Fishing report, Aug. 18-24: Pine Flat showing signs of life with spotted bass, trout

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 bass and striper action heats up, Alan Fong said.. McSwain trout plants leading to limits, Dave Hurley reported. Shaver kokanee limits the rule, Dick Nichols said. Wishon and Courtright rainbows hitting, Kelly Brewer reported. McClure bass active, Ryan Cook said. San Francisco producing big salmon, Trent Slate reported.

Valley

West-side waterways

Stripers 2 Catfish 2

The triple-digit temperatures in the Valley are a major deterrent to fishing any of the water conveyance systems, and even with the low water levels, most striped bass anglers are heading for the main San Luis Reservoir.

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported slow striped bass fishing as the stretches of the aqueduct are either very clear or loaded with grass. Catfishing is the best thing going with Triple S Dip Bait along with green crawlers, or regular night crawlers.

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

Eastman Lake

Bass 1 Trout 1 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 1

Very little change here with Eastman being plagued by low, stagnant water and forming algae blooms. Dead fish have been observed on the shorelines at Eastman. Eastman is now at 6%, and catfishing is the only game in town with cut baits or chicken livers at night from the banks near the launch ramps or under lights at night in the murky water.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255

Hensley Lake

Bass 1 Trout 1 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2 Crappie 1

Similar to Eastman, very little change here with Hensley being plagued by low, stagnant water and forming algae blooms. The lake is at 8%. Catfishing with cut baits or chicken livers at night from the banks near the launch ramps or under lights at night in the murky water is the one reason to make the trip.

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 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

The kokanee have gone deep, and guides are now focusing on rainbow trout. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “The kokanee are still around, but I didn’t fish for them this week opting for rainbow trout at 45 to 70 feet with heavy spoons on a fast-troll.”

Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service has also been heading over to Don Pedro to chase rainbows and the occasional king salmon as the kokanee at Melones are holding tight to structure at depths over 100 feet.

At Don Pedro, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass bite has been tough, but there is a jig bite in the morning with G-Money jigs along with topwater lures around offshore wood such as standing timber. Weightless wacky-rigged Senkos in green pumpkin are an option along with ripbaits over the top of submerged wood.”

The lake dropped to 55%, and a buoy line has been installed outside of Fleming Meadows with the intent of moving the houseboats into deeper water. Some of the moorings are submerged. The Blue Oaks launch ramp is expected to close on Aug. 30, but Fleming Meadows and Moccasin will remain open.

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

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2

The lake dropped to 10%, and it is expected to remain at this level for the remainder of the year. The French Gulch Marina is only launch ramp with the low lake level. Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported a decent bass bite with topwater lures in the early mornings before working the shallows with crankbaits or dropping to the bottom with big worms such as a Berkley 10-inch Power Worm. Catfishing remains solid with Triple S Dip bait, frozen shad, clams, or nightcrawlers. Crappie is fair, at best. Trout fishing has come to a standstill with the low and warm water despite the Lake Isabella Kern Valley Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby continuing through September 6th. Information is available at https://www.kernrivervalley.com/2020-isabella-lake-fishing-derby. Buena Vista is kicking out a few bass on plastics near structure, and the crappie bite is best at night under lights with minijigs. Catfishing remains slow. The lower Kern River continues to be the top location in the region for smallmouth and largemouth bass with live minnows. A few anglers are heading up to the upper river, but it is pool-to-pool fishing at best. The upper Kern River dropped from 106 to 95 cfs at Kernville, and the upper stretch of the river is even lower. Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “I fished the Kern above Isabella this weekend, and the flow is very low and the water is very warm. There are lots of campers on the river.”

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816

Lake Kaweah

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 1 Catfish 2

The lake held at 16%, and parts of the lake usually under several feet of water are now exposed. There are unmarked hazards throughout the shallow lake. There is a window for topwater in the early mornings before finesse techniques with Senkos or plastic work best. The bass have moved out into open water, holding on the available structure such as rockpiles. Recreational boating continues to be heavy despite low lake levels. The Kaweah River is running at only 9 cfs at Three Rivers.

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 1 Trout 3 Catfish 2

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “Bass fishing has been tough with the best action in the very early mornings or late evenings with a slow finesse presentation as the bass are unwilling to chase in the hot water.” The lake keeps dropping, and it is currently at 14%.. In the Tule River, Stokke said, “The river is fishing well with terrestrial, but anglers need to find the isolated stretches of the river to land the natives. Fishing should pick up this week with the temperatures dropping.”

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

McClure Reservoir

Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2

Ryan Cook said, “I fished with two youngsters this week, and we ended up with 30 bass by the end of the day working bridge pillars with 4.5-inch Roboworm’s Hologram Shad on a drop-shot or similar patterns of tubes at 10 to 20 feet. The bass were on the small side. We also found a decent topwater bite up in the river with Whopper Ploppers 90 as the fish would hit anything larger. There are suspended bass in open water, and you can use a drop-shot to locate them.” A recent trout plant of 1000 pounds could bring out the big swimbait bite for quality largemouth and spotted bass. Bagby, Horseshoe Bend, and McClure Point North launch ramps are closed due to water levels. The lake dropped from 29% to 28%.

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

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 3

With the recent trout plants from Calaveras Trout Farm and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, bank fishing is solid in the early morning and late afternoons with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters are working best from the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or peninsula near the Marina in the early mornings while trollers are working blade/’crawler combinations, Wedding Rings, or Rapalas up the river arm. The holdover rainbows have migrated into the river arm in search of cooler water. The annual fall Merced Irrigation Trout Derby is scheduled for Oct. 2-3.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped Bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 1

The lake held steady at 43%, and the boat traffic remains high even in the evening hours with the triple-digit temperatures in the valley. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The bass bite is slow with a few small spotted bass taken on plastics on a Texas-rig, jerkbaits, or jigs. The bass are eating crawdads, and crawdad-patterned crankbaits or large orange jigs are working best along small rocks in the main lake. Bluegill are thick around the shorelines.”

Sycamore Island will be open Fridays through Sundays and State holidays through November 11. Seasonal hours of operation are 6:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. January, February, March, October, and November; 6:00 am to 7:00 pm April and September, and 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. May through August. Entry fees are $9.00 per vehicle and $5.00 per trailer. Annual passes are available for $85.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Dropping water levels in the low-elevation reservoirs in the Mother Lode have led to an inconsistent bass bite, but there are quality largemouth and spotted bass to be had. New Melones continues to be the top location for quality, followed by Don Pedro and Lake McClure.

At New Melones, John Liechty of Xperience Bass Fishing Guide Service was on the lake on Sunday, and he said, “We ended up with 19 bass with a number in the 2-to 3-pound range, but the topwater bite has been inconsistent. We found most of our action on the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot. The bass might be in one location one day, but they will be gone the next. There are islands that are under the water at the start of the week, but by the end of the week, they are out of the water. Topwater has also been inconsistent as we landed close to a dozen bass on Friday on walking baits, but it was much tougher over the weekend. The bass will be boiling more consistently during the week as the lack of boat traffic will allow the plankton to lift towards the surface and start the food chain where the fry will be feeding on the plankton, the small bass on the fry, and the larger bass on the smaller bass. If you are able to properly work a walking bait, you have a much better chance of hooking up. Whopper Ploppers have been working, but you have to make accurate casts between rock and wood and work the lure. We have had some quality bass at 6 and 4 pounds on topwater lures in the past week, and we had a 7-pound largemouth hooked on a swimbait.”

The lake dropped from 41% to 40%, and there are numerous unmarked hazards throughout the lake. Boaters have to be extremely cautious.

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

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

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

The lake is showing some signs of life, and the team of Gary Wasson and Joe Baeza grinded out a 12.71-pound winning limit during Saturday’s Xtreme Bass Club tournament. Small spotted bass are the rule with plastics on the drop-shot or jerkbaits. Finesse presentations in deep water near the dam is the best bet for the spots. A trout plant occurred in the lower Kings River last week, but few fishermen have been seen along the shorelines. Pine Flat is at 20%, and water releases are expected to stop. The lake continues to release water, and it dropped from 21% to 20% this week. The river dropped from 216 cfs to 185 cfs near Trimmer.

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

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 1 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 1

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said, “The lake has dropped from 18% to 16%, and the Dinosaur #3 ramp is the only one in play with the Basalt Recreational Area ramp under construction. The water will continue to fall over the next few weeks until minimum pool is reached. Trolling and reaction bites are slow with the stripers continuing to remain inactive and suspended due to the falling water. It’s possible to catch a limit trolling Rapalas, YoZuri, Lucky Crafts and Smithwick minnow lures off Downriggers at 50 feet, but boaters need to pay attention to the submerged islands popping up throughout the lake. Wind continues to be a daily problem with the main lake becoming more exposed due to the shrinking coves that have all but disappeared. The bait bite is attracting shore anglers and seems to be better than normal. Shore fishing is best off of Dinosaur Point with pile worms, grass shrimp, or whole anchovies.” In the forebay, Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The grass is choking shore access throughout the reservoir with the exception of the channels near the Highway 152 Bridge or Highway 33. Shallow-trolling Rat-L-Traps are producing small striped bass in the early mornings near the Twin Islands. Pile worms or grass shrimp from the shorelines have been the top baits. You will need waders to get past the grass and “cheese” from the shorelines.

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. The lake has dropped to 21%.

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

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Most trollers have given up with the heavy boat pressure, but with the start of local schools, recreational boating should slow down during the week. Trollers are picking up the occasional quality kokanee to 18 inches along with a limited number of holdover rainbows before 8 a.m. in the protected area between the Buoy Line and the dam. The lake dropped slightly to 67%.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

The road to Edison and Florence is open, but Edison is very low at 14% with Florence at 46%. Mammoth Pool dropped to 65%. Trout plants took place at Ward Lake, Portal Forebay, and Mono Creek two weeks ago.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 3 Trout 2

The annual Kokanee Power Derby is only a few weeks away, and there is anticipation for a solid showing of big kokanee during this year’s event. However, the kokanee are showing some signs of starting to turn toward spawning colors as Shaver has been one of the few lakes in which the landlocked salmon have successfully spawned.

Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters said, “It’s time to bring an extra down rigger ball and harness, as the water has receded more and the kokanee are hunkering down near the bottom. With exception of Thursday, we limited out all week. At the beginning of the week, we were trolling at 68 feet, but the last two days of the week we were down to 72 feet deep. The area I have been fishing makes the depth we are fishing more complex with the uneven bottom and receding water level. For example, we were fishing in 80 feet of water and suddenly went to 53 and then back to 80 as there has to be a big rock popping out of the bottom. The fish are expected to drop again in the next two weeks causing more hardships to the trollers. This was birthday week. Earlier in the week Ernie Palomar of Kingsburg took his dad, Jess, also of Kingsburg, fishing for his birthday and both limited out fairly early. On Friday. Carol Parks of Clovis celebrated her birthday by limiting out with her best friend Heather Mann, also of Clovis, by 7:15 a.m.

“Dick’s Mountain Hoochies in orange, or orange white along with Mountain orange tubes, all tipped with scented corn, behind 5.7-inch Dick’s Mountain Dodgers in orange foil or rainbow was our best tackle. We trolled at 68 to 72 feet deep by Friday.”

Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service said, “The larger kokanee are scattered and are in transition. The big ones haven’t laid down on the bottom just yet, but I expect that we will see schools of them hunkered down on structure by the end of the week. The bite window was smaller on Sunday morning as we put in eight nice ones in the morning within 15 to 30 minutes, but we had to scratch to pick up the remaining two fish for limits. White has been the color in the early morning, but Radical Glow Tubes in orange, chartreuse, or pink are working behind a 5.5-inch Rocky Mountain Tackle’s Crushed Glow Moonshine dodger or an orange Dick’s Mountain dodger. We have all landed kokanee over 19 inches in the past few weeks, and Jordan Otani of Dinuba came through with kokanee at 18.5 and 19 inches.”

Anglers are requested to complete the kokanee survey at bit.ly/kokesandkings upon the completion of every trip to provide accurate information to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

At Huntington, last week’s trout plant spurred on action for bank anglers near the mouth of Rancheria Creek with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or spinners. The lake held at 97%, and trollers are launching easily to pick up small planted rainbows along with kokanee at depths from 20 to 40 feet with Wedding Rings or spoons. A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and this will help the shoreline action near the mouth of Rancheria Creek with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or spinners.

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 3

Kelly Brewer of the Wishon Village RV Park and Store said, “Both lakes are still fishing good, and trollers are scoring with Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a flasher or blade/’crawler combinations at depths to 40 feet while bank fishermen are picking up limits of trout with an assortment of Power Bait or nightcrawlers near the launch ramps or the dam. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis found good action for rainbows and browns on crankbaits or spinners at the river inlet at Wishon. The water level at Wishon has dropped, and boats have to launch from the dirt. Courtright remains on the concrete ramp. Trout plants at both lakes are scheduled for the week of Aug. 15.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Salmon 2 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 3 White seabass 2 Sand dabs 2 Surf perch 3

The salmon from the Coast Side Fishing Club net pens have yet to arrive in force, and you have to take a ride north from the Half Moon Bay harbor to find a decent salmon bite. Rockfish limits remain the rule along the local reefs while the promise of a bonus halibut lies amongst the beaches south of the harbor. Ling cod have been scarce overall with the best action further from the harbor.

The Riptide out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing posted 9 limits of rockfish along with a ling cod on Saturday. The Huli Cat went rockfishing off of San Gregorio in 150 feet of water on Sunday for 6 limits of rockfish with Michael Lee of Cupertino landing an 8-pound ling on a hitchhiker. Earlier in the week, Captain Tom Mattusch was south in slightly-deeper water at 160 feet below San Gregorio for 17 limits of rockfish and 6 lings. The Ankeny Street has also been focusing on rockfish south of the harbor, and they boated 15 limits of rockfish and a pair of ling cod.

Captain Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete reported continued good halibut fishing along the beaches with fresh-dead squid along with the occasional salmon off of Pacifica. If you want to put up a score, you have to travel north to the Channel Buoys. The interesting point is that Half Moon Bay is 18 miles from the Channel Buoys while Emeryville is 16 miles, but most of us have it our mind that Half Moon Bay is a much longer ride to the fish.

The Huli Cat will be taking a second series of rockfish research trips for the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program in the closed zones along the San Mateo and Santa Cruz County coasts this week.

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

Monterey/Santa Cruz

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

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “Monterey took top billing this week for sport fishing action. As Chris Arcoleo from Chris’ Fishing Trips recounted, “Well, we had a white seabass bite on Monday. A whole bunch of them, but just the one day. One guy caught six, but then they disappeared. The skippers on our party boats actually saw schools of them. These were the tankers, too, averaging 40 to 60 pounds. Sea bass is my favorite fish! We were ready to go after them, but and nobody caught a fish the next day. One of my friends, a super-experienced guy said ‘don’t come there’s nothing here.’”

Nevertheless, Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching reports showed another totally productive week. “Rockfishing has been excellent,” Arcoleo said. “We’re fishing local and using live squid the clients jig up themselves. Fishing’s excellent using live squid. The limit-style fishing included five halibut one day and a few petrale sole as well, thanks to the live squid bait. Chris’s boats continue to make the run down to Big Sur on Saturday and Sundays. The long trip doesn’t allow time to stop and jig squid, but fishing is so fast and furious down in the Sur area, live bait is not really needed. Big reds and coppers are biting near the bottom, if you can make it through the clouds of schoolie yellows and calico on your drop. Moss Landing’s Kahuna continues to fish the Point Pinos to Pescadore Point area off of Carmel for big returns of rockfish. On Sunday, the Kahuna posted and another excellent bottom fishing foray that included nine copper rockfish, eight lingcod up to 21 pounds, 119 (assorted) rockfish and 16 vermilion. The Kahuna participated in three rockfish research trips to the closed zones near Point Lobos this past week for a plethora of blue, olive, and yellow rockfish as the fish were so thick that it was difficult to get to the bottom. Just south of Moss Landing, near the Soldier’s Club at Fort Ord and Mulligan’s Hill, there is still somewhat of a salmon bite available. The Soquel Hole also produced a few limits this week. The fish are deep, mostly on the bottom in 140-250 feet of water. There are big schools of anchovies in the middle of the bay and an increasing number of ‘chovy schools getting pushed up toward the shoreline. You’d think that the bounteous bait situation on the beach would spark a striper bite, but so far, fishing for the linesiders remains very slow. Only occasional striper landings have been reported from Monterey Bay beaches this summer, with only one spot showing any kind of sustained action. Water temperatures are as high as 64 degrees at the surf line on the bay which bodes well for the halibut bite which has been consistently good all summer. The persistent red tide that plagued many fishermen for the past few weeks has all but disappeared. Hopes are that will promote the perch (and hopefully striper) bite along the beaches. Depending on what beach you go to, perching can be a zero/hero affair. Surfcasters have reported complete skunks this week from beaches that usually produce fairly well. Others are reporting plenty of bites and catches of smaller fish in the 6 to 10-inch range. One angler fishing near Aptos got lucky and caught a 16.5-inch barred surf perch on Thursday while throwing a Lucky Craft 110 lure.”

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

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

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

Quality remains the story on the salmon front out of the Golden Gate harbors as a number of fish in the 30-pound range have been landed within the past few weeks. This week was no exception as the grade of salmon continues to be large while anglers are struggling to hold on to their prey. Big fish have a will to live, and as they say, “The didn’t get big by coming in easy.” The salmon bite broke out on Monday with party boats scoring up to 15 limits with most boats coming in with at least 1.5-fish per rod. The weather is going to be rough for the next few days, but there is a good weather window coming by the end of the week.

Most boats continue to troll from the Channel Buoys north to above Duxbury Buoy, but an increasing number of six-packs are finding out that drifting, or mooching, for salmon is an excellent way to put your clients onto an enjoyable method for hooking and fighting a salmon without the drag of a moving boat.

Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Loch Lomond has been mooching for weeks for quality salmon, and his success has led to others imitating his technique. On Sunday, Slate said, “We came in with 8 big ‘Megahawgs’ over 20 pounds for 5 anglers, and the fish were so large that they were overflowing in the tote. We had a triple in the early morning, landing all of the fish, and we didn’t drop a single salmon throughout the day. The bites come in spurts, but when they stop biting, they stop biting. Jack Kuykendall of Laytonville made the trip down from north, and he was rewarded with a limit of big fish.

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing figured out the mooching game on Thursday with five limits of salmon off of Duxbury as well as the Channel Buoys. Friday and Saturday’s trips produced a fish per rod with some ‘very large’ salmon lost within sight of the boat. However, he came back to earth on Sunday with his first skunk of the year after starting out mooching and switching over to trolling after watching the other boats hook up. He said, “I am still sold on mooching, but we waited too long to switch over as it was a very early bite.” The majority of the boats came in with scores from a fish and a half to less than a fish per rod.

Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady was trolling for a very respectable score of 20 salmon for 15 anglers on Thursday. He said, “These were big fish, ranging from 15 to 30 pounds, and big fish don’t come in easy. We had the opportunity for limits, but they weren’t as cooperative as we would have liked once they were hooked. We started off north at Duxbury before coming down to the Channel Buoys to join the fleet later in the day.”

The Happy Hooker out of Berkeley Marina went rockfishing on potluck trips over the weekend with a combined 42 limits of rockfish and 44 ling cod to 17 pounds at the Farallon Islands.

Captain Melynda Dodds was able to take her son, Sterling, rockfishing with Captain Jon Yokomizo of the Sea Wolf on Thursday, and young Sterling landed his first ling cod on his first drop when he brought up a hitchhiker. He’s going to think this is easy – congratulations, young man! Dodds also operates her hunting service, California Guide Service, and she can’t wait for duck season to start.

San Francisco Bay continues to be a body of water in which the boats launch out of from Sausalito, Loch Lomond, Richmond, Berkeley, Emeryville, and San Francisco, but few boats are remaining inside of the bay in order to fish. The lure of salmon or rockfish outside of the Golden Gate continues to be powerful, and most every party boat operator is spending some time in the ocean.

There was a good sign on Sunday morning with Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco finding 7 limits of striped bass on live bait in the rocks on the Richmond side of the San Rafael Bridge. He said, “We threw some bait and got the stripers to boil for a while. It was a good sign that the stripers were there, and it appears that they are moving into the bay from the Delta.”

Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Sport Fishing out of San Francisco has been alternating between rockfishing outside of the Golden Gate from Bonita Cove towards Muir Beach on ½-day trips or shark fishing in the south bay. He said, “The shark trips have been providing plenty of action for leopards, a few bat rays, and too many smoothhounds to count. We had six anglers out on a ½-day trip in the south bay on Sunday morning for 10 to 12 leopard shark with some large ones along with three big bat rays released and a number of smoothhounds. It’s all about rockfish or shark right now. This week has good tides for halibut, but they have been hard to target with the low numbers of keepers over the past few weeks.”

Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing has also been alternating between rockfish trips and big shark adventures in the central bay for some large soupfin, seven gill, and cow sharks along with some quality leopards.

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

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Salmon 2+ Surf perch 3

Rockfishing remains the best thing going out of the San Luis Obispo ports, and the long-range trips are producing the best quality of rockfish along with higher ling cod counts. The San Luis Obispo ports are running trips ranging from ½ day to long range, and most weekends will feature several half-day trips along with a 3/4 to full day trip. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Endeavor, Avenger, and Starfire were out on Sunday with 99 fishermen for 217 vermilion, 30 Boccaccio, 65 copper, 5 Bolina, 583 assorted rockfish, 3 ling cod, and a 14-pound halibut. Also out of Morro Bay, the Fiesta, Black Pearl, and Rita G out of Virg’s Landing were out trips ranging from ½- to 3/4-day on Sunday with 65 anglers for 66 vermilion, 390 assorted, 35 copper, and 4 ling cod. The Patriot, Phenix, and the Flying Fish out of Patriot Sport Fishing at Port San Luis were out on Sunday on trips ranging from ½-day to All-day with 42 fishermen for 101 vermilion, 22 copper, 8 Boccaccio, 55 Bolina, 162 assorted rockfish, 2 ocean whitefish, and 8 ling cod to 10 pounds. The new sub-limit is 5 vermilions as part of a 10-rockfish limit this season.

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

Others

Delta/Stockton

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

As striped bass often do, the linesides have come out from parts unknown to flood into both the Sacramento and San Joaquin Delta over the past few weeks. This past week was the apex of the run so far with visions of better action to come as the summer moves into fall. The salmon that are moving through the river system aren’t stopping to stick around, swimming as fast as possible upstream to find the coldest water above Red Bluff. Bluegill are thick in all of the sloughs, and smallmouth bass remain stacked up along rocky shores in the north Delta.

Johnny Tran of New Romeo’s Bait and Tackle in Freeport said, “A few salmon are being caught below the Freeport Bridge by jigging with Slammer Minnows or casting Flying C’s from the banks. Striped bass are taken on pile worms or cut baits while bluegill are in all of the sloughs with red worms or wax worms. Smallmouth bass are holding in the rocky banks with large minnows, deep-diving crankbaits, or plastics on the drop-shot.”

Alan Fong, manager of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento, found an excellent bass bite in the north Delta with chatterbaits such as the Z-Man’s Jackhammer along with Senkos. He said, “There are lots of weeds in Liberty Island and the surrounding area, but they are starting to kill the weeds quickly. I put in an 18-pound limit, but my friend threw frogs over the mats for a 22-pound limit. I also picked up an 8-pound striper on a spinnerbait and a 6-pound largemouth pitching Senkos. Denise Loo was back out this week, and she lost two big ones as you have to set the hook hard. She’s learning.”

For striped bass, Craig Newton of Will Fish Tackle in Auburn said, “Ron Retzlaff of Orangevale was out with his friends three days this past week trolling on the West Bank in the Sacramento and above the Antioch Bridge on the San Joaquin, and they posted an incredible score of 146 keepers over the three days with one day in the high 70’s. They have been running deep-diving Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows. Mark Wilson, striper trolling expert, was out on one of these ventures for amazing striped bass action.

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, was on the Sacramento searching for striped bass this week, and he said, “We trolled shallow Rat-L-Traps against the shoreline along the West Bank to Collinsville for stripers to 8 pounds with a few others in the 3- to 4-pound range before setting up on anchor near Collinsville for 10 more keeper stripers on frozen sardines or shad. He said, “Stripers are happening right now.”

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing said, “Striped bass fishing remains fantastic as we have been hammering them trolling on the Sacramento side. They are biting in small windows during minimal tide movement, and this week should be very good as the tides are smaller, allowing for a longer window. We ended up with 30 keepers one day this week with the best action at the end of the tide. There are quite a few stripers around, but they are moving on a daily basis. Extra-large minnows have been showing up in local bait shops once again, and I will be offering live bait trips in the coming weeks.”

Although few sturgeon fishermen are trying, once the ocean salmon and rockfish action slows down, more and more anglers will be targeting the diamondbacks.

Bass fishing in the San Joaquin-Delta is a grind for larger fish, but numbers are accessible if that is what you are looking for. Striped bass are starting to move into the south Delta, but the best action remains above the Antioch Bridge for trollers.

Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, has been focusing upon putting his clients onto action, and his clicker hit 66 on Thursday for a father and son. He said, “We scored with the Little Stick in Sexy Shad along with the ima Finesse Popper, but you have to be next to either weeds or rock with current. The bass are focusing on shad, but you can also get them on the Berkley General on a offset hook. The problem is – when there is choice between a topwater bite and a bottom bite, topwater will always come out on top (pun intended). The young man saw a school of striped bass busting on the surface, and he caught and released as many as he wanted on a Opti Shad on a 1/8-ounce jig head. Big fish have been scarce, and you might be able to find one or two, but the majority are going to be small. During last weekend’s Snag Proof Open, there were a number of large bass taken on frogs, but almost all of the big fish action came on the switch to the low tide as the bass position themselves at the edge of the weeds during the last twenty minutes of the tide before the switch, creating a small window for action.”

Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors was searching for quality, not quantity, during the Wednesday night shootout out of Ladd’s Marina –He said, “The big fish are few and far between, and my partner, Alex Sanchez, stuck a 7-pounder on a double buzzbait while I picked up the 5-pound bass punching the weeds. We just couldn’t find a third to push up our limit to the paycheck range. You have to either find green grass or completely dead grass to find the fish because if it was just sprayed and in the process of dying, the bass will move out. The spraying continues as within 24 hours, a mat that Alex had been working on near Disappointment Slough was already wilted and dying where it had been green 24 hours previously. If I want to put in quality and quantity, I have to head to the north Delta,

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors held the final tournament of the year until their Tournament of Champions in September out of Holland Riverside Marina on Saturday, and he said, “The winning limit was taken by the team of Mike Andrews and Phillip Dutra at 20.27 pounds with a big fish at 7.22 pounds using topwater Toxic Rat’s while most of the teams found their fish by punching the weeds. The key is finding the biggest current you can find in the main channel as the fish are holding in colder water.”

In the south Delta, Omega Nguyen of MegaBait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “There have been some larger striped bass below the Mossdale Bridge on the San Joaquin with linesides at 18, 22, and 25 pounds reported this week. Most of the legal stripers are in the 22- to 25-inch range, and pile worms, anchovies, or fresh shad have been the top baits. We have been receiving fresh shad nearly every day, and I have frozen over 200 pounds of shad. Once the fresh shad comes into the shop, it sells out quickly with anglers coming from as far away as Fresno.”

A temporary emergency drought barrier has been placed in False River to slow the movement of saltwater into the central Delta and prevent the contamination of water supplies. The work began in early June, and the temporary barrier will be removed by November 30, 2021.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell – Hook’d Up Sport Fishing – (707) 655-6736; Chris Ditter – HeadRush Sport Fishing – (916) 284-9236; Vince Borges – Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

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

At Nacimiento, white bass are boiling on occasion, and when a boil is found, any white patterned small spoon or spinner will work for the fish busting on the surface. Trollers are picking up a few white on in the subsurface schools. For spotted bass, the best action remains in the early mornings with small topwater lures before hitting the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot or Texas-rig at depths to 20 feet off of main lake points or bluff walls. The lake held at 14%, and there are unmarked hazards throughout the shallow lake. Boaters have to be extremely cautious to avoid striking a sandbar or submerged hump. A webcam of the lake is available at http://www.lakenacimientolive.com/.

At Lopez, there is a topwater bite along with crankbaits in the early morning, but most of the largemouth bass to 3 pounds are taken on the bottom with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot. When the wind is blowing, spinnerbaits are effective along with underspins. Redear perch to 1.5 pounds are loading up on meal worms at depths to 12 feet. The launch ramp is expected to be out of the water by early September at the latest, and boaters are advised to contact the marina at (805) 489-1006 for specific information prior to hitching up. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/.

At Santa Margarita, largemouth bass in the 2-pound range are taken first thing in the morning with topwater lures before working Senkos, creature baits, or plastics on a weedless presentation as the weed growth is heavy along the shorelines. If you can find a clear area, crankbaits or Rat-L-Traps are another option. Catfishing is improving with cut mackerel soaked in garlic scent or nightcrawlers while bluegill are holding under the shade of the docks with red worms or meal worms. At San Antonio, the lake is very low at 7%, but the lake should remain near this elevation for the remainder of the summer. Numbers of crappie are taken on minijigs, and there are some quality slabs in the mix. Catfishing is slow overall, but there have been whiskerfish taken on Triple S Dip Bait in Blood Formula or garlic scent. Carp are omnipresent in the shallows with dip baits, but bass fishing is slow with a few smallmouths or largemouths taken on plastics. The ramp opens at 1:00 p.m. on Fridays, but it is open at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

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

Events

Tournament results

Delta/Riverside New Holland Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors - August 14: 1st – Mike Andrews/Phillip Dutra – 20.27 pounds (Big Fish – 7.22); 2nd – Tanner Spohn/Joey Price – 18.63; 3rd – Rob and Kylie Cloutier – 18.62.

Lake Pardee – Kokanee Power Adult Kokanee Division (2-fish limits) - August 14 - 1st –Doug and Ron Philpott– 3.26 pounds (Big Fish 1.67); 2nd – Pat Pagnella/Jason Greene and Mark Poling– 2.49; 3rd – Jack and Gina Naves – 2.32.

Lake Pardee – Kokanee Power Adult Trout Division (2-fish limits) - August 14 - 1st –Doug and Ron Philpott– 6.20 pounds; 2nd – Jerilyn and Kirk Emge– 4.41 (Big Fish -4.41); 3rd – Stan Ita/Jim Fox – 3.24.

Lake Pardee – Kokanee Power Youth Kokanee Division (1 fish limits) - August 14 - 1st – Adam Naves– 1.15 pounds; 2nd – Grace Naves – 1.13; 3rd – Jack Duvall Jr. – 1.12.

Pine Flat – Xtreme Bass Club - August 14 - 1st – Gary Wasson/Joe Baeza – 12.91 pounds, (Big Fish - 6.01); 2nd –Joe and Mike Phoharz– 10.92; 3rd – Larry and Xang Vang – 8.60.

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

August 21/22

Los Banos Reservoir – Wild West Bass Trails

August 21

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass

Don Pedro – Sierra Bass Club

Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club

Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Isabella – American Bass Association

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

August 22

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal High School Bass

Delta/Russo’s Marina – East County Student Anglers

August 23

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s

August 28/29

Pine Flat – Bass 101

Roger’s remarks

Roger George’s column will return.