The Department of Fish and Game announced that a very limited fishery for Central Valley Chinook salmon will begin tomorrow [Saturday November 1] in the Sacramento River. The season will run through Dec. 31, 2008, on the stretch of the Sacramento from 150 feet below the Lower Red Bluff [Sycamore] boat ramp, to the Highway 113 bridge at Knights Landing. The daily bag and possession limit will be one salmon.

The remainder of the Central Valley Basin, including the balance of the Sacramento, Feather, American and San Joaquin rivers and tributaries will remain closed to salmon fishing.

"The Fish and Game Commission approved this very limited fishing opportunity to Central Valley salmon sport anglers due to the present stable status of the late-fall run and the lack of significant impact to fall run", said Neil Manji, DFG Fisheries Branch chief. "During this limited fishing opportunity, it is extremely important that all sport anglers cooperate with DFG fishery surveys and closely adhere to existing regulations to allow the fishery to open again in 2009."

The 2008 status of the Sacramento River fall Chinook will be determined by DFG and other biologists as the fall progresses. Surveys conducted this fall will be used early in 2009 to formulate regulations for the 2009 salmon fishing season. The final results will not be known until all data is collected, assembled and analyzed for review in regulatory processes by the Pacific Fishery Management Council and California Fish and Game Commission.

Local guide Kevin Brock quipped, "I'm just glad we still have a place we can go salmon fishing after all that has happened. The late-fall run salmon are usually the biggest fish of the year. On opening day, we will be using the old reliable silver/chartreuse K-16 Luhr Jensen Kwikfish. These fish haven't seen a lure in a long time, if there are any out there, they should be willing to bite."