Fishing report, Dec. 30-Jan. 5: Shaver is region’s go-to trout lake, but check forecast

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a former Olympic-class decathlete at Fresno State (he still holds the school record). George guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake. Telephone numbers are in 559 calling area unless noted.

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Best bets

California Aqueduct stripers continue feasting, Jake Figgs said. Don Pedro bass and trout hitting, Ryan Cook reported. New Melones bass and trout keeping anglers busy, John Liechty said . Shaver putting out mixed limits, Dick Nichols reported . Delta sturgeon and striper bites good, Alan Fong said.

Valley

West-side waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 3

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The aqueduct continues to be a highlight for anglers tossing umbrella rigs loaded with Reaction Innovation’s Skinny Dippers or Little Dippers in White Trash. Small paddletail swimbaits such as Keitechs are also effective.”

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, there is a reaction bite for striped bass with flukes or tubes, but it is important to spread out and find your own water as too much gear in a small area will put down the bite. Anchovies along with jumbo minnows continue to be effective for both striped bass and catfish; however, catfishing is best with sardines or chicken livers.

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

Eastman Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Minimal change at Eastman with few anglers heading to the lake due to the low lake levels. The lake needs a flushing from rain in the watershed, but the recent rainfall didn’t make a change in the elevation which remains at 7%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

Hensley rose slightly to 16%, but there is also minimal change here as most bass fishermen have been heading to Pine Flat due to an upcoming New Year’s Day tournament or north for the major tournaments starting at the first of the year. This lake also needs a flushing from precipitation in the watershed which has yet to occur this season.

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

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported a steady bass bite as the fish are in full-blown winter mode. The lake has turned over, and anglers can work any bank throughout the lake with jigs at depths from 10 to 30 feet. The bait is in the backs of the creeks along with in the main lake, and plastics on the drop-shot, tubes, Senkos on a Neko-rig and spoons are all working. The reaction bite is slow with most of the bass holding on the bottom. The bite is good, but not wide-open. Planted rainbows are abundant from the surface to 20 feet with shad-patterned spoons once you locate the bait schools. The lake held at 67%.

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 2 Bluegill 2

With the cold water, there is some action for largemouth bass on deep-diving cranks in shad or crawdad patterns, but the crappie have become scarce in the colder water. French Gulch Marina hosts the only launch ramp with the low lake level. Catfish are most likely the best possibility with Triple S Dip Bait, nightcrawlers, sardines or chicken livers. Isabella held at 17%.

4,000 pounds of rainbow trout was previously planted into Buena Vista earlier this year, and another plant is anticipated this week. Power Bait, nightcrawlers or spinners are all working for the planted rainbows. The upper Kern River will be planted this week, but the cold water has slowed down the action for the planters. The best option has been bouncing a salmon eggs, live cricket or nightcrawler through the deeper holes. Fly anglers are also working the waters with midge patterns.

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 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Bass fishing remains slow with the best action in deep water over 35 feet by using a dead-stick presentation with ice jigs, jigs or plastics on the drop-shot. The lake held at 6%.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Lake Succes/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “Bass fishing has been slow, but there have been a lot of fishermen on the lake. Most anglers are working jigs.” The lake held at 8%.

Stokke added, “The Tule River is also slow, but nymphs are working for fly fishermen while the best action on spinning rods has been with spinners or nightcrawlers in the deeper holes.”

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

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported you have to find the right school of bait in the creek arms or the cuts, and with the small size of the shad, he has found his best bass action with small 4-inch shad patterned swimbaits on a drop-shot presentation at depths from 40 to 70 feet. Jigs and Senkos are also effective, but you have to “match the hatch.” The lake is full of planted rainbow trout, and some bass fishermen are landing more trout than bass. Barrett’s Cove Marina is closed for the winter, and the Bagby, Horseshoe Bend and McClure Point North launch ramps are closed due to water levels. The lake is at 37%.

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

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

The campgrounds at both Lake McClure and McSwain are temporarily closed. There hasn’t been much change on the trout front as the last plant took place at the end of October. Trout fishing is relatively slow from banks at the Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile and the peninsula by the Marina with various colors of trout dough bait, inflated nightcrawlers or silver/blue Kastmasters.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

Figgs reported the best action is in the river arm with tubes in a Gobi pattern of purple/silver. Small fish are the rule, but there is also a bite near the Courthouse around the bowls and humps with tubes or jigs in crawdad patterns on a finesse presentation. The lake held at 35%.

State park hours at Millerton are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sycamore Island has closed for the 2020 season. The property will reopen on Feb. 5.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service was out looking for the one big bite on Sunday on a trip without clients, but he wasn’t able to find any of the big bass willing to play. He said, “There was quite a bit of boat pressure over the weekend, but I did throw a big bait in three of my premium spots without success. I switched over to a drop-shot and caught and released a number of quality spotted bass to 2 pounds. The bass are moving into shallower water now.” Planted trout are abundant throughout the big lake as Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service continues to find “lots of small fish, but no big ones” by trolling Trinidad Tackle’s Optimizer Jr. or Popeye spoons within the top 10 feet of the surface from Glory Hole Point, the spillway, Angels Cove along the west wall near Black Bart, the mouth of Mormon Creek and near Rose Island. He said, “Easy limits of planters are possible.” The Glory Hole and Tuttletown boat launches are open at the middle ramp, but the Angels Cove launch ramp is closed. The New Melones Lake Marina store is closed for the season including boat rentals. The lake held at 64%.

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 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 1 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Figgs reported an overall tough bite with the best numbers taken on 4- to 6-inch custom Casper worms poured by Merritt Gilbert or Hula Grubs in cinnamon/brown with a purple flake. Brown/purple jigs such as Johnny C’s, Ike’s Mini Flip Jigs or Dirty Jigs on a football head are also working with the best action around Trimmer and Windy Gap. The river arm near Big Creek has been less productive. The Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments is hosting a New Year’s Day tournament. Small planted rainbows in the 8- to 10-inch range are taken by trollers at 40 feet in depth on Apex lures or Needlefish in Cop Car. Crappie are found on small jigs around Deer Creek and the Lakeview Marinas. The lake rose slightly to 22%.

A trout plant occurred in the lower Kings River this week, and the banks have been lined with anglers tossing spinners such as Roostertails or Mepps in yellow/black along with Atomic Tubes, Crappie Stingers or Canyon Plastics. Nightcrawlers are also extremely effective on the bottom.

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

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said, “With the recent input of water, the troll bite has improved for anglers able to find active schools of fish anywhere from 40 to 80 feet using any of the regular minnow lures. The water has risen a couple feet to 940,000 acre-feet, and it seems to have gotten the reaction bite going to a decent level for school-sized stripers. The minnow and bait bites have been fairly quiet during the last week. Topwater action should improve, but the recent storm, rain and fog have changed the bite each day. I guided one of my mentor trips on Saturday for two guests, and we mainly focused on learning the lake and using downrigging equipment. Surprisingly, we released 15 stripers in the 21- to 24-inch range although this wasn’t the goal of the trip. The rising water should change things, but the full moon this week will probably have some impact, too. Finding active fish is the continuing issue for success.”

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle confirmed the improvement on the troll bite, and he added that jumbo minnows remain popular in deep water. Ripbaits such as Lucky Craft Pointer 128s, Duo Realis 120s or Yozuris in white/chartreuse or black-back shad are working. Bank anglers are focusing on the area around the Basalt Recreation Area and Goosehead Point as the action around Dinosaur Point has been slower.

Jesus Reyes of JKingsLure was on the lake this week a few hours before sunset, and he said, “It was very foggy and cold but the stripers were feeding on shad in the shallows, and we were on the hook on most every second or third cast.”

In the O’Neill Forebay, Clements reported small striped bass in the 14- to 16-inch range are abundant with the occasional keeper along the Highway 33 side of the impoundment where the water is moving along with the area around the Highway 152 Bridge. Check 12 has been slower this past week. Blood worms, pile worms, sardines and anchovies are all producing along with ripbaits.

At San Luis, there are three wind warning and lake closure lights near the Basalt Entrance Station, Quien Sabe Point and the Romero Visitor Center. At the O’Neill Forebay, the lights are located near the old Medeiros boat ramp and above the South Beach Area. Amber lights signify caution conditions for winds or other concerns while red lights indicate the lake is closed to boating and all vessels must immediately vacate the lake.

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

High Sierra

Access to the region is limited by the order of the U.S. Forest Service which has limited vehicle traffic on all roads within the Sierra National Forest. The closure has been extended for certain areas until Jan. 6. Updated information is available at fs.usda.gov/sierra.

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Figgs said, “The lake continues to drop, but there are some spotted bass to be had on plastics such as Strike King’s Bull Worm in Moon Juice on a Neko-rig at depths around 25 feet. The majority of bass are spots, but there is the occasional largemouth to 2.5 pounds. The recent trout plant improved conditions for trollers with Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger or a blade/’crawler combination near the surface. Bank fishing is best near the Sheriff’s Tower with trout dough bait or nightcrawlers.” The Sheriff’s boat is still operational, and boaters must possess the Motor Permit. The lake dropped from 52% to 48%.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Edison is at 22%, Florence at 8% and Mammoth Pool at 36%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 3 Trout 3

Shaver Lake continues to be the go-to lake for Central Valley trout fishermen willing to venture into the Sierra. Since the lake reopened a few weeks ago after the devastation of the Creek Fire, anglers have been dragging their vessels up the hill to launch out of the open ramps at the Shaver Lake Marina or the Sierra Marina.

Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters has been keeping a close eye on the lake, and he said, “Reports were mixed; but overall, both kokanee and trout fishing remain good. The weather was good until Friday night when rain moved in through Saturday morning. It did not keep trollers off the lake as Shaver regulars Jared and Manny Romero of Clovis returned to the lake this past week following a very successful trip the previous week. The Romeros reported slow action early in the morning while the lake was calm but working in their favorite area of Rock Haven Cove, the father and son team found great action on both trout and kokanee.

“The action started when a breeze came up causing the water surface to ripple. Both the kokanee and rainbows were found at depths from 36 to 52 feet with Mag Tackle’s blue Spinner Hoochie behind a Rocky Mountain Tackle purple dodger, and the Romeros put 10 kokanee and five rainbows in the box within a few hours.

“Bank anglers enjoyed the Sierra Marina ramp area catching both red spawning kokanee and large brooder trout recently planted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.” Nichols added that snow is expected throughout the week, and fishing pressure will be light until the storms pass.

Figgs reported good action from the banks for recently planted rainbows to 3.5 pounds with trout dough bait in rainbow. The lake held at 73%.

Road access to Huntington Lake and Camp Sierra is available for residents only during specific times with a permit. The Huntington Lake Resort and Marina is currently closed. The lake dropped to 56%.

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

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

The commercial Dungeness crab season from Point Arena south to the Mexican border opened on Dec. 23, but the commercial crabbers opted not to set their gear until an adequate price has been established. The boats are anticipated to set their gear right after New Year’s Day.

Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat said, “Dungeness crab limits continue, and we put in limits of crab along with a healthy rockfish count over the weekend. Lester Yung of San Franciso landed the best ling cod of the day on our recent trip. After the rockfish season closes, we will run sand dab/petrale sole, and crab trips along with crab-only trips. In order to run one of these trips, the weather has to be calm as we have to travel to around 12 miles offshore to find the 300 feet depths necessary for the sand dabs and sole.”

The final day of rockfish season is this Thursday, Dec. 31, but Dungeness crab season lasts until June 30.

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

Monterey/Santa Cruz

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

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing in Monterey said, “We made it down to Point Sur with two boats on Monday, and the rockfish action was solid despite the rough weather. When the weather was much better earlier in the week, we annihilated the rockfish with some solid ling cod scores. Crabbing remains extremely slow with two crab per angler a good score. Starting Friday, Jan. 1, we will be running sand dab/crab combination trips, weather and interest depending.”

Allen Bushnell of the Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “The succession of northwest swells over the past few weeks has moved tons of sand down the coast. The Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor has continuous dredging operations keeping the harbor entrance clear for transiting boat traffic. During the past week, the entrance soundings showed a 20-foot deep channel at the harbor entrance with one high spot about 14 feet deep. Commercial Dungeness crab season is now legally open, but most if not all the commercial boats remain tied to the docks. Santa Cruz crabber Khevin Mellegers explained to us that the major wholesale crab buyer is offering too low a price per pound for the commercial crabbers in northern California and southern Oregon. In a show of unity, crab boats down the coast to Monterey are not fishing yet as negotiations continue. “It’s a low price for crab, and a high price for bait plus a potential low biomass of crab this year that is affecting the industry as a whole. We hope to get out there soon, especially the live crab sellers like we have in Santa Cruz.” As expected, rockfishing is getting slower as we move into winter. Surfcasting for perch was strange this week. Perch were hard to find, but the ones caught here and there are big! Scott Werner from Santa Cruz pulled in a 16.5-inch slab from one of the beaches north of Moss Landing on Wednesday. Werner reported, “I didn’t get a chance to weigh t, but it had to be two or two and a half pounds!” Others have reported similar “single-o” catches from the beaches near Sand City, Pajaro and Manresa.”

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

San Francisco Bay

Halibut 2 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2 Crab 3

The commercial Dungeness crab season from Point Arena south to the Mexican border is anticipated to start after New Year’s Day although the season officially opened on Dec. 23. The commercial crab fishermen have agreed upon a price, and there will be a tremendous amount of gear set after the Jan. 1.

Crab limits remain the rule for party boats operating out of Emeryville and Berkeley, but when the rockfish season ends on Friday, the party boats will be pulling out their crab gear and settling in for the winter season until the rockfish season opens on April 1. A few boats out of both ports will be operating sturgeon or striped bass trips into San Pablo Bay or the south bay, depending upon interest. The rockfish season is ending with a bang as 10-crab limits along with 10 rockfish limits remain the rule.

Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady, currently out of Emeryville, went north of the Farallon Islands to above Noonday Rock for 18 limits of quality rockfish along with 21 limits of Dungeness crab including three crew limits. All of the party boats have been reporting similar scores of limits of crab and rockfish as they have enjoyed since the crab season opened on Nov. 7. The crab combination trips are the most highly desired trips available throughout the season, even eclipsing interest for salmon or bay potluck trips as fishermen have been basically guaranteed limits out of the Bay Area ports along with Bodega Bay. The regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission on Dec. 9 may have the effect of closing off this viable option to recreational fishermen.

Inside the bay, Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael reported a few sturgeon have been showing up in San Pablo Bay for the first time this season. With the lack of rain, the sturgeon have been holding upstream in Suisun Bay, but the combination of cold water in Suisun Bay and the presence of herring in San Pablo Bay is drawing the sturgeon westward. Fraser said, “There is a tremendous amount of herring in the bay right now, but we haven’t seen any spawning action yet. There were three sturgeon landed off of Rat Rock with two being undersized and the other over the slot limit at 72 inches. The boat also landed a 10-pound striped bass. A pair of sturgeon were reported in the Petaluma River, and there was also a sturgeon taken on herring at the McNear’s Pier. There is still a tremendous amount of striped bass in San Pablo Bay, and two youngsters caught 12 stripers off of the Loch Lomond levee on live smelt with only one being of legal size at 21 inches. They went back on Sunday for two legal striped bass at 21 and 24 inches.”

Reminder: White sturgeon may not be taken in the following described area between Jan. 1 and March 15: That portion of San Francisco Bay included within the following boundaries: A direct line between Pt. Chauncy (National Marine Fisheries Laboratory) and Pt. Richmond, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and a direct line between Pt. Lobos and Pt. Bonita.

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 Surf perch 2

The final day of rockfish season is this Thursday, Dec. 31, and the San Luis Obispo County ports will run trip until the closure. Limits of rockfish remain a possibility, but the ling cod remain very scarce in the waters close to the ports. This is similar to the remainder of the ling cod action throughout the California coast. On Sunday, the Rita G out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay was out with 18 anglers for 18 vermilion, 95 assorted rockfish, 3 cabezon to 8 pounds, and 3 rock sole. Stavanna Easley of Fresno landed the jackpot cabezon. Also out of Morro Bay, the Avenger and Starfire out of Morro Bay Landing were out on Christmas Eve with 21 passengers for 26 vermilion to 6 pounds, 7 copper, 3 Boccaccio, and 133 assorted rockfish. Out of Port San Luis and Patriot Sport Fishing, the Patriot was out on Christmas Eve with 12 passengers for limits of rockfish consisting of 12 vermilion, 1 copper rockfish, 78 assorted rockfish, 15 Bolina, 2 cabezon, and ling cod. After the rockfish closure, the ports will offer whale watching and nature cruises.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing 805-771-5500

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 2 Striper 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

Sturgeon remain the top species in the Sacramento-Delta, and the small rain totals from the week’s storms failed to move the diamondbacks out of Suisun Bay. Heavy fog during the middle of the week created dangerous conditions on the Delta, and boaters have to make sure all of their navigation lights are operational and proceed at a safe speed when the fog is on the water.

In the north Delta, Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport reported striped bass are found in the Deep Water Channel and near Liberty Island with blood worms or sardines coated with garlic spray. He said, “Red-ear perch are in all of the sloughs, but they are deep, and you have to use waxworms or red worms on a drop-shot rig to find them. Crappie are also taken on medium minnows or waxworms. There are a few sturgeon around in the north Delta, but there hasn’t been enough rain to get them to move upstream.”

Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors went north to Liberty Island this week, and he said, “The fog was extremely thick, and we had to motor slowly from Vieira’s on the Old Sacramento north to Liberty in the heavy fog. It never really lifted throughout the day with only 20 to 30 feet of visibility. We only landed two small stripers, and the largemouth bass bite had also slowed considerably. The ima Flit ripbait was one of the best offerings in the 48/49-degree water, and you have to let it sit with long pauses. The swimjig has to be ran so slowly that you are most likely better off with a regular jig.”

Rick Tietz of Blade Runner Spoons went into the Sacramento Deep Water Channel on Saturday with Janet Thompson, and he found a massive school of stripers with his electronics. He said, “This is typical for this time of year when the stripers school up in the channel on their way up to the Port of Sacramento and upstream, and we were out there for awhile for around 8 legal stripers to 6 pounds along with a few shorts. We kept two limits between 4 and 6 pounds, and Janet had the hot hand with either the 1.25 or 1.75-ounce Blade Runner spoon in Sriracha. Sometimes the stripers want the slightly heavier spoon with the wider body as it has more of a flutter, and sometimes they prefer less flutter. There was another boat drifting minnows at 20 feet in depth, and they had limits to 15 pounds. Sunday was a different story as there were at least 25 boats in there. There has been quite a bit of ship traffic in the channel, and the ships muddy up the water and shut off the bite until the water clears. Normally, the stripers will head towards the shallow water near the banks.”

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing was out both days over the weekend, and he said, “It is a full-blown wintertime bite right now as the water has gotten very cold at 47/48 degrees. In addition to the cold water, the boat traffic has been tremendous with as many as 50 boats were in the mouth of the Little Cut near Honker Bay. The boat traffic really puts down the bite in the shallows. We had opportunities in the mornings on both Saturday and Sunday, but the sturgeon are really biting light in the cold water. I switched over to some rods with lamprey eel as the roe really doesn’t milk correctly when the temperature drops this low. The sturgeon are still stacked up there by Honker Bay where they have been for the past several weeks, but they aren’t really willing to bite. It will take some time for the sturgeon to adjust, and I imagine that between the warmer water in San Pablo Bay and the coming of the herring spawns, the sturgeon will be migrating west at some point. Working shallow water is best with the cold.”

Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Sport Fishing has started upriver in Pittsburg for the early season, and he said, “Normally the action is best upriver, and we will stay here until the action moves towards Martinez before relocating out of that harbor. Captain Charles ran the boat on Saturday, and they had a great day with six sturgeon for four anglers in the Little Cut on salmon roe. They had two oversized, two slot-limit, and two shakers, but Sunday was a completely different day. He went into the Little Cut, and the fish were gone. He hunted around for some time looking for where they had relocated. The boat pressure and all of the anchors in the water is a factor in getting the sturgeon to move, and the boat pressure was very heavy over the weekend. We have been scoring everything on roe as we have tried eel a few times without much action. We might try for a few bass this week as the sturgeon bite has slowed.”

Johnny Wang, managers of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, reported very slow action on the anchor with fresh shad near Collinsville within one angler only receiving two bites all day long. The water is very cold, and the stripers are lethargic.”

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bay said, “We have been very busy here, and grass shrimp has been flying out of the shop. The wind was blowing over the weekend, and this was a limiting factor for boaters in the open waters around the Mothball Fleet.”

The San Joaquin-Delta remains clear despite the small amount of rain that fell in the region during the week, and the cold water temperatures have made for challenging conditions for largemouth bass. Striped bass are moving into the back sloughs in the south Delta along with the main channel, and they are showing up in greater numbers.

Alan Fong, manager of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento, reported the linesides are found in the main channel on spoons at depths from 25 to 30 feet. Craig Newton of Will Fish Tackle in Auburn confirmed the striper bite with live minnows from the mouth of Three Mile Slough to the Antioch Bridge.

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “The south Delta is still the location for striped bass as they won’t be coming out of the sloughs into the colder waters of the open river for some time. There is nothing to move them out right now as the bait is congregating in the back sloughs in the south.”

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Manteca said, “Striped bass fishing in the San Joaquin River near the mouth of the Stanislaus at Two Rivers has been very good for our local customers. One of our regulars was out on Sunday morning with shad, and he caught and released 15 legal stripers from 6 to 18 pounds within 3.5 hours. There have also been a few sturgeon taken from the banks in this section of the river. I still have been getting in fresh shad with 30 pounds on Sunday, but with the cold water, the shad are getting more difficult to net as they have gone deep. I separate the larger shad for those who want fresh shad, and I freeze the smaller ones for trout trollers in the Mother Lode lakes. The best thing to do is call the shop at 209-665-7613 to check on the fresh shad supply.”

Crappie are also showing up around the marinas in the east and south Delta, and Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors reported schools of small palm-sized crappie in the 6/7-inch range are found near Cruiser Haven in the south Delta, Garlic Brothers west of Stockton, and Vierra’s Resort on the Old Sacramento River. He said, “There are piles of the small crappie, but there are some huge bluegill mixed in with the slabs. There is also a striper bite on ripbaits in the south Delta around Tracy at Union Point and the Grant Line Canal for schools in the 7-pound range.”

For largemouth bass, Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors reported cold water has slowed down the bite with a few fish in the 1.5 to 2-pound range taken on ripbaits while a larger grade to 4 pounds is landed occasionally by flipping near the tules. The first Dan Mathisen Open tournament is Jan 23 at New Holland Riverside Marina in the south Delta.

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 3 White bass 2 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 3

Lopez has been the best option on the coastal lakes for a quality largemouth bass as Santa Margarita remains challenging while the spotted bass at Nacimiento have been uncooperative. The reaction bite remains limited in the cold water.

At Nacimiento, spotted bass are finding the colder water in the early mornings and late afternoons as a deterrent, and the best action remains in the early afternoons when the water is slightly warmer. Plastics on the drop-shot, dart head, or jigs at depths to 35 feet remain the best option, but there is a spoon bite in slightly deeper water when the bass are schooled up with the shad on the bottom. White bass remain non-existent for anglers. The lake dropped slightly to 22%. A webcam of the lake is available at lakenacimientolive.com.

At Lopez, the possibility for a quality winter largemouth is decent as the bite has improved with deep-diving crankbaits in crawdad patterns. The largemouth bass are loading up on crawdads, and crawdad-patterned jigs on a football jig at depths to 30 feet are another option. A trout plant has not been announced, but a plant of catchable rainbows will spur on the swimbait bite. minicrawlers. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.

At Santa Margarita, the cold water has slowed down the largemouth action, but there has been an occasional quality bass taken on jigs on a football head. There have been some huge crappie found in deep water around structure with minijigs. Catfishing is best with mackerel or nightcrawlers.

At San Antonio, there is no change from the past weeks as few anglers are targeting the lake. Catfish remain the best opportunity for successwith cut baits soaked in garlic in deep water. A few small bass are taken on finesse techniques of small plastics on the drop-shot or jigs. The Harris Creek ramp has new launching hours on Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The lake held at 16%.

Events

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

Tournament results

Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club – Dec. 12: 1st: Chris Flammang – 8.08 pounds; 2nd: Derrel Green – 7.00; 3rd: Quincy Marrs – 6.92 (Big Fish – 2.71).

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

Jan. 1

Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Jan. 2

Don Pedro – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

McClure – American Bass Association

Lopez – American Bass Association

Jan. 3

Don Pedro – California Bass Federation

Jan. 9

New Melones – Sonora Bass Anglers

Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments

Millerton – Kerman Bass Club

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments

Jan. 10

Don Pedro – Nor Cal High School Bass Tournaments

Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club

Jan. 16

Delta/Russo’s Marina – American Bass Association

Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments

McClure – Sierra Bass Club/Tri Valley Bassmasters/Contra Costa Bass Club

Nacimiento – California Bass Federation/Santa Clara Bass Busters

Jan. 17

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

Millerton – Bass 101

Pine Flat – Kings River Bass Club

Jan. 23

Delta/New Holland Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors

Don Pedro – Christian Bass League

Pine Flat – Xtreme Bass Club

Nacimiento – Kern County Bassmasters

Jan. 24

Don Pedro – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Jan. 30

Nacimiento – Golden Empire Bass Club

Jan. 31

Tulloch – Gold Country Jr. Bass Club

McClure – California Bass Federation

This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 8:00 AM.