Northern California Fly Fishers Want Two-Month Closure of Lower American River

Saying that the snagging of wild steelhead has gotten out of control, FFF’s northern California members are asking the state to close the popular 26-mile section of the river from Nimbus Dam to the Sacramento River during February and March. “The lower stretch of the American has nearly shriveled into a muddy ribbon compared to its typical rippling abundance because of stingy dam releases, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. That isn’t likely to change during the next two months because, even with the recent storms, there isn’t enough snowmelt to spare more water, said Ron Milligan of the bureau’s Central Valley Project.” M.S. Enkoji in the Sacramento Bee.