Fishing report, Jan. 6-12: Bass Lake rainbows active; dodging storms at Shaver Lake

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

Don Pedro bass and trout bites going, Ryan Cook reported. McClure producing trout and bass bites, Mike Gomez said. Shaver kicking out mixed limits, Dave Hurley reported. New Melones has good bass and trout action, Kyle Wise said. Delta sturgeon on the prowl, Steve Mitchell reported. Bass Lake rainbows active, Jake Figgs said.

Valley

West-side waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

Bill Sinclair of Striperz Gone Wild said, “Fishing is a bit slow, but that’s expected during the winter. There have been a few big fish being reported in the Los Banos area as two 34-inch stripers were reported in two different areas using different styles of bait. Jose Pena Sr. landed a 34-inch striper on South Creek Bridge on a live minnow at night while Pedro Corral Valencia caught his on a nightcrawler on Hilldale Bridge, also at night.” Frenzy Baits’ umbrella rigs loaded with Keitech or Rig Walker swimbaits have been effective.

In the southern section of the California Aqueduct, a massive 56-pound striped bass was reported near Coalinga, and flukes or swimbaits are working in the moving water near the headgates.

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

Eastman remains a bass desert with few anglers heading to the lake due to the low lake levels. Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun said, “I haven’t heard anything out of either Eastman and Hensley for weeks so that could mean there is nothing going on or it could mean that there is a good bite and no one is talking, but I think the former is true.” The lake needs a flushing from rain in the watershed, but perhaps Monday’s rain will help. The lake is at 7%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

There is also minimal change here as most bass fishermen concentrated on either Pine Flat or Shasta due to last weekend’s tournaments. This lake also needs a flushing from precipitation in the watershed which has yet to occur this season. The lake held at 16%.

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 1 Crappie 2

Mike Gomez of Berserk Baits reported quality largemouth bass are found from 35 to 65 feet with brown/purple jigs with a 330 trailer as the bass are feeding on crawdads. He said, “They have the red mouth and bleed easily typical of when they are loading up on crawdads.” Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported a decent bass bite in the shallows with jigs, but the bait has vacated the creeks, and the main lake is the most productive at either of two depths – from the bank to 10 feet or from 50 to 70 feet. “We have been working steep bluff walls or main lake points with finesse presentations.” The reaction bite remains slow, but large swimbaits on a slow-grind along the bottom will bring out the occasional trophy. 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

There remains some limited action for largemouth bass on deep-diving cranks in shad or crawdad patterns. Crappie are scarce, but they can be found on occasion near the docks. French Gulch Marina hosts the only launch ramp with the low lake level. Catfishing has slowed with the colder water temperatures. Isabella held at 17%.

Buena Vista was planted last week, but the rainbows and Lightning trout have scattered throughout the shallow lake. Shore fishing is fair, but anglers have to gear up with very light line to fool the fish. Trollers are picking up a few with spoons or spinners.

The upper Kern River was planted last week, but the cold water has the rainbows holding in the deeper pools. Live crickets, salmon eggs or nightcrawlers drifted through the pools are the best technique in the river near and above Kernville while fly fishermen further upriver are scoring with nymphs, but when the water is warmer in the afternoons, blue wing olive patterns match the hatch.

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

Gary Wasson of Visalia, local bass fishing expert, said, “The bass bite is still slow and deep on spoons, jigs or plastics on the drop-shot at 30 feet or deeper.” The lake held at 6%.

Call: Sierra Sporting Goods 592-5212

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “The bass bite is still slow to fair, but there have been a number of anglers who are working hard to land a quality bass with jigs, plastics on the drop-shot, or deep-diving crankbaits on a slow presentation.” Wasson said, “The bass bite is slow, but plastics on the drop-shot or jigs on a dead-stick presentation is best.” The lake rose slightly to 9%.

Stokke added, “The Tule River is fair, and fly fishing and nymphs are still outwitting some natives. Spincasting is fair, as well. The river has risen, but it is very clear so the trout are still very spooked.”

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 3 King salmon 1 Kokanee 1 Crappie 2 Catfish 3

Gomez reported that catching bass isn’t a concern, but size is very limited. “You can catch a ton of fish, and I landed 40 on my last trip, but the best five didn’t go over 7 pounds total. A 14.5-inch bass barely weighed a pound. The best action is on the bottom from 35 to 65 feet on a brown/purple jig with a 330 trailer slowly dragged along the bottom. You literally have to drag the jigs. Even though we are using crawdad-patterned lures, the bass are also spitting up shad.” The lake is full of planted rainbow trout. 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 still 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 has 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

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported the main lake has been best for small spotted bass with 6-inch Strike King’s Bull Worms in Moon Juice on a Neko-rig. The lake dropped slightly to 34%.

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

Sycamore Island will reopen Feb. 5.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Planted trout remain abundant throughout the big lake with Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service putting his clients onto limits by 10 a.m. running spoons within 5 feet of the surface on planer boards. Trinidad Tackle’s Optimizer Jr. or Popeye spoons around Glory Hole Point, the spillway, Angels Cove along the west wall near Black Bart, the mouth of Mormon Creek and near Rose Island are producing. Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing has been on the lake for the past few days, and he said, “It’s been pretty fun here, but the bass are scattered from 2 to 70 feet. The spotted bass are very healthy, and we have been working around main lake points as they are staging in the shallows. We are casting out to 40 or 50 feet and working back uphill, and the greatest concentration seems to be around 30 feet. We are using a ½- to ¾-ounce jig head on a G-Money jig or a 5- to 6-inch Senko or Kut Tail on a Neko-rig.” 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 rose slightly to 65%.

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

The Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments held a 57-boat tournament on New Year’s Day, and the winning team of Reece Wells and Tayler Price posted an impressive weight at 17.25 pounds, but the weights dropped precipitously for the other participants. Figgs reported an overall tough bite with the best numbers on 4.5-inch Roboworm’s Straight Tail Hologram Shad on a Ned-rig at depths to 40 feet. Trout trolling has improved for small planters near the shad schools in the main lake with Apex lures in Pink Haze or Cop Car tipped with corn and a piece of nightcrawler. The lake held at 22%.

Bank fishermen continue to locate planted rainbows in the lower Kings River with Panther Martin spinners, salmon eggs or nightcrawlers.

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

In the main San Luis Reservoir, Alex Tran of Coyote Bait reported fair striped bass action as the linesides have gone deep. Umbrella rigs along with plugs such as Lucky Craft Pointers or P-Line Predators are working for trollers. The back of Portuguese Cove and the Basalt Recreational Area are the top locations for banks fishermen with anchovies, blood worms or pile worms.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the full moon and the last frontal system had a slowing effect on the bite for trollers. “The last couple of full moons have had an effect on the bite, and this time was no different with lots of suspended inactive fish refusing to bite after feeding all night. Trollers and reaction anglers had a tough bite right after moon for a few days, but things should improve soon as the latest system passes. Water temps are around 58 degrees, but I think the very clear water is also part of the issue on clear, calm days. I fished right after the full moon and I had to work like crazy to catch 10 fish to 24 inches on Lucky Craft pointers and several other similar lures in the 60- to 80-foot range. I expect things to improve soon and at least the water has come up almost 4-plus feet to 960,000 acre-feet” The lake is at 47%.

Bill Sinclair of Striperz Gone Wild was out with Jesus Reyes of JKings Lures on Sunday, and they landed 16 striped bass to 23 inches on Reyes’s custom topwater lures near Dinosaur Point. Sinclair said, “Fishing in this area was very good in the early morning and late evening, and we still caught a few in the afternoon, but I learned that it takes an experienced angler to entice these fish when the bite is slow. Water is being pumped into the reservoir, and the Trash Racks seem to a hot location.”

Alex Tran of Coyote Bait and Tackle reported small stripers are the rule with jerkbaits, Rat-L-Traps, ripbaits, flukes or Big Hammer swimbaits on a ¼- to 1-ounce jig head. Blood worms, pile worms, sardines and anchovies also effective.

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 rise to 47%, but trollers are doing well for recently planted rainbows with Ruby Red Wedding Rings behind a gold dodger at depths to 35 feet. Bank fishing is best near the Sheriff’s Tower with trout dough bait or nightcrawlers. Few bass fishermen are working the lake with the best action on plastics on a Neko-rig at 25 feet.” The Sheriff’s boat is still operational, and boaters must possess the Motor Permit.

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

Snow and rain came down in the region over the past week, but in between the storms, boats are launching into Shaver Lake. Jay Irvine along with Jody Allen and his sons, all from Visalia, were out on Saturday in Dorabella Cove, and they put in two mixed limits of trout and kokanee. Irvine and Allen returned on Sunday, and they put in another pair of mixed limits in Dorabella Cove using Dick’s Mountain Spinner Hoochies in blue/white behind a purple/green Dick’s Mountain Dodger. The magic depth appears to be between 38 and 55 feet, and Dorabella and Rock Heaven coves have been the most productive locations.

Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters said, “Manny and Jared Romero of Clovis launched on Sunday, and they had five fish in the box with a number of bites before heavy fog on the lake created a condition with zero visibility. They had to navigate back to the marina with the help of their GPS. Bank fishermen at the Sierra Marina are still finding some red spawning kokanee along with the occasional brooder trout to 3.5 pounds from the recent plant from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.”

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 lake dropped to 54%.

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

Striper 2 Crab 3 Sand dabs 2 Surf perch 2

Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat finished the crab/rockfish combination season in style with limits of rockfish at the Deep Reef before loading up with limits of Dungeness crab. Mattusch will continue to keep his crab pots in the water during the winter months, and he will offer sand dab/petrale sole/Dungeness crab combination trips.

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

Striper 2 White sea bass 1 Crab 2 Sand Dabs 2 Surf Perch 2

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing in Monterey said, “A big swell made for difficult conditions on our first sand dab/crab trip on Jan. 2, but we ended up with around 20 sand dabs per angler along with a couple of crab. We will continue to run the sand dab/crab combination trips until the upcoming rockfish season opens in April. I welcome the addition of the black and canary rockfish in the new regulations, and I am not concerned about the five-vermilion limit although a number of the vermilions are caught in our southern waters off of Point Sur. I am concerned about the non-addition of 10 fathoms to the Central Management Area from Pigeon Point to Point Concepcion. They increased the San Francisco Management area by 10 fathoms to 50 fathoms, but our depth limit stayed the same at 50 fathoms. The additional of 10 fathoms would have provided more opportunity for areas that have been rebounding for some time. The local reefs have been pounded for some time.”

The annual Sand Crab Classic Surf Perch Derby is a major event along the central California coast as the one-day tournament in mid-March traditionally sells out for all 300 participants within 24 hours of being posted; but for the second year in a row, the face-to-face derby will be postponed. The event is a fundraiser for the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, and with the devastation to the Big Creek Hatchery from the CZU Lightning Complex in August, the project needs major support for the viability of the local steelhead and coho salmon populations.

In response to the need for the continuation of the annual fundraising event, the derby will be held on-line this year with no entry fee. Participants can join on Facebook at sandcrabclassic, and are to enter a photo of any perch caught between Jan. 1 and March 13. Photos will document the length of the perch in inches for the longest fish. There are two divisions: adults and youth under 16, and the prizes include a large trophy, framed perch art by artist Amadeo Bachar, and a Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project hooded sweatshirt.

All 2020 entrants are automatically entered into the anticipated in-person derby in 2022. At this time all names, entries, prizes and shirts are retained and the event will be scheduled for the second Saturday in March 2022. All proceeds are a contribution to MBSTP. Deadline for any refund processing is Jan. 31, 2021. For information email scruzfishing@yahoo.com.

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

San Francisco Bay

Halibut 2 Striper 2 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

The Department of Fish and Wildlife announced revised rockfish regulations effective Jan. 1, 2021, and the new regulations were adopted by the Fish and Game Commission in mid-October and the Pacific Fishery Management Council in July. According to the press release from the department, the changes were “were made in response to the outcomes of recent stock assessment science. Populations of yelloweye rockfish and cowcod, which were declared overfished in 2002 and 2000 respectively, are increasing faster than anticipated and the cowcod population was declared rebuilt based on the 2019 stock assessment. CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist Caroline McKnight said, “Of the eight stocks that were declared overfished in the early 2000s, all but one, yelloweye rockfish, has been declared rebuilt today. The improved status of these species allows fishery managers to recommend management measures that provide additional fishing opportunity, including access to deeper depths that have been off limits to anglers for more than a decade.”

Major changes are:

Elimination of sub-bag limits for black rockfish, canary rockfish and cabezon within the 10-fish Rockfish, Cabezon, Greenling (RCG) complex daily bag limit.

A new sub-bag limit of five vermilion rockfish within the 10-fish RCG complex daily bag limit.

The Rockfish Conservation Area (RCA) boundary will increase to 30 fathoms (180 feet) in the Mendocino Management Area during the regular open season (May 1-Oct. 31).

The RCA boundary will increase to 50 fathoms (300 feet) in the San Francisco Management Area during the open season (April 1-Dec. 31).

The RCA boundary will increase to 100 fathoms (600 feet) in the Southern Management Area during the open season (March 1-Dec. 31).

The ‘All Depth’ fishery in the Northern and Mendocino Management Areas will continue each November and December, unless modified by an in-season action.

The 30, 50 and 100 fathom depth contours are defined by straight lines connecting the waypoints as adopted in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 50, Part 660, Subpart C.

Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito was pleasantly surprised with the change in regulations, saying, “I was very happy to get something back, particularly with the addition of 10 fathoms which will open up more area at the Farallons along with the increased canary and black rockfish counts. Although we ended up our crab/rockfish combination season up north of the Farallons near Fanny Shoals, I think the bite was off along the Marin coast due to the combination of a big swell and cold water. Few boats worked the coast during the last months of the season, but I’m not concerned about the stocks there for the coming year. The addition of black rockfish will help along the Marin coast.”

Crab and rockfish limits were the rule through the end of the open rockfish season from a boat. Shore anglers are still able to catch and keep legal rockfish. The rockfish season will open once again on April 1.

Most party boats will be working on maintenance until halibut start showing up on the troll sometime in late February or they will take the occasional sturgeon trip into San Pablo or the South Bay.

In San Pablo Bay, Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters was out on Friday on a sturgeon trip, and he said, “We saw only one sturgeon jumping all day long from the Shell Banks to outside the Pumphouse to Rat Rock to China Camp as we moved to a number of locations. We ended up with 4 striped bass along with releasing 3 bat rays.” More fresh water inflow is necessary to push out the sharks and the rays.

Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael said, “Things are changing around here as there was a good sturgeon bite a week ago, but it was slow over the past weekend. We are getting reports of at least one sturgeon per day from the shorelines or off of McNear’s Pier. There was a report of two legal sturgeon at 48 and 45 inches from the beach at China Camp State Park, and one was landed on grass shrimp with the other on herring. The Loch Lomond levee remains a very good location for striped bass when the tides are right.”

In the south bay, Laine’s Bait in Alviso reported the sturgeon bite was decent over the past month, but it slowed down within the past week. However, the recent inflow from Coyote and Guadalupe Creeks should draw more diamondbacks down into the South Bay.

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

Surf perch 2

Rockfish season ended on Dec. 31, and the ports of Port San Luis and Morro Bay will be running nature trips and whale watching until the April 1 opener. Below Point Concepcion, the depth limit has been increased to 100 fathoms (600 feet) starting in April. At the end of the season, the Avenger out of Morro Bay Landing took out 25 anglers for 17 vermilion, 13 copper, 15 Bolina, 205 assorted rockfish, one ocean whitefish, and 2 ling cod to 7 pounds. Out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay, the Fiesta and the Rita G ended their season with 35 anglers for 112 vermilion rockfish, 123 assorted rockfish, 17 copper, 17 canary, 2 cabezon, and a ling cod. Justin Riley of Clovis took one jackport with a 6-pound cabezon.

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

After a few days of a slower bite with the cold water, the diamondbacks decided to bite again for Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing. He said, “I had to move around a number of times on New Year’s Day, but it was all in the Pittsburg area from the Pumphouse upriver to above Chain Island. There are hundreds if not thousands of sturgeon in the area, and they are stacked up in every deep pocket or deep hole and just holding there. With the lack of rain, the sturgeon are not willing to move. With all of the sturgeon around, the line rubs have been nearly continuous, and a number of anglers are unable to determine what is a line rub and what is a bite. As a result, there have been a number of sturgeon foul-hooked by fishermen attempting to set hook on a line rub. When the sturgeon is foul-hooked, it takes a long time to get them to the boat if you are successful, and there is the potential of drowning the fish if it gets wrapped in the line or comes in backwards. We had a situation this week when one of our lines got tangled up in a braided line that was broken off, and when I picked up the rod, I could tell there was a sturgeon on the line. I tied the line off to another rod with an Alberto knot, and we couldn’t stop the huge fish as it was swimming up against the current. We couldn’t turn it even though we tightened down the drag to the max. Finally, the leader broke, and it was a heavy leader. Many of the sturgeon that are being snagged when setting hook on a line rub are oversized, and there have been fishermen getting spooled by the massive, snagged sturgeon. There has been tremendous boat pressure in the Pittsburg area with as many as 50 spots crowding into a small area where the sturgeon are holding, and the number of anchor lines along with boaters that are unable to anchor in the deep water have a negative effect on the bite. When a boat is unable to hold on anchor in deep water, the anchor drags through the bottom and scatters whatever sturgeon are in the area. We had an oversized at just over 60 inches on Saturday, and it was a female loaded with eggs that was released after a quick photo.”

The first two days of the New Year were also kind to Mitchell’s clients as young Hunter Richardson of Lodi, a student at Millswood Middle School, landed his first legal sturgeon accompanied by his father, Gene, and grandfather Tyson who came down from Klamath Falls for the event. Mitchell said, “We had three other short fish in addition to the slot limit on Saturday, but Sunday was even better with three slot-limit fish at 56 and 50 inches for two clients with a third legal fish released, and we finished the day with a shaker and a big oversized. The sturgeon are still stacked up in the deep holes outside of Pittsburg, and salmon roe has been the key. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service accompanied me on this trip.”

Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Sport Fishing is working out of Pittsburgh Marina, and he said, “Captain Charles was out on New Year’s Day, and he ended up with two keepers out of 5 sturgeon landed. It has been the same story out of Pittsburg as we are working salmon roe in deep water as the diamondbacks are holding in the holes. Typically by this time of year, the sturgeon will migrate towards San Pablo Bay, and they will set up near the Mothball Fleet. This hasn’t occurred yet this year, but when they migrate, we may move the boat back to our normal location in the Martinez Marina. Due to the continued presence of the pandemic, we have had to postpone the very popular Diamond Classic Catch and Release Sturgeon Derby this year. We hope to have this event once again in 2022, and there are two reasons for the importance of this event – first, the necessity to start releasing sturgeon to maintain populations, and our continued work by getting our youth out on the water.”

Captains Zach Medinas and Virginia Salvador continue their catch-and-release sturgeon trips out of Pittsburg Marina, and they are holding a special trip on Jan. 24 with mixed martial arts champions Clay “The Carpenter” Guida and Uriah Faber on board.

Sturgeon Report Cards for 2020 are due to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and they can be filled in online at ca.wildlifelicense.com/internetsales/LicenseNeedsHarvestReporting.

Rick Tietz of Blade Runner Spoons reported the best striped bass action has been in the Port of Sacramento on occasion. He said, “You can catch them one day, and the next day they are off the bite. The stripers are moving up and down the channel, and I think the ship traffic is the biggest factor on whether they bite or not as a ship moving through the channel just stirs up and muddies the water.”

Johnny Wang, managers of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “I want to get out this coming week, and there are still striped bass around the Rio Vista Bridge. Live mudsuckers have been hard to get, but you can land them on live minnows. It is difficult to jig with spoons right now since you have to move around quite a bit, and with boats running to and fro in the heavy fog, this can be very dangerous.

The fog has been thick in the early mornings, and this major storm will bring out significant amounts of debris from the upper tributaries. Boaters need to exercise extreme caution in the fog, lower their running speeds, and have all navigation lights functional.

The San Joaquin-Delta is still clear and cold, and the water conditions amount to a major slowdown for largemouth bass. The striped bass are moving further into the system, but finding a keeper lineside is a challenge.

For largemouth bass, Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, said, “There is still a ripbait bite with the ima Flit 120 in shad patterns, but you have to have some flash on the lure. The water is as clear as it can be, and the bite is best when it is overcast since the fish aren’t tucked up under cover when the sun is out. They will come out into the open on overcast days, but you have to work the ripbait extremely slow with long pauses. I have also been scoring with Bottom Hopper or General with Max Scent on a weighted head such as a Neko-rig or Zappu head. You have to fish it slow with long pauses, and barely move the bait.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “It is cold and slow on the San Joaquin right now, but you can find them on black/blue/purple jigs over hard bottom from 6 to 12 feet, but you have to barely move it. It is like you hit the bottom and then start thinking about what you want to eat for lunch. You can’t be in a hurry. There are some striped bass moving between the bridges between Cruiser Haven and Bullfrog Marinas on the Woodward Canal. They are biting best on the tide change, and yo-yoing Rat-L-Traps or swimbaits on a ¼ to 1-ounce head depending upon the current.” The first Dan Mathisen Open tournament is Jan. 23 at New Holland Riverside Marina in the south Delta.

Striped bass fishing remains challenging as shallow trolling expert, Clyde Wands was out twice this week on the San Joaquin River drifting live bait. He said, “It has been very poor for stripers, and we had to drift minnows since all of the shops were sold out of mudsuckers. We ended up with two small keepers and a number of shakers on the live bait. I heard about a bite up at Prisoner’s Point, but by the time we got there, the hyacinth was too much. I will be sturgeon fishing this coming week, but eventually the stripers will show up, and I plan on being on the river when they do.”

Alan Fong, manager of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento, was on the San Joaquin this week after receiving reports of great action from his assistant manager, Michael Kidwell. Fong said, “The stripers are holding from 25 to 40 feet deep, and I must have landed 50 fish without a single legal striper. Kidwell was back out the next day, and he found them to 10 pounds again. As they are in deep water, we are using 2-ounce Blade Runner or P-Line Laser Minnow spoons.”

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “Our customers have been coming in with reports of crappie on minijigs or minnows from the first or second bridges on Eight Mile Road east of Stockton. Anglers are heading up Inland Drive towards Windmill Cove to fish the main channel for striped bass with anchovies or frozen shad so there must be a school holding in the main river. One of our customers is confined to a wheelchair, and he has been running his 20-foot pontoon boat out of Garlic Brothers on Fourteen Mile Slough northwest of Stockton across the main San Joaquin to Connection Slough for limits of school-sized stripers on bait. The Tracy Oasis and the Clifton Court Forebay are producing stripers from 23 to 27 inches on cut baits and even bluegill which is surprising in the 49/50-degree water.”

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

At Nacimiento, white bass remain non-existent in the cold water, but there is some action for spotted bass in the afternoons with plastics on the drop-shot or split-shot over rock piles, steep walls, or ledges. When the shad schools are located, there is a deep spoon bite. Football or spider jigs are another possibility. The lake held at 22%. A webcam of the lake is available at lakenacimientolive.com.

At Lopez, the bass bite has been fair at best, but it has improved slightly over the past few weeks. There is the opportunity for a reaction bite with crawdad patterned crankbaits. The best action remains on the bottom with plastics on a Ned rig or drop-shot at depths to 35 feet. Football and spider jigs are also effective. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.

At Santa Margarita, the bass bite has been ‘hit or miss’ with some good days followed by outings with very slow action. The best option is finesse presentations with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot or Ned-rig. A few crappie are found deep in the coves around structure with minijigs, and the occasional catfish is landed on cut baits soaked in garlic.

At San Antonio, there is no change from the past weeks as few anglers are targeting the lake. A few small bass are taken on finesse techniques of small plastics on the drop-shot or jigs. Catfish remain the best opportunity for success with cut baits soaked in garlic in deep water. 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%.

Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.

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 – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments/Bass 101 – Jan. 1: 1st– Reece Wells/Tayler Price – 17.25 pounds; 2nd – Collin and Jace Degough – 10.99; 3rd –Scott Parsons/Walt Austin – 7.79.

Lake Shasta – Wild West Bass Trails Teams – Jan. 2: 1st – Logan McDaniel/Ryan Williams – 13.87 pounds; 2nd – Colby Huntze/Tanner Wood – 11.93; 3rd – Rod Cree/Matt Silveria – 11.91. Big Fish – Jason Remmers – 6.53.

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

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