The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

Last week my buddy and I hit the Big Bend area of the Lower Sac in our pontoons. The river was at about 5000 CFS, and we were on it between the windy days--very good conditions. Many small, dark caddis, and some skwala on the surface. Lots of rising fish in riffles and flats in the afternoon. We took plenty fish on the surface. Some fun. If you want to get your pontoon boat wet, this is a pretty easy drift; about 9 miles from upper to lower bridge (with takeouts), and not very crowded. Many good spots to get out and wade, too.

With this rain the river is up and a little off color, at least at the Bend Bridge. I fished Friday and Saturday, golden stones, fox poopah and caddis dries all worked.

Anglerboy,

where is the Big Bend area, and what are the put ins and take outs??

Thanks,

did you fish the riffle right below the bridge?

Paul

The Big Bend area on the Lower Sac is generally below Anderson and Cottonwood, on the way down to Red Bluff, where the river twists and turns its way through the hills north and east of Red Bluff. Take the Jelly's Ferry offramp from I-5, and head east. Stay on Jelly's Ferry Rd. and you'll soon arrive at the Big Bend Bridge, which has a put in. Continue north on the road another 9-10 miles, you'll come to another bridge on Ash Creek Rd, and there's another put in there. It's about a nine mile drift between the bridges. Head west from there, and you eventually come to Cottonwood on Ball's Ferry Rd. There's another put in on River View Dr., on the west side of the river, about halfway between the two bridges. Consult your DeLorme, or use Google Earth for mileages and road names. I would guess that best flows are between 5-7000 cfs, the lower the better if you want to get out and wade. Very uncrowded during the week.

The river has been dropping and it is shaping up nicely. I looked last night and the island above Bend Bridge is back out of the water and the color looks good. It had been overcast for the past couple of days but we have not had any rain in the Bend area.

Thanks very much for the info. I have fished that stretch, but don't recall hearing it called Big Bend.

Of course, I don't recall........

What was I saying???


Thanks

Thanks for the report,I have not fished that part of the Sac. since the 80s....
use to chase the Salmon in the hole above the upper bridge not far below Battle cr.

Ed,

The area now is called The Bend, if you look on really old maps it was referred too as The Big Bend.

Mark,
That is the Barge Hole.

Yep it is the Barge hole....talk about combat fishing must have been 50 boats all
jockying for position,it was interesting to say the least but not quite my style of
fishing. I have found the Trinity Salmon much better to eat...smoked Salmon yum!
Mark

Combat is probably a bit of an understatement, fifty years ago that place could get nuts and I am sure it hasn't improved. There is some really good trout fishing in and around the Barge Hole. We used to only fish the winter salmon run which produced some really good smoked fish as those fish were fresher than the fall run fish. But alas that was in the fifties and early sixties.