Fishing report, March 24-30: Good Shaver kokanee bite as High Sierra restrictions change

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

Delta sturgeon and bass fishing good, Steve Mitchell reported. Shaver Kokanee bite pumping out limits and Pine Flat trout action improved, Dave Hurley said. New Melones bass, crappie and trout hitting, John Liechty reported. Aqueduct stripers on the chomp, Pete Cormier said.

Valley

West-side waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 3

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The aqueduct has been more popular than the O’Neill Forebay right now, and fishermen are working the Highway 33 side or under the I-5 Bridge where the water is flowing with deep-diving baits such as Rat-L-Traps or jerkbaits along with soaking anchovies, blood worms or pile worms.”

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “A lot of fishermen have been heading out to the aqueduct, and jumbo minnows or blood worms have been the top baits. Jumbos are hard to obtain right now, but the extra-large minnows will also work for both striped bass and catfish. Tube baits, flukes or jerkbaits are also effective. Catfish are also taken on Triple S Dip Bait, frozen shad, 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

The bass bite remains tough but the possibility of landing a 4-pound largemouth exists for those working over the submerged humps or rockpiles with large profile jigs or creature baits. The lake is basically a mud puddle at 11%.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley Lake

Bass 3 Trout 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported the best bass bite is taking place in the shallows, as although deeper fish are found on the graph, they are reluctant to bite. Soft plastics such as Senko’s, Zoom Z-Craws or Strike King’s Structure Bugs are working at depths from 5 to 15 feet. The lake rose slightly to 22%.

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 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 1 Crappie 2

The bass bite is slowly improving, but the big fish found at other Mother Lode lakes have been absent so far this year despite a number of large bass in the lake. Saturday’s Christian Bass League tournament was won with a limit at 13.66 pounds with a big fish at 3.78 pounds. These weights have been consistent for the past few months. The best action is working main lake cuts with ½-ounce G-Money jigs with a Yamamoto Twin Tail trailer or a 5-inch cinnamon/purple plastic on a 3/16th nail weight in the shallows or a 6-inch shad-patterned worm on the drop-shot on secondary points at 30 feet. Trout trolling has been slow overall, but the action will improve with stable weather as there are a number of rainbow trout in the lake. The success of the kokanee fishery is yet to be determined after a couple of slow years. The lake held at 70%.

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 3 Trout 2 Crappie 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported anglers have been able to catch up to 20 crappie on small to medium minnows as the slabs are starting to move into to the shallows. The bass bite isn’t wide open, but it has been solid with plastics, jigs or deep-diving crankbaits. Catfish continue to be the staple with frozen shad, Triple S Dip Bait, chicken livers, or nightcrawlers, and jumbo minnows. French Gulch Marina hosts the only launch ramp with the low lake level. The lake held at 17%.

The annual Lake Isabella Kern Valley Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby will take a different format this year, and it will be held from April 24 through Sept. 6. A total of 500 tagged trout valued from $20 to $500, and the organizers are designed a virtual format for the event. Information is available at kernrivervalley.com/2020-isabella-lake-fishing-derby.

Buena Vista is best for crappie, bluegill and bass, but the trout bite has slowed with the last plant a month ago. Anglers are picking up bass on crappie minnows. In the upper Kern River, the trout bite has been solid near Kernville Park and above with nightcrawlers, live crickets or salmon eggs. Lake Ming is also kicking out crappie along with a few remaining planted trout.

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

The Xtreme Bass Club held an event on the lake on Saturday, and club president Gary Wasson said, “The bite is tough with plastics on the drop-shot or jerkbaits working best in shallow water of 20 feet or less.” Wasson and his normal partner, Joe Baeza, took second place in the event with a 10.64-pound limit. A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and this might get the big bait bite going. The lake rose slightly to 14%. Mooney Grove south of Visalia is scheduled for a trout plant for the next two weeks.

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “The bass are moving into the shallows and pairing up, but they are not interested in much of anything with the exception of an occasional bass landed on plastics on a Ned-rig, jigs or drop-shot. Some bass are chasing crankbaits as well. With the warmer temperatures approaching, the bite should improve.” Wasson of the Xtreme Bass Club confirmed the tough bite, saying, “The bite has shut down with the best action on Senkos in the shallows.” Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported a solid crappie bite near the marina. A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and this will help with anglers searching for big bass with swimbaits.” The lake rose slightly to 17%.

On the Tule, Stokke said, “The river is still slow with the recent rain and snow; however, the bite should improve this week with warmer temperatures. No trout plants are expected this season due to the closure of some of the campgrounds due to the fire.”

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

McClure Reservoir

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

The Bass Nation held a two-day tournament on the lake over the weekend, and Clara Ricabal of Western Outdoor News reported the best action on 4-inch Senkos. A number of anglers were focusing on bed fish as the largemouth and spotted bass are already on the beds. The occasional big fish has been taken on reaction baits, but the most consistent action remains on finesse techniques. Barrett’s Cove Marina will be opening within the month, and the Bagby, Horseshoe Bend and McClure Point North launch ramps are closed due to water levels. The lake held at 38%.

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

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

Trout plants have occurred at the lake over the past few weeks, and additional plants from the Moccasin Hatchery are upcoming. Trout fishing is best in the morning and evening hours from the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks and the peninsula near the marina with various colors of trout dough bait or inflated nightcrawlers. Trollers are working up the river arm or out in front of the Brush Pile with blade/’crawler combinations, red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger or silver/blue Kastmasters from the surface to 20 feet.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

With the lack of tournaments scheduled at the lake, bass fishermen on concentrating on other venues. The spotted bass are moving up, and the best action is found with finesse plastics such as the Zoom Finesse Trick Worm on various presentations. The largemouth bass have been scarce as mostly spotted bass are being landed. The Yamamoto Zako swimbait or the RaZor Shad by Z-Man are working for shallow fish while the deep fish are taking on shad-patterned plastics such as Merritt Gilbert’s custom Casper on the drop-shot. The reaction bite is best when the wind is blowing. The lake held at 33%.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 3 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Bass fishing has been solid as John Liechty of Xperience Bass Fishing Guide Service reported good action with swimbaits, jigs or finesse presentations of plastics on the drop-shot, Ned-rig or shaky head at depths from 25 to 25 feet in the morning or on post-frontal days and from 15 to 25 feet in the afternoons. Liechty has been on a roll for big fish with largemouth bass at 9 and 12 pounds on big swimbaits with clients landing bass to 7 pounds on jigs or swimbaits. He said, “The bass are healthy and in good numbers.” Trout trolling has been excellent as Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service put a father/son duo onto 26 rainbows caught and released running Speedy Shiners from the surface to 35 feet near the dam, Mormon Creek, Bear Creek and along the south end of the lake. Crappie fishing has improved with crappie lights at night near submerged structure or creek arms at depths to 35 feet with Beetle Spins or crappie jigs in black/chartreuse along with small to medium minnows. 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. Bass tournaments have been placed on hold for the next few months. 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

Recent trout plants have led to a vastly improved trolling bite with Needlefish, Mega Bass 110 Jr. Jerkbaits or Mega Bass Humpbacks around the shad schools at depths to 45 feet. The swimbait bite has been limited to the possibility of a single quality bass per day in the 4-pound range, but many anglers continue to throw the big baits. The majority of boaters are using finesse techniques from Windy Gap and above. Crappie are taking at night near the Deer Creek Marina under lights with minijigs or small to medium minnows. The lake held at 25%. Bass 101 is holding a boaters-only tournament this coming Sunday.

The lower Kings River is scheduled to be planted both in the lower river and at Avocado Lake for the next two weeks, and planters are found in nightcrawlers under a bobber or Trout Magnets where the fast water slows into an eddy. The harvest zone is between the dam and Alta (Cobbles) Weir, and between Alta Weir and Highway 180 is a catch-and-release zone with a zero limit.

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 1

Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service said, “Hitting the right window between storms, wind and rain was the key to catching a limit of schoolies. Shore anglers got back in the picture this week with an improved bite on bait. The few boaters trolling lures, casting ripbaits or using minnows who were getting out on the intermittent calm days reported decent catches of schoolies to 25 inches. I believe that with a warming forecast for the next 10 days that we will see some new bites break out. The water temperatures have been hovering around 55 plus so any increase to near 60 degrees should help.” Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “There was a little flurry of action last week with jumbo minnows, but the jumbos are going to be hard to get out. Actually, our extra-large minnows are good-sized. Portuguese Cove or the dam have been the top areas for minnows. Anglers are casting umbrella rigs such as Yumbrellas or G-Funk Baits from the shorelines. The lake held at 56%. In the forebay, Clements reported small striped bass are the rule along the Highway 33 side of the impoundment with pile worms or anchovies. Parking on the 33 side is limited as the lot fills up and vehicles have to park alongside the highway far from the lake.

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

The Sierra National Forest has extended closures for select recreational sites, roads, and trails until April 21. Updated information is available at fs.usda.gov/sierra.

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Bass fishing is best with ripbaits while trout trollers are finding up to limits of planters with Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger or a blade/’crawler combination from the surface to 20 feet. The Sheriff’s Motor Fee remains in effect. The lake rose to 57%, making launching a large boat at the public dock more doable.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Kaiser Pass remains closed, but it most likely will be open prior to Memorial Day as the snowpack is limited. Edison held at 20%, Florence dropped slightly to 10%, and Mammoth Pool rose slightly to 47%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 3 Trout 2

Shaver will be kicking out large kokanee this year as there have already been impressive specimens landed by mid-March. Jared and Manny Romero of Clovis picked up limits of quality kokanee within three hours using Paulina Peak’s Tackle behind a Mag Tackle Dodger at 33 feet near the Point. Dorabella Cove, and the island. The bite improves when there is a ripple on the water. Spinner hoochies behind dodgers with scented corn is another good set-up. Trout plants including the upcoming trophy plant from the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project will continue throughout the next few months, and with the number of brown, golden and rainbow trout already in the lake, it should be an excellent late spring into the summer months for both kokanee and trout. The lake rose slightly to 75%. Launch conditions can be seen at sierramarina.com/camera.html.

Road access to Huntington Lake is also limited. No trout plants have been scheduled per the Department of Fish and Wildlife website. The lake held at 41%.

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

The McKinley Grove Road is closed at Dinkey Creek, ending access to the two lakes on the upper Kings River watershed. The road to Wishon should open sometime in April.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Striper 2 Sand dabs 2 Surf perch 2

The party boats out of Monterey have finished up their final touches for the upcoming rockfish opener on April 1st, and the Huli Cat, New Captain Pete, and the Queen of Hearts are all ready to go for the opener. Depending upon weather and the salmon counts, the boats are prepared to make the 18-mile run south below Pigeon Point for the salmon opener on April 3rd.

The Pacifica Pier remains closed for safety reasons.

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

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Striper 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

The area below Pigeon Point to the California coastline was a clear winner in the salmon alternative lottery as in all cases, the season will start on April 3rd and run into sometime in August to be determined. There was minimal impact on the winter-run salmon within this part of the coast, and as a result, the fishery is allowed to open earlier.

Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey said, “We are full on the first three days of rockfish season on April 1 through 3, but there is still a little room on Sunday. The opening day of salmon season is April 3rd, and we are already filled for the weekend. The following week, there is plenty of room. There is some optimism for salmon as we hooked one on a Sabiki rig on a sand dab trip so there are a few salmon around. We also landed a 5.5-foot soupfin shark while fishing for sand dabs as the shark swallowed a hooked sand dab. Sunday’s trip produced 72 Dungeness crab along with 400 sand dabs for 19 anglers on the Caroline. The anchovies moved into the bay during the middle of the past week, and we have had humpback whales, two types of dolphins, and orcas in the bay. Krill has been absent which is a concern.”

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “While we wait for rockfish season to open in a couple weeks, there remain a number of species to target in the Monterey Bay. Considered by many to be a gourmet item, sand dabs are numerous and easy to catch from deeper waters of 180-200 feet. Some fishing charter operations have been doing well with petrale sole lately. The sole are typically found just a little bit deeper, in the 300-foot range on similar flat sand areas. Though early in the year, a few halibut have already been reported caught. We would not be surprised to see the halibut count rise steeply once more boats get out during the upcoming rockfish season. Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz reports “There were a few halibut caught the last few days near the Mile Buoy and in Capitola. The halibut are being caught on herring and squid in 70 to 90 feet of water. The surf perch fishing was good near Rio del Mar.” Tina Williams, at Capitola Boat and Bait reported a 25-inch flatty caught by a skiff angler and added, “We’re renting skiffs and folks can make reservations now for opening week. We’re going to book up quickly, especially on weekends. Right now the pier anglers are picking off perch, mostly barred. We’ve had one legal halibut come in this week. The rockfish are biting, but have to be released.” Fish of the week honors go to kayak fisherman Jimmy Chung from Santa Clara for his 30-inch halibut caught near the Mile Buoy in Santa Cruz.

Along the beaches, Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle said, “Perch fishing remains strong with crappie sliders, Lucky 13 grubs, or Lucky Craft 110’s along the Santa Cruz beaches.”

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 ocean salmon season has yet to be determined north of Pigeon Point, and the earliest the season will open will be June 28. In the meantime, live bait is expected to be available by mid-April, but party boats running trolling trips into the Point Pinole area are finding up to a halibut per rod. A number of undersized halibut have been released during these trips as the undersized halibut of less than 22 inches are more abundant than keeper-sized fish. There have been some large halibut landed including a 27-pound flatfish on the Pacific Pearl out of Emeryville.

Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco continues to find striped bass in the central and north bay.

The sturgeon season in San Pablo Bay has been underwhelming, but this week’s minus tides may bring out some more diamondbacks.

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 3

The ports of Port San Luis and Morro Bay will be running nature trips and whale watching until the April 1 rockfish opener. Ocean salmon season will open on April 3 in this section of the coast. The other action is surf perch from the piers and the beaches. The boats out of both ports are taking reservations for the opening rockfish weekend.

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

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

Sturgeon fishermen have been on a tear in Suisun Bay with six-pack operators scoring up to six limits of diamondbacks within the slot along with releasing numerous oversized and undersized fish. Cured salmon roe has been the top bait by far, and the captains who are working hard to perfect their cures are finding ‘lights out’ fishing. Private boaters are getting in on the act, but the question remains – ‘How much fish does one person need? – as the concerns continue to grow regarding the number of slot-limit white sturgeon taken out of the bay/Delta system this season.

The striped bass bite remains slow at best, but there is promise of the pending run for the spawn as male linesides are already milting. The San Joaquin has been the most consistent option for striped bass trollers or bait drifters, but the Sacramento is expected to turn on any day – particularly with the upcoming warm weather.

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg has been putting on a sturgeon clinic in lower Suisun Bay as the six-packs are starting to wrap up their sturgeon season within a few weeks. The lure of live bait and halibut in the bay proves too great, and the migration towards the bay will start soon. Mitchell was out on Friday with some of his ‘Secret Sauce’ on his new salmon roe cures, and they had 12 sturgeon to the boat with 6 slot-limit diamondbacks by 10:30 a.m. He said, “The fish were really on the chomp, and they wanted this cure that I have been experimenting with.” Mitchell was back out on Saturday morning for three more slot-limit sturgeon along with 2 oversized and a shaker released. The action slowed with smaller tides on Sunday, and although Mitchell was anchored over sturgeon throughout the day near Port Chicago, they ended up with one keeper for Stacie Link of West Point. He said, “It was tough for everyone on Sunday after two days of great action, but the sturgeon are still here.”

Not to be outdone, Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing has been working on a version of his own ‘Secret Sauce,’ and apparently it is quite effective as they put in 6 slot-limit sturgeon on Friday, followed by another 4 limits on Saturday out of 10 hook ups. There were also reports of limits taken by a six-pack near Port Chicago.

The efficiency of targeting sturgeon has increased exponentially with the advent of cured salmon roe, enhanced electronics, and shared information amongst fishermen who spend days and days on the water. As a result, the success ratio has improved to the point where there is very likely an overall threat to the species. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the individual fisherman to determine ‘What can I afford to leave alone?’ as despite the current regulations of three tagged fish per year and the lowered slot limit, the impact of continually tapping the resource is significant.

Striped bass are on their way according to Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport. He said, “Male stripers in the 18- to 20-inch range are already milting, and the next few weeks should be very good for stripers as April is the month when they arrive in force. Pile worms, blood worms, frozen shad, or sardines coated with garlic spray are working in the north Delta. Sturgeon are scattered throughout the system, but most of our fishermen have lost interest and are targeting other species such as crappie, bluegill, striped bass, and largemouth bass. Crappie are in the small sloughs and the dead-end sloughs with medium minnows or Bobby Garland’s Slab Slay’R’s. Bluegill are all over the sloughs with red worms or jumbo red worms. Catfishing is slow with the cold water, but it will be picking up with the warm weather. Lisbon Slough and the Port of Sacramento are the top locations for whiskerfish.”

Dave Houston of Livermore was out on Thursday in search of striped bass on the troll, and he said, “We started on the Sacramento looking for a new wave of fish, but we were unable to find any. The water clarity is good, and there wasn’t much grass on the income, but when the current started moving out the grass showed up and it made it almost impossible to troll so we headed over to the San Joaquin. The water over there was very troll able but there aren’t very many fish in the system. We did catch three keepers to 8.5 pounds and six shakers. These were all local fish and the female had green eggs in it which indicates that it’s about ready to spawn.”

The San Joaquin-Delta is gearing up for hundreds of bass boats running to and fro in the south and central Delta in response to two large circuits holding events on the same weekend. The Wild West Bass Trails Pro/Am was previously scheduled from March 26/28 out of Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island, but with the closure of Lake Berryessa for tournament fishing, the Angler’s Press circuit has moved their tournament to Ladd’s Marina in Stockton on Saturday, March 27. As a result, this coming Saturday will be an extremely busy day on the San Joaquin-Delta, and safety has to be the top priority as there are countless blind corners in this section of the river system.

Striped bass have been elusive, and Scott Marran of Yuba City was out on the San Joaquin at the end of the week with his friend, drifting minnows for limited success. He said, “I tried all of my minnow spots starting at the mouth of Three Mile Slough for nothing before running upriver to a half-dozen places for zilch. We ran back down to the tule berm outside of Eddo’s Marina for a few small keepers before moving inside of False River once the outgoing tide slowed down at bit. The breaks were holding quite a few small fish as we caught 7/8 sharkers and one slightly-larger keeper. We ran out of minnows and trolled for a while, but we couldn’t find the fourth fish, ending up with three keepers.”

Chris Ditter of HeadRush Sport Fishing has been focusing on the San Joaquin side from the Antioch Bridge upriver to Prisoner’s Point, and he said, “The water is clear, and we are trolling both shallow or deep depending upon the location. The interesting aspect is that we aren’t marking fish, and the strikes were are getting are coming out of nowhere. The fish are hitting light right now for some reason, but we have been scratching out up to 3 limits of schoolies with the big fish of the week at 13 pounds caught and released by Steve Burke of Lodi.”

James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service out of Lighthouse Marina has been able to find some concentrations of striped bass with 9 linesides on Saturday including three hook ups while on the air during the California Sportsmen’s Radio Show as they landed six stripers within 15 minutes. He said, “We picked up two right off of the bat on Sunday morning trolling before I received a call from Nelson Vineyard of Topline Fishing, and he encouraged me to join him as he had located a school. We picked up 8 stripers on live bait before the school moved so we trolled for three more along with around a dozen shakers.”

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley searched throughout the San Joaquin and Sacramento Delta for 85 miles on Saturday in search of a concentration of striped bass. He said, “I hardly saw any fish along we started on the San Joaquin River to Prisoner’s Point before doubling back and heading over to the West Bank on the Sacramento before going back into the San Joaquin. I was looking to see if the stripers were present in certain areas at certain times of the tide, and we ended up with 4 keepers. Trolling at certain times of the tide is best while drifting jumbo minnows are is another option.” Soo Hoo was out on Monday, and he found early limits of schoolie stripers.

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait in Tackle in Manteca said, “It has been really busy in the San Joaquin River below Mossdale for striped bass as jumbo minnows are working best for those on boats. Anglers are slow-trolling the minnows, but bank fishermen are soaking pile worms, frozen shad, or sardines. Sardines are also working for the occasional sturgeon. Bluegill are moving into the shallows, and red worms, wax worms, or jumbo red worms are all effective for the panfish while there are crappie taken on small to medium minnows, also in the sloughs.

For largemouth bass, Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was out with a father/son duo this week, and he put the young man onto his first bass on a bladed jig in shallow water. Pringle said, “I have been targeting shallow water areas with sparse tules on the high tide as the fish are moving up. The key is casting beyond the target area and dragging the lure back through the target. Long casts can be a detriment at this time of year, and shorter casts are always better when the bass are grouped. Always work the fringes before working the middle when there are multiple fish in the area. Right now, the bass are grouping up, and if you cast into the middle and pull out a bass, the remaining fish will scatter. I liken it to not eating dessert until you eat your dinner – start on the edges first, and with the good electronics available today such as my Lowrance, you can see exactly where the bass are holding. They are oriented to grass between the banks and outside edge. Normally, I work the outside edge of the weeds, but the most consistent area has been within the weeds. The coming full moon will bring a number of the better fish out, and there will be some big bags landed the week prior to the full moon. In addition to the bladed jigs, I have been working a 10-inch Power Worm and even the OB Minnow which is a big wake bait.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen’s Outdoors reported quality limits taken by flipping plastics into the tules during last weekend’s tournament in the south Delta out of Holland Riverside Marina.

Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport touted Eight Mile Road east of Stockton as the best location for bluegill on red worms, jumbo red worms, or meal worms.

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

At Nacimiento, the winning weights during Saturday’s Best Bass Tournament were the equal of any Mother Lode or Central Valley lake with a limit over 13 pounds and a big fish at 6 pounds. The spotted bass bite is improving with plastics on the drop-shot or grubs. Catfish are taken on cut baits from the shorelines, particularly in the evenings while the white bass remain scarce. The lake held at 41%. A webcam of the lake is available at http://www.lakenacimientolive.com/. At Lopez, the recent trout plants are taken by trollers running spoons such as Needlefish along with Rapalas while a few planters are taken on Power Bait or nightcrawlers in areas with deep water access. Bass fishing is improving with creature baits or jigs in crawdad patterns along with spinnerbaits or crankbaits for the largest grade while numbers are taken on Senkos or plastics on the drop-shot, Ned, or Neko-rig. Another trout plant is scheduled this week. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. A large trout plant of 2000 pounds occurred during the week, and bank anglers are scoring planters with rainbow Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters. Bass fishing has slowed, but the trout plant should bring on the big bite with trout-patterned swimbaits. There is a reaction bite with crankbaits or chatterbaits along with dragging lizards on the bottom or plastics on the Texas-rig or drop-shot. Red worms are working for bluegill in the shallows while the crappie bite has been hit or miss with minijigs as the slabs are moving into the shallows. At San Antonio, fishing remains slow, and few anglers are targeting the lake. The best option remains for catfish with heavily-scented cut baits near moving water at the inlets. The lake held at 20%.

Events

Tournament results

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker Team - March 20-21: 1st –J. Lavery/M. Pineda – 39.35 pounds; 2nd – N. Sterud/J. Rodgers – 35.36; 3rd –L. Fraser/N. Fraser – 34.72 (Big Fish – 6.49).

Delta/Big Break Marina – March 20: 1st – Clayton Eslick/Casey Dunn – 26.39 pounds; 2nd – Adam Palmer/Barry Durham – 25.54 (Big Fish – 10.00); 3rd –Blake Dyer/Douglas Hutchinson – 25.39.

Don Pedro – Christian Bass League - March 20: 1st – Todd Hager/Perry Youngman – 13.66 pounds; 2nd – Dan Sexton/Nate Couchman – 13.10 (Big Fish – 3.78); 3rd – Tracy and Ray Patton – 12.52.

Kaweah – Xtreme Bass Club - March 20: 1st – Eddie Arant/Jared Gregory – 12.02 pounds; 2nd – Gary Wasson/Joe Baeza – 10.64; 3rd – Matt Frazier/Anthony Souza – 10.12.

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments - March 20: 1st – Shawn Koehler/John Wrona – 13.57 pounds (Big Fish – 6.29); 2nd – Tim and TJ Sharpe – 12.37; 3rd – Matt Clausen/Cory Woods – 10.79.

Don Pedro March 20-21 Sierra Bass Club Team Event - 1st Darrel Green/ Jerry Siligo 23.72, 2 nd Ryan Reynolds/ Austin Owen 21.01, 3rd Ron Orbacker/ Bruce Milan 20.51, Big Fish- Darrel Green 3.29.

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

March 26-28

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Wild West Bass Trails

March 27-28

Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

March 27

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Merced Bass Club

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

March 28-29

Don Pedro – Kerman Bass Club

March 28

Delta/B and W Resort – California Bass Federation

Pine Flat – Bass 101

April 3

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

Pardee – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Don Pedro- American Bass Association

McClure – Angler’s Press

Success – Xtreme Bass Club

April 10

Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Sonora Bass Anglers

Tulloch – Kings River Bass Club

McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Merced Bass Club

Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Nacimiento – American Bass Association

April 11

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Riverbank Bass Anglers

New Melones – California Bass Federation

Don Pedro – Kings River Bass Club

Bass Lake – Kings VIII Bass Club

April 13

Don Pedro – Mid-Valley Agriculture

April 17-18

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Wild West Bass Trails

Don Pedro – Bakersfield Bass Club

April 17

Tulloch – Kerman Bass Club

Don Pedro – Christian Bass League/Slay Nation

Pine Flat – Best Bass Tournaments

Bass Lake -Sierra Bass Club

Kaweah – Golden Empire Bass Club

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments

Lopez – Kern County Bassmasters

April 18

Don Pedro – NorCal High School Bass

April 24-25

Delta/B and W Resort – Fresno Bass Club

Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Don Pedro – Gold Country Bass Tour

April 24

Salt Springs – Bass N’Tubes

New Melones – Gold Country Bass Tour

Isabella – American Bass Association

Nacimiento – American Bass Association

April 25

Delta/B and W Resort – California Bass Federation

Bass Lake – Kings River Bass Club

April 30-May 2

Don Pedro – Wild West Bass Trails

May 1-2

Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

May 1

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

McClure – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s

Nacimiento – Central Coast Bass Bashers

This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 8:43 AM.