Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a central San Joaquin Valley native and local fishing expert.

BEST BETS

Delta sturgeon hammering baits, Mike Pipkens said. Huntington rainbows still active, Jack Benigno reported. Don Pedro trout near the surface, Bill Holbrook reported. New Melones holdover rainbows hitting, Melanie Lewis said. Pine Flat rainbows producing limits, Merritt Gilbert reported. McClure bass and trout action good, Jason Mello reported.

ROGER'S REMARKS

There always seems to be a defining moment in anglers' early careers when a special experience sets the tone for the rest of their fishing lives.

It was the early 1970s and I was a sophomore living in the dorms at Fresno State. One day a friend of mine and I decided to go to Millerton and do some afternoon shore fishing. Loading up my huge old white Cadillac Sedan de Ville, called the U.S.S. Poseidon (it reminded us of an aircraft carrier!), we headed to the Madera side of the lake for some nice coves. After parking, we headed out over the foxtail covered hills for a spot about three quarters of a mile away as the sun dropped -- perfect timing for a top-water bass bite!

We finally came over the top of a hill, to our destination, when we spotted a guy flyfishing right smack dab in the middle of our secret spot! Deciding he didn't know what he was doing, we walked down to the shoreline away from him and started fishing. I was casting a 5-inch shiny top-water plug called a Hellcat out into the middle of the C-shaped cove hoping for a bass to hit, as the flyfisherman worked a small popper off to my left in the glassy water. Working toward each other we eventually ended up 30 yards apart, but casting out into the middle of the cove at the same spot. That's when it happened!

His popper was just a few feet away from my bigger top-water plug that I had just cast when I suddenly noticed a disturbance in the water all around my plug. It was nothing real noticeable, but the signature of a large fish considering it! Letting the ripples expand for a second, I decided to finally twitch the plug again, but as I did so all heck broke loose! A big striper erupted completely out of the water as it engulfed my plug, thrashing wildly about in its attack.

Completely caught off guard, the flyfisherman thought the rampaging striper had taken his nearby popper and set the hook so hard he fell down on the shore. Ignoring my screaming line, he tried to frantically strip in the loose line, but when he figured it out he wasn't a happy camper.

The fish quickly hauled me down the shore as I frantically tried to pressure it with my 7-foot rod and Mitchell 300 reel spooled with 8-pound test line. Pressuring the running fish as much as I dared I kept having to give up ground as it headed for open water, pulling me right to the end of the point. Watching the line burn all the way down to the last few wraps, I couldn't believe it when suddenly the striper reversed course and ran back into the cove as fast as I could reel. Saved!

My buddy ran over and landed the 10-pound striper, my biggest at the time. The disgusted flyfisherman took a look and headed for the parking lot.

It was nearly pitch black as we trudged over the last hill to our car, when I could just make out an animated conversation from the distant lot. One voice said emphatically, "I tell you, those guys got a big striper. I saw it!" Another voice replied, "Are you sure, Bob?" They must have spotted us, because they turned on the car headlights, and one guy muffled, "Oh my gosh!" as the lights lit up the hillside scene of us dragging the big striper back.