Fishing report, Oct. 4-10: Trout and king salmon hitting at Don Pedro, trout still on the bit at New Melones.
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
Don Pedro trout and king salmon hitting, Monte Smith reported. New Melones trout active, Dave Hurley said. San Francisco Bay stripers, rockfish halibut and Leopard shark bites going well, Rick Powers reported.
Roger’s remarks
Roger George’s column will return.
Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
Striperz Gone Wild assisted with the City of Gustine Kid’s Derby at the Schmidt Duck Pond on Saturday, and club spokesman, Bill Sterling, said, “It was a great day with lots of smiles and fish landed by the children. Our group donated 50 tackle boxes with starter tackle to every participant, and we also provided a dozen rod/reel combinations. We are all about supporting youth fishing, and we plan on giving out tackle boxes at every event when possible. Our philosophy is ‘No child should be without a tackle box.’ The kid’s smiles make it the efforts of our group worthwhile.”
SGW is hosting their Three-Year Anniversary ‘Fall Classic’ Striper Derby is coming 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Hilldale Bridge with an excellent BBQ with several plates for purchase at a reasonable price, 50/50 raffle, and prizes in the adult and youth divisions.
In the south aqueduct in Kern County, the grass and debris is starting to pile up, and nightcrawlers, garlic-scented nightcrawlers, lugworms, extra-large minnows, or cut baits on a heavy weight are working for both striped bass and catfish near the head gates. The key is finding the Jerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps, or small swimbaits in shad patterns are also effective. Catfish can be taken on nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or cut baits on the bottom. Largemouth bass are another option with plastics on the drop-shot or grubs the slow water either before or after the head gates.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis (559) 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657.
Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake
Bass 2 Trout 1 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Eastman has been picking up a bit, and one of our customers worked the brush piles and the trees for 40 bass on Senkos or small crappie rigs. There is so much bait in the lake right now that downsizing to small profile lures like the crappie jigs have provided the best opportunities. There have been some bass also landed near the dam. Hensley remains slow for bass, and catfishing with chicken livers, cut baits, or stink baits are your best bet.” Also at Hensley, the Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club participated in National Public Lands Day last weekend, and after conducting community service projects on Saturday, the club members were treated to a day of fishing on Sunday thanks to boat captains Robpe Peele, Daniel Lopez, Mike Pawlowski, Vacha Vang, and Dan Marshall. Eastman held at 551.63 feet in elevation and 63% with Hensley dropping a foot to 486.37 feet in elevation and 28%.
Call: Eastman Lake (559) 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis (559) 292-3474; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam (559) 673-5151.
Lake Don Pedro
Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 3 Crappie 2
The opportunities for trout and king salmon on the troll have been solid as Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “Fishing slowed a touch due to the full moon, but it is still pretty solid. Two trips to the lake this week produced some large rainbow trout up to a rainbow at 4 pounds, 2 ounces landed by Mike Abourezk of Farmington while Chris sanders of Stockton nearly hit the four-pound mark as well. The water temperatures dropped three degrees in four days due to the weather change, and the fish are still being caught from 60 to 80 feet, This depth is where the bait balls are, and the rainbows and kings are around the bait balls. We did catch a three-pound king salmon this week, and all of our fish have come on ExCel lures fished behind dodgers. We have been trying to match the hatch with the size of our lures as the shad baitfish are small at only around an inch in length. We are seeing massive balls of bait in the lake. The lake level continues to slowly drop, and the water clarity is in the 10-foot range.” For bass, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bite remains as tough as I’ve ever seen it. The bass are suspended, and you have to find them offshore as running the banks is producing nothing. The bass are feeding on small shad, and for the suspended fish, we are working a 1/4-ounce Kastmaster along with a 2-inch shad-patterned swimbait on a drop-shot rig.” The Tuolumne River arm is open, giving boaters access to the entire lake. There is still some floating driftwood in the upper river, and the cleanup continues. The lake dropped only 0.25 feet to 805.04 feet in elevation and held at 85%. Updates on the launch ramp are available at https://www.donpedrolake.com/.
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 3
The water releases slowed down this week with the lake only dropping a foot to 2,586.86 feet in elevation and 66%. The flows in the North Fork at Kernville have held at 651 cfs., and the releases out of the lake have dropped from 2025 to 1797 cfs at First Point. Catfish remain the top draw with the best action near the dam or Camp 9 with Triple S Dip Bait, mackerel, frozen shad, or large nightcrawlers. The lake has been relatively stable, and largemouth bass can be taken on shad-patterned spinnerbaits or buzzbaits in the trees or walking-style topwater lures such River2Sea’s Whopper Ploppers as they are focusing on the lake’s baitfish schools. Crappie are found near structure with offerings such as Keitech swimbaits or minijigs around Red’s Kern Valley Marina and in the South Fork.Trout action has slowed with the best fishing remaining in the North Fork with Power Bait near deep water access or with shad-patterned spoons such as Flicker Shad, Needlefish, or Tasmanian Devils for trollers. The upper Kern was stocked two weeks ago at Section 4, Powerhouse #3 to Riverside Park in Kernville, and Section 6, Fairview Dam to Johnsondale Bridge. With the plants and the slower water movement, trout fishing remains solid in upper river with spinners, crickets, nightcrawlers, or Power Bait.
Call: Cope’s Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351; 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 1 Catfish 3
The lake continues to drop, and it receded 6.5 feet to 617.57 feet in elevation and from 21 to 16% this week. With the rapidly dropping water, the bass are suspending in deep water until the lake finally stabilizes. Finesse presentations are working best as the fish are holding off of the shoreline over main lake points. Kaweah is one of the fastest lakes to rise and fastest to drop in the state. Catfishing remains best with garlic-scented nightcrawlers, cut bait, or Triple S Dip Baits on a long soak. Crappie are with minijigs or small swimbaits in shad patterns near the coves around Horse Creek. The flows in the Kaweah River have risen from 205 to 323 cfs.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 3
The lake receded less than a half-foot to 638.56 feet in elevation and 66%. There hasn’t been much change here as catfishing remains best with chicken livers, anchovies, or Triple S Dip Bait at night. Crappie are found around the docks in the marina or near submerged brush with small live minnows, Keitech swimbaits, or minijigs.
There is a topwater bite for bass early or late before heading to the bottom with twin-tailed grubs, or Roboworm’s on a drop-shot or Carolina-rig at 10 to 20 feet in depth.
Call: Cope’s Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351; Sequoia Fishing Co. (559) 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass bite is not easy as big fish are hard to find. You can work the south side of the lake in search of a better grade of bass, but you won’t be able to find many. You can target numbers in the river arm, but you won’t find many keepers up there. We have been finding our best quality on a ½-ounce white swimbait with silver double Willow-leaf blades or on a greenpumpkin Hula Grub on a ½-ounce football head jig. Working a 4-inch Lunker Daddy plastic worm in Cooked Shad on a drop-shot rig has also been effective, but the fish won’t eat a jig right now.” Holdover rainbow trout are found in the deep water near the dam with shad-patterned spoons such as Kastmasters in black/silver, blue/silver, or Cop Car as the rainbows are feeding heavily on the shad schools. Crappie are taken in the coves at depths from 15 to 25 feet over structure with various minijigs including Notorious Jigs. Catfishing issolid at night along sloping banks with chicken livers, nightcrawlers, or cut baits. The lake dropped 1.5 feet to 824.24 feet in elevation and 74%.
Call: Ryan Cook, Ryan Cook’s Guide Service (559) 691-7008
McSwain Reservoir
Trout 2
The Merced Irrigation District’s Fall Trout Derby was a big success, and there were rainbow trout to 6 pounds landed by bank anglers. With the recent plants, the action ranged from excellent to very slow depending upon your presentation and location. Kayakers are trolling Flicker Shad in front of the Brush Pile for steady action for rainbows in the 12- to 14-inch range while bank anglers are garlic Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or silver/blue or gold Kastmasters at the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula by the marina.
Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2
The lake is receding, dropping 9 feet this week 502.30 feet in elevation and 43%. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The bite for spotted bass is decent as the fish are gorging themselves on shad. There are some big shad balls in the lake, and the bass are spitting up shad in the 1.5- to 2-inch range. I was out there this week, and we ended up with around 20 bass, and the key was to downsize your baits. Micro-baits such as shad-patterned plastics on a drop-shot or Neko-rig or small jerkbaits. The launch ramp is down to the 3rd boat ramp.” Sycamore Park is open seven days per week. Sycamore Park Pond continues to kick out quality largemouth bass. Entry is free from Monday through Friday, and $9 per vehicle on weekends. Bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish can be caught in all of them. Drinks, snacks, live worms, lures, and tackle are available onsite at the bait shop. Canoe and kayak rentals are available on the ponds for $10 per hour or bring your own hand-launched boat.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun (559) 292-3474
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2
Similar to the other lakes, both bass and trout are keying on the growing shad schools. Trout trolling has been excellent over the shad schools with Kastmasters, Needlefish, Optimizer, or ExCel spoons in shad patterns. Trout can also be taken under lights at night, but with the colder and windier conditions, fewer anglers are opting for night fishing. The bass bite remains extremely tough for size, but numbers of small fish to 2 pounds are found in deep water around 30 feet off of main lake points with finesse presentations such as plastics or tubes on the drop-shot. Kokanee are in full spawning mode up the river arm near the log jam. Water releases have slowed, and the lake only dropped a half foot to 1042.76 feet in elevation and 79%.
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 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
The lake continues to release water, dropping 3.5 feet this week to 890.92 feet in elevation and 68%. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “There hasn’t been much change here as the bass bite remains decent with fish in the 2- to 3-pound range possible with the best action with finesse presentations. Plastics on the drop-shot, split-shot, or dart head are working best as the water temperatures are dropping. Small micro-baits are best right now. Crappie can be found around the docks or in the submerged brush. Trout fishing has slowed as there are fewer trollers working the lake, but the holdover rainbows are feeding on shad in the bait schools near the Power Lines.” The flows on the lower Kings at Trimmer are holding steady at 914 cfs. The last trout plant was two weeks ago, and holdovers can be found with spinners or nightcrawlers in the confluence of fast to slow water. The canals and ponds off of the lower Kings near Tulare and Lemoore are good options for bass.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun (559) 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. (559) 539-5626
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The main lake continues to be very productive for striped bass as we are selling lots of minnows and anchovies for bank anglers. There are plenty of shakers in the mix, but limits of school-sized stripers in the 26- to 28-inch range have been common. 4.3 to 4.8-inch shad-patterned Keitech or Big Hammer swimbaits, jerkbaits such as Duo Realis Tide Minnows In the O’Neill Forebay, Mesa said, “The grass is starting to die off, and Senkos or flukes on a scrounger head have been effective for largemouth bass.”
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the recent Super full moon combined with the rapid cooling trend pretty much slowed the bite for trollers and jerk bait anglers the last couple days in the big lake. “ The glowing reports from anglers that were out a week ago have completely changed to a very slow bite the last few days. The moon changed everything. I scouted last Friday and the fish were suspending like crazy. I managed 7 nice stripers to 26-inches doing everything I know to do.”
“There have been a few short bite windows - but then they stop biting. Lots of guys I talked to weren’t happy because they expected a great bite and didn’t know it had changed. Get past the moon and it could come back.“ George reported.
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun reported a number of boils have been occurring over the rockpiles, and when you find the bait, you will find the striped bass. Jerkbaits or swimbaits in shad-patterns are working best. The main lake dropped slightly to 81% with the O’Neill Forebay at 79%.
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) 905-295
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun said, “As the water is cooling down, the bass bite is improving, but it is a matter of searching for bait to find the fish.”Trout fishing has also slowed with the lack of planting since the annual trout derby in May. A webcam of the launch ramp is available at https://basslakeca.com/.
Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing (559) 676-8133
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
The Kaiser Pass lakes are starting to release water with Edison at 71, Florence at 87, and Mammoth Pool at 59%. Road conditions 297-0706.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake (559) 259-4000.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Kokanee 2 Trout 2
Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters said, “Monday was very slow at Shaver as we worked hard for two hours for two kokanee, a rainbow, and a brown trout in cold, miserable conditions. The region turned cool over the weekend with high temperatures in the mid-40’s and scattered showers. Kokanee fishing continues to be mostly slow with a couple limits at the most possible for Shaver’s experienced kokanee guides like Todd Wittwer and Tom Oliviera. Oliviera told me, ‘We fished the area around the Shaver Marina for little to no fish so we moved to the island and south out into the middle area and picked up the majority of our fish using either Apex lures or Mag Tackle’s orange hoochies behind Mag Tackle Gold dodgers. Roger Alter and his son and grandsons were able to take home 12 kokanee and 5 nice trout. I’m done for the season and am excited for next season. I’m hopeful that we have plenty of fish next year so we can start our charters in late April early May.’ Holdover and yearling trout can be found from the island into Stevenson Bay, using Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with crawler behind a Dick’s Mountain Flasher with a setback of 125 feet” Any second-year kokanee should be left alone to grow for 2024. With the lack of any kokanee planting by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife this year, a healthy spawn is necessary for action three years from now. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun reported slow action at Huntington with high water limiting shore access along with heavy flows at Rancheria Creek.
A webcam of the Shaver launch ramp is at sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html and for Huntington at http://www.shaverlakewebcams.info/huntington.html. Shaver is at 81 and Huntington at 95%.
Call: Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service (559) 288-8100; Jerad Romero, Jrods Guide Service (559) 392-6994; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing (559) 802-8072.
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 2
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun said, “Interest in fishing the high-country lakes remains down from past season.” The last trout plant at Courtright took place three weeks ago, and no trout plants are scheduled at either lake. The best location for holdovers remains in the upper lake near the inlets for trollers pulling blade/’crawler combinations or Rapalas. At Wishon, the best bank fishing is up near the mouth of Short Hair Creek or in the back of the lake near the inlet with inflated nightcrawlers or Power Bait.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
The nearshore rockfish closure along with the previous salmon closure has severely affected this port as the closest access to waters deeper than 50 fathoms are far from the harbor off of Pigeon Point with limited areas at the Farallon Islands. The bluefin tuna have been absent near the Half Moon Bay Weather Buoy, and unfortunately, it is going to be fishing from shore or whale watching as the most consistent action for the remainder of the summer. Crab-only trips will start on Nov. 4, but crab/rockfish combination trips are in jeopardy as the closest deep water is over 20 miles from the harbor. 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
Rockfish 3 Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Anglers on the Monterey Bay this week relished very good conditions for a few days before a big west swell showed up, accompanied by some gale-force winds. Smaller boats had trouble making it out to the deep waters for rockfish, though the shallow areas remained very fishable especially in the mornings before the fan turned on. JT Thomas from Go Fish Santa Cruz had a few good days in a row. On Monday he reported early limits of quality rock fish including vermillion, green spots, yellow tail, widows, and chili peppers. By Wednesday, the tune had changed. “We’ve been tied to the dock for the past few days due to wind and big waves. According to the weather forecast, we will be ok to get back running fishing charters starting Monday.” The west swell brought waves in the five to seven-foot range, and it is expected to die down gradually over the weekend. Big winds remain in the forecast through Sunday. Six-pack charter Santa Cruz Coastal Fishing had a similar tale to tell. Skipper Rodney Armstrong reported catching “buckets full of big yellows and reds. Deep water rock fish is still on fire!” Armstrong also reminds us that Dungeness crab season will open on Nov. 4 for recreational hoop-net crabbers this year. Armstrong will include Dungeness trips on his boat Knot Alone when the season opens.”
The Monterey and Moss Landing boats will have the upper hand for crab/rockfish combination trips starting Nov. 4 since access to water deeper than 50 fathoms is relatively close to the harbor as opposed to Half Moon Bay, San Francisco Bay, and Bodega Bay which will have to travel close to 20 miles or longer to get to the 50 fathom curve.
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 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 2
Inclement weather kept private and party boats from heading into water deeper than 50 fathoms in search of rockfish after Monday, but this week’s weather is anticipated to be cooperative. When the weather was cooperating early in the week, the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley made the run to Rittenburg Bank for 20 limits of big rockfish and 27 lingcod to 27 pounds. Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing found good weather on Sunday, Oct. 1, and his 21 anglers scored huge sacks of vermilion and yellowtail rockfish along with 31 lingcod to 21 pounds at Rittenburg. He said, “The weather looks good this week.” With big tides and rough weather, the boats stayed in the bay throughout the week, and the California Dawn boats found wide open striped bass action on Saturday with a combined 40 limits of linesides and 27 halibut on Saturday. The halibut action was even better on Sunday with the California Dawn II posting an impressive score of 29 halibut and 20 striped bass for 26 passengers. Earlier in the week, the California Dawn 1 took a Phenix Rods charter for shark, and they landed several seven-gill shark to 250 pounds, releasing everything over 100 pounds along with a number of leopard shark. The California Dawn is combining with Western Outdoor News for a charter on Oct. 13th out of Berkeley Marina. There are still a few spots available on the charter. Information - https://wonews.com/charters/. There have been reports of white sea bass showing up, and Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco, aka ‘The Ghost Whisperer,’ will be looking for them this week. Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael reported excellent striped bass action in San Pablo Bay near Red Rock and the Brickyard. Live bait is available at the San Francisco receiver for the upcoming month with the following schedule - 6-9am Monday-Thursday, 5-10am Friday-Sunday until Oct. 8, the last day of fleet week.
Starting Monday Oct. 9, they will open 6-9 a.m., Friday-Monday with a goal of remaining open until the middle of November, but things are always subject to change. Crab combination trips are scheduled to start on Nov. 4, but the ability to both fish and pull crab hoops in a reasonable amount of time is at question due to the nearshore rockfish closure.
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
The rockfish season in this section of coast is open seaward of 50 fathoms through December 31 in both the Central Management Area above Point Conception and in the Southern Management Area below Point Conception. Similar to the other ports in northern California, the boat-based nearshore rockfish season above Point Conception ended on September 1, forcing boats out of Morro Bay to either fish nearshore below Point Conception or deep water of 50 fathoms or more. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Endeavor was on a full-day trip on Saturday with 24 passengers for sub-limits of 96 vermilion rockfish along with 44 Boccaccio and 80 assorted rockfish for 20 fish shy of full limits. Jose Gonzales of Tulare won the jackpot with an 11-pound Boccaccio. On the Avenger and the Starfire, a combined 21 passengers returned with a total of 162 rockfish composed of 8 vermilion, 5 Boccaccio, and 149 assorted rockfish. Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay sent out the Fiesta on a ½-day trip on Saturday with 14 anglers for half-limits of rockfish consisting of 20 vermilion, 36 assorted rockfish, 14 Boccaccio, and a solitary lingcod for a total of 71 fish. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Patriot and Flying Fish were out on Sunday with a combined 30 anglers for 102 vermilion, one Boccaccio, 197 assorted rockfish, and 2 lingcod to 9 pounds for a total of 302 fish. Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://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 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
High winds and big tides were the story in the Sacrament/San Joaquin Delta over the weekend, but the fish didn’t seem to mind. At least during the small windows when fishing was possible. Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley said, “The fish are there, but the big tides created dirty water with plenty of grass in the system. When the tides slow down, the bite picks up considerably. We found tough action trolling on Saturday, but we did catch and release a striper over 25 pounds. There was an 8-boat group of experienced trollers on Sunday, and the high boat was only 6 stripers to 6.5 pounds working from Suisun Bay to Ozol Pier. This has been real fishing as you have to hunt them down and try a number of different spots. When the tide slows down, the bite is on, but the witch’s hair is as bad as I have ever seen it. The sea lions are pushing in with the salmon moving into the system, and we are seeing them thrash salmon on the surface. We posted limits of quality stripers over the weekend, but we had to work around.”
The bass bite has also been challenging as reported by Michael Spencer, advisor for the Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club. The RHSBFC and Big Valley Anglers group participated in Sunday’s California High School Anglers Team Tournament out of Russo’s Marina. Spencer said,
“The bite was a tough for quality as the area seems to be key over technique, but deeper seemed to be a theme. Jaese Moua and Alex Cha of the Big Valley Anglers finished 11th drop-shotting a 4.5- Roboworm in Morning Dawn or green pumpkin outside in the weeds away from tules during the first two hours of the outgoing. They didn’t cull and had all their fish by 9:00 a.m. all in the same 200-yard stretch. They had nothing but smaller fish the rest of the day and probably only 2 or three other barely 12-inch keepers.”
Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoorsman in Stockton, added, “The tides are big, and so are the weeds. There are weeds everywhere, but the fish are there. The last hours of the tides are the way to go, and you can still get in 2.5 to 3 hours of trolling. The San Joaquin River from Prisoner’s Point downstream to Eddo’s Marina has been good when the current slows down, but there are plenty of weeds. For largemouth bass, the San Joaquin River from Prisoner’s Point to Fourteen Mile Slough has been solid with plastics.” There is an early morning topwater bite with the Bubble Walker or a Whopper Ploppers.
Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors has been fighting the wind on the flats outside of Eddo’s Marina, but there has been a great swimbait bait on the flats in spite of the wind. The 75th Annual Rio Vista Bass Festival and Derby will be held Oct. 13-15. The top payout for the target-length striped bass has risen to $4000, and all rules and information is available at https://bassfestival.com/.
The water temperatures in the central Delta have dropped to 71 degrees with a clarity of around 5 feet, and while the south Delta remains stained, the north Delta around Liberty Island has dropped to the 67-degree range, and the water is clear in some locations.
The east Delta near Fourteen Mile Slough has been heavily sprayed, and all of the grass is dead. There is little life in the region.”
Information on the spraying schedule is available at https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29465. The herbicide spraying occurs throughout the Delta, and it will continue through November.
Sturgeon six-pack operators have returned to Pittsburg Marina in numbers, and anticipating regulation changes for 2024, they are fishing hard for the remainder of the year. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg Marina found great action for his clients on Saturday with 3 slot-limit fish, 2 oversized, and three undersized to go with a number of ‘good bites’ missed. He said, “There are sturgeon from Pittsburg upstream to Ozol Pier, and we found fish everywhere we looked.”
The next opportunity for public input and discussion of this crucial issue will be the meeting of the Fish and Game Commission Oct. 11-12 at the Masonic Temple in San Jose. The meeting agenda and information on how to join the meeting is available via https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=215023&inline.
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 3 White bass 2 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout 2
At Nacimiento, Cope’s Tackle and Rod held their Customer Appreciation Bass Tournament on Saturday, and they reported, “In typical Nacimiento fashion, bites were plentiful, but larger fish were tough to come by. Our 28 teams brought a total of 123 bass to the scales made up of spotted Bass, largemouth bass, and even a smallmouth.” The most consistent bite is with small plastics in crawdad patterns on the drop-shot, dart head, or Ned-rig in 10 to 20 feet of water. Catfishing is best with anchovies or Triple S Dip Bait while crappie are found in the submerged structure with live minnows or minijigs. White bass are still holding around the shad schools, but the action has slowed down with a few fish taken on small ¼-ounce white Roostertails or Kastmasters or similar spoons.
A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. Lopez Lake dropped slightly to 96.3%, and limits of bluegill are possible on meal worms. The best bass action remains on the bottom with finesse presentations of plastics on the drop-shot, Ned-rig, dart head, or split-shot. Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at https://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, the lake is at 90.4%, and several tournaments are scheduled during the month of October. With the high water, jerkbaits, chatterbaits, or topwater lures over the flooded vegetation remain the top technique for largemouth bass. Catfishing is best with cut mackerel scented with garlic. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california. At San Antonio, the lake held at 67%. Still not much change here as catfishing remains best with chicken liver, mackerel soaked in garlic scent, or Triple S Dip Baits. With the high water, the bass are spread out throughout the lake, but a pattern can be developed with search baits such as jerkbaits or underspins.
Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.
Events
Oct. 7
Striperz Gone Wild Three-Year Anniversary ‘Fall Classic’ Striper Derby - 5 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Hilldale Bridge with a BBQ, 50/50 raffle, and prizes in the adult and youth divisions.
Oct. 14
Fishapalooza at Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop in Bakersfield from 10 a.m.-4p.m. Meet factory representatives from all your favorite brands and save on tackle during our biggest sale of the year!
Kid’s Fishing Derby – California Striped Bass Association – West Delta Chapter – Antioch Fishing Pier in Antioch – prizes, lunch, and raffle.
Oct. 13-15
Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival – information: https://bassfestival.com/.
Nov. 4-5
City of Pittsburg Fishing Derby – information: www:Pittsburgmarina.com/Fishderby/.
Tournament results
Sept. 30
Delta/Russo’s Marina – 19th Annual Northern California Delta Club Classic (6 teams/6 limits possible)
1st – Delta Bass Club – 87.03 pounds; 2nd – Bass Anglers of Northern California (BANC) – 79.18; 3rd –Sacramento Bass Wranglers – 73.98.
Delta/Russo’s Marina – 19th Annual Northern California Delta Club Classic Individual
1st – Jesse Ochoa/Matt Soule – 20.72 pounds; 2nd – Patrick Sadorra/Chuck Gray – 19.84 (Big Fish – Sadorra – 10.2); 3rd – Phil Lago/Rich Cabral – 18.80.
Don Pedro – Central Valley 17/90 Bass Club
1st – Nathan and Gavin – 9.84 pounds (Big Fish – 3.47); 2nd – Danny and Mike Berbena – 9.60; 3rd – Troy and Bob – 7.41.
Nacimiento – Cope’s Rod and Tackle Customer Appreciation Tournament 1st – Austin Bonjour/Patrick Touey – 10.16 pounds; 2nd – Tim Johns/Parker Bryant – 10.00 (Big Fish – 3.24)
3rd – Roy and Wes Neal – 9.79.
Oct. 1
Delta/Russo’s Marina
1st – Rhylan McMurray/Gavin Pearce of the East County Anglers – 18.00 pounds; 2nd – Logan DeKieva/Landon Mason of the Hughson High Bass Club – 14.13; 3rd – Luke Beatty/Colby St. Germain of the Alhambra High School Bulldawg Bassin Club – 14.10
Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)
Sept. 30-Oct. 1
McSwain – Merced Irrigation Trout Derby
Sept. 30
Nacimiento –3rd Annual Cope’s Customer Appreciation Bass Tournament
Oct. 1
Delta/Contra County – East County Student Anglers
Oct. 7-8
McClure – Kings River Bass Club
Oct. 7
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Sonora Bass Anglers
New Melones – Valley Backlashers
Santa Margarita – Golden Empire Bass Club
Oct. 8
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto AmBASSadors
Bass Lake – Kings VIII Bass Club
Oct. 13-15
Delta/Rio Vista – 75th Annual Rio Vista Derby and Bass Festival
Oct. 14-15
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Bass Addicts of Southern California
Santa Margarita – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
Oct. 14
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
Tulloch – Christian Bass League
Pine Flat – Bakersfield Bass Club
Bass Lake – Kerman Bass Club
Kern River – Southern Sierra Fly Fishermen
Oct. 15
Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club
Oct. 20-21
Camanche – Nor Cal Bass Lake Series TOC
Oct. 21-22
New Melones – Kern County Bassmasters
McClure – Riverbank Bass Anglers
Oct. 21
New Melones – Delta Bass Anglers
Oct. 22
Delta/Russo’s Marina - Hook, Line, and Sinker
Oct. 28-29
Don Pedro – California Bass Federation
Oct. 28
Hensley – Central Valley Kayak Fishing
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
