The inland salmon fishing season kicks off on Monday, July 16 from the Carquinez Bridge up into the upper Sacramento River system. This season the prospects look good due to the off-the-charts salmon fishing taking place off the California coastline. This season the daily limit will be one fish with no size restrictions. Presently there are a few fish entering the Delta, but they are moving through the warmer water conditions at a fast rate up into the cooler waters of the upper Sacramento, Feather, American rivers known as the comfort zone. The first salmon fishing reports on the inland season comes from the Benicia area where shoreline anglers tossing spinners and spoons get into the action. This year the Department of Fish and Wildlife has placed a new rule and regulation for inland salmon fishing limiting the size of your trolling leader to not exceed six feet in length. Even though the salmon fishing season opens this month beware that those in the hunt will no doubt have to wait until August or September before it makes it worthwhile to try your luck, especially on the old Sacramento River and the Walnut Grove area. Some of the better lures are the single and double bladed spinners in the silver/chartreuse color patterns, Kwikfish, Wiggle Warts in the small and magnum size, and lures used for striped bass such as Rebels, Yo-Zuri’s and P-Line Predators have all caught salmon at one time or another. Those wanting to give the salmon fishing a shot should limit their time out on the water on the opener from daybreak to no later than 10 a.m. If you haven’t had any action by that time it is time to call it a day. Stay tuned for periodic reports on the upcoming inland water salmon fishing season, and be sure to check opening and closing dates on for fishing on various sections of the river. Note: the San Joaquin River will once again be closed for the entire inland salmon fishing season.