Fishing report, Nov. 4-10: California Aqueduct stripers and bass hitting

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.

Photo gallery

Show off your success! Share your fish photos and videos with Bee readers. Please share only jpeg images and Mp4 video files. Include “Fishing Report” in the subject line and a full caption and email to sports@fresnobee.com

Best bets

Delta sturgeon bite solid, Joey Gamez reported. California Aqueduct stripers and bass hitting, and Kaweah bass action good, Jake Figgs said. San Francisco halibut, stripers, rockfish and white seabass feeding, Trent Slate reported. Don Pedro trout action solid, Dave Hurley said. McClure bass continue whacking baits, Ryan Cook reported. New Melones bass on the prowl, John Liechty said.

Valley

West-side waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 2 Bass 3

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The northern section of the aqueduct has been productive for both striped and largemouth bass with Duo Realis or KVD jerkbaits in bone or shad patterns along with MegaBass Mega Dog topwater lures as the striped bass are congregating around the headgates, working over the shad schools. We are anticipating the arrival of more Duos in the popular Neo Pearl and Ghost Minnow patterns.”

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “The flows have slowed in the southern aqueduct, but anglers who know what they are doing are scoring with topwater lures as the bass are boiling on the surface. Blood worms remain popular along with minnows for striped bass. The occasional catfish is taken on chicken livers, live minnows, cut baits, and Triple S Dip Bait.”

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

Eastman Lake

Bass 2 Trout 1 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Bass action remains very slow with few fishermen wanting to launch with the low lake levels, and most action has been coming from the banks. The River Rats are holding their final tournament of the season this Saturday, Nov. 7. The algae bloom is starting to clear up with the cooler water temperatures. The lake level remains at 7%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 1 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

Similar to Eastman, the bass action remains very slow with few anglers heading to the lake. The lake rose from 15% to 17%, and surface temperatures are dropping. A few catfish are taken near the dam with chicken livers anchovies near the dam.

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

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing and Guide Service was out with Joel Chin during the past week, and he said, “Pedro has been challenging, but there are signs of life. Every school that we stopped on bit well, but there is nothing on the bottom in the main lake. A few bass are starting to move into the main lake cuts and channels at 20 to 60 feet, but the majority of fish are found from 40 to 80 feet suspending near standing timber. We have been jigging with spoons near the timber, and this is the best thing going although plastics on a shaky head or a ½-ounce jig are also possibilities.”

Trout trolling remains solid as the planted rainbows are holding within the abundant shad schools and gorging themselves on the tiny baitfish. The size of the shad ranges from ½ to 3/4 inches, and small silver/blue Optimizer Jr. or Popeye Spoons are working at depths to 55 feet. The Rodgers Creek area is holding a larger grade of holdover trout. Bass fishing remains very challenging as the bass are out in open water working over the shad schools with few fish on the main lake points. Once a school is located, vertical jigging has been effective. The lake held at 68%.

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

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2

Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported a sold catfish bite with nightcrawlers, live minnows, mackerel, or Triple S Dipbait. There are still anglers targeting crappie in the marinas of the South Fork with live minnows or minijigs. Bass fishing has been fair at best. The lake held at 17%. Cormier added, “There is a solid crappie bite at Buena Vista with live minnows.” The Kern River from Tulare County to Lake Isabella has reopened, and the section from Kernville and Riverdale is also open. Trout fishing is fair in this section with salmon eggs, live crickets, nightcrawlers, or Panther Martins. The most-popular locations where the plants occur remain slow with the best action for those working the harder-to-access upper portions of the river. The lower river is also fair for catfish and smallmouth bass.

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

Lake Kaweah

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Trout 1 Catfish 2

Figgs reported a number of Fresno-area bass fishermen are avoiding Eastman and Hensley and are opting for Kaweah with plastics on the drop-shot or shaky head near the dam. Gary Wasson of Visalia, local bass fishing expert, reported a solid bass bite with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot in deep water. The lake remained at 5%.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 3 Catfish 2

Wasson reported a continued slow largemouth bass bite with the best action on jigs or plastics on a dart head. The Porterville Bass Club held at tournament at the lake, and the winning weight was 13.16 pounds with four teams weighing in limits over 11 pounds. The lake remains very low at 7%.

In the Tule River, the fishing is excellent, but the river is closed to non-residents. The Sequoia National Forest has partially reopened, and information on the current closure and open areas is available at fs.usda.gov/sequoia.

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

McClure Reservoir

Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 1 Kokanee 1 Crappie 2 Catfish 2

Cook said, “Not much has changed, but the bite was a bit tougher with the full moon. There are bass pushing further into the backs of creek channels, but most of the bass are suspended and feeding on shad. There are few fish on the bottom eating crawdads. Umbrella rigs, spoons or small swimbaits on a drop-shot rig are working best. The lake dropped slightly to 39%. The Bagby, Horseshoe Bend and McClure Point North launch ramps are closed due low water levels.

Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Guide Service – 691-7008

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

The second plant of 900 pounds from the Calaveras Trout Farm was released this week, and trout fishing from the banks at the Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile and the peninsula by the Marina has improved with various colors of trout dough bait, inflated nightcrawlers or silver/blue Kastmasters. The lake levels remain high.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

The bass bite slowed down considerably with the water temperature dropping rapidly to 66 degrees. Figgs said, “I found only five bites on jerkbaits in East Bay as the bass are feeding throughout the evening during the full moon phase. There has been some action with tube baits in Hologram Shad in East Bay near a rocky outcropping due to a mudline formed by wakeboarders. There is a jig bite with a double-tailed trailer in the mudline in the back of Winchell’s Cove back of the Horseshoe.” The lake dropped to 31%.

The park is open 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. this month; beginning Nov. 1 it closes at 6.

Sycamore Island is open Friday through Sunday and state holidays 6 am to 5:30 p.m. in October and November.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1

John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service said, “It has been normal to hit 6 to 8 spots before you find a suspended school to work, but once you find the school you can experience great action by dropping vertical spoons, plastics on the drop-shot, or small swimbaits on the fish. I will pick up the trolling motor and move if a spot is not productive, and it has all been about suspended fish recently as there are no resident bass along the shorelines. It was very interesting that we caught and released 36 spotted bass before we finally landed a small largemouth bass this week.”

Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service had to wade through numerous spotted bass while trolling for rainbow trout at 55 feet in depth with a variety of shad-patterned spoons. He said, “We had double, triples, and quads of spotted bass, but this is not what we were looking for.” The Glory Hole and Tuttletown boat launches are open, but the Angels Cove launch ramp is closed. The lake dropped to 62%.

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

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 1 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Figgs said, “The bass bite remains very slow with the only action on finesse presentations around rocky points or outcroppings. Downsizing your plastics is very important, and a 4.5-inch Hologram Shad has been an effective worm.” The lake held at 20%.

In the lower Kings, trout plants continue on a weekly basis, and the flows remain consistent. Trout dough bait, nightcrawlers, Panther Martins or Roostertails are picking up a few planters working the slower water eddies. Mark Corrente of Bass 101 said, “We are holding a fundraiser tournament for Valley Children’s Hospital at the lake on Nov. 21, and we currently have 16 sponsors for the event. We are in search of both fishermen to participate and additional sponsors. All sponsors and/or raffle prizes are welcome. Information is available at 284-2768.”

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

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2

The trifecta of the main San Luis Reservoir, the O’Neill Forebay and the California Aqueduct continue to draw fishermen from both the Central Valley and the South Bay in search of striped and largemouth bass with the best yet to come as the water temperatures are finally beginning to cool.

Figgs said, “There have been a number of our customers trolling in the main lake, and they are using the Yum Flash Mobs in the larger size. There is a topwater bite with the MegaBass MegaDog or the Strike King Mega Dawg in bone or shad patterns while using darker colors of the same lures at night. The California Aqueduct has been productive with Duo Realis jerkbaits in size 120 or 130, and we are expecting more of the popular Neo Pearl and Ghost Minnow patterns soon. The MegaBass MegaDog is also working along with Strike King KVD jerkbaits. Trolling is also happening in the O’Neill Forebay, and most anglers are using P-Line Predator Minnows.”

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported South Bay fishermen have been heading to both San Luis and the forebay with the main lake producing the larger grade of striped bass. He said, “There is a topwater bite in the early mornings with Whopper Ploppers, Zara Spooks or flukes in white ice, green shiner or albino. The striped bass have been boiling in Portuguese Cove or Goosehead Point over the flats, and there are some boils near the Trash Racks, but generally this area with deep water is more conducive to trolling. Anglers are also power-fishing with umbrella rigs by casting and retrieving and then moving on. In the forebay, there is quite a bit of interest in trolling along the rockwall near the Twin Islands. The stripers have been busting in the mornings near the rockwall, as well, and similar topwater lures and flukes as in the main lake along with Keitech swimbaits on an underspin are working best. Jumbo minnows are also flying out of the store, and traditionally, we are moving into prime time for both reservoirs.”

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service in Fresno has a different version of the action, saying, “The overall bite for the last few days leading up to Saturday’s full moon has been very slow for trollers, bait, and minnow anglers in the big lake. The calm, warm weather the last few days led most of us to hope an improved bite was imminent, but the days right before the full moon had anglers scratching their heads. I got a lot of calls from fishermen trying to figure out why they were doing so poorly, and I told them I thought the bright moon was the main reason. I guided on Thursday, and I quickly saw that the fish were suspended and shut down. We finally got a few fish to bite after noon trolling at 70 feet with Lucky Crafts, releasing 10 striped bass to 26 inches on Lucky Crafts . After noon, I hooked a big 41-inch fish, that weighed 24.5 pounds on a Brecknell tournament scale. I released it on the Seaqualizer release tool. You have to be ready to release these big fish quickly, and have the tools to do it. Other anglers told me they had a tough day with just a fish or two. I’ve heard some reports saying it’s a great bite but I’ve fished the main lake several times this week and I talked to a lot of anglers — it’s been tough overall during the full moon in the big lake other than short sporadic topwater action. Bait and minnow guys were also searching for fish. I think the fish are eating all night long and then just going inactive all day till the next evening. The lake levels are around 933,000 acre-feet, and the water is cooling down to 69-70 degrees. I think the bite will improve soon in the cooling conditions.”

The main lake held at 46%.

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

High Sierra

Access is limited by the order of the U.S. Forest Service Sierra National Forest which has limited vehicle traffic on all roads within the national forest. Access is available for residents only during specific times with a permit. The closure is temporary, but it has been extended to Nov. 9. Updated information is available at fs.usda.gov/sierra.

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1

A trout plant occurred a few weeks back and Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service said, “Kevin Brown along with his wife and children scored a total of 23 rainbows trout to 15 inches, mostly on Power Bait, from the private property side of the lake since the forestry side remains closed.” A webcam of the lake is available at basslakeca.com. The lake is releasing water, and it dropped to 73%.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Edison is at 26%, Florence is at 21% and Mammoth Pool is at 21%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 2 Trout 2

Shaver dropped to 72% with Huntington also dropping to 92%.

Call: Dick Nichols – Dick’s Fishing Charters at Shaver Lake Sports 841-2740; Todd Wittwer – Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Dinkey Creek Inn 841-3435;

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 2

Road access on the McKinley Grove Road to Wishon and Courtright is available for residents only during specific times with a permit.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Salmon 2 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Sand dabs 2 Surf perch 3

Rockfish are the focus during the final week prior to Saturday’s Dungeness crab opener, and Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat reported his boat went out in flat calm conditions in 200 feet of water off of the Deep Reef for 10 limits of rockfish on Sunday.

The crab opener is this Saturday, but the weather conditions are expected to be dangerous with a large swell and high winds. The opener is a time when many small private vessels head out to set their pots, particularly during the evening starting just after midnight on Saturday morning. Private boaters are advised to be very aware of the weather conditions, the condition of their vessel, and their experience level at ocean fishing.

The New Captain Pete, Huli Cat, and Queen of Hearts will all be running the crab combination trips starting Saturday, and the New Captain Pete will also run a crab-only the day prior to Thanksgiving as well as Thanksgiving morning. Crab-only charters are available as well.

Reservations are highly advised well in advance since the campgrounds and local hotels will be jammed on the opening weekend. There is a strong possibility that the commercial Dungeness crab season, slated for Nov. 15, will be postponed due to the potential of whale and sea turtle entanglement. This would be similar to the delayed opening of the 2019 commercial crab season.

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

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Salmon 1 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White sea bass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing reported continued excellent rockfish action along both the local reefs and the long-range trips south to Point Sur. He said, “There has been tremendous interest in the upcoming crab season, but I am concerned about the predicted wind and swell over the opening weekend.” Chris’s is filling up on the weekends for the upcoming crab season despite running two boats on crab combinations with the Star of Monterey focusing on rockfish only. There is some room on the weekends toward the end of the month of November, but the weekdays still have plenty of room.

Allen Bushnell of the Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “Go Fish Santa Cruz Charters found the area near Franklin Point to be particularly productive last week. Owner Beth Norton reported, “Miss Beth headed north of Santa Cruz to fish today. The bite was slow, so Captain JT headed to Franklin Point. The bite was HOT. The clients caught limits of rock fish including vermilion, blues, blacks, olives and chinas.” Launching out of Moss Landing, the Kahuna makes regular trips to the Carmel, Point Joe and Point Sur area, on the hunt for big fish action. Owner Carol Jones reported, “The anglers on the Kahuna today got a surprise visit by a large school of bonito. They ended up landing 16 and losing at least 25 all the while having a blast. Sixteen anglers caught 135 rockfish, 16 Bonito and two lingcod for the flat calm day at Sur.” Pacific bonito are related to tuna and can grow to 20 pounds. Most bonito we see in our area are schoolie-sized in the four to 10-pound range. They are ferocious fighters and a blast to catch on light tackle. Once considered to be “trash fish,” better handling techniques such as immediate bleeding and icing freshly caught fish results in a very edible product. Bonito is especially valued in recipes for sashimi, poké and ceviche. With any luck, the bonito schools will move into the bay and provide some tuna-type action closer to home.”

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

San Francisco Bay

Salmon 2 Halibut 3 Striper 3 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2 white sea bass 3

Ocean salmon season ends Nov. 8, but many of the party boats have given up on the species as the bite remains hit or miss. The Lovely Martha out of San Francisco had a good day on Sunday with 14 salmon to 30 pounds for 14 anglers, but the majority of the salmon boats have opted to either fish inside the bay or target rockfish. Captain Jerad Davis on the Salty Lady has ended his salmon season early despite the actual season closing on November 8th, and he is moving his boat to Emeryville for the crab combination season.

There was a spurt of salmon along the Marin coast earlier in the week with some party boats scoring up to limits of big spawners, but this all came to a halt on Sunday with the two party boats that were trolling for salmon returning with only 7 salmon for 30 anglers. The ocean salmon season ended November 8th. Rockfishing remains outstanding for the boats willing to make the long run to the Farallon Islands, and the California Dawn out of Berkeley posted 16 limits of both rockfish and ling cod at the islands on Sunday.

The Happy Hooker, the Pacific Dream, and the California Dawn out of Berkeley will start running crab combination trips beginning on Nov. 7.

Inside the bay, Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael continued to find great striped bass action for schoolies in the North Bay. He didn’t have live bait on Sunday, but he found bass boiling on the surface in the flats, and the children he had on the boat caught and released striper after striper on hair raisers or swimbaits.

Halibut are still making a showing in the bay, and the best news has been the continued appearance of white sea bass. Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions, aka ‘The Ghost Whisperer’ out of San Francisco found quality sea bass on Monday with up to three fish on at a time once he was able to get located during the moving tide.

Ed Liu of Bay Tackle in El Cerrito said, “The striped bass bite has been on and off, and the full moon has clearly affected the action. We have been finding smallish striped bass in the 16- to 23-inch range this week, but before the full moon, we were landing stripers to 34 inches on white, chartreuse, or anchovy swimbaits manufactured by Z-Man, KVD, and Bad Bubba Shad Double AA swimbaits. The Marin side has been slow, but the Petaluma River, Sonoma Creek, Mare Island, Rodeo, Crockett, Point Molate, Albany, Emeryville, Bayshore, Hegenberger, Oyster Point, and Candlestick Point are all locations holding striped bass. We are taking a few days off, but the bite should take off again once the full moon has passed. The halibut bite has slowed down, but then again, it almost November.”

Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael said, “Our marina is loaded with striped bass in the 16- to 23-inch range. There have been halibut to 39 inches reported this week, and South Hampton Shoals, Paradise, and the Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier have all been good locations. I was out for a while the past few days, and we caught so many bass it was ridiculous, but there was nothing over 4 pounds. We drifted live bait at the Brothers, the Marin Islands, and also at the Brickyard. There are still white sea bass in the bay, and the area around Angel Island seems to be one of the best locations. One commercial fisherman was reported to catch 45 white sea bass within three hours. We have live smelt and anchovies in the shop with blood and pile worms coming on Friday.”

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

Rockfish 3 Salmon 1 Surf perch 3

Limits to near-limits of rockfish remain the rule out of the San Luis Obispo ports, but the ling cod remain extremely scarce along the reefs close to the harbors. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Avenger and Endeavor were out on Monday with 32 anglers for near-limits of rockfish consisting of 102 vermilion, 15 copper, 12 Boccaccio, 151 assorted, 1 ocean whitefish, and 2 ling cod to 10 pounds. Pedro Garcia of Hanford took one jackpot with an 8-pound ling. Also out of Morro Bay, Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay had the Fiesta, Rita G, and Black Pearl out on Monday with 62 anglers for 282 vermilion, 19 copper, 266 assorted rockfish,30 Boccaccio, 2 rock sole, one cabezon, a 10-pound sheephead, and 4 ling cod to 9 pounds. James Lopez of Dinuba took one jackpot with a 9-pound Boccaccio, Bobby Pugh of Wasco landed the big sheephead, and Rebecca Musselman of Fresno took another jackpot with the cabezon at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. Out of Port San Luis and Patriot Sport Fishing, the Phenix and Flying Fish were out on Monday with 22 passengers for near limits of rockfish consisting of 8 vermilion, 11 copper rockfish, 3 Bolina, 197 assorted rockfish, 1 kelp greenling, and one ling cod. Both ports are running a variety of trips from ½- day to long range ventures far from the harbor.

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

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 2 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Salmon 2

The high and gusty winds earlier during the past week along with the big tides in response to the full moon broke off weeds and debris throughout the Sacramento-Delta making it very difficult for fishing on the anchor, drifting live bait, or trolling lures. The water temperatures throughout the Sacramento-Delta dropped significantly, as much as 15 degrees in the north Delta. Sturgeon fishing remains best in the deep water near Pittsburg, but the window was smaller during the period of large tides due to the fast current. The tides back off this week, and the window for holding in deep water becomes longer every day. The lack of current from the upper Sacramento River has kept the salmon from requiring rest, and they are pushing through the system quickly although the water temperature has dropped significantly to the mid-50-degree level.

Sturgeon fishing remains solid for those in the know, and Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing has been putting on a clinic working the deep water near Pittsburg with lamprey eel, and he put his clients onto 5 limits of sturgeon on Saturday morning. Gamez has posted several successful trips in a row despite the big tides. The majority of boats have been focusing in the Pittsburg/Chain Island areas.

Dave Sharp of Marina Bait and Tackle in Suisun City said, “The water temperature cooled down quite a bit, particularly further east into the Delta, and the sudden change in temperature has slowed down the action for striped bass. Sturgeon fishing has been solid in the deep water around 60 feet near Pittsburg, but my brother was out in Broad Slough on the Sacramento side this week, and he reported sturgeon rolling all over the place in the shallows near the tules. Broad Slough is a good location for both sturgeon and striped bass since it has deep holes in the 25 to 30-foot range along with sand bars from 5 to 15 feet. The fish can lay in the deeper holes and wait out the current. There continues to be great interest in fishing as we are selling a lot of blood and pile worms. Fresh shad has been difficult to obtain as the shadders are taking this week off with the big tides. Grass shrimp has also been hard to get, and we need some rain. We have to go pick up 30 pounds, and after it is cleaned, you might find 9 pounds dead. We clean out bait twice a day to provide the freshest bait.”

Virgil’s Bait and Ice in Suisun City held their annual striped bass derby over the weekend, and they remain one of the only organizations still promoting a top prize for the largest striped bass. There was a total of 47 striped bass to 32.75 pounds weighed in on Saturday with Sunday’s big fish at 21 pounds.

Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors experienced the rapid decrease of the water temperature, and he found 54-degree water (yes, that’s not a typo) in the north Delta near Liberty Island. He said, “The shad has moved into the flats, and we found good striped bass action to 8 pounds with glide baits such as Yo-Zuri’s Hard Core Ninja. The majority of stripers were in the 22- to 24-inch range, and I lost a couple of giants that just came off. The largemouth bass seem to have disappeared, but if the weather stabilizes, both the stripers and the largemouth bass will go on a fall shad bite. That’s when we will find 50- to 100-fish days. The bait is coming up on the flats and being pushed over the grass. The seagulls and terns are working the bait on the surface, and there were a few salmon rolling. We put in a dozen stripers within the first two hours, and the larger one came during the mid-morning when the tide slowed down.”

Alan Fong, manager of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento, was also in the north Delta this week, and he said, “We found a really good punch bite in heavy current in the grass snagged up against wood with the Yamamoto Cowboy or Brush Hogs on a tungsten weight from 1 to 1.5 ounces. You have to use the heavy weight in the current to stay down. We put in limits in the 18- to 20-pound range.”

For striped bass, Dave Houston of Livermore went trolling at the end of the week, and he said, “The bite really slowed down, and the stripers have moved somewhere. The water temperature dropped to around 63 degrees with the big tides, and there was quite a bit of hyacinth floating on the surface. We started in the San Joaquin River around Frank’s Tract for no fish before making the run to Broad Slough for four keepers. Montezuma Slough was devoid of linesides.”

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait reported a continued slow salmon bite off of both 1st Street and the Dillon Point State Park with one or two fish landed per day. A sea lion unhooked a big fish at 1st Street on Sunday morning. He said, “Interest in fishing remains high, and we have been able to keep grass shrimp in the shop. Bullheads are another matter as they have been scarce.”

The Delta Cross Channel gates at Walnut Grove may open or close on short notice, and boaters are advised to check the status of the gates, especially around the holidays. The process of opening and closing the gates takes about one hour.

The Delta Cross Channel gates control the diversion channel near Walnut Grove, about 30 miles south of Sacramento. When the gates are open, fresh water is drawn from the Sacramento River into the interior of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta through Snodgrass Slough and the Mokelumne River. The open gates also allow boat traffic to pass. Information on gate operations can be accessed on Reclamation’s Central Valley Operations website at usbr.gov/mp/cvo/vungvari/dcc_chng.pdf or by calling 916-979-2196 or 916-979-2194 (TTY 800-877-8339) during normal business hours.

The water temperatures in the San Joaquin-Delta dropped several degrees this past week, attracting more striped bass into the eastern portion of the Delta, but the quickly-chilled water slowed down the overall action.

Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, compared the cooling process that chilled the water from the upper 60’s to 56 degrees like making a meringue. He said, “When the wind is whipping up the surface, it’s like a beater pulling the water up from the bottom and whipping things up. It’s like making a meringue. The Florida-strain bass in the San Joaquin have been thrown into a tizzy with the rapid drop in temperature. With the change in temperature, there are two methods to target largemouths as you either have to speed fish with crankbaits or chatterbaits and make multiple casts to the strike zone. This will activate the bass’s lateral lines. The other option is to slow way down and lighten up your line and leave the plastic in the strike zone as long as possible. The colder water will help the striped bass, and the linesides will push in towards the east Delta. Right now, they are holding from the Antioch Bridge to Prisoner’s Point, but as the water continues to cool, they will make their way towards the Stockton Turning Basin. It is expected to be warmer on Saturday, but the nights and mornings have been colder.”

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing said, “Striped bass fishing is tough as the water temperature really dropped after the winds earlier in the week. The water is very dirty on the incoming tide, and our window for action has all been on the outgoing tide by drifting jumbo minnows. There is so much grass in the river, and the hyacinth mats are thick throughout the river. It would be nearly impossible to troll right now, and it has even been hard drifting bait without getting loaded up with grass.”

James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service confirmed the slower action for striped bass, and he said, “The bite certainly has slowed down from what it was as a number of fishermen have been struggling. We put in 8 stripers to 8 pounds drifting minnows on our only trip this week, and I didn’t mark many schools, only a fish or two her and there. The cold water all of a sudden has put the stripers off the bite, but once they adjust, the colder temperatures are just what is needed.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “Every once in a while, someone gets into a big striper, and Glen Huffman caught and released a 26 pounder on a topwater lure on Wednesday. The water temperature has clearly dropped.”

In the south Delta, H and R Bait in Stockton reported most interest is occurring in the area of Whiskey Slough, but fresh shad has been in short supply with the shadders taking the week off due to colder water temperatures and big tides.”

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

Bass 2+ White bass 2 Striper 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2

Similar to the past few weeks, the largemouth bass bite remains slow in both Lopez and Santa Margarita while the good topwater bite has dried up at Nacimiento. At Nacimiento, the topwater bite remains slow with the colder morning temperatures, and the action is focused upon the bottom with finesse techniques such as jigs or plastics on a Neko-rig or drop-shot. The bass are holding off of the shoreline in deeper water, and small shad-patterned spoons on a vertical presentation are another solid option. White bass remains fair as the schools have been difficult to locate. The lake held at 25%. A webcam of the lake is available at lakenacimientolive.com.

At Lopez, the largemouth bass remains challenging with the best action taking place on the bottom with either jigs or plastics on the drop-shot or Texas-rig. The reaction bite remains slow. Mealworms, redworms, or mini-crawlers have been effective for bluegill and red ear perch. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.

At Santa Margarita, the algae bloom is dissipating, after a rough period over the past few weeks, the bass bite rebounded slightly with the reaction bite picking up with spinnerbaits or walk-the-dog style topwater lures in the early mornings or late afternoons. Plastics on the drop-shot or wacky-rig are working at depths to 20 feet in deeper water off of the shoreline. Catfish are taken on cut baits fished weightless, and panfish are taken on red worms, meal worms, or small ‘crawlers. At San Antonio, the Harris Creek ramp has new launching hours on Fridays from noon to 5 and from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Catfish remain the best option with cut baits soaked in garlic, but bass fishing remains slow with the only bites taken on finesse techniques. Bluegill and red ear perch are also on a slower bite with mealworms, red worms, or mini-crawlers. re really hasn’t been much change as panfish remain number one with red worms, jumbo red worms, or mini-crawlers. The lake held at 16%.

Events

The International Sportsmen’s Exposition scheduled for January 2021 at Cal Expo in Sacramento has been cancelled due to the global pandemic, but it will return in 2022.

Tournament results

Clear Lake – American Bass Association Tournament of Champions– October 31st/November 1st: 1st-Randy McAbee Jr. and Mason McAbee– 42.20 pounds; 2nd – Jerod Adams/David Boeltger – 40.57; 3rd – Jerry Davis/Tanner Kuhnle– 40.26.

Lake Success – Porterville Bass Club – October 31st: 1st: Dave Nishimoto/Benny Mendez – 13.16; 2nd – Chris Hamilton/DJ – 12.85; 3rd- Gary Wasson/Joe Baeza – 12.40.

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

Nov. 6

Pine Flat – Orange County Bass Club

Nov. 7

Delta/Russo’s Marina – American Bass Association

Don Pedro/American Bass Association/Sonora Bass Anglers

McClure – Stanislaus County Employees

Eastman – River Rats

Kaweah – Visalia Bass Club

Nacimiento – Golden Empire Bass Club

Nov. 8

Pine Flat – Kings River Bass Club

Kaweah – Kings VIII Bass Club

Nacimiento – Good Ole Boys

Nov. 14

Delta/Sacramento County – Central Valley Anglers Sturgeon Derby

Delta/Sacramento County – California Striped Bass Association Sturgeon Derby

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

Tulloch – Sierra Bass Club

McClure – TriValley Bassmasters/Christian Bass League

Kaweah – Visalia Bass Club

Nacimiento – Bakersfield Bass Club

Nov. 15

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

New Hogan – Riverbank Bass Anglers

McClure – Fresno Bass Club/NorCal High School Bass

Los Banos Reservoir – Slay Nation Tournaments

Success – Porterville Bass Club

Nov. 16

Nacimiento – American Bass Association

Nov. 17

Don Pedro – 17/90 Bass Club

Nov. 21

Eastman- Kerman Bass Club

Pine Flat – Bass 101

Trout plants

Weeks of Nov. 8 and 15 by California Department of Fish and Wildlife conditions permitting:

none scheduled as of Nov. 1.

This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 9:31 AM.