Fishing report, May 10-16: Shaver yielding trophy trout; bass bustin’ out all over

Compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

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Best bets

Delta stripers and bass bites going, Alan Fong reported. Shaver trophy trout drawing anglers, Dick Nichols said. New Melones kokanee and bass on the hunt, Monte Smith reported. Don Pedro bass hitting, and McClure bass and crappie numbers good, Ryan Cook said. Pine Flat bass on a tear, Michael Crayne reported. Aqueduct stripers on a hot bite, Bill Sterling said.

Roger’s remarks: Don’t miss paying the ultimate respect with a final trip

Fishing with a partner or buddy, knowing they don’t have many trips left, is something that anglers deeply cherish. It’s a great honor to be able to say, “I was the last person, or one of the last, to fish with him.” Everyone respects and realizes how special final trips are.

As I’ve gotten older, it has hit me that there’s usually less time to do that great intended action you know you should do. Procrastination seems to be the enemy of doing what you know is the right thing to do. Now when the thought hits me that I need to reach out and take a buddy fishing because I know he needs it and time is running out, I listen to the little voice and do it now. Being intentional and stepping out of your comfort zone to help others is what life is all about.

Telling someone that they are your fishing buddy is just about the greatest thing you can say about someone. Reaching out to help a fishing buddy during a key time in their life can have an incredible effect on everyone it touches. You only get so many chances – no do-overs! Live without regrets. Serve others humbly. Never give up!

Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com , Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars

Valley

Westside waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 2

Bill Sterling of Striperz Gone Wild said, “This week took a big turn as striper fishing is as hot as it’s going to get this spring. ‘Limits in Minutes’ is one of our mottos and they are catching their limits in minutes! I pulled up around 4:30 p.m., and Tommy Vue and his wife were out fishing on the aqueduct, and they were done with their limits within an hour. At one point, they both caught stripers at the same time with stripers from 21 to 24 inches, all caught on anchovies along the sides. It seems the stripers are moving along the sides looking for food as they are heading down the aqueduct. They were the only ones even getting bites. I moved into their spot once they left and sure enough I pulled in a 22- and a 19-inch striper. As the weather is getting warmer it’s only going to keep the hot bite going! Carlos Morales caught a 24-inch striper fishing off Hilldale Bridge, and shortly after, caught another one for his ‘Limits in Minutes.’ There was also a 27-inch striper caught on the same bridge. Bass fishing in the irrigation canals is still a bit slow but there have been a few caught out there on various lures. We are still seeing catfish caught at night in those canals and the Delta Mendota.”

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, catfishing is the best thing going with cut baits, chicken liver, or Triple S Dip Bait while largemouth bass are taken on Keitech swimbaits or jerkbaits. Cut baits or jumbo minnows are working for striped bass, but you have to find the schools.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 3 Catfish 2 Crappie 3

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “Heavy fishing pressure over the past several weeks has slowed the bass bite at Eastman. There are still bass, crappie, and bluegill to be taken, but it has gotten far tougher with all of the boats on the lake. The water level keeps rising, and the water is clearing. Tossing swimbaits or jerkbaits along with flipping in the brush piles in with Brush Hogs are working best.” Crappie are holding in the submerged brush in the shallows. At Hensley, small bass are available on a variety of baits, and carp are taken out of the shallows as they are dining on bass eggs or fry. Eastman rose 2 feet to 576.20 in elevation and 88% with Hensley also rising 3 feet to 520.08 in elevation and 68%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 2 King salmon 1 Crappie 2

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “Dropping water levels have scattered the kokanee schools, and trollers have to search wide and far to locate the landlocked salmon. The fish are quality, but the numbers have been limited so far.” Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Bass fishing is fantastic as the spotted, smallmouth, and largemouth bass are chasing shad in the shallows. Shad-imitation flukes on an underspin or topwater lures are working along with plastics in shad patterns. The bass are found from the surface to 15 feet.” Clara Ricabal of St. Croix Rods took big fish in Sunday’s American Bass event on a swimbait while fishing solo. The lake rose to 768.40 feet in elevation and 76%. Debris removal has started in Moccasin Bay and in the Tuolumne River Arm, but boat launching is still permissible, but access to the main lake is closed from Moccasin. Boaters are advised to continue to use caution and be aware that there are workers removing the debris. Suntex Marinas will be working to reopen operations at the Moccasin Point Marina this summer.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Kyle Wise, Head Hunter Guide Service (209) 531- 3966; Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Fishing (559) 691-7008

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2

The lake rose 2 feet to 2,584.22 in elevation and 62% as snowmelt in the upper river slowed with the colder temperatures. The flows at the upper Kern at Kernville dropped from 5,932 to 3,967 cfs, but the flows below the dam remained steady at 5,476 cfs at First Point. A trout plant occurred a few weeks ago, and spoons or blade/’crawler combinations are picking up a few trolling in French Gulch. Crappie are found at depths from 10 to 20 feet with minijigs or live minnows. The bass are in all stages of the spawn, and they have been plucked off of the beds with 7- to 10-inch plastic worms, deep-diving crankbaits, or swimbaits in rainbow trout patterns. Catfish are a solid option on Triple S Dip Bait, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, or live minnows. Trout plants will be increased in advance of the 32nd annual Kern County Chamber of Commerce Trout Fishing Derby which postponed from its April 1 start. It will now occur for two weeks starting Saturday, May 20 through June 4. Registration is $40/angler with youth at $15/angler, and there are 500 tagged trout worth between $20 and $10,000 and over $55,000 in cash and prizes. Registration and information at kernrivervalley.com/isabellalakefishingderby. The debris has mostly been pushed into the coves due to the rising water levels and the wind. Trout fishing in the upper Kern River remains slow with the high water levels as the planters are hugging the banks and staying out of the main current. The road is reportedly closed at Camp Owen.

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816

Lake Kaweah

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake is dropping again, 9 feet this week to 625.94 in elevation and 22%. The recent cold weather front has slowed down the snowmelt arriving into the lake from the Kaweah River. The bass are in all stages of the spawn, but the majority of bass have moved into post spawn. The Kaweah River at Three Rivers dropped from 3,772 to 1,714 cfs.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Success rose a foot to 643.21 in elevation and 76%. The Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments held tournaments on both Saturday and Sunday, and the winning weights were in the 10-pound range with a number of 2-pound bass. The relatively stable water levels have assisted the spawn as the bass are in all stages of spawning with the majority spawning during the current full moon. Plastics on the drop-shot, Senkos, or twin-tailed Hula Grubs are working at depths to 20 feet. Crappie are taken on live minnows or minijgs near structure in the shallows.

Call: Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com

Success is hosting Warrior’s Day on the Lake for wounded veterans on Saturday, May 13. For more information, call park rangers Sylvia Guerrero or Kevin Rodriguez at 784-0215.

McClure Reservoir

Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 3 Catfish 2

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Similar to Don Pedro, the bass at McClure are chasing shad in the shallows as there is a solid shad spawn. Plastics in shad-imitations on the drop-shot are working along with 6-inch Robo Worm’s Morning Dawn pattern.” 31 boats participated in Saturday’s Best Bass Tournaments Mother Lode Division event with five limits over 10 to 13 pounds. Crappie action remains solid in the submerged brush in the shallows with minijigs or small Keitech swimbaits. The lake rose slightly to 804.47 feet in elevation and 63%.

Call: Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Guide Service (559) 691-7008

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

The lake continues to spill over at 106%, and the high water is expected through August with all of the snowmelt coming down the Merced River through the Exchequer Dam at upstream Lake McClure. The water clarity is limited, and most bank anglers continue to struggle for a fish or two per trip.

Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 3 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “The bass bite has improved considerably over the past week as the water levels have stabilized. The lake is very low, but a number of spotted bass in the 4-pound range have been taken on umbrella rigs. The crappie bite has slowed.” The lake continues to release water in anticipation of incoming snowmelt, but it receded only 2 feet to 480.60 in elevation and 31%. The rapid drawdown has threatened the spawn for both spotted and largemouth bass as beds have been left high and dry. Water releases down the San Joaquin dropped from 8,930 to 5,650 cfs at Friant.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “Kokanee fishing remains outstanding for fish ranging from 13 to 17 inches, and the kokanee are concentrated from the Spillway north to above Glory Hole at depths from 40 to 70 feet. Rainbow trout are also found a bit higher in the water column with kokanee gear.” The boat traffic has increased as the state’s largest kokanee are currently found here. Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing added, “Bass fishing is excellent for numbers with flukes or underspins at depths from the banks to 15 feet.” The lake rose 4 feet to 1,008.72 in elevation and 65% with the start of snowmelt coming down the Stanislaus River.

Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Guide Service (559) 691-7008; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod & Gun in Clovis said, “Pine Flat is excellent for bass right now as there is a good topwater bite early or late near the docks at Deer Creek or in the Windy Gap area. 3.8- to 4.3-inch Keitech swimbaits are working, but the dropping water has been a deterrent to the spawn. The crappie bite has slowed.” The lake dropped only 5 feet to 827.71 in elevation and 43%. The flows on the lower Kings at Trimmer have also dropped from 10,226 cfs to 6,122 cfs due to colder weather slowing the snowmelt. The lack of trout plants and the high, dangerous water levels have limited action in the river below the dam.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2

The lake remains extremely high at 99%, and Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “Limits of school-sized striped bass are found for trollers working Smithwick’s, P-Line’s Angry Eye Predators, or Lucky Craft 128s at depths from 30 to 40 feet. Drifting jumbo minnows at the mouth of Portuguese Cove or near the islands close to the Romero Visitor Center is also effective.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the overall bite is improved as the water visibility has improved over most of the lake. “I’m hearing improved trolling action, but there’s a lot of water to cover to find fish. Ripbaits thrown on the shoreline are also working in lower light conditions. Reaction presentations in the top 50 feet are the best bet.”

The O’Neill Forebay is starting to clear up, but it is still muddy due to heavy inflow. Flukes with a scrounger head or Keitech 3.8-inch swimbaits with Owner Flashy Spinners are working for stripers ranging from 16 to 18 inches. The bass are on beds, and the bite has slowed.

To check the wind conditions on the lake use windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711; Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0

Veteran Bass Lake guide Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing said, “The lake is looking good and almost to the top, and trout fishing should return to normal once these storms pass. The kokanee have yet to show up but I think this is going to be a good year. Trout are hitting in the shallow water in front of the Forks from the top to 18 feet trolling with Dick’s Mountain Dodgers in blue or gold. Dick’s Mountain tubes or Trout Busters along with Rocky Mountain Tackle’s Radical Glow Tubes in pink or orange tipped with a piece of nightcrawler or Berkley Maggots are also very productive.” Over 40 tagged fish were landed on the first day of the recent derby with a much slower response on the second day. The two big $10,000 fish are still in the lake. A webcam of the launch ramp is at basslakeca.com. The lake has risen to 86%.

Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

The Kaiser Pass Lakes are out of play until late spring as heavy snow fell in the region. Road conditions 297-0706.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 2 Trout 3

Shaver Lake is unique as the lake is open without concessionaire fees imposed on most lakes with specially raised trophy-sized trout. This is due to the fundraising efforts of the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project (SLTTP). Trophy trout are expensive as a 10-pound trout can cost well over $100 apiece, and as a result, concessionaires must charge a hefty daily fishing fee to cover expenses. Thanks to hard work of the project’s members along with the support of the local and regional community, the annual release of trophies occurred this past week at Shaver. Charter member and co-founder of the SLTTP, Shaver guide emeritus Dick Nichols, said, “1,100 beautiful rainbow trout were put in the lake, and the trophies ranging from 3 to 10 pounds came from Desert Hatchery in eastern Oregon. Project fish chairman Bob Bernier said, ‘With local private hatcheries not able to provide the fish we needed, I went back to our old friends in eastern Oregon for this year’s stock. These are some of the most pristine rainbows with bright colors that we have seen in a while. They loaded us up on some of the biggest fish we have planted in recent years, and although most ranged from 3 to 7 pounds, there were two weighing in at 10.5 pounds caught this week.’ The project has gone as far away as Nebraska in the past to provide trophy trout for the lake with the plant or plants occurred in the late spring and early summer.”

Joanie Ruiz landed one of the 10.5-pound trophies while John McCreary picked off one at 7.5 pounds on a Thomas Buoyant on 4-pound test. Nichols added, “The kokanee bite has been mostly slow. As veteran Shaver guide Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service, said, ‘It’s snowin’ and they ain’t showin’,’ referring to the lack of a kokanee bite and inclement weather with snow and rain this past week. The yearling trout bite, with a mixture of browns and rainbows in the 16- to 18-inch category has been fair to good.”

In addition to the trophy trout plants, the project assists with youth programs such as the annual Greg Mark’s Youth Derby set for June 10 at the Edison Road 3 picnic area. Those interested in the Youth Derby can find the official participants’ registration online at shaverlaketrophytrout.org.

It will take some additional time for higher-elevation Huntington to dig out, but it is getting closer. Huntington is low at around 30%. A webcam of the Shaver launch ramp is at sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html.

Call: Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Jerad Romero, Jrods Guide Service 392-6994; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 0

The heavy snowpack is melting rapidly, but the traditional road opener on McKinley Grove Road could be pushed further into May. However, a trout plant is scheduled for this week.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Striper 2 White seabass 1 Crab 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Perch fishing from the shorelines or crabbing from the Pacifica Pier or surrounding beaches remain the highlight as the salmon closure has hit this port particularly hard. The local rockfish season starts on May 15 through July 15 seaward of the 50-fathom curve before opening up July 16 at any depth until Dec. 31. The New Captain Pete has left the harbor to target halibut inside of San Francisco Bay out of Oyster Point, and he has been scoring limits of the flatfish with some bonus striped bass. Crab limits are possible off of the Pacifica Pier with snares loaded with anchovies, squid, or sardines.

Call: Captain Michael Cabanas, New Captain Pete (510) 677-7054; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith, Riptide (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, Queen of Hearts (510) 581-2628

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Striper 3 White seabass 0 Rockfish 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Alan Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Most Monterey Bay anglers are still waiting in suspense regarding just how much of a bonanza we’ll experience with the new unrestricted depth regulations for rockfish. The season opened on Monday and coincided with another seaborne storm that rolled into the area and lasted most of the week. Wind, waves, and turgid waters made fishing the deep reefs an unrealistic proposition. After being battered all winter with ferocious weather, this latest storm seems almost mild. The winds and waves were enough to keep most boats at the dock, however.

One notable exception in the Monterey Bay charter fleet was Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching Trips. Chris Arcoleo sent his boats out for Tuesday and Wednesday trips. He said the wind was not bad as long as we stayed in the bay. “We just fished the canyon, that’s all, in 400 to 450 feet. The fish were coming up off the bottom. Just quality fish – so far, chili peppers, vermilion, and canaries. And plenty of ling cod.”Anglers effectively boated limits of lings on the Check Mate both Tuesday and Wednesday. And these are big fish! Arcoleo said most were in the 12- to 15- pound range with a good number pushing 20 and one “really good big fish” that weighed in at 25 pounds. So, that sounds like super good rockfishing without traveling very far at all. “There’s a lot of area out there, we’re just covering a teeny bit. We haven’t gone to where it’s really good yet,” Arcoleo said. Surfcasters have enjoyed their own bonanza recently. Barred surf perch are filling in at all the usual locations. A good variety of surfperch are on the bite locally, including schools of calico and walleye. More beaches are hosting big beds of sand crabs, always a preferred bait for the perch. That small sand crab could also result in a big striped bass hit. Striper fishing has been very good so far this season with most of the action coming from beaches between the Salinas River and Sand City. There is very good surfcasting structure on the beaches from Sand City on up to Manresa. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a marked increase of striper catches between Moss Landing and Santa Cruz, including some of the town beaches in Santa Cruz. The bass are hitting perch grubs and worms, sand crabs and, by all reports, the entire array of striper lures. These include the classic irons such as KastMasters and Krokodiles, leadhead swimbaits, and of course large or small stick baits like the SP Minnows and Lucky Craft 110. Offshore anglers can work the deep reefs for big bags of quality rockfish while inshore fishers can certainly find quality from the shallower reefs of 60 to 120 feet. Halibut have moved in quietly over the past few weeks with few reported caught, mostly because boats have not been going out fishing because salmon season was canceled, and rockfish season closed. We can’t wait to see who gets what next week, and where.”

Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Halibut 3 Striper 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

“Fishing is the best I’ve seen in over 45 years that my feeble mind can remember. If you are looking for the fishing to get better, don’t wait, the time is now!” said Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of Pier 45 at the San Francisco waterfront. That’s a pretty heady statement from someone who has been fishing the bay for over four decades alongside such legendary former Northern California captains such as Jim Smith, Art Roby, Bill Beckett, and Phil Bentivegna. It’s that good right now, but the time to leave the boat with three-fish halibut limits is limited as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will propose a temporary change to a halibut bag limit of two fish over 22 inches per day during the May 17 Fish and Game Commission meeting.

Never mind the necessary changes because in addition to a strong showing of California halibut, striped bass have invaded the bay, and with the accessibility of live bait, limits of three halibut and two striped bass have been commonplace over the past week. Koyasako has been putting his clients onto limits of both species, saying, “We had very good fishing today with the group gathering all the pescados that the law will allow. The stripers bit with gusto and we enjoyed, drifting and flylining until we caught what we needed. Sunday’s trip was incredible with at least four halibut in the high teens or low 20’s. Upon dropping in, we had a triple, ending up with 17 legal halibut on our first drift. We were finished with halibut limits on our second drift, and we then began loading up with striped bass. It is a matter of seeing a few birds, setting up a chum line, and soon, the stripers are boiling on the surface. We are using a live bait with a split-shot to keep the birds off of the bait, and the stripers came right to the boat as the anchovies are trying to hide under the boat. It’s amazing was a little water will do as the stripers haven’t shown up the past few years of limited freshwater flow, but they are sure here now.”

Captain Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley Marina was out on Saturday on a charter from Overaa Construction, and their 25 anglers came up one short of halibut limits with 53 halibut and 25 striped bass for 18 anglers – a 4.3-fish per rod average. Sunday’s trip was even better with 23 limits of halibut plus two crew fish and 8 striped bass. We haven’t been targeting the bass, but they have been in the same area as the halibut. My son, Jonathon, on the Happy Hooker came in with 25 limits of halibut and a good number of stripers on Sunday. We were the first boats back to the harbor after a great day of fishing.”

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing had a banner day on Sunday with 18 limits of halibut and 8 striped bass working the south bay.

Live bait has really kicked this season into high gear, and J and P Bait in at Pier 47 in San Francisco is open seven days per week from 6 to 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 5 to 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

With the “best halibut fishing for numbers in decades” combined with the intense pressure on the bay due to the closure of the salmon season, the proposed daily bag limit reduction has been greeted by party boat and six-pack captains to conserve the resource.

The rockfish season opens on May 15 seaward of 50 fathoms before opening at all depths starting July 16. Fewer boats will be willing to make the long run to deep water, but Captains Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley and Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito will be targeting deep water rockfish. Smith said, “We are full on May 15 with a good start for May 17, and I am really looking forward to see what is out there.”

Call: Captain Ron Koyasako, Nautilus Excursions (916) 704-4169; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3

Rockfish season is now open in this section of the coast at all depths through Sept. 30. The Black Pearl out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay was on an overnight trip during the weekend with 23 anglers for 92 vermilion, 57 assorted rockfish, 10 copper, 35 Boccaccio, 10 olive, 3 cabezon, one Petrale sole, and 8 ling cod while the Fiesta and Rita G were out on trips ranging from 1/2- to 3/4-day on Sunday with 43 passengers for 84 vermilion, 339 assorted rockfish, 6 copper, one canary, and a ling cod. Also out of Morro Bay, the Endeavor and Avenger out of Morro Bay Landing were out on Sunday with 52 anglers for a whopping 208 vermilion, 82 Boccaccio, 154 assorted rockfish, a cabezon, and 6 lings to 16 pounds for a total of 451 fish. Doug McKinney of Bakersfield landed the big ling at Ragged Point on the Endeavor. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Patriot, Flying Fish, and Phenix were out on Sunday with 66 passengers for 100 vermilion, 10 Boccaccio, 3 copper, 4 Bolina, 2 cabezon, one ocean whitefish, 324 assorted rockfish, and 4 ling cod to 8 pounds for a total of 448 fish.

From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the take of shelf and slope rockfish and lingcod is open seaward of the 50-fathom line. Take is prohibited shoreward of the 50-fathom RCA line. Boats out of Morro Bay and Port San Luis are filling up for the opening week. Webcams of many of the coastal locations are at 805webcams.com.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 3 Sturgeon 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3

Striped bass have been the main focus on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin side of the California Delta as the linesides are both flooding into the system from the bay along with heading back downstream after spawning upriver. There are schools of striped bass both in San Francisco Bay as well as in the upper Sacramento and Feather Rivers, and the striper season in the Delta is showing the potential to last well through July with the high water.

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley said, “It’s been really good fishing as we have found large schools in the evenings during the week with spoons on the San Joaquin side. Even with the big tides, we have been able to get the stripers under the boat while drifting live bait. The schools are scattered, but we went through 60 minnows by 9:30 a.m., but we weren’t able to spoon them up. Saturday’s fish were all nice grade with the smallest fish being larger than Sunday’s largest fish. We found a number of females in the mix on Saturday, but there were more males on Sunday. It’s been a very good week.”

Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was also spooning for stripers on the San Joaquin side, and he said, “We caught and released 42 linesides with my client keeping his limit to 5 pounds. The stripers were in deep water, and we spooned them up with 3-ounce P-Line’s Laser Minnows. Once we found the schools, we had them all over the boat for an hour and a half. The schools were scattered, and we fished a lot of water, finding the fish in certain locations with many areas of dead water. We also were able to toss Optimum’s Bad Bubba Shad swimbaits when they were in the flats or when they came up to the surface.”

Regular troller, Dave Houston of Livermore added, “Every day this week, the Delta’s been on a slowdown as we’re waiting for the next wave of stripers to come in. The schools of fish that we found are elevated and not sitting right on the bottom. When this happens, jigging works better. On our last trip, we only caught nine keepers while trolling deep-diving lures in bone or rainbow trout, but the grade of fish was a little better as we released a 12 pounder.”

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoorsman in Stockton, was out on the San Joaquin side this week, and he reported trolling behind Empire Cut for limits of stripers ranging from 9 to 12 pounds. He added that the San Andreas and Santa Clara Shoals are also producing for trollers along with the stretch around Prisoner’s Point. Anglers drifting live bluegill are finding success in Mildred Island.

Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors has been finding largemouth bass limits to 23 pounds flipping in the north Delta. He said, “There were no fish on beds as the water has cooled down to 58 degrees. With the fish moving off, we moved out into the main channel and whacked them. There are several bass still in pre-spawn mode.”

Sturgeon fishing has been an afterthought for many, but the diamondbacks remain on the chomp for the few six-pack operators hanging out at Pittsburg Marina. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing was out twice this week with one trip producing 4 limits of sturgeon while the following day, they also picked up a slot fish along with oversized and undersized diamondbacks released. Mitchell said, “I tried to talk them into releasing a few of the slot limit fish since we had two in the box, but each angler wanted to keep a fish which is legal right now.’ Hook’d Up is offering sturgeon specials on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday for $1000 for six anglers.

May 16 is an important day for Delta sturgeon anglers as the Department of Fish and Wildlife is holding a virtual public meeting on California’s white sturgeon fishery from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. White sturgeon biology, fishery history, current status and management, and challenges they face will be addressed by department staff. Attendees will have the opportunity to as scientists questions about sturgeon and provide input on their present and future hopes for the fishery. The link to the online meeting is at wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fishes/Sturgeon.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

Bass 2 White bass 1 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout 2

At Nacimiento, the lake remains high at 94%. The bass are primarily in post-spawn after the recent full moon. The Best Bass Tournaments held an event on Saturday with the winning limit just under 10 pounds with a big fish at 3.58 pounds. Plastics on a shaky-head, Texas-rig, or drop-shot remain the best techniques. Crappie are found on structures with small Keitech swimbaits or minijigs. A webcam of the lake is at 805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam. Lopez Lake received a trout plant a few weeks ago, but the lake remains high and spilling at 100.2%. It is spilling for the first time in 25 years. A webcam of the lake is at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam. Santa Margarita is spilling at 100.3%, but there is a decent reaction bite for largemouth bass.. A webcam of the lake is at 805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california. At San Antonio, the lake continues to rise, to 74%. The lake is muddy with debris on the surface, and it will take some time to clear before fishing is back in action. Once the lake clears, fishing could be as good as it has been in recent memory for bass, catfish, and crappie.

Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.

Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.

Events

May 27 – Fishermen’s Expo at Modesto Toyota from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fishing pond for youth, seminars and product giveaways.

Tournament Results

Don Pedro – May 6: 1st – Ralph Encizo/Denny Bowlin– 16.16 pounds; 2nd – Brandon Yang/Forrest Brazelton – 15.67; 3rd – Dusty Mart/Mike Alvarez – 15.58.

McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Central Region – May 6: 1st – Russ Pierson/Michael Beevers – 13.47 pounds (Big Fish – 4.60); 2nd –Chris Jones/Ron Orbaker – 11.80; 3rd – Kevin Moore/Jamie Lima – 10.97.

Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments – May 6: 1st – Randy Weldon/Rodger Patterson – 10.33 pounds; 2nd –Daniel Moreno/Jason Rader – 9.82; 3rd –Darl Head/Caanon Adams – 9.70.

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments/Coastal Region – May 6: 1st – Fernando Salazar/Sal Rocha – 9.97 pounds; 2nd –Matt Clausen/Cory Woods – 9.59 (Big Fish – 3.58); 3rd – Danny Smith/Brian Duncan – 9.28.

Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments/High School Tournament of Champions – May 7: 1st – Reid Hammons – 5.86 pounds (Big Fish – 2.28); 2nd –Cade Bradford – 4.38; 3rd –Tristan Gammon – 3.48.

Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments/Youth Division– May 7: 1st – Coleton Rader – 6.85 pounds (Big Fish – 2.04); 2nd – Bear Demacablin – 1.69; 3rd – Kyle Rader.

Bass Lake – Bass 101– May 7: 1st –Tim and Timmy Wells – 18.42 pounds (Big Fish – 5.80).

Upcoming Tournaments (Dates and locations subject to change)

May 13

Delta/Big Break Marina – California Bass Federation

Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments

Bass Lake – Bass 101

Nacimiento – Central Coast Bass Bash

Santa Margarita – Golden Empire Bass Club

May 19-21

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Wild West Bass Trails Pro/Am

May 20

Delta/Contra Costa County – Sierra Bass Club

Camanche – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Lake Pardee – Kokanee Power Youth Derby

Tulloch - Nor Cal Bass

McClure – Yak-A-Bass

Pine Flat – Central Valley Kayak Fishing

Isabella – American Bass Association

Brite Valley Reservoir – Tehachapi Valley Recreation

Nacimiento – Bakersfield Bass Club/SLO Bass Ambushers

Santa Margarita – Kern County Bass Masters

May 21

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto Ambassadors/Kings River Bass Club

Camanche – Fresno Bass Club

New Melones – Kings VIII Bass Club

Don Pedro – Slay Nation Tournaments

May 27

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass Club