Local Fly Fishing Icon Mike Michalak Speaks Out Against Proposed Jail Complex on Sacramento River

Mike Michalak, speaking at Redding City Council Meeting

Redding, CA — After nearly 50 years of silence at public meetings, Mike Michalak, owner of The Fly Shop® in Redding, addressed the Redding City Council on June 16, 2026, to strongly oppose plans for a 1,200-bed jail, male re-entry program facility, and alternative custody campus at the Eastside Road location along the Sacramento River, adjacent to the River Ranch neighborhood.

Michalak, who co-founded The Fly Shop in April 1978 with partner Brad Jackson, has built the business into a cornerstone of Northern California’s fly fishing community and a major contributor to local tourism and recreation. The shop, located at 4140 Churn Creek Road, offers retail, guiding services, fly fishing education programs, private waters access, and international travel packages. After Jackson departed in 1987 to pursue other ventures, Michalak—along with his wife Bertha—grew the enterprise through dedication and strategic expansion. Today, it stands as one of the nation’s leading fly shops, known for high-quality products, expert staff, and a worldwide reputation.

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In his remarks, Michalak highlighted decades of effort invested in developing the Sacramento River into a premier fly-fishing destination. “I’ve spent 50 years building up the fly fishing shop and the fly fishing recreation along the river,” he stated, warning that the proposed facilities would undermine one of the most famous fly fishing destinations on the map. The Lower Sacramento River below Keswick Dam is renowned for its world-class wild rainbow trout fishery, supported by cold tailwater flows, rich insect biomass, and scenic access points that draw anglers from across the country and beyond.

Michalak emphasized the economic stakes, noting that The Fly Shop mails thousands of catalogs annually to customers, with postage alone totaling $375,000 per year. He argued that placing correctional facilities in this prime riverside location represents a missed opportunity for positive development. “This is the wrong place,” he repeated. “There are other very suitable locations.” He pointed to successful models like Bend, Oregon, where riverfront areas have been developed with restaurants and recreational amenities, and noted that the Redding area has only one riverfront restaurant. “We are giving up some of the most important recreational and tourism tracts to criminals,” Michalak said.

He also criticized the process, claiming Sheriff Johnson attempted to advance the proposal without adequate notice to the community. When residents raised concerns about the lack of outreach, Michalak recounted the Sheriff’s response as: “What do you want me to do? Knock on each door in the neighborhood?”

The Lower Sacramento River has transformed over decades into a premier tailwater fishery. Once impacted by pollution—including acid mine drainage from sites like Iron Mountain Mine—the river has rebounded significantly thanks to environmental mitigation efforts, dam management improvements (such as the 1997 coldwater device on Shasta Dam), and habitat enhancements. This stretch, flowing through and near Redding, now supports abundant wild trout and seasonal steelhead and salmon runs, bolstered by trail improvements that have increased public access.

Michalak’s testimony underscores broader community debates over balancing public safety infrastructure needs with the preservation of Redding’s natural assets, tourism economy, and quality of life. The Fly Shop has long contributed to these efforts through education programs, youth camps, and promotion of local waters.

As discussions continue, residents and business owners like Michalak urge city and county leaders to thoroughly evaluate alternative sites and prioritize transparent public input.