That the lower Sacramento River in northern California is an incredible trophy-trout fishery is hardly a surprise, given its remarkable lineage. Drift-boating the lower Sac, one can almost recognize the brawling rapids of the upper Sac and McCloud, the Pit River's mysterious stained-water riffles, and the sedate, fish-dimpled flats of Hat Creek and Fall River.

The lower Sacramento River is a tailwater fishery with water temperatures and flows controlled to aid steelhead and salmon recovery efforts.

What is astonishing is that until the early 1980s, few anglers considered the lower Sac a viable trout fishery. Before then, water releases from massive Shasta Dam were mandated by agricultural interests downstream in the fertile Sacramento Valley. River water released from the upper levels of Shasta Lake sometimes reached temperatures nearly lethal to fish and their eggs. To make matters worse, flow changes in drought years were often unpredictable and dramatic, at times exposing and annihilating fresh salmon redds.

As the aquatic habitat suffered from this dual malady, a third and potentially more devastating threat was discovered. An abandoned copper mine, which subsequently became one of the most highly ranked Superfund sites in the country and was described as the most acidic place on earth, was pouring heavy metals directly into the river with devastating results. Fortunately, tremendous strides have been made in controlling this nightmare, and the amount of effluent from the mine has been significantly reduced.

The trout grow large on insects and salmon byproducts like eggs, fry, and decaying flesh.

Salmon, however, have ultimately proven to be the savior for lower Sacramento rainbows. Trying to halt the downhill slide of the waterway's salmon and steelhead populations, a multimillion-dollar device was installed at Shasta Dam that allows water to be diverted into the river from any lake depth, allowing strict control of water temperatures during releases. As an example, during the heat of summer, water is drawn from deeper, colder levels, providing ideal temperatures for endangered salmon. While this tactic has already reaped benefits in the form of increased salmon and steelhead returns, the local trout fishery has perhaps been the largest benefactor, at least from a fly fisher's viewpoint.

The dam was modified in 1997 and within a single season, 16-inch trout were becoming common, with anglers routinely landing fish in excess of 22 inches. A year later, guided anglers experienced consistent 30-, 40-, and even 50-fish days, often with a liberal sprinkling of 20- to 24-inch fish. [Rex Gerlach first described the lower Sac in our September issue in 1999 when this "new" tailwater was still developing. Today, we have a better understanding of the river's seasonal flow regimes to help you plan a more successful trip. THE EDITOR.]