Central Valley, Fresno-area’s best fishing: New Melones trout, Delta stripers, more
Fishing report 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.
Best bets
Shaver producing mixed limits, Dick Nichols said. New Melones trout hitting, Kyle Wise reported. Delta stripers and sturgeon on a tear, Alan Fong said.
Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother
Unless noted, area code is 559
Valley/Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 3
In the California Aqueduct, Striperz Gone Wild held their Holiday Toy Drive on Saturday, and main organizer and benefactor, Bill Sterling, said, “We ended up with 132 toys, less than in previous years, but without the tournament factor, our attendance was down. We plan on reinstating the tournament in the future. Our next event with be in April with our annual food collection.” Over the years, SGW has collected thousands of gifts for children in the communities of Los Banos and Merced. During their spring event, they have provided thousands of non-perishable food items to the Merced County Food Bank. Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported bottom bouncing flukes on a 3/8th -ounce jig head are producing striped bass.
Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
At Eastman, Moua reported big bass are a possibility as Max Lee caught and released a 26-inch/14-pound largemouth bass on a spinning rod. Dice-style lures have been effective. Numbers are hard to come by, but with the recent trout plant, most are aiming for the one big bite. At Hensley, Moau reported catfish or crappie remain the top species.
Lake Don Pedro
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported a decent bass bite, but the pattern changes from day to day. The fish are spread out from the shallows to suspended to deep fish but not necessarily grouped together. Bottom contact baits of jigs, plastics, or plastics on the drop-shot on a slow presentation at depths from 20 to 60 feet are best, Jerkbaits or fluke/minnow baits on a slow presentation are best for suspended fish along with slow-rolling underspins on the bottom. For the deep fish, jigging or flutter spoons are best, and the big bait bite with trout-patterned swimbaits is happening for those willing to ‘feast or famine.’ King salmon and rainbow trout remain a possibility as the fish are moving close to the shoreline and in the shallows. Shad patterned spoons are best, but blade/’crawler combinations are also a possibility. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. A self-inspection is required for launching.
Isabella/Kaweah/Success/California Aqueduct reports available at https://www.tackleandrod.com/weekly-fishing-report.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait in Modesto reported less angler interest in McClure, but there is a decent jerkbait and underspin bite along with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot at depths to 60 feet. He said, “Schools of bait and fish are hard to locate, but spoons are working if you can find them. Small fish are the rule, but there are big fish for the taking on big baits.” Trout trolling is a good option with blade/crawler combinations just below the surface in the early mornings.
Lake McSwain
Trout 2
The lake rose again to 81%, and the launch ramp is back in the water. Trout fishing remains decent with Chunky Cheese Power Bait, inflated nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters from the normal locations of Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile, or the peninsula between the Marina, but with the heavy fishing pressure after trout plants taking place in November, patience is required for a 5-fish limit. Trollers are finding the best action up the river arm above the Second Fence Line.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2
The Fresno Bass Club held an event on Sunday with the winning limit coming in over 10 pounds. Tas Moua reported the best quality of bass are in the shallows chasing shad. Shad patterned jigs, plastics on the Neko-rig or shakey head along with Hula Grubs are working. Smaller bass are found in deep water. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant have risen slightly to 490 cfs.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3
Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Sport Fishing has been on a tear for rainbow trout with a combined 18 limits within three days running Speedy Shiners of T-Spoons at depths from 20 to 25 feet. Bass anglers are concentrating on big fish with big trout-patterned swimbaits. All boats must be quarantined for 30 days or decontaminated at the New Melones Marina. The Lake Tulloch RV Park and Marina is closed, effective immediately.
Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Tas Moau reported spotted bass are chasing shad in deep water, but these are smaller fish in the 1- to 2-pound range. The best quality is found less than 25 feet with jigs or worms on a slow presentation. The bass are holding on hard bottom, points, or in the middle of submerged ditches. The Hmong New Year Tournament is December 27 with over 30 boats anticipated. In the lower Kings, the plants have brought out anglers lining up shoulder-to-shoulder near Winton Park and below the Pine Flat Dam. Pinched Crawlers, Berkley Floating Worms or Mice Tails, small jerkbaits, or wax worms on a bubble are all producing up to limits. trout plants have resulted in shoulder-to-shoulder fishing below the dam. The flows have dropped to 454 cfs at Trimmer with most trout holding in the pools.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
The water level in the main lake has risen to 63% with significant pumping out of the south Delta. Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported few boaters are launching in the main lake due to the restrictions for golden mussels, but there is a good topwater bite along the left hand side of Portuguese Cove with Spooks or similar walking baits in the early mornings. Umbrella rigs or flukes are also effective. Bait fishermen are soaking anchovies or pile worms as jumbo minnows have been unavailable.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported an overall slow bite for trollers and for anglers using jigs and small spoons. “I guided two guests in the heavy fog and we ended up releasing 7 fish up to 24” trolling Lucky Crafts in the main lake on deep flats. Water temps are around 61 degrees in the 10’ visibility water.” George said.
In the O’Neill Forebay, Clements reported good action with the pumps are running around the check gates with 7-inch white flukes on a jig head, Duo Realis jerkbaits, or anchovies.
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1
The lake is dropping 3 to 5 inches per day, and launching a boat is a challenge as the right side of the dock has a drop off. With no dock, boaters must beach their boats along the shoreline. There is a small window for big bass on swimbaits, and Tas Moau of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle caught and released a 10-pound largemouth on a rainbow trout patterned swimbait. Trout fishing from the shoreline has slowed down after last week’s plant due to heavy interest. Bluegill are found as deep as 75 feet near rocky structure close to flat bottom. A webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 3
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Mountain Tackle, reported, “A Department of Fish and Wildlife plant of brooder rainbows has spurred on action from the banks with several trout in the 6-pound class up to 7.6 pounds with Power Bait in green or yellow along with inflated nightcrawlers from the dam to Road One over areas with sandy bottom. Chris Counts of Fresno and Brian Klassen of Reedley found great action for rainbow trout and silver kokanee running Trout Busters tipped with a crawler behind a Mountain Flasher in the upper 15 feet of the water column. The spawning 2nd-year kokanee are all but over, but there are smaller silver kokanee that should be released to grow for the 2026 season. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions.
Ocean
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Rockfish 3 Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Mickey Clements reported solid surf perch fishing from Sunset Beach to Monterey with the new Battlestar grubs in Soft Candy Perch Baits in Soft Shell Crab or Dark Green.
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, “There are plenty of rockfish around. Targeting the deeper reefs is a smart bet at this point. In Santa Cruz, the reefs off Natural Bridges and Wilder’s Ranch in 125 to 250 feet of water can provide plenty of rockfish action. Monterey rockfishers are doing best below Point Pinos, towards Carmel and Big Sur. Chris’ Fishing Trips is running daily trips and continues to report limits of cod for their clients aboard the Check Mate and Caroline. Ling cod fishing is picking up on both ends of the bay, though we haven’t seen a major movement of lings towards the shallows yet.”
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay/Half Moon Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 0 Crab 3+
The Golden Gate fleet continues to experience ‘Ground Hog Day’ with Captain James Smith of California Dawn Sport Fishing adding, “We haven’t missed limits of crab all season, and we had a phenomenal weekend with a combined 93 limits of crab, 87 limits of rockfish, and 7 lingcod to 19 pounds on both boats.”
The Happy Hooker out of Berkeley got in on the action with 29 limits of crab and rockfish while Emeryville Sport Fishing also had a spectacular weekend with a combined 155 limits of rockfish and crab from their boats. Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady has been operating out of Emeryville on the combination trips, and it’s more of the same with ‘Limits, limits, and limits.”
Rockfish season ends on December 31 so there is still time to get out there for the ‘phenomenal’ fishing on the combination trips. After December 31, a few boats will continue to focus on crab-only trips although the commercial crab season is expected to open after January 1.
San Luis Obispo
Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3
A boat out of Morro Bay Landing put in a spectacular trip on Saturday with 23 limits of big rockfish including sublimits of vermilions along with limits of lingcod to 23 pounds. Out of Port San Luis, Patriot Sport Fishing was out with two boats on Sunday for near limits with 313 rockfish for 33 passengers along with 27 lingcod to 15 pounds and two California halibut.
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
It’s winter in the California Delta, and the lack of freshwater flow has kept the salinity level high in the California Delta. Even though the water has turned cold at 50 degrees, sturgeon and striped bass remain active from Rio Vista to Martinez. With the cold water temperatures, largemouth bass have gone on hiatus.
For sturgeon, Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing has been braving the cold and fog with the benefit of heaters on board to find solid action for sturgeon with up to 10 opportunities per trip. He said, “The bite normally changes at this time of year, but with the weather holding for the foreseeable future, the action should hold up. Cured salmon roe is the key, and it’s a matter of spending the time to look around for feeding fish. One great thing is that there are all sizes of sturgeon ranging from 18 to 72 inches.”
For striped bass, Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors added, “We have been scoring with sardines in 25 feet of water as the stripers are deep.” Rick Tietz of Blade Runner Tackle is finding good numbers of stripers spooning with 2-ounce Blade Runner spoons north of the Rio Vista Bridge at depths to 30 feet. Fresh shad is over for the season with the cold water, but most bait shops from Stockton to Rio Vista have a limited supply of frozen shad. Until the water temperature falls into the mid-40’s, the bait bite for striped bass should remain.
Tournament Results:
Millerton – Fresno Bass Club – December 14th: 1st – Timmy Wells – 10.85 pounds; 2nd –Lazaro Calderon – 9.59 (Big Fish – 4.28); 3rd – Bill Kunz – 8.81.
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
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