a long-term plan for the use of the water of the Sacramento River Basin for the benefit of Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area, the farmlands of the San Joaquin Valley, and areas south of the Tehachapi Mountains. After repeated attempts by state officials to obtain grants or loans to aid in financing the project, the federal government undertook the construction of a portion of it. The first authorization of the project was through the federal Rivers and Harbors Act of 1935. This was the beginning of efforts to dam the American River and of the disastrous effect of damming the river on steelhead populations.
In 1949, the American River Basin Development Act created the American River Division of the Central Valley Project. Nimbus Dam and Power Plant, located 23 miles upstream from the confluence with the Sacramento River, were completed in July 1955, while Folsom Dam and Power Plant were completed the following year.
At that time, it was concluded that construction of Nimbus Dam would block 72 percent of the Chinook salmon and 100 percent of the steelhead spawning habitat in the American River, and no provision for access over the dams was considered. No estimates of the historical steelhead population in the American River are available. However, by 1990, the California Department of Fish and Game in their 1990 Central Valley Salmon and Steelhead Restoration and Enhancement Plan reported that the population of “American River spring-run steelhead was extirpated” and that of “the fall-run steelhead, which provided a fishery beginning in September in the American River, was severely decimated by Nimbus Dam.”
Hatchery Fish
Prior to construction of Folsom and Nimbus Dams, the US Fish and Wildlife Service had the responsibility for “preparing a plan of action for the conservation of salmon and steelhead affected by the construction of Nimbus Dam on the American River.” The plan concluded that “the need for a hatchery to mitigate for the construction of Folsom and Nimbus dams has been recognized for a long time.” A 1953 contract between the state and the Bureau of Reclamation declared the hatchery would be built to “compensate for the loss of said spawning habitat,” would have a capacity of 30 million eggs, and ultimately, if necessary, of 50 million eggs. At that time, steelhead runs in the Sacramento River (excluding the American and Feather Rivers) were estimated to range from 14,000 to 26,000 fish annually, with no counts reported for the American River.
The Nimbus Fish Hatchery was constructed and put in operation in 1955. During the first two seasons of operation, hatchery personnel trapped and artificially spawned steelhead trapped from the American River. However, although the progeny of the steelhead spawned at Nimbus Fish Hatchery were reared and released back into the American River, due to the small number of eggs collected and fish reared, in 1958 and 1959, steelhead eggs also were transferred from the Eel River Snow Mountain Egg Collection to make up for the deficiency, without regard for differences between strains of fish adapted to different watersheds. Approximately 2 million juvenile fish from the Eel River steelhead egg transfers were eventually released in the American and Sacramento Rivers.
One of the early goals of the Department of Fish and Game’s American River steelhead management program was to “increase the proportion of the annual steelhead run entering the hatchery during the fall,” thereby enhancing fishing opportunities. Eggs from Coleman National Fish Hatchery and from summer steelhead in the North Fork of the Washougal River in Washington also were transferred to Nimbus Fish Hatchery from 1970 through 1981. In addition, during the 1970s, adult steelhead were trapped in the Sacramento River upstream from the confluence of the American River near the Interstate Highway 80 bridge and transported to Nimbus Fish Hatchery. About 1.6 million juvenile fish were subsequently released in the American and Sacramento Rivers as part of this effort. The attempt to develop an early season steelhead fishery in the American River was eventually discontinued by the Department of Fish and Game due to poor success holding adult steelhead at the hatchery.
In addition to the summer and fall steelhead egg transfers, winter steelhead eggs from the Mad River and Warm Springs Hatcheries were transferred to Nimbus Fish Hatchery from 1978 to 1991, and the progeny were released in the American and Sacramento Rivers. Since then, however, no out-of-basin steelhead eggs or fish have been transferred to the hatchery.
Based on genetic analysis, comparison of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery winter steelhead broodstock with samples from Northern California populations shows they are most similar to winter steelhead from the Eel River. Researchers also report that naturally spawned juvenile fish in the river are similar to the hatchery stock.
The number of steelhead naturally spawning in the American River has been estimated to be fewer the 300 fish in most seasons. In past seasons, Bureau of Reclamation personnel conducted steelhead redd surveys on the American River. There does not appear to be any size difference between steelhead artificially spawned at the hatchery and the estimated size range of steelhead observed holding on redds in the American River. The majority of steelhead trapped at Nimbus Fish Hatchery are three years of age (one year in the hatchery and two years in the ocean) and range from 24 to 30 inches in length.
In a 2007 report to the California legislature, the CDFW reported that from 2003 to 2005, anglers kept or released an average of 1,804 wild and 1,799 hatchery steelhead each season from the American River. In a second report, anglers were reported to have caught 11,064 steelhead, including 4,734 wild fish, from 2006 to 2011, for an average catch of 1,844 hatchery and 789 wild steelhead each season. From 2003 to 2011, Nimbus Fish Hatchery personnel trapped approximately 1,800 adult steelhead annually. It should be noted that during the past several years, hatchery personnel have trapped fewer than 1,000 steelhead each season.
Unfortunately, American River water and habitat quality do not provide suitable rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids. Warm summer water temperatures and poor habitat, coupled with populations of predators such as pikeminnows and striped bass, result in few naturally spawned juvenile fish surviving. Consequently, the steelhead fishery is maintained by releases of hatchery-produced juvenile fish.
Since 1999, the progeny of all steelhead released from California fish hatcheries have been marked by removing the adipose fin. Small trout without an adipose fin caught from the American River are most likely fish released from Nimbus Fish Hatchery, while unmarked fish may be naturally produced fish or strays from the Sacramento River. Since 2002, when all returning adult steelhead have been marked, 97 percent of the fish trapped have been adipose fin marked.
Historically, American River steelhead had access to almost 300 miles of habitat in the North, South, and Middle Forks of the American River. Construction of Nimbus and Folsom Dams eliminated hundreds of miles of habitat above the dams, and more importantly, any opportunity for juvenile fish to migrate downstream. While Nimbus Dam reduced American River steelhead habitat to just 23 miles, only about 10 miles of this provides even what could be called marginal spawning habitat and little or no nursery habitat for juvenile fish.
Today and Tomorrow
Since 2013, efforts have been made to replace the present Nimbus Fish Hatchery steelhead broodstock with genetically more appropriate sources, because the present Nimbus Fish Hatchery steelhead broodstock precludes their contribution to the recovery of native steelhead populations. Some studies were completed, but further action is on hold due to a lack of funding. Based on the size of fish and run timing, American River steelhead continue to resemble Eel River steelhead, in spite of the introduction of steelhead from other sources.
Collection and genetic evaluations of potential replacement broodstock from the upper American River have been concluded. Currently, replacement strategies are on hold due to a number of factors, including lack of a suitable hatchery to develop the new broodstock, issues with disease and pathogens in potential wild broodstock, and availability of funding.
Challenges to the existence of the American River steelhead runs continue today. Past drought conditions have created problems for anadromous fish runs throughout California. The American River steelhead run, maintained by hatchery-produced fish, might not be as severely affected as some natural populations. However, poor in-river, downstream, and ocean environment conditions are all factors that help determine annual run sizes. Nonetheless, in spite of all the problems and issues, the American River is still one of the few rivers in California where anglers have the opportunity to fish for winter steelhead.
In the future, the voices of anglers will play an important part in ensuring that this fishery will endure and even improve. If you know the challenges that the American River steelhead runs have survived, it’s possible to be hopeful that with active angler advocates on their side, they will be able to survive these new challenges, as well.
If You Go…
Access to the 23 miles of the American River below Nimbus Dam that hold steelhead is from many small parks and from boat launches at Sailor Bar, Sunrise Avenue, Watt Avenue and Howe Avenue. A map of the parks is available at http://arpf.org/visit/int-map-wpp.
The river is open to fishing all year, with the exception of a salmon spawning closure from the power lines near River Bend Park upstream to the Hazel Avenue bridge from October 31 through December 31, a distance of about 10 miles. Only hatchery steelhead can be retained (they are marked with a clipped adipose fin), and the daily limit is two fish.
A sport-fishing license (the 2018 resident fee is $48.34) and a steelhead report card ($7.30 in 2018) are required. Licenses can be purchased online at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/ Licensing/Fishing and at a number of license agents.
The Fish and the Fishing
The majority of American River winter steelhead are adults that derive from juvenile fish released from the Nimbus Fish Hatchery. The average hatchery winter steelhead has spent two years in the ocean and ranges from 6 to 10 pounds, with only an occasional larger fish. Typical wintertime flows are about 4,000 cubic feet per second, and because of upstream reservoirs, the river is usually clear and fishable. Muddy periods are rare, occurring only during very heavy wintertime storm runoff.
A few smaller Sacramento River steelhead stray into the river in the fall and naturally produced small steelhead/rainbow trout occasionally enter the river in late spring.
During late fall, anglers swing small caddis imitations using typical wet-fly presentations and floating or sink-tip lines. The early morning and late evening in riffle areas are best.
Anglers target winter steelhead in the upper river using egg and nymph patterns fished with indicators. Check with local fly shops for popular patterns. Fish the near shore areas and seams where the fish are holding. Anglers with two-handed rods swing weighted flies in the runs and riffles downstream from the hatchery to Watt Avenue. Those who swing flies use caddis nymphs and deer hair surface-waking patterns in the fall, Bunny Leeches and Egg-Sucking Leeches and a variety of bright and dark weighted Intruder patterns in the winter. Sculpin imitations are often successful.
Winter steelhead enter the river in November and December and can be found through the end of March. The majority of angling pressure for winter steelhead occurs in January and February in the upper part of the river downstream from the hatchery. Some opportunity exists for the stray Sacramento River steelhead that enter the river in September and October and the late spring.
Fall weather is pleasant and mild — temperatures range from a low of 50 degrees to a high of 85. Wintertime weather can be damp and foggy, with a few days of rain; temperatures range from a low of 38 to a high of 58. Spring starts early in mid-February, and temperatures are mild and pleasant.
Most anglers fish single-handed 7-weight or 8-weight rods from 8-1/2 to 10 feet long or two-handed 6-weight, 7-weight, or 8-weight rods 12 to 13-1/2 feet long. Some favor switch rods from 10 to 11 feet long. Both gear-and-pawl and disk-drag reels in appropriate sizes for the rod and line will work.
Those fishing single-handed rods are often nymphing with fly lines appropriate for the size of the rod. For swinging flies, most use Skagit heads with 10-footlong T-8 and T-11 tips and multi-density fly lines matched to the rod.
Fly Shops
Fly Fishing Specialties, 6360 Tupelo Drive, Citrus Heights, CA 95621; (916) 722-1055, http://www.flyfishingspecialties.com.
Kiene’s Fly Shop, 9550 Micron Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95827; (916) 483-1222, http://www.americanflyfishing.com/Fly+Fishing.
— Dennis P. Lee
