May 2026 Fishing Reports

Fall River Fishing Report

May 2026

The Fall River has just started to get going, and fishing has been solid early this season. We’ve been seeing good PMD and Baetis activity, with fish feeding consistently during the morning hours.

Getting on the water early has definitely been the key lately, especially before the afternoon winds pick up. Dry fly opportunities have been improving each week, and anglers covering water methodically are finding some quality fish. As temperatures continue to stabilize, expect the hatch activity and overall fishing to keep trending upward heading deeper into spring.

Current Fly List:

• PMD Sparkle Duns #16–18

• PMD Comparaduns #16–18

• Rusty Spinners #16–18 for the late morning spinner fall

• Baetis Sparkle Duns #18–20

• Baetis Emergers and Soft Hackles #18–20

• Zebra Midges in black and red #18–20

• Small olive and brown nymphs under an indicator have also been productive early

Long leaders, light tippet, and accurate presentations continue to make a big difference on the Fall right now, especially with the clear water conditions.

Lower Sacramento River Fishing Report

The Lower Sac has been fishing exceptionally well this spring. We’ve experienced some unusual weather patterns lately, which have made hatch timing a little inconsistent from day to day, but overall bug activity has been excellent and the trout have been responding.

PMDs, caddis, stoneflies, Little Yellow Sallies, and Baetis have all been active throughout the system, creating a variety of productive ways to target fish right now. There are multiple techniques producing quality fish.

One of the best parts about current conditions is that you don’t have to be on the water at first light to have a successful day. Early morning anglers are finding fish, but midday starts and fishing into the evening have also been producing excellent action.

We’re seeing a lot of healthy trout in the 14–17 inch range, and anglers willing to stay focused and fish hard still have a great shot at hooking larger fish as well. The river is healthy, bug activity has remained consistent overall, and the Lower Sac continues to offer some of the best spring trout fishing in Northern California.

Recent Hatches

• PMDs

• Caddis

• Stoneflies

• Little Yellow Sallies

• Baetis

Lower Sacramento River Striper Report

Striper fishing on the Lower Sacramento River has been solid lately. The migratory fish have been moving around a bit, but in the areas we’ve been focusing on there have been good numbers of fish holding and feeding consistently.

We’re also starting to see the first push of shad show up, which is always a good sign as we move deeper into late spring and early summer patterns. While we don’t currently run a dedicated shad program, we’re always happy to point anglers toward a few quality operations closer to Sacramento that specialize in it.

Overall, conditions are shaping up nicely, and the next few weeks should continue to produce quality opportunities for anglers targeting stripers on the fly.

Summer striper fishing will be here before we know it and this summer should be one for the record books with good later spring rain and a winter that will create stable flows for the river through the summer months. June-September is prime time for our resident striper populations on all our valley rivers.