Fishing report for week of Oct. 17-23 | Heavyweight bass coming out of Eastman

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a former Olympic-class decathlete at Fresno State and striper record-holder at Millerton Lake and who now guides in the greater Fresno area. Telephone numbers are in 559 calling area unless noted.

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Best bets

Delta bass, salmon and stripers hitting, Randy Pringle said. San Luis stripers improving, Coyote Bait reported. Shaver kokanee bite still going, Dick Nichols said. Wishon and Courtright trout continue feast, Chuck Crane reported. San Francisco salmon bite rebounds, Jerad Davis said. Eastman bass producing heavy weights, Steve Newman reported.

Key

1-Try dynamite

2-Have to work hard

3-Limits possible

4-Fish jumpin’ in boat

The northern section of the California Aqueduct has cleared up, and the bait is moving around with the striped bass chasing boils. Reaction baits are working for the striped bass. Steve Yellen of Hollister landed a 38-inch/24-pound striped bass on the aqueduct. Catfish are taken on anchovies or chicken livers.

In the southern portion of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “Catfish to 4 pounds have been landed on sardines, and a number of small striped bass are also showing up.” Bait fishing will be best for both catfish and stripers bass with sardines and blood worms are working for striped bass or chicken livers or Triple S dip bait in Blood Formula for the whiskerfish.

Call: Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket 661-833-8657

Eastman remains the top location for largemouth bass in the Central Valley, and the combined effects of high water, the trophy-largemouth slot limit, and the closed zone up the river arm have recreated an outstanding fishery.

Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Eastman remains really good with a wakebait bite in the evenings as the largemouth bass are keying on bluegill. Jigs in shallow water are also working along with Senkos around the brush piles. Flipping plastics along with reaction baits are also picking up bass, and the swimbait bite should get going soon. Right now, the bass are in the 4- to 5-pound range, but once the fall arrives in full swing with trout plants on the way, I expect that we will see double-digit largemouth bass caught and released on swimbaits. We were talking the other day in the shop, and Eastman has really bounced back the past couple of years after anglers stayed off of the lake for several years due to lower water levels, the previously-closed zone up the river arm, and the designation of one trophy largemouth bass over 22 inches. All of these factors have contributed to outstanding fishing starting this spring.” The lake held at 40 percent as water releases have slowed down.

Call: Six Star Tackle Box 673-5688; Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley remains extremely slow for all species with few bass fishermen targeting the lake due to the overall lack of action. Finesse techniques remain best for the occasional bass on plastics on the drop-shot or jigs. Morgan Swisher of the Central Valley Kayak Fishing said, “The bite was very tough during Saturday’s tournament.” Catfish are also on hiatus. The lake held at 13 percent.

Call: Valley Rod Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Six Star Tackle Box 673-5688; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

The trout bite has slowed with a few rainbows taken at depths from 30 to 56 feet. Travis Porter of Hollister reported tough rainbow action with only three trout, but he touted catfishing with shad or chicken livers for a dozen decent whiskerfish. Mike Gomez of Berserk Baits said, “Bass fishing has been best in deep water with finesse techniques as the topwater bite remains slow. Berserk’s Purple Hornet or brown/purple jigs along with Pro Worms 124 p on the drop-shot are producing from 30 to 50 feet.” The lake dropped slightly to 73 percent.

Call: Monte Smith 209-581-4734; Gary Vella 209-652-7550

Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “Crappie fishing at Lake Isabella continues to be strong with most anglers using minijigs instead of minnows. We do have a supply of minnows in the shop, but it seems like most everyone has opted for minijigs. Richard from our shop landed a 4-pound catfish on a sardine after picking up a number of crappie on a recent trip.” Catfishing are a good bet with chicken livers, minnows, Triple S dip bait in Blood Formula, or nightcrawlers. The lake held at 12 percent. In the upper Kern River, the sections of the Kern 4 through 6 have been planted on a regular basis with another plant scheduled for the coming week. The trout fishing remains best in the deeper pools with salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and Vibrax spinners. In the lower river, Cormier said, “Richard from our shop landed a clean rainbow trout that was nearly 4 pounds before he went to the lake, and catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, carp, and the occasional rainbow trout are possibilities.” The local lakes are limited to bluegill and catfish. In the Golden Trout Wilderness, Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company in Springville said, “I just got back from a pack trip on the upper Kern, and the trout fishing was excellent with stimulators and hoppers.”

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket 661-833-8657; North Fork Marina 760-376-1812

The lake remains very low at only 6 percent, and the Golden Empire Bass Club held an event at the lake with eight teams on Saturday. The numbers of bass were impressive, but the majority of largemouth bass were less than 13 inches. Limits were smaller than normal for this lake. The lake will host the River Rat Open Tournament Oct. 20 with signups between 5 and 6 a.m. Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments, created by the combination of the former Success and Visalia Bass Clubs, will hold a club tournament Oct. 21.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company in Springville said, “The lake is still fishing excellent for bass with jigs, Senkos, and Brush Hogs.” The lake held at 8 percent. In the Tule River, Stokke said, “The river is fishing fair as the water is low and the fish are spooked easily.” Stokke is giving fly casting lessons at the Pierpoint Café the second Sunday of the month at 10 a.m. The lessons are free and all equipment is provided.

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

Mike Gomez of the Bait Barn in Waterford said, “The bass bite has remained the same with a tough reaction bite. There is a window for topwater lures such as the River2Sea Rover, but the bite dies once the sun hits the water. Jigs, plastics on the drop-shot or deep-diving shad patterned crankbaits are working at depths to 30 feet. The shad schools are thick, and the Berserk Purple Hornet or brown/purple jigs are producing in deeper water where the shad are holding as the bass are oriented to the bait fish.” Steve Marquette of the Lake McClure/McSwain Recreation Company said, “Catfishing remains good with chicken livers, cut baits, and nightcrawlers.” The Barrett Cove Store and Marina are closed until April 1. The lake dropped to 58 percent.

Steve Marquette of the Lake McClure/McSwain Recreation Company said, “Rainbow trout are still in the lake from the 23rd annual Merced Irrigation District’s Fall Trout Derby held earlier in the month, and the $2,000 fish has not been located.” Trout dough bait, nightcrawlers, Mice Tails, Roostertails, Panther Martins, and blue/silver Kastmasters will all working from the crowded banks over the weekend with trollers scoring with Needlefish up the river arm.

Call: McSwain Marina 209-378-2534

Millerton is another option in the southern Central Valley with unlimited numbers of small spotted bass. A recent tournament winning weight was just over 11 pounds, and anglers have to go through numbers of 11- to 12-inch fish to find keepers over 13 inches. Steve Newman said, “The main lake is holding the largest cut of fish, particularly along the Fresno side towards the dam with the exception of Winchell’s Cove which is another area producing consistently, Numbers are the story here, and finesse techniques of plastics on the drop-shot or Ned-rig along with Senkos fished weightless or on a Neko-rig are best at depths from 15 to 30 feet. We are starting to see a ripbait bite develop, and there are huge amounts of shad in the lake. Small 8-inch bass are chasing the 1.5-inch shad on the surface. The lake has remained stable for the past few weeks.”

Millerton held steady at 53 percent.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

There was a persistent rumor earlier in the week about a 26-pound largemouth bass taken out of New Melones, but since there has been nothing more than a few comments about the huge fish on the internet, no proof has come forward. What we do know is that the spotted and largemouth bass are in transition requiring a finesse presentation for the best opportunity at success.

Mike Gomez of Berserk Baits fished the Christian Bass League tournament on Saturday at Melones, and he said, “It was a tough bite for my brother Mark and I with most of our fish taken at depths from 30 to 40 feet with either the Berserk Purple Hornet jigs or the Pro Worm 124p or 300. My brother was outfishing me by far with a shad-patterned Robo Worm, and we ended up with an 11.28-pound limit. I also landed a 6-pound rainbow trout on the 124p on the drop-shot, and we thought that we had a big kicker for our limit, but our hopes crashed when we saw the silver sides of the big trout. There are plenty of bass in the 1.25 to 1.75-pound range on the drop-shot. I threw topwater lures the previous week for three hours without a blow up, and on the tournament day, I threw the River2Sea Rover for another hour without success before I switched over to working the bottom. There are huge schools of shad in the lake, and we worked for 3 to 4 hours on one point that was holding a massive amount of baitfish. The water temperature has dropped to 66 degrees.”

Rainbow trout remain few and far between, but the action will improve as the trout move closer to the surface in the cooling water temperatures. Gomez’s rainbow at 30 feet is an indicator that the rainbows are moving up.

The Glory Hole Sports Annual Catfish Contest will continue throughout October with 40 contestants vying for over $1000.00 in raffle prizes available with the ‘Big Cat’ pot currently at $300.00.

The lake held at 74 percent.

Call: Glory Hole Sports 209-736-4333; Monte Smith 209-581-4734; John Liechty Xperience Fishing Guide Service 209-743-9932

Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun said, “The lake levels have stabilized, and the bass bite has improved from good to pretty good with loads of shad in the main lake. Anglers are starting to use vertical presentations such as ice jigs in the shad schools, and this is early for this type of technique which normally occurs later in the fall. Deep crankbaits or swimbaits are producing the best cut of bass, particularly at night. Jigs or plastics at depths from 15 to 30 feet are finding bass along structure with adjacent flats and points as the fish are getting more active in the mornings and evenings. Spinnerbaits with a nickel blade are effective around the shad schools in the mornings and evenings in low light conditions. The river arm is slower than the main lake as the water levels have dropped to the point that experienced fishermen clearly have the advantage upriver.” The Kerman Bass Club fished a tournament on the lake on Saturday, and 8 of the 12 teams weighed in limits. In the lower Kings River, trout fishing is very good in the cleaner water from Winton Park to the Alta Weir with nightcrawlers on a clear bobber, live crickets, or salmon eggs. Due to upstream releases, the lake rose slightly to 23 percent.

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

San Luis Reservoir has turned on for striped bass with a variety of techniques by trollers, live bait drifters, plug casters, and shore anglers soaking bait. The only limiting factor for boaters has been the wind, and the gusts were back hot and heavy on Sunday after several days of calm.

Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “It has been red hot for those throwing the larger swimbaits, Magnum Flukes, or topwater plugs in the early mornings and evenings. There are some boils starting to form, and anglers are throwing River2SWavers into the fray along with umbrella rigs and jerkbaits. Shore fishermen are also soaking bait in the evening hours and overnight, and grass shrimp, pile worms, blood worms, and shad are all effective baits.”

Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill confirmed the solid striper bite with a larger grade of linesides from 25 to 35 inches found on topwater plugs, jerkbaits, and Super Flukes while trollers are scoring with urigs or jerkbaits. Jumbo minnows and shad are the top shoreline baits.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the wind and changing weather has created sporadic bites-with good one day and tough the next. “It’s not a consistently good bite as I see guys running all over trying to find fish somedays, then the wind has wiped out other days. The fish are moving to new areas and seem to be either shallow or very deep.” George is doing the third annual Striperfest event Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sportsmans Warehouse in Fresno on Friant Road. “I will be covering tips, lures, setups, downrigging, trophy stripers and sonar tips. Edd Allen, Pro Staff for Lowrance will be taking sonar questions. Signups at the store.”

In the O’Neill Forebay, Newman reported good action for a smaller grade of striped bass with Duo Realis jerkbaits in Sexy Shad, white, or white/foil around the moving water at the gates or the outside edge of the weed lines.

The main lake rose to 57 percent with increased pumping out of the south Delta.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle 408-463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com, 905-2954

The weed growth is starting to dissipate and weightless Senkos or plastics on the drop-shot in natural colors are working at depths to 30 feet. There is a ripbait and crankbait bite developing, and bluegill or ghost minnow patterns are working best on the reaction front as the bait is moving constantly. The water temperatures continue to cool, and the topwater bite will be coming on along with the swimbait bite. The Sheriff’s boat is still making regular patrols, and with the Sheriff’s Tower out of commission, boaters have to purchase their Motor Fee at Miller’s, Ducey’s, or the Forks. The trout bite will improve as the water cools. The lake dropped to 75 percent.

Call: Todd Wittwer 288-8100; Mike Beighey 642-3748

There are still few reports are coming out of the Kaiser Pass area lakes. The lakes are dropping with Edison at 45, Mammoth Pool at 21 percent, and Florence at 2 percent. The Vermilion Valley Resort at Lake Edison is open and fully operational for hikers, and the ferry is operating across Edison Lake twice a day, leaving the VVR at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Pickup is on the Mono Pass side of the lake at 9:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Check the Caltrans website at www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi or call 800-427-7623 for road conditions.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake is still producing second-year kokanee in the 13- to 14-inch range along with the occasional dark-red third-year reds. The appearance of next-year’s kokanee is a pleasant surprise, and trollers continue to target the kokanee. The trout bite has slowed to some degree, but a few limits are still possible for those targeting the planted rainbows in the lake’s inlets.

Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service is wrapping up his operation for the season within the next week, but he put his clients onto four limits of kokanee this week including three males to 15 inches. Wittwer continues to score with the Rocky Mountain Tackle’s orange squid behind an orange Moonshine dodger along with either the Assassin or Hornet spinners.

Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters has closed his operation for the season, but he said, “Recent Shaver guide Tom Oliveira of Tulare spent his birthday with his friend Dr. Potter, and they picked up a two limits of kokanee using Paulina Peak’s purple haze hoochies tipped with scented corn near the point from the surface down to 36 feet. Shaver regular, Craig Davidson of Selma, could only manage three kokanee on the same day as Oliveira, but good kokanee fishing should last through the remainder of October. Trout fishing has declined some, but the inlets are a good location for a limit or two as most of the planted and holdover rainbows are in the upper column of water near the surface. Trout Busters tipped with a nightcrawler are working for the rainbows, and the trout action should remain consistent near the inlets through November. The Boy Scout Cove is another good option for both kokanee and rainbow trout.”

With the winter season on the horizon, boaters can check the accessibility of the Sierra Marina launch ramp at www.sierramarina.com/camera.html.

The lake dropped slightly to 83 percent.

Call: Dick Nichols, Dick’s Fishing Charters 281-6948; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Dinkey Creek Inn 841-3435; Rancheria Marina 893-3234; Shaver Lake Sports Inc. 841-2740; Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Steve Santoro Fish Box Charters 871-3937

Chuck Crane of the Wishon Village RV Park and Store said, “At Wishon, limits of rainbow trout have been the rule for trollers working blade/’crawler combinations at depths from 15 to 20 feet in the upper end of the lake. The trout are in good shape and moving closer to the surface as the water continues to cool. The section of the lake around Short Hair Creek or near the headwaters are the top locations for shore fishermen, and a few limits have been taken on trout dough bait in yellow or red. The action is not hot or heavy, and fishermen will have to display patience to put together a limit. Boats can still access the lake via the normal launch ramp. At Courtright, fewer trollers are working the lake as the temperatures are turning cold, but blade/’crawler combinations are picking up limits of rainbows at depths from 20 to 30 feet. The areas across from the boat launch or headwaters are the most productive. Shore fishing is slow with the exception of a few rainbows on trout dough bait near the headwaters. The launch ramp remains accessible.”

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Rockfish are the staple out of Half Moon Bay in the remaining weeks before the Dungeness crab opener on Saturday, November 3rd. There still are salmon landed on a daily basis both inside and outside of the harbor as the smolt plants from the Coastside Fishing Club are still showing up. There are indications of another wave of salmon arriving before the ocean salmon season ends on October 31st.

Second captain Michael Cabanas of the Huli Cat said, “We took out a private charter from the Discover Angling kid’s group on Saturday, and a good time was had by all youth with shrimp flies producing quality bottom-dwelling canary, copper, and vermilion rockfish while passengers Landen and Boston Ash of Sunnyvale landed hitchhiking ling cod at 4 and 8 pounds respectively. Friday’s trip produced ling cod to 24 pounds by deckhand Dylan Watkins on a live bait rig, and the shrimp flies were also the top producer for rockfish.”

Sherry Ingles of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing added, “At this time of year, it is all about rockfish, and limits of rockfish have been the rule with some ‘bomber’ blues along with a number of bottom fish including browns, vermilions, and coppers. The Riptide and Queen of Hearts put in a combined 20 limits of rockfish on recent trips along with 12 ling cod. The ocean has been flat with gorgeous conditions as we have been waiting for this stretch of weather to arrive. Salmon continue to be taken on a daily basis, both inside and outside of the harbor, and private boaters, kayakers, and shore fishermen are all picking up the occasional salmon. We are thinking there is another wave of fish coming as the Coastside plants are showing up, and salmon have been taken as far south as 4 miles below the harbor. Perch fishing along the shorelines has been excellent, and we are selling lots of pile worms for the perch, and everyone is waiting for the opening of Dungeness crab season.”

Further north in Pacifica, the pier will be packed with crab fishermen on the opening day, and sales of crab snares will rise within the next three weeks. Around Half Moon Bay, the campgrounds and hotels will be filled on the opening weekend of the recreational Dungeness crab season with this event a huge draw along the San Mateo coast.

Call: Captain Dennis Baxter, New Captain Pete 650-576-3844; Captain Tom Mattusch, Huli Cat 650-619-0459

Chris Arcolleo of Chris’s Fishing Trips reported the Check Mate and the Caroline combined for 49 limits of rockfish and 18 ling cod on Sunday. He said, “The rockfish are really on the bite, and we are finding some large blues and yellow school fish in addition to bottom dwellers. We have an open load going south to Point Sur on Tuesday, and there is room on this trip.”

There is concern about the viability of crab in Monterey Bay with the test boats coming up less than stellar. In other words, if you are going to get crab, you need to get out as early as possible before the commercial season opens, and even then, 10-crab limits may be the exception.

The ocean has been flat calm for the past several days.

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

The salmon bit again on Sunday and Monday with Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito returning with 12 limits to 25 pounds with two additional crew fish. He said, “The salmon came in with a 10 to 15-pound average with several in the 15- to 25-pound range.” On Sunday, two boats out of Berkeley returned with a combined 19 limits to 20 pounds while three boats out of Sausalito trolled from Buoy 1 north to Duxbury for a combined 48 salmon to 22 pounds for 62 anglers in the flat calm ocean.

Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters started salmon fishing on Friday, but after mooching up three salmon to 12 pounds, his group opted for coastal rockfish for easy limits off of the reefs around Duxbury. He took advantage of the flat ocean to make the 30 mile run to Fanny Shoals on Saturday, and they put in limits of huge rockfish including some massive vermilions along with ling cod limits to 12 pounds. He said, “The ocean was so flat that we ran out and were back at the harbor by 2:00 p.m. in order to fillet all of the big fish. The quality of rockfish at Fanny Shoals is a whole different grade than we have been experiencing.”

The Farallons were the other top location for rockfish with the California Dawn and Happy Hooker out of Berkeley putting in easy limits of both ling cod and rockfish in the flat ocean.

Inside the bay, there isn’t a whole lot going on in the bay with the exception of a few boats drifting for halibut, trolling for the occasional salmon off of California City, or trolling for striped bass along the Marin Islands. The party boats are taking advantage of the flat ocean to head outside of the Gate.

Call: Captain Trent Slate, Bite Me Charters 415-307-8582; Happy Hooker 510-223-5388; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady 415-760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell 707-655-6736

Rockfish limits were once again the norm out of the San Luis Obispo County ports over the weekend, but the overall ling cod totals are down from previous years. Out of Port San Luis, the Phenix, Flying Fish, and Patriot out of Patriot Sport Fishing scored limits for 73 anglers on Sunday with 13 ling cod to 10 pounds, 75 vermilion, 22 copper, 21 Boccaccio, 398 Bolina, and 207 assorted rockfish. Mike Martinez of Bakersfield won a jackpot with a 10-pound ling. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Endeavor took out 31 anglers on Monday for limits consisting of 240 vermilion, 20 copper, 30 Boccaccio, 20 assorted rockfish, and 12 ling cod to 10 pounds. Out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay, the Fiesta and Rita G went out with 37 anglers on Monday for 6 lings cod in addition to limits of rockfish with 125 vermilion, 225 assorted rockfish, and 20 copper rockfish. Christian Tovar of Fresno won one jackpot with a 6.5-pound ling while Romeo Isidro of Bakersfield took the other jackpot with a 10 pound ling. All landings are running a variety of bottom fishing trips from ½ day to two-day ventures up the coast.

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

The high winds were the big story last weekend, and after several days of calm, the wind arrived once again by mid-morning on Sunday. The fact that the winds stayed down until Sunday was a boon to the participants in the 71st Annual Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival. Salmon fishing has slowed considerably in the entire stretch of the Delta from Suisun Bay to Freeport, but the salmon are still trickling through on their way to the Sacramento, American, and Feather Rivers.

Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport said, “Salmon are still going, but the catching has slowed a little. Trollers are doing best with Brad’s Cut Plugs behind an 11-inch Pro-Troll E-chip flasher with Good Day Flasher releases along with Slammer spinners. Bank fishermen are still catching fish with Mepp’s Flying C’s, and in addition to the Sacramento River, the Mokelumne is producing some very good fish. Striped bass are found near Liberty Island, the Sacramento Deep Water Channel, and around the Rio Vista Bridge with live mudsuckers. A few sturgeon are showing up, and a 47 incher was landed in the Deep Water Channel and another near Courtland on an eel/pile worm combination. Smallmouth bass are all but done, but there are still a few smallies in deep water near the rockpiles.”

Sylvia Vieira of Vieira’s Riverside Bait near Isleton confirmed the slowdown for salmon with a number of smaller jacks in the 6- to 8-pound range showing up last week. She said, “It is not as busy as it has been in the past week, but the 40 mile per hour wind gusts predicted for Sunday may have something to do with this. The water temperature has dropped to 65 degrees, and the fishing should be good.”

Captain Joe Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing went three for six on salmon on Thursday trolling north of the Rio Vista Bridge. He said, “We tried cut plugs, but everything came on Silvertrons as deep as 40 feet. There were those jigging spoons in the same area of deep water, and they were doing well.”

The salmon bite out of Benicia has also slowed down the past few days with an average of between 4 to 5 salmon taken daily off of 1st Street and 2 at the State Park. There has been dredging occurring in Glen Cove, and the dredging has turned the water very dirty, but it is starting to clear up. The salmon need to be able to see the lure in order to attack, and the stained water keeps them from getting hooked up. Kelly at Benicia Bait said, “A few of our regular customers landed three legal sturgeon in Montezuma Slough, and they released an estimated 52-pound striped bass on salmon roe, and another 48-pound striper was caught and released on a splittail this weekend.”

Andre Fontenot, regular Western Outdoor News contributor, landed his personal-best 23-pound striped bass on the main Sacramento River near Decker Island on chicken livers, a bait that is wholly underused by striped bass anglers. He tried to release the big fish, but after a half-hour of effort, the striped bass succumbed.

The Rio Vista Bass Festival was a success with the good weather on Friday and Saturday, and the slot-limit for striped bass was 30.5 inches with the sturgeon slot at 53 inches. Carleton King took first in the striper division with a 30.21-inch lineside weighing 11.2 pounds while Don Syengchanh came in second with his 29.90-inch striper tipping the scales at 12.4 pounds, and Michael Parker placed third with his 29.77-inch striper. In the sturgeon division, John Woodring came in first at 46.10 inches followed by Jim Francis at 43.28 inches. The salmon category was won by Brian Lazlo with a 16.1-pound salmon.

Sturgeon six-pack boats are returning to the Delta, and Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg Marina fought the wind for limits of sturgeon for brothers Daniel and Brian Vidrio of San Jose soaking a salmon roe/eel combination in the Big Cut. He said, “I went in the Big Cut to stay out of the wind, and we also missed a few shots before I decided to set the hook and hand off the rod on the first fish since hooking a sturgeon is one of the most difficult tasks for a first-time angler. After they saw what I did, the brothers were able to set hook on the second legal fish.”

Striped bass continue to move into the San Joaquin-Delta, and as the water temperature continues to fall, the action will improve as we reach the optimal 55-degree mark for bait fishermen. Largemouth bass are holding on with limits in the 15- to 17-pound range good enough to win most Delta tournaments, but a change in technique is necessary for success. Salmon have also been landed in the San Joaquin River, but this river is restricted for the take and possession of salmon.

For largemouth bass, Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, reported a solid bite as the fish are deeper. He said, “A lot of fishermen are complaining, but with the roller-coaster weather, the fish are deeper and less willing to chase. They will hit a lure if you keep in right in front of their face, but they aren’t chasing or wandering from their area. They will escort a bait out of the area so whatever you are doing, the key is to keep it in the strike zone as long as possible. I have been using Max Scent on the D Worm on the outside edges of the weeds, but the ima Flit 120 in Olive Herring is another good choice. The topwater bite has been good with the ima Finesse Popper in Sexy Shad or Bone along with the ima Little Stick in Toucan or chrome. You have to let the bait sit, and the longer you let it sit, the more success you will receive. Striped bass fishing has also been solid, particularly in the west Delta with Optimum’s Bubba Shad swimbait or the beefed-up saltwater version of the Little Stick in sardine.”

Pringle is the tournament director for the Best Bass Tournament’s Tournament of Champions starting with Friday’s banquet, and he expects a two-day weight of around 34 pounds to take the top spot out of the 160 boats. The first day results were ahead of the prediction with a 20.23-pound limit including a big fish at 9.83 pounds leading the 160-team pack, but Sunday’s winds made for difficult conditions, but the winning team of–Joseph Durling/Anthony Crivelli took home $20,000 for first place with a two-day total of 37.99 pounds.

Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors has also been finding success on the Delta with reaction baits of ripbaits, chatterbaits, or swimbaits with a mixture of largemouth bass, striped bass, and even salmon caught and released. He said, “The weeds are starting to grow again in many areas, and I have been fishing along flats in 8 feet of water, and the fish are coming up out of the weed growth on the bottom four feet to strike the lures.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan’s Delta Outdoors in Oakley is gearing up for his circuit’s Tournament of Champions out of Russo’s Marina this coming weekend, and he said, “Salmon fishing remains good, and there have been a number of salmon landed incidentally on the San Joaquin River while the lower stretches of the Mokelumne River have been outstanding for trollers pulling Captain Stan’s double-bladed chartreuse spinners. There are still salmon taken off of Compy’s Pier in Antioch with Perry’s jigs. Striped bass fishing has been good around Brown’s Island with swimbaits or topwater lures, and largemouth bass are holding near current in deeper water at 10 to 12 feet. A few anglers are throwing Pencil Poppers with some success.”

Captain Mike Gravert of Intimidator Sport Fishing, ‘live bait specialist out of Korth’s Pirates Lair on the San Joaquin River,’ said, “The cooler days and nights are just what we have been anticipating with 65-degree water on the San Joaquin side. We have been able to find our preferred smaller grade of live mudsuckers, and the bite busted out during the middle of the week with keeper-sized limits along with numbers of shakers. However, as soon as the warm weather showed back up, the bite slowed down. We were still able to provide limits for our clients, but it is not the action that we have been finding previously. We cancelled our trip on Sunday due to the north winds, but we plan on being back out on the water on Monday.”

Captain Joe Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing was heading out for striped bass out of the Tracy Oasis on Thursday evening, and he said, “We have been looking for big fish with topwater lures. So far, we haven’t found the big ones, but we have been hooking plenty of schoolies.”

Luther Thompson of H and R Bait in Stockton said, “Fresh shad is coming into the shop on a daily basis, and Whiskey Slough and Bacon Island are the top shore locations for stripers. A few anglers have had their lines broken from the shorelines off of Windmill Cove, and they came into the shop to upgrade their line as they never saw the fish. Bluegill and red ear perch are found near the Tiki Lagun Marina off of Inland Drive on jumbo red worms along with off of Eight Mile Road.”

Call: Randy Pringle 209-543-6260; Captain Mike Gravert, Intimidator Sport Fishing 916-806-3030; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors 209-918-0828; J.D. Richey, Richey’s Sport Fishing 916-952-1554

At Nacimiento, the water releases have slowed down, and the lake is holding at 13 percent. Boats can still launch at the auxiliary ramp, but boaters have to take caution on the lake as there are both marked and unmarked hazards due to the lowered pool of water. The reaction bite slowed down with the recent storms, and finesse techniques of drop-shotting or jigs are working best as the bass have moved out into deeper water. Crappie can be taken around structure with minijigs, and white bass are still a possibility with white Roostertails or Kastmasters. The marina remains open for all services with the exception of gasoline. A webcam of the lake is available at http://www.lakenacimientolive.com/. At Lopez, reaction baits such as chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, or crankbaits are working, but the early morning topwater bass bite has slowed. Jigs or plastics on the drop-shot or Texas-rig are working best as the bass have dropped in the water column. Panfishing is solid with meal worms, jumbo red worms, or waxworms at depths to 25 feet. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, working the bottom with large plastics on the drop-shot or Texas-rig are working for numbers of smaller bass while the largest grade is found on reaction baits such as crankbaits, ripbaits, swimbaits, or underspins. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. At San Antonio, catfish are the top species with whiskerfish to 3 pounds taken on cut baits, stink baits, or dip baits. Bass fishing remains slow with a few largemouths taken on the bottom with finesse techniques. Crappie are found near structure and submerged brush with minijigs. The lake is holding at 13 percent. The launch ramp at Harris Creek is adequate in the low water conditions, but the Lynch Ramp remains closed. Boaters are advised to be cautious when launching with the hidden sand bar in front of the ramp.

Call: Lake Nacimiento 805-238-1056, ext. 3; Lake San Antonio Marina 805-472-2818; Central Coast Bass Fishing.com 805-466-6557

Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival: Oct. 12-14 at Delta/Rio Vista – Adult Striped Bass Division (30.5-inch target length): 1, Carleton King, 30.21 inches/11.2 pounds; 2, Don Syengchanh, 29.90/12.4; 3, Michael Parker, 29.77. Adult Sturgeon Division (53-inch target length): 1, John Woodring, 46.10; 2, Jim Francis, 43.28.

Best Bass Tournaments Tournament of Champions (10-fish limits): Oct. 13-14 at Delta/Russo’s Marina – 1, Joseph Durling/Anthony Crivelli, 37.99 pounds (Big Fish 9.83); 2, Michael Lenchanko/Erick Benard Jr., 36.28; 3, Joshua and Jerod Adams, 35.80.

Kerman Bass Club: Oct. 13 at Pine Flat – 1, Ross Aoki/Mike Pickering, 14.18 (Big Fish 4.86); 2, Ron Orbaker/David Musick, 9.31; 3, Justin Eslick/James Horton, 8.60.

Golden Empire Bass Club: Oct. 13 at Kaweah – 1, Troy Larsen/Jerry Williams, 13.72 (Big Fish 3.31); 2, Mike and Larry Merlo, 8.20; 3, Nathan and Russ Towes, 7.75.

Christian Bass League: Oct. 13 at New Melones – 1, Christian Ostrander/Brandon Weis, 19.60 (Big Fish 5.42); 2, Joe and Steve O’Brien, 17.92; 3, Jim and Chad Oliver, 15.62.

Central Valley Kayak Fishing (4-fish limits): Oct. 14 at Hensley – 1, Damian Thao, 82.75 inches; 2, Kong Vang, 77.75 (Big Fish 22.75); 3, Brigham Vang, 61.00.

Oct. 20-21: Delta/B and W Resort – Fresno Bass Club TOC, Delta/Russo’s Marina – Dan’s Delta Outdoors TOC, Delta/Tracy Oasis- Tracy Oasis Marina

Oct. 20: New Melones – Stanislaus County Employees, McClure – Sierra Bass Club/Merced Bass Club, Kaweah – RiverRats Bass Club

Oct. 21: Lake Camanche – Lodi High Bass Team, Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Oct. 27: McClure – American Bass Association, Success – Porterville Bass Club

Oct. 28: Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker

by California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Week of Oct. 14 and Oct. 28

Fresno County: Kings River below Pine Flat Dam

Week of Oct. 21

Kern County: Kern River sections 4 and 5

Tulare County: Kern River sections 5 and 6

This story was originally published October 16, 2018 at 12:00 PM.