Fishing report for week of April 1-7: Most Central California lakes closed

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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Key

1-Try dynamite

2-Have to work hard

3-Limits possible

4-Fish jumpin’ in boat

With the closure of the majority of Central California lakes, the California Aqueduct remains one of the locations where recreational fishing is still allowed. The access points at the aqueduct remain open, and water releases out of San Luis Reservoir continue to push bait fish down the aqueduct in the northern section of the aqueduct between Kettleman City and Los Banos. Ripbaits or topwater lures around the moving water near the headgates are working for striped bass.

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported continued outstanding striped bass action with jumbo minnows, anchovies, blood worms and sardines. He said, “In addition to bait, there is also good action with reaction baits such as Zoom Flukes or Gitzits.”

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

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District has closed all recreation facilities, including campgrounds, visitor centers, boat launches and day-use areas, at the 10 lakes and parks it runs to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.

Individuals with paid camping reservations will be contacted by email and full refunds will automatically be processed by recreation.gov with no cancellation fees. Individuals should not contact recreation.gov to request a refund as that will lead to a cancellation fee being charged.

Any questions about the status of a USACE park can be directed to that individual park staff. Contact information can be found at the Sacramento District Parks website spk.usace.army.mil/Locations/Sacramento-District-Parks or by web searching USACE and the name of the park.

Additional information and updates on modifications, closures and other restrictions related to the USACE district’s response can be found at spk.usace.army.mil/coronavirus and on its Facebook (@SacramentoDistrict) and Twitter (@USACESacramento) pages.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Another Corps-run lake that’s closed.

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

The Don Pedro Recreation Agency reported that a full closure of the reservoir is in effect until further notice. This closure includes campgrounds and recreation on the reservoir. Houseboat owners will have access to their houseboats, and for questions regarding Houseboat Service, owners are to contact Suntex Marinas at 209-852-2369. For campsite cancellations, refunds or credits, email dprc@tid.org, but expect delays in the response as increased phone traffic and emails are being received. Minimal DPRA staff will be on-site to support essential functions of the area, but staff services will not be available during the park’s closure.

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

Cormier said, “The lake remains open with the launch ramp around Red’s Marina in the South Fork still accessible, but the new public ramp is closed. Crappie action has been excellent with live minnows or minijigs, and people are catching trout and catfish.” Triple S Dip Bait, frozen shad or clams continue to be best for catfish. Trout fishing in the upper Kern River is decent after a recent plant, and Kernville Park remains the best location with salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, crickets or spinners. Buena Vista is open, and there is a good crappie bite at night with minnows with planted trout taken on Mice Tails, Power Bait or nightcrawlers. The local lakes are open, and fishing has been fair for bass, bluegill and carp.

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

Another Corps-run lake that’s closed.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Another Corps-run lake that’s closed.

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

McClure and McSwain have been temporarily closed by the Merced Irrigation District, and minimal access will be provided for those needing to reach their houseboats at McClure Point or the Barrett Cove launch facilities. Those with existing camping reservations that include a motorhome or trailer with a self-contained restroom only at McClure Point, Barrett Cove or Lake McSwain. No other day-use or camping is available and no new reservations will be taken during the temporary closure. For further information or questions, 855-800-2267 or parkinfo@mercedid.org.

Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing 691-7008, McSwain Marina 209-378-2534

As a California State Park, Millerton State Recreational Area temporarily closed its parking lots and launch ramps on Monday. The lake is inaccessible for power boats, and all parking lots at the recreational areas are closed. Sycamore Island Park on the San Joaquin River also temporarily closed.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

Both New Melones and Tulloch were closed to boating starting on Monday, but prior to the closure, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing took out Ocsanna Seropyan, formerly of Valley Rod and Gun, to find great action for both largemouth and spotted bass. He said, “We grinded out a quality limit working steep vertical walls at 10 to 15 feet in 30 to 40 feet of water. The bass were suspended, sitting just off of the walls or big rock, and the wind-blown sides were holding bait and the bass. Senkos and jigs worked best, but it wasn’t easy.”

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

Pine Flat is another Corps-run lake that’s closed. No reports from the river.

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

As a California State Park, San Luis Reservoir temporarily closed its parking lots and launch ramps on Monday. The lake is inaccessible for power boats, and all parking lots at the recreational areas are closed.

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

The 2020 Bass Lake Fishing Derby scheduled for the first weekend in May has been canceled. The press release states, “This was a very difficult decision to make and several factors were considered including ‘stay at home orders,’ closures of all Bass Lake campgrounds, cabin rentals being canceled and of course the risk of spreading this dangerous virus.” Organizers say the May 1-2, 2021 derby will have the eight additional $500 prize fish and plans are being made to add trophy trout “just to sweeten the pot.” If you have already registered for 2020, organizers are offering a refund or will carry your registration over to 2021. For more information, email chamber@basslakechamber.com.

The Sheriff’s Motor Fee is enforced on a year-round basis now. Lake webcams and conditions: basslakeca.com/index.php.

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

Kaiser Pass is blanketed with snow, limiting access to the region.

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

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake remains open, but few trout fishermen have been out during the recent cold weather. Bank fishing is fair at best with Power Bait or nightcrawlers.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Shaver Lake seminar by Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters and Ken Thompson, senior biologist from the Department of Fish and Wildlife, has been rescheduled for May 21 at Turner’s Outdoorsman in Fresno.

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; Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072

Snow may keep these lakes inaccessible until late April.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

fresnobee.com/fishing

Ocean

The ocean salmon season will be closed during the month of April despite earlier notices of an April 4 or 11 opener.

Half Moon Bay

Similar to every other port in California, if you are planning on participating in the opener of rockfish season out of Half Moon Bay on April 1, you will need to have a boat already in the water or plan on fishing off of a kayak because the San Mateo County Harbormaster’s District has closed the public launch ramps and parking lots at Pillar Point and also at Oyster Point on San Francisco Bay.

If you have a boat in the water at one of the marinas inside of Half Moon Bay, you can head out on the opener for rockfish, but you are limited to taking people who live directly within your household. Party boats will not be operating until further notice until the shelter in place order is lifted.

The bait shop at Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing is closed temporarily, but they do have a frozen bait vending machine available outside of the shop that is stocked with squid, anchovies, prawns, herring, and octopus depending upon supply. The machine takes major credit cards and bills up to $10, but exact change is recommended.

All the party boats, including the New Captain Pete, the Queen of Hearts, and the Riptide out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing along with Captain Tom Mattusch’s Huli Cat, will be operating once the shelter in place order is lifted.

For kayaks, with the closure of many of the parking lots along the San Mateo coastal beaches, anglers will have to search for a location to put in their boats.

The Pacific Pier remains open, but anglers are expected to follow Centers For Disease Control guidelines of social distancing.

There is a web cam for the Pacifica Pier at nautiboy.com/pacifica/livecam/?fbclid=IwAR2Wkm6E9nVRQQW_FKJNchudV8mEfzWnl-1mbXdjGGxPbDaVdU7SiQS-baE

Call: Captain Dennis Baxter – New Captain Pete (650) 576-3844; Captain Tom Mattusch – Huli Cat (650) 619-0459.

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Chris Arcolleo of Chris’s Fishing Trips in Monterey isn’t expecting to be back on the water on April 8, and he said, “I had a conversation with the lead Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement officer for our region, and he said that he can’t even fish with his own son right now since he doesn’t reside in the same household. Only people who actually reside in the same household are able to launch and fish from a boat in the bay. The Coast Guard has been boarding boats and checking them for compliance with the shelter in place order and the need to be 6 feet away from each other.”

The City of Monterey’s boat launch ramps will be closed to recreational boat traffic. The closure is temporary and will end when the County of Monterey and California State Shelter in Place orders are lifted. This closure will not apply to commercial fishing vessels with valid FG numbers.

Moss Landing and Santa Cruz launch ramps are closed.

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Within the parameters of the COVID-19 regulations, sport fishing is indeed permissible in our area at this time. Commercial fishing continues as an essential activity. Sport fishing opportunities, while somewhat restricted, remain available for us around the Monterey Bay. Santa Cruz Harbor published the most detailed information this week regarding the partial closure, saying “During the statewide shelter-in-place order, the following essential services and businesses are open. Please comply with all governmental orders and practice social distancing at all times (minimum 6-foot spacing) when conducting essential activities. In support of fishing: Launch ramp is open; boatyard is open; H&H Fresh Fish resident buyer services and fish market (is open); Bayside Marine is open and Johnson-Hicks Marine Electronics is open for online and telephone orders.

“California halibut season is open year-round, but most halibut disperse into deep waters through the winter. This year, we are seeing an early return and very positive signs of a productive season ahead for the big flatfish. Anglers fishing near Monterey Harbor, Pajaro, and the Mile Buoy area in Santa Cruz have reported multiple halibut caught within the past few weeks. It might well be worth fishing from the wharves and piers soon. The past few years have featured outstanding halibut numbers form the Santa Cruz Wharf, Capitola Wharf, and Monterey’s Municipal Wharf 2. For social distancing, our best bet is surfcasting. Even with dog walkers and surfers on the beach, it’s easy to keep at least 6 feet separation from others. And, things are heating up on the beaches. Reports from northern Monterey County and southern Santa Cruz County indicate a good if not great bite for barred surf perch this week. A good number of walleye perch were also caught from the surf, according to surfcaster reports. From the coast north of Santa Cruz, Captain Kris Victorino shared his surfcast report of chunky redtail perch from the Davenport area.”

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

San Francisco Bay

Rockfishing starts on April 1. Finding a place to launch a boat will be a challenge, but there will be a few boat launches open in the bay as of press time; however, this could change at any time. Fishermen are required to only have household members in their boats with no outside friends or family members.

Open boat launches as of Tuesday:

Alameda

Berkeley

Richmond

San Leandro

Encinal

Loch Lomond

Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael said, “We have ghost shrimp, grass shrimp and pile worms in the shop along with live smelt. Our launch ramp is open, and 30 boats launched on Saturday. There have been a number of shore anglers. I think it will be decent for halibut over the weekend, and fair for sturgeon with these tides.”

Most boats will be heading to the south bay to troll or drift for halibut as there have been some decent scores from Oyster Point to the Alameda Rockwall.

Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388;

San Luis Obispo

Similar to all ports, party boat operations are on hold until further notice due to the shelter in place order. Private boats will be able to launch for the rockfish opener on April 1, and there should be solid action with the local reefs being untouched for the past 90 days.

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

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

The Delta has a number of launch ramps open as of press time, but this could change at any time.

B and W Resort on the Mokelumne River

Suisun City

Benicia 9th Street

Big Break

Arrowhead

Hogback on Steamboat Slough

Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island

Sugar Barge on Bethel Island

McAvoy’s at Bay Point

Closed launch ramps –

Sherman Island

Rio Vista City

Belding’s Landing on Montezuma Slough

Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley

Brannan Island

Striped bass action on the Sacramento River has been fair at best, but there are linesides to be had if you are willing to put in the time.

Dave Houston of Livermore was out at the end of last week with two of the best striper trollers of Mark Wilson and Neal Koepke, and he said, “We put on 70 miles on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin side for only 8 keepers with our best action on red head/white lures. If you are thinking you are missing the red hot bite, you aren’t.”

Clyde Wands, shallow trolling expert, was also out on this week fishing solo, and he said, “Some of the boats struggled, but I had a pretty good day with 9 keepers to 10 pounds. I’m fishing solo because I don’t want to deal with any possibility of contracting the virus.”

Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing said, “Sturgeon fishing remains very good for those private boaters heading out in the Suisun Bay area. I’m not operating during the shelter in place orders, but I am taking reservations for this summer’s halibut season.”

The Big Cut at the mouth of Grizzly Bay along with the area around the Benicia/Martinez Bridge seem to be the most. No six-packs are supposed to be operating during the shelter in place order.

On the Sacramento side, Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service was also out with family on Friday night into Saturday morning, and he said, “We roped them throughout the night with a total of 13 keepers including 5 slot-limit fish to 58.25 pounds which I tagged. We were using cured salmon roe above the Bencia/Martinez Bridge, and I anchored along the shelf in 30 feet of water where there was a pinch point. The sturgeon came funneling through all night, and they were biting. I went to the shelf due to the big tides since the sturgeon don’t want to fight that much current. We launched out of Pittsburg and made the long run since I had heard that Martinez Marina was closed.”

On the San Joaquin side, the largemouth bass bite has been outstanding despite the up and down weather conditions with very cold temperatures in the morning, bright sunshine, and overcast conditions arriving within minutes of each other. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, said, “ People are catching them or they are not catching them depending upon the conditions. Last week during the warmer weather, we found great action on the Berkley Choppo or the ima Glide Fluke in bluegill or Baby Bass patterns. I use the smaller floating glide fluke, and it will run from two to three feet in depth when your rod tip is near the surface and float back up when paused. There have been some huge bass to 12 pounds cruising up into the shallows out of the deeper water, and they want to come up and spawn, but the weather has pushed them back a bit. Mother Nature decides when they are going to spawn, not a calendar, and this was a very unusual winter with 80-degree temperatures in February followed by 30-degree mornings in March. If we get three or four days of good weather, the largemouth bass bite is going to be epic. I also have been working around the edges of the weeds with the General or Pit Boss with Max Scent as with the colder water temperatures, a finesse presentation is most effective. The Bottom Hopper on a drop-shot is another good option, and I prefer something with chartreuse combined with an earth tone because bluegill are the enemy of bass during the time before and after the spawn.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “The launch ramp at Russo’s looks like it does on FLW Week as it has been crowded to say the least. The quality of largemouth bass has been outstanding with plenty of 3’s and 4’s along with 5’s, 6’s, and 7’s. The largemouth bass bite has been the best it has been in years, and this is in spite of all of the herbicide spraying in the past two years. Most anglers are flipping with Sweet Beavers or Space Monkeys, and sales of Senkos have been off of the charts. The spinnerbait bite has been solid as well when the wind is blowing and white on white or golden shiner are the top colors. Striped bass seems to be pretty good along the West Bank with one boat reporting hooking 15 stripers with a couple of double hookups.”

On the San Joaquin side, James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service was out with family on Friday and Saturday, and they released a 20 pound striped bass on Friday near the entrance of Three Mile Slough on a shallow running Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow. He said, “I was running a shallow running plug in deep water, and the big striper came up to smack the lure. It was very windy, and it took some time to bring the fish in since it was continually running under the boat, and it was hard to keep the boat over the fish. It took 10 minutes to revive the striper before it was able to swim away. The bite has been really good before these fronts have moved in, and we only ended up with 5 keepers on Friday. Saturday’s bite was also tough with four keepers and a couple of shakers. I know the bite will turn on again. The Crystal Minnow in sardine hsa been working best for the past few weeks, and we have even found good action with either a yellow or green worm trailer. The water has been pretty clear with the exception of the bottom of the outgo where the weeds have been cropping up.”

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

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

San Luis Obispo County has made the decision to close all campgrounds throughout the County. Effective immediately, Lake Nacimiento campgrounds are closed until April 30. At press time the launch ramps and day use were open. Interested fishermen are advised to regularly check back on the Lake Nacimiento Resort Facebook page, website, or call the reservations office at (805) 237-4924 Option 1 before driving to the lake. Quagga inspections and entry gate operations will remain staffed for the time being. A webcam of the lake is available at lakenacimientolive.com.

Lopez Lake Marina store has changed hours to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but the bar, dining room, and game room are closed until the shelter in place order is lifted. The marina store is open along with the rental boats and the docks. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.

Santa Margarita is also open for boating, but this may change at any time at all San Luis Obispo County lakes. The marina is not open to rent boats or buy anything.

All tournaments scheduled in April are postponed.

Week of April 5 by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (as of March 30):

Fresno County: Coyote Lake

Kern County: Brite Valley Reservoir

This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 11:33 AM with the headline "Fishing report for week of April 1-7: Most Central California lakes closed."