Fishing report for week of Nov. 20-26: Striper, bass bites hot from Delta to Success

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 stripers and sturgeon biting, Alan Fong said. San Luis stripers on the prowl, Mickey Clements reported. Aqueduct striper fishing good, Pete Cormier said. Eastman and Hensley bass on solid bite, Steve Newman reported. Lake Success bass active, Chuck Stokke said. McClure bass and trout continue feeding trend, Ryan Cook reported. Pine Flat bass pick up pace, Mark Corrente said. Wishon and Courtright on hot bites, Dave Hurley reported.

Key

1-Try dynamite

2-Have to work hard

3-Limits possible

4-Fish jumpin’ in boat

In the northern section of the aqueduct, Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The water is clearing in the northern section around Highway 152 and below, and the bait is being pushed up against the headgates. Jerkbaits such as Duo Realis 120s and Lucky Craft 128s along with topwater lures such as Heddon Spooks of Strike King’s Sexy Dogs have been popular choices.” Jake Figgs added that Storm GT360s or Magnum Flukes in white are also working for the linesides.

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “The aqueduct has been excellent for striped bass, and the flows are solid. Tube baits, flukes, Gitzits, jerkbaits and topwater lures are working, but we are also selling plenty of blood worms, sardines and anchovies. Bait fishing is best weightless to avoid the grass. Catfishing has been decent with anchovies, sardines, mackerel, minnows and chicken livers.”

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

Steve Newman at Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The largemouth bass bite has been solid for largemouth bass under 16 inches as the larger fish have been reluctant to feed. The larger fish have been thin, but the smaller largemouth bass under 16 inches are feeding well. They will eat if you get it in front of them, and plastics on a Tokyo- or Texas-rig in baits such as the Yamamoto Cowboy or 10-inch plastics are working best. You have to get it in front of their face and hold it there. The bass are holding on the bottom on either island tops, drop-offs or saddles at depths from 25 to 40 feet, and the flats aren’t holding many bass right now.” The Sierra Bass Club held a tournament on Nov. 16, and the report was an overall tough bite with numbers of small bass, but the larger bass were absent.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Newman said, “Hensley has been ‘sneaky good’ with largemouth bass taken on wacky-rigged plastics or large plastics on the drop-shot at depths to 30 feet over submerged island tops or saddles between the island tops. The bass are holding in the transition zones. Most fishermen are heading to Eastman due to recent tournaments and overall low water levels at Hensley.”

The lake held at 23%.

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

The bass bite remains tough at best, but it is showing some signs of life as the bass remain suspended at depths from 55 to 65 feet with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot or shaky head at depths from 30 to 60 feet. The shad are scattered, and you have to be willing to try a variety of techniques to get bite. Finding the shad schools is essential as both the bass and the rainbows are holding near the shad. Wind, weather and rain are needed to stabilize the lake as the water temperatures remain above 60 degrees. The lake held at 79%.

Call: Monte Smith 209-581-4734; Kyle Wise – Head Hunter Guide Service 209-531-3966; Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing 691-7008

Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “The Taft Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby will be held at Buena Vista this coming Saturday, and there are reports of anglers already lining up to be first into the park. We have been selling a number of entry registrations along with Power Bait, hooks and line since there is quite a bit of interest. The derby will be held from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a registration fee of $20 for adults and $10 for children 13 and under. Registration is also available at www.taftchamber.com.

“There was also a recent plant at the River Walk and Ming, and these lakes have been good for the planters immediately after the plants. Bryte Lake in the Tehachapi Mountains has also been stocked, and it will be stocked with trout regularly this summer. The upper Kern River remains good with salmon eggs, crickets, nightcrawlers or spinners around the Kernville Park. Crappie are still available at Lake Isabella with live minnows or minijigs, and we continue to sell dozens of small to medium-minnows as the slabs are found at depths around 30 feet. Bass fishing is also decent with deep-diving crankbaits, jigs, or large plastics on the drop-shot. Catfish continue to be a highly targeting species with Sonny’s Triple S Dip Bait in Blood Formula, frozen shad, or clams.”

Isabella held at 29%.

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket 661-833-8657; North Fork Marina 760-376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station 542-2816

Not much change in the past week with the lake holding at near-minimum pool at 8%, and it is difficult to launch a large boat. Gary Wasson of Visalia reported a decent bass bite with plastics, but the reaction bite is slow. The cooling water temperatures should improve the action as the shad ball up near the submerged rockpiles, and the vertical spoon bite should also be coming on. There are some crappie taken from the banks with minijigs around submerged trees or rockpiles in the lowered lake.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “Bass fishing at Success has been excellent with quality largemouth bass taken on swimbaits, crankbaits, jigs, or plastics, and there has been a tremendous amount of interest by bass fishermen. The lake held at 9%.”

In the Tule River, Stokke said, “The river has been excellent, and I fished the North Fork of the Middle Fork on Sunday and Monday. I landed some quality browns and rainbows on hoppers, stimulators, and caddis patterns.”

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

It has been a struggle at most of the Mother Lode reservoirs for largemouth and spotted bass, but for some reason, Lake McClure is heating up, although the bass remain deep.

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass bite is getting good, and the numbers have been holding from 25 to 60 fish this week with most everything found at depths from 35 to 70 feet. I have been using a custom Dead Stick purple shad plastics on the drop-shot along with a G-Money jigs in a brown/purple color known as Margaritaville with a Dead Stick Hula Daddy trailer. I have also been spooning a few as well. I took out Denise Fuson from the Bay Area this week, and she had a banner day with spotted bass to 4 pounds on a variety of techniques. The action continues to improve.”

For trout, Steve Marquette of the Lake McClure/McSwain Recreation Company said, “I was on the lake three times this week, and we found limits of trout on every trip although the bite was more difficult than it has been in the past few weeks. The Needlefish in green/orange or gold has been the trick at depths from 40 to 65 feet.

“We also released a 2.5-pound spotted bass at 25 feet on the troll.”

McClure held at 61%.

Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing 691-7008

Marquette said, “The rainbows from the 3,000 pounds of rainbow trout that were released into the lake this past week by the Department of Fish and Wildlife are moving into the river arm above the Second Fence Line, and trollers are scoring with Kastmasters in orange/black or blade/crawler combinations. Shore fishermen are finding a few rainbows around the Brush Pile, the Handicapped Docks and the peninsula points near the marina with Kastmasters in green/yellow trout dough bait in rainbow, or salmon eggs.”

Lake levels remain high.

Call: McSwain Marina 209-378-2534

The water releases at Millerton have slowed down, and the bass bite has improved despite the recent full moon. Millerton has been a challenge for local bass fishermen, but it improved considerably in time for Saturday’s Kerman Bass Club event.

Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun said, “The bass have been scattered up the river arm, but you have to search around to find them. Plastics on the drop-shot or wacky rig have been the top producers, and there were plenty of limits weighed in by the 20-plus boats participating in the tournament. It was a seven-fish limit, and Merritt Gilbert from our shop was out with his partner, Mike Matthews, and they took 4th with a limit over 12 pounds. It took over 13 pounds for seven for first place.”

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun reported the best action are found in the river arm at depths from 35 to 40 feet with finesse techniques of plastics on the drop-shot as the bass are loading up on shad.

Millerton dropped from 50% to 47% with the releases slowing down by mid-week.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

The water temperatures are cooling to some degree, and the trout bite is starting to improve with Speedy Shiners, Needlefish or Countdown Rapalas in German Brown at depths from 55 to 65 feet in the main lake. John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service said, “The reaction bite for largemouth and spotted bass continues to be very slow with the best action at depths from 50 to 70 feet with spoons or plastics on the drop-shot; however, a few bass are taken on umbrella rigs. I have been informing my clients of the difficulty of the bite and rescheduling some trips, but there are many who still want to fish the deep water with finesse techniques.”

The lake dropped slightly to 82%.

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

Pine Flat has had a challenging bass bite over the past few months with the rapidly receding water levels, but the bite took off on Saturday during the annual Clovis Police Department fundraising tournament hosted by Mark Corrente and Bass 101. In the past, the police department has assisted in the operation of the tournament, but under new leadership, all the organization of the event was under the leadership of Corrente.

Corrente said, “I have assisted with the event for several years by conducting the weigh-in, but this year, we had all of the operation on our shoulders. We were able to pay out plus donate $700 to the Clovis Police Department.”

Steve Newman of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “It was a solid bite with most teams weighing in limits, and the better fish came on jigs or vertical spoons as the bass are holding near bait or suspended at depths from 40 to 50 feet. The area around Windy Gap continues to be the top spot, but one of my friends had engine trouble, and he was able to put in a 7-pound limit right outside of Deer Creek by spooning in the main lake. Anglers were catching bass right away, and the one takeaway was the number of largemouth bass weighed in. There were a few limits of largemouth bass only in the 2-pound range brought to the scales. The team of Dusty Mart and Jason Horn took first place at 13.52 pounds with Horn landing the big fish of the tournament at 6.69 pounds first thing right off of the bat in the morning. Nathan Hanson and Dwayne Minugh took second at 11.16 pounds with Chad Leon and Daryl Minugh in third at 9.24 pounds. There weren’t many swimbait or A-Rig bass taken, but I think with the amount of trout plants growing and the water cooling, fishermen in our area are gearing up for the swimbait bite. The best techniques have been plastics on the drop-shot with green pumpkin or Pro Gold working best for numbers. Fishermen reported that you could see a number of fish on the graph, but you had to get through the squawfish and carp to get to the bass. There was an 8-pound carp brought in, and one team kept landing the squawfish to 26 inches on their spoons. Overall, the action was much better than anticipated based upon the past few weeks.”

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun was on the lake recently, and he said, “The water temperature hasn’t cooled off to the ideal range just yet, and the bait is scattered throughout the water column. I found my best action around rocky structure from Windy Gap to Sycamore with 6-inch shad-patterned plastics on a 6-foot drop-shot leader.”

In the lower Kings River, Figgs reported continued good action for planted rainbows with Panther Martin spinners, nightcrawlers or Pautske’s Fire Balls in the transitions from fast to slow water from Winton Park to the Alta Weir. The flows have slowed with the water releases on the wane.

Pine Flat dropped slightly from 41% to 40%.

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

The O’Neill Forebay has been the hot spot for Central Valley and San Jose-area striped bass anglers with numbers of linesides taken on a variety of techniques. The California Aqueduct is also showing signs of life for stripers while the main lake is perking up as well.

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The forebay has been very good for numbers, and there is a lot of bait moving around there. Check 13 or the old launch ramp at Medieros have been the top two locations, and there is still grass along the shorelines so boaters are having the best action. Float tubers or kayaks are working the main channel with ripbaits or jerkbaits.”

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The Storm GT 360 search bait or Magnum Flukes are working best, and the numbers have been solid, but the size is limited.” Steve Newman of Valley Rod added, “You can put together a legal limit at the forebay, but you have to go through a number of undersized linesides. In the aqueduct, the water is clearing up, and bait is moving through. Anglers are tossing Duo Realis jerkbaits, Lucky Craft Pointers, Strike King’s Sexy Dogs, or Heddon Spooks, and they are changing out the hooks since the original hooks are being straightened out.”

In the big lake, Clements reported a good striper bait as the fish are moving into the shallows around Portuguese Cove early or late, and there is a ripbait and topwater bite taking place. The ima Big Stick, the Evergreen SV150, the Sixth Sense Mud Dog 150 or the River2Sea Rover 128 have all been big sellers. The stripers aren’t boiling, but one or two shad are popping up, and fishermen are casting to the swirls. After the topwater bite dies, fishermen are dropping minnows or trolling Lucky Craft 128s in threadfin shad, American shad or Ghost Minnow in either Portuguese Cove or the mouth of Portuguese.”

Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service said, “San Luis Reservoir lake levels seem to be stabilizing, and it has helped the overall striper bite. Anglers soaking minnows are doing the best, but there has also been a decent topwater bite at times in the main coves while the troll action has been sporadic at best. I expect the bite to improve over the next few weeks if they keep pumping in water – but over the last few days they have released water again. I scouted this week after a sick guest canceled, and the troll bite was slow early and better near noon in 60 to 70 feet of water on minnow colors of Lucky Crafts. I ended up with 20 school fish up to 24 inches in the 65- to 66-degree water after I found some active fish schools in the middle of some large flats on the north shore. I’m having buddies doing decently on topwater baits in the main coves, but they aren’t seeing many boils. Everyone has been waiting for the lake to stop falling.”

Due to holiday conflicts, George said he’s postponing the Dec. 5 Downrigger 101 at the Fresno Sportsman’s Warehouse, new date to be announced.

The lake dropped to 43%.

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

The bass bite continues to be slow with the bass feeding on bluegill with no consistent pattern as they are scattered from the surface to 60 feet. Senkos in green pumpkin are working best as this mimics the bluegill. Trout trolling remains slow, but it will improve with upcoming plants by the end of the month.

The lake dropped from 61% to 56%, and the public launch ramp is problematic for larger boats. Lake webcams and conditions: basslakeca.com/index.php.

The Sheriff’s Motor Fee is enforced on a year-round basis now.

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

Still few reports from the high-elevation lakes, and the Kaiser Pass lakes are now dropping with Edison receding from 46% to 40% and Florence at 51% with Mammoth Pool from 75% to 67%. Mammoth Pool is still an option for both rainbow trout and crawdads.

For the latest Sierra National Forest road conditions: bit.ly/2rfH8BB

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Few boats have been on the lake despite the beautiful and unseasonable weather conditions. A few dark kokanee are taken near Rock Heaven Creek, but they are inedible. Trout fishing is best in Stevenson Bay toward the Tunnel, but the action is slow at best. A double-plant of rainbows is anticipated next year in addition to the 12,000 5-inch brown trout that were planted in spring 2019. The lake dropped slightly to 65%.

At upstream Huntington, there is still little as the lake continues to heavily release water, and it has receded slightly to 35%, and the launch ramp is problematic for anything but small aluminum boats. The lack of snow and rain have kept the secretive brown trout baggers off of the lake, but they are waiting to drag their aluminums down to the waterline as soon as it starts to snow.

Sierra Marina launch ramp webcam: sierramarina.com/camera.html.

Call: Dick Nichols, Dick’s Fishing Charters 281-6948; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Dinkey Creek Inn 841-3435

The Wishon Village RV Park and Store has closed for the season, and anglers will have to be prepared by bringing up all supplies as bait and tackle will not be available at the lake. The trout bite remains outstanding for both bank fishermen and trollers with the rainbows running from 13 to 14 inches to the occasional 17-inch trout with Kastmasters in frog or Speedy Shiners in nickel along with Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger in front of the dam, near the river inlet, along the east side, and at depths from 20 to 30 feet. Shore fishermen are scoring at the mouth of Short Hair Creek, the dam, and the boat launch with inflated nightcrawlers or trout dough bait. The lake remains high enough for launching a boat with no problems.

At Courtright, colder weather has limited the number of anglers heading to the highest elevation lake in the area, but there is still good action for trollers with the increased opportunity for a quality brown trout with Apex lures, Needlefish, or Krocodile spoons from the surface to 20 feet. Shore fishing is best along both sides of the dam or near the boat launch with trout dough bait, night crawlers, or salmon eggs. The lake level remains relatively high for this time of year, but the levels have been fluctuating with the need for power generation. The windows for action will become shorter as the region gets colder at the 7,000-foot elevation level.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Second Captain Michael Cabanas took out 23 anglers on Sunday south to the Deep Reef to work 220 feet of water for limits of rockfish along with pulling up another 23 limits of Dungeness crab. Teresa Mar from Daly City landed the big fish of the day with a 10-pound ling.

Captain Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete was also out on a rockfish/crab combination trip for limits over the weekend, and he has been running crab-only trips for $90 during the week.

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill was on a private boat on Sunday before reporting to work, and they made quick work of limits of jumbo crab for five anglers with a short soak of less than one hour before returning to the docks by 9 a.m.

The Half Moon Bay Fish Market on the corner of Highway 92 and Main Street is boiling crab for $2 apiece.

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

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing Trips said, “The Star of Monterey went south to Point Sur on Sunday, and they returned with 19 limits of quality rockfish. The Check Mate stayed local, and they posted 135 mostly school fish for 18 anglers along with 70 Dungeness crab. The crab counts have improved, but they were lighter for us on Sunday. We went south to Point Sur on last Tuesday with 23 anglers for 23 huge ling cod and 23 limits of rockfish. Most of the rockfish were monster vermilion, and there were some huge ling cod taken on swimbaits or bars as we didn’t use live bait.”

They have room on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the coming week.

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “We are finally getting some northwest swell, which is already boosting the barred surf perch count along the broad beaches of the bay. Swells will increase over the weekend, and boat-based anglers should not be surprised if fish and Dungeness crabs move further offshore into deeper water. It’s been a fantastic extended season for halibut. Private boaters are still picking up flatties up to 30 pounds in front of the harbor in 60 to 70 feet of water according to Todd Fraser of Bayside Marine. Surfcasting should improve as the weekend’s swell stirs things up and creates sandy structure for feeding surfperch and striped bass.”

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

Limits of jumbo crab remain the rule as the commercial opener below Point Arena is on hold until this Friday. All of the party and private boaters are loading up with crab in the spectacular weather conditions. However, the weather is expected to change by mid-week.

Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Loch Lomond Marina took six anglers all the way north to Point Reyes in search of rockfish, and he said, “Pulling the crab pots was the easy part as we had limits of big Dungeness crab, but with the weather expected to be 10 to 20 offshore, I was reluctant to make the run to the Farallons. We headed north in search of rockfish along the coast, and there was rusty water along the coast from Double Point north to Point Reyes as if there was a red tide. There was a big swell, and we ended up 34 miles north of Point Bonita to come home with crab limits, a few ling cod, and 3/4th limits of rockfish.”

The California Dawn out of Berkeley was able to make it to the Farallons on Sunday in flat, calm weather conditions, and they returned with 34 limits of rockfish and Dungeness crab.

The Happy Hooker also went to the Farallons with 34 anglers for limits of rockfish and crab along with a few ling cod. Both the Happy Hooker, and the partner boat, the Pacific Dream, are running crab-only trips from 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27th, the day prior to Thanksgiving.

Inside the bay, Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle said, “The halibut have slowed down, but they are still picking them up in San Pablo Bay. The striped bass are everywhere, but the majority of them are on the small side. Sturgeon fishing is starting to pick up as a kayaker out of China Camp landed a 46-inch diamondback on his first cast on ghost shrimp, and there have been sturgeon taken from the McNear’s Pier, the China Camp shoreline, and the levee around Loch Lomond along with halibut and bass.”

The bait shop has live mudsuckers, bullheads, smelt, grass shrimp, and ghost shrimp in the shop, and it is one of the only sources of live drifting bait in the Bay.

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, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing 707-655-6736

Out of San Luis Obispo County, the rockfish limits remain possible, and the Avenger and Endeavor out of Morro Bay Landing on Sunday posted limits for 55 anglers consisting of 272 vermilion, 27 copper, 18 Boccaccio, 233 assorted rockfish, 3 rock sole, and 16 ling cod to 10 pounds. Out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay, the Black Pearl went on a 2-day trip for 43 ling cod to 15 pounds, 290 vermilion, 20 copper, 20 Boccaccio, and 10 olive rockfish. Kameron Nurreh of Bakersfield took the jackpot with the 15-pound ling. The Fiesta returned with 30 vermilion and 120 assorted rockfish for limits on Monday. There are only two weeks left in Virg’s 2019 John Rowley’s Biggest Baddest Ling cod Contest for $10,000 in prizes. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Flying Fish out of Patriot Sport Fishing brought home limits for 24 fishermen with 6 vermilion, 6 copper, 2 Bolina, and 226 assorted rockfish. The Patriot took a crab/rockfish combination trip on Saturday with 28 anglers for 3 vermilion, 6 copper, and 134 assorted rockfish to go with 2 ling cod and 52 Dungeness crab and 16 rock crab. All ports are running a variety of trips in the coming weeks for rockfish/ling cod including overnight trips until the bottom fish closure on Dec. 31.

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

The sturgeon bite has been up and down, but there have been some good scores within the past few days. Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing said, “The bite slowed down for us over the weekend, but it picked back up on Monday with three legal sturgeon just over the 40-inch mark. They are not biting salmon roe for me, and everything has been on eel in shallow water. I went into Honker Bay this week, and we spooked 9 sturgeon in 4 feet of water, and they immediately began jumping out of the water. I am targeting sturgeon throughout the weekend after a striper trip on Wednesday night.”

Captain Zach Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures has been finding good action for sturgeon with his specially cured salmon roe, and his catch-and-release trips have resulted in a number of sturgeon brought to the side of the boat for release. He said, “I will search around for a long time before I set up on a group of fish that I believe are biting. The spread I will use is over 100 feet in order to intercept the sturgeon that are really a blood hound with fins.”

Jeff Boyle of Bass Pro Shops in Manteca was out bait fishing with Steve Wirfs on Wednesday with shad in the Chain Island area. They ended up with 8 stripers to 5 pounds, keeping only three fish. Boyle said, “The grass and debris was bad, and we fought it all day long. The bite was very soft, and the stripers were not running with the bait. It was much slower than it should be.”

George Wight of Antioch, one of the charter members of the California Striped Bass Association, had a similar report on striped bass, saying, “We were doing much better in July and August as although we are catching fish, it is much slower than I would expect at this time of year.”

Andre Fontenot, field reporter for Western Outdoor News, said, “I targeted striped bass on Wednesday, and it was a grind. I did limit out with two legal linesides at 18 and 22 inches, and it wasn’t until 3:00 p.m. that I landed the fish in Broad Slough. I did make a move to the San Joaquin River near New York Slough, but there was tons of debris on the lines, forcing me to return to Broad Slough.”

Salmon continue to trickle through the north Delta, and there was a run of American River fish that arrived last week. Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport said, “Most fishermen are targeting striped bass, but there are still a few diehards out there targeting salmon with Brad’s Cut Plugs behind an 11-inch E-Chip dodger along with spinners. Shore fishermen continue to throw Flying C’s. The pressure has been low for salmon, but stripers are taken on live minnows or mudsuckers around Liberty Island, the Sacramento Deep Water Channel, or around the Rio Vista Bridge. Bluegill and red ear perch are located along the Delta Loop with red worms or jumbo red worms.”

The Mokelumne River salmon are returning to the hatchery, and a total of 10,009 salmon have made it over the Woodbridge Dam in Lodi as of this week. Last year a total of 12,078 fish were counted over the dam. Their goal is to take 7.5 million eggs to produce 6.8 million smolts this season.

Allen Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento was working around Liberty Island this week, and he reported good crappie action with the Strike King 1-inch grub with a pointed tail on a 1/32nd-ounce jig head. He said, “The slabs are holding around the submerged trees at 15- to 17- feet. The largemouth bass bite has also been solid, but we have been struggling for striped bass on topwater and glide baits.”

Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors has been out chasing stripers north of Rio Vista this week, and he caught and released a 30-pound plus female striped bass on the lighter 5-inchYozuri Pencil. He said, “The water still needs to drop around 5 degrees for the bite to become consistent, but we have been finding some quality largemouth bass in the north Delta as they are mixed in with the stripers feeding on bait in shallow water. The topwater bite has been solid for the largemouths. I tried the heavy wooden baits, but they wanted the lighter lure that made noise.”

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait in Martinez reported sturgeon fishing has been solid in the normal locations of the Mothball Fleet, the Big Cut, and the Middle Grounds, but getting out of the grass has been the key. Those sitting on the anchor are having to wait until the tide slows down in order to find locations without getting grassed out. Big striped bass continue to be taken near the Firing Line and the Middle Grounds with large baits such as live splittails, and the majority of these big live-bait eating stripers are kept. The splittail have been scarce,”

The San Joaquin-Delta striped and largemouth bass bite has been plagued by calm conditions and clear water, and the reaction bite is very slow in these conditions. Rain and wind that normally should arrive by mid-November have been absent, and the bite has been challenging.

The striped bass continue to be holding on the western edge of the San Joaquin system, and Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento reported a spoon bite by the Antioch Bridge for schoolie stripers to 8 pounds.

The Rat-L-Trap Open took place out of Russo’s Marina on Saturday with 64 participants, and calm conditions contributed to a very tough reaction bite.

Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was the tournament director, and he said, “We had 32 boats with 64 participants, but when the winning five-fish limit is only 12.12-pounds, you know it is a tough reaction bite. We gave out a Phenix rod worth $220.00 for the first fish sent in by photo in the morning, and we received over 20 emails with a good early bite. You had to fish deep at 5 to 8 feet and the MR-6 was the top bait as teams were picking out 2 pounders out of the grass. With the clear water conditions with visibility to 8 feet, the bass want to hold below the line where the sun penetrates into the water. Most bass were taken along drop-off ledges or outside of the grass line by flipping into heavy cover. We thought we would have some wind for this event, but the wind didn’t show up, and we need wind and weather to stir things up. Right now the best action will be with plastics or jigs on a much slower presentation. The striped bass side pool was won with a 30.5-inch lineside that was very close to the 31-inch target length. The tournament was scheduled in November to attract striped bass fishermen.”

In the Stockton area, H and R Bait in Stockton reported continued high interest in local fishermen heading to either Whiskey Slough or Eight Mile Road for striped bass or panfish. Fresh shad remains readily available.

Boaters must use caution in the region around Mildred Island and Empire Cut as several hundred feet of a partially exposed pile line has been blocking the entrance to Mildred Island. The pipe is approximately 24 inches in diameter, and it is hard to see. The gas pipe belongs to PG&E, and it is out of service, but at least one boat accident has occurred in this area. The Coast Guard is working with PG&E to mitigate this hazard, and boaters in the area are advised to use extreme caution.

Call: Randy Pringle 209-543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell 707-655-6736; Vince Borges Outdoors 209-918-0828; J.D. Richey, Richey’s Sport Fishing 916-952-1554

At Nacimiento, the spotted bass action has slowed with the cooling water temperatures, and the best action is found in the warmer periods in the afternoons. The bait is scattered, and finesse techniques continue to work best at depths to 25 feet. White bass have been MIA with few schools located. The fuel dock is now selling fuel again from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The lake dropped slightly to 45% this week. A webcam of the lake is available at lakenacimientolive.com.

At Lopez, the best action for largemouth or smallmouth bass is occurring when the wind is blowing with spinnerbaits or crankbaits, but the overall reaction bite remains slow. Working deep water over rock with jigs or plastics in the afternoons is producing the opportunity for a quality largemouth. The bluegill and red ear perch have dropped in the water column, and they are taken on meal worms, wax worms, or red worms, and catfishing is solid with cut baits such as mackerel. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.

At Santa Margarita, similar to Lopez, the wind has been the key to the best cut of largemouth bass on spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or underspins. The warmer periods in the afternoon are the most productive. Crappie have gone into deeper water, and minijigs in dark-patterns are finding success for the slabs around submerged structure. Catfish are taken on cut baits, and there is the possibility of a large whiskerfish. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california.

At San Antonio, angler interest remains limited with catfish the best opportunity for success with cut baits such as mackerel or anchovies coated with scent. Bass fishing is slow, but a few largemouth and smallmouth bass are found on plastics as deep as 25 feet. Bluegill are also taken deep with red worms or jumbo red worms. The lake is now on the winter schedule, and the launch ramp is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The lake dropped slightly to 33%.

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

Christian Bass League: Nov. 16 at New Melones – 1, Eric Habit/Nick Barse, 14.98 pounds; 2, Kirk Sakamoto/Keith Friesen, 14.82; 3, Tracy Patton/Ray Patton, 12.62; Big Fish AJ Moitoso/Ronnie Heil, 5.06.

Rat-L-Trap Open: Nov. 16 at Delta/Russo’s Marina – 1, Blake Dyer/Zach Ham, 12.12; 2, Chris Ball/Jason Cornell, 12.11; 3, Richard and Riley Mask. 11.92.

Merced Bass Club: Nov. 16 at Don Pedro – 1, Gerry Johnson/Brian Hamby, 11.60; 2, Brian Cox/Kevin Davidson, 10.48; 3, Andy Anderson/Kevin McGraw, 10.34.

Kerman Bass Club: Nov. 16 at Millerton (seven-fish limits) – 1, Larry/Xang Bang, 13.86; 2, Rod and Scott Burns, 13.14; 3, Mitch Melikian/Darren Graef, 12.77.

Bass 101 Clovis Police Department fundraiser: Nov. 16 at Pine Flat – 1, Dusty Mart/Jason Horn, 13.52 (Big Fish 6.69); 2, Nathan Hanson/Dwayne Minugh, 11.16; 3, Chad Leon/Daryl Minugh, 9.24.

Hook, Line, and Sinker: Nov. 17 at Delta/Russo’s Marina – 1, Zach Ham/Mike McNabb, 9.29; 2, Russ and Steve Probst, 9.15; 3, Daryl Boyce/Tom Lutz, 9.05.

Nov. 23

McClure – American Bass Association

Pine Flat – Bass 101

Buena Vista/Lake Evans – Taft Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby

Nov. 24

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Delta Teen Teams

Lake Camanche – Lodi High School Bass Club

Eastman – Central Valley Kayak Fishing

Millerton – Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club

Dec. 7

Delta/Russo’s Marina – American Bass Association

Delta/Big Break – Bass N’ Tubes

New Melones – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Don Pedro – American Bass Association

McClure – Sonora Bass Anglers

Pine Flat – Kerman Bass Club

Nacimiento – American Bass Association

Dec. 8

McClure – Fresno Bass Club

Pine Flat – Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club

Dec. 14

Delta – California Striped Bass Association Isleton Chapter Sturgeon Derby

McClure – Merced Bass Club

Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club

Dec. 15

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker

Nacimiento – Good Ole Boys

December 18th –

Pine Flat – Kings VIII Bass Club

Week of Nov. 24 by California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Fresno County: Kings River below Pine Flat Dam, Woodward Park Lake

Kern County: Brite Valley Reservoir, Kern River section 4

Madera County: Bass Lake, Eastman Lake, Hensley Lake

This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Fishing report for week of Nov. 20-26: Striper, bass bites hot from Delta to Success."