Where to go for 'top-notch' striped bass fishing in the Central Valley

When the water is high and muddy in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers and Delta sloughs like it has been after the recent winter storms, the Port of Sacramento and Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel offer anglers a chance to catch striped bass, black bass, crappie and catfish in clearer, protected water.

Anglers Mark Wilson, Mike Steer, Ron Retzlaff and Neil Koepke decided to check out the striped bass action in the channel and port on Wednesday, Jan. 25. They were pleased with what they found after making a 30 mile run in a boat to the port from the Hogback Island boat launch on Steamboat Slough in Walnut Grove.

“We started trolling in the deep water channel about five miles from the port,” said Wilson. “As we trolled towards the port, the water became clearer and the water temperature rose up to 50-1/2 degrees. We caught and released a total of 13 fish, including 10 keepers and 3 shakers up to 5 pounds.”

They ran three rods between the anglers. “The water was milky further down, but it got clearer and clearer and the water temperature went up 1/10 a degree every half a mile down the channel. We were trolling with deep-running Yu-Zuri Crystal Minnows in chartreuse and red head/white body at 12 to 15 feet deep,” stated Wilson.

They were not the only ones who caught stripers that day. “We saw a couple of stripers caught by bank guys and other fish landed by minnow drifters and boaters jigging with spoons,” said Wilson. “The weather was beautiful. We saw 8 deer down by the water drinking, bald eagles, osprey and lots of ducks and geese. There was no wind. The weather was cool, but we were prepared with layers of clothes.”

On Friday, Jan. 27, Clyde Wands of Sacramento reported top-notch striper fishing for three anglers fishing in Ron Retzlaff’s boat in the deep water channel and port. The fishermen caught and released 12 keeper striped bass to 10 pounds and 15 undersized fish while trolling with Berkley Bass Dredger lures.

For somebody using a motorized boat, there are only two ways to get access to the port area -  become a member of the Washington Outboard Club by getting on a waiting list or make the long run from Rio Vista or Hogback Island to the Deepwater Channel and port.

However, there is a hand-carry boat ramp located at the Barge Canal Recreational Access in West Sacramento. Motorized boats aren’t allowed.

The barge canal ramp is just fine if you want fish from a kayak, float tube, canoe or other non-motorized boat. Shore anglers park at this access and walk to their fishing spot; you can’t park on the levees anymore. The access is only open from dawn until dusk.

For many years, public bank angling access to the Port of Sacramento and the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel was problematic. This all changed in November 2007 when the Barge Canal Recreational Access to the port area was opened by the city of West Sacramento.

Located at 2100 Jefferson Blvd. in West Sacramento across from the South River Road, the access features an all-weather vehicle parking area, an all-weather walking/biking trail and fishing access along the south bank of the Barge Canal.

The barge canal is lined with trees, so anglers fishing during the heat of the summer can take advantage of the shade. The area includes picnic and sitting fixtures, port and environmental resource interpretive panels and trash and recycling receptacles. 

In recent years, the port and ship channel has supported a popular fishery for striped bass. Striped bass are caught throughout the year, but the port really gets going from October through April when the stripers move into the port to feed on the big schools of shad that congregate here.

Bank anglers catch the fish while fishing jumbo minnows on sliding sinkers on the bottom. Mudsuckers, butterflied shad, sardine fillets and pileworms are other very productive striper baits.

For the float tuber or boater, a plethora of methods can be used to entice striped bass in the port. You can plug, spoon, troll or drift minnows when fishing for stripers in the port and Sacramento Deep Water Channel.

Mark Wilson recommended trolling minnow imitation lures including P-Line Predators and Angry Eyes, Mann’s Stretch 15 Lures, Yo-Zuris, Bombers and Rebels, tipped with plastic worms, for the stripers.

“Ninety percent of the anglers troll deep, but you can catch fish with both shallow diving and deep diving lures,” said Wilson. “I like to troll at 16 to 20 feet deep at 3 mph or shallow at 7 to 8 feet at 4-1/2 to 5 mph.”

Most of the keeper-sized stripers caught in the port are in the 18 to 28 inch range, but much bigger fish are landed here every year, including lunkers up to 40 pounds.

Spooning with Blade Runner spoons and other lures is highly effective when the shad school up in the port. Rick Tietz of Blade Runner Tackle finds topnotch catch and release striper action while spooning with his lures in the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel and port. The trick here is to find stripers balled up on schools of shad.

But striped bass aren’t the only fish you can catch in the deepwater channel and port. You can also pursue black bass, catfish and crappie while using an array of methods.

Information is available at https://bit.ly/3Rmnajl.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Port of West Sacramento is a popular place for striped bass fishing