Fishing report, Sept. 29-Oct. 6: Aqueduct derby this weekend; Shaver marina to open water

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 biting, Ryan Cook said, Wishon trout active, Kelly Brewer reported. Monterey bluefin tuna drawing anglers out, Allen Bushnell said. Delta stripers, bass and sturgeon on the take, Alan Fong reported. New Melones bass fishing good, John Liechty said.

Roger’s remarks: Experience teaches to err on side of caution

The more years I fish, the more paranoid I seem to be about the little things I hear, feel and smell that might mean trouble. Being on edge about these hunches can drive you crazy, but also save you at times.

In my younger days, I would discount many warning signs — stuff like the truck engine light, the low whine in the outboard engine, the feeling the boat trailer was pulling harder than it should or the smell of arcing wires under the boat’s dash.

Those experiences and the expensive negative consequences of not paying attention to them got me vigilant about anything that doesn’t seem right. It’s a fine line between being over cautious or cautiously vigilant. I choose to err on the side of caution the older I get.

I distinctly remember heading east on Highway 152 when it seemed like my trailer was getting harder to pull. It was on a stretch of bad road and I discounted what I was feeling, until I looked in my rear view mirror just as my right tire came flying off the trailer axle! I limped home on a chained-up axle. I had ignored the burning smell earlier at the service station. I don’t anymore; in fact, I walk around both sides of the trailer now and smell to be sure they aren’t burning.

Every time I launch, load or park my boat, I have all my senses on full alert. I have personally had so many crazy things happen during these transfers, I try to never take anything for granted.

I turn off the radio, roll both windows down and make sure I can see and hear everything and everybody — even when I’m just parking my boat back into my space. Watching guys drag their engine skeg all the way up the ramp, with folks yelling to stop; or watching a child run over to the boat to get a doll as it’s being pulled up out of the water and the driver doesn’t see the child — all leave me a little anal about making sure I’m being as careful as I can.

Yeah, sometimes I’ll be heading down the road towing my boat in the dark, and I’ll begin to feel a slight vibration. I can’t see much, but I’ll roll the windows down first. Can I see any white smoke coming off the axles? Is anyone trying to get my attention that something’s wrong? … hopefully not! Now I’m on full alert. Funny how many noises a trailer can make once you try to listen for some kind of problem.

I have to also admit that I usually hold my breath each time I start my outboard. You can see, feel and smell it when an engine is running right. I’m constantly on guard every time I throttle it up, making sure it’s purring like a cat. Just a small deviation makes me nervous.

Yes, I’m on edge and I tend to have all my antennae out and ready. I believe that good anglers are fully invested, using all their senses to be the best anglers and sportsmen they can be. Never give up!

Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars

Valley

West-side waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 2

Bill Sterling of the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Fresno and the Striperz Gone Wild group is hosting their second annual Fall Classic Striped Bass Derby on the California Aqueduct on Oct. 9. Participants must register at the Volta Bridge southwest of Los Banos between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. to be eligible for the prizes.

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “The aqueduct has turned on for striped bass with flukes or topwater lures as artificials are producing far better than bait right now.” Catfishing is best with cut baits or Triple S Dip Bait with carp taken on dough baits.

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

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 1 Trout 1 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 1

Catfishing remains the only game in town with chicken livers, cut baits, or nightcrawlers from the banks near the launch ramps. No change or relief on the horizon as the sad situation at both lakes continues, and it will remain until there is any rain. An algae bloom continues to form on both lakes.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod Gun, Clovis 292-3474; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service said, “I have been on both New Melones and Don Pedro in the past week, and both lakes are really showing improvement.”

At Don Pedro, Liechty said, “I have been guiding in preparation of the upcoming tournament of champions for the Best Bass Tournaments and the Wild West Bass Trails, and we are getting onto big schools of fish with spoons, plastics on the drop-shot, ripbaits, or even flukes when they are close to the surface.”

Also at Pedro, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “There are schooling fish from the surface to 80 feet out in open water or in main lake coves or cuts. The bass are starting to move back into the creek arms, and there is shad all over the place. Shad-patterned 4-inch plastic worms or small swimbaits are working along with spoons or jigs. There is also a fluke and topwater bite. The key is to keep moving, and I will be working Pedro for most of the winter months.”

The lake held at 51%. The Blue Oaks launch ramp remained open as of last week.

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 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2

Smoke from the French Fire northwest of the lake is dominating the canyon into the south valley. Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported crappie are starting to bite once again with small to medium minnows. Catfishing continues to be a good option with Triple S Dip Bait, scented nightcrawlers, or frozen shad. Cormier said, “This is the best time of year for bass fishing, and jigs, plastics, or tubes are good techniques after working topwater lures early or late. The lake held at 9%. In the Kern River, the flows are very low at 90 cfs at Kernville in the upper river, but have risen from 117 to 192 cfs at First Point on the lower river. The lower river is the best location for bass, catfish, or bluegill. The upper Kern River is closed along the upper Kern River from the Riverkern Day Use Area north to the Johnsondale Bridge along with the Packsaddle Trail and the Cannel Meadow National Recreation Trail. The closure order will be in place until October 31st. Buena Vista is kicking out catfish or crappie with the best action at night.

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 3 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake held at 12%, but Gary Wasson of the Xtreme Bass Club reported a solid bass bite in the lowered reservoir on jigs, jerkbaits, or crankbaits. The Kaweah River is running at 12 cfs at Three Rivers.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 1 Trout 1 Catfish 2

The lake has dropped to 10%, and Wasson reported a “hit or miss” bass bite with the best action on jigs or crankbaits. The Xtreme Bass Club tournament scheduled for last Saturday was canceled. The Windy Fire southeast of Lake Success is only 2% contained and it has burned 86,502 acres with an estimated containment date of Oct. 14.

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

McClure Reservoir

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

The lake dropped to 21%, and there has been minimal change on the bass scene with numbers taken on plastics on the drop-shot such as 4.5-inch Robo Worms Prism Shad or Hologram Shad at depths from 10 to 20 feet. Jigs with a ½-ounce jig head are also effective. Bagby, Horseshoe Bend, and McClure Point North launch ramps are closed due to water levels.

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

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

The Merced Irrigation District’s Fall Trout Derby is Saturday and Sunday, and there have been two plants of 1,200 pounds of rainbows within the past week. Power Bait or inflated nightcrawlers are working from the bank areas at the Brush Pile, the Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula near the marina. Blue/silver Kastmasters have also been effective. Information and registration lakemcclure.com/annual-fall-trout-derby-returns-to-lake-mcswain.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

The lake rose once again to 56% with water releases on the San Joaquin River system out of Shaver and Huntington. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The bass bite has improved with crawdad-patterned chatterbaits such as Z-Man’s Jackhammers in red. The reaction bite has improved with jerkbaits or 5-inch swimbaits along with plastics on the drop-shot in the coves in the main lake.” There is a catfish bite with chicken livers or anchovies. The river held at 251 cfs at Friant.

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 3 Crappie 1 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1

John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service said, “I have been on both New Melones and Don Pedro in the past week, and both lakes are really showing improvement. Melones is picking up big time as the water level has finally stabilized and the temperature has dropped 10 degrees in the past two weeks to 74 degrees. It is a matter of finding the shad as the bass are gorging themselves on shad. They are busting out in open water from 60 to 100 feet, and when you find them on the surface, topwater lures such as Whopper Ploppers, Poppers, or Spooks are working. Shad-patterns of spinnerbaits, ripbaits, spy baits, or spoons are also effective when they are suspended, and shad-patterned plastics on the drop-shot are working on the bottom. We had at least 200 bites on Sunday for 72 bass to the boat, and we didn’t use any finesse techniques. When the wind picks up, the bass will be found in the current break on the back sides of islands or main lake points feeding on shad. This is just what I have been waiting for, and I hope the bite gets even better.”

For holdover rainbow trout, Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing was out this week, and he trolled his custom shad-patterned spoons for multiple rainbow trout to 3 pounds for Jessica Ellenberger and her boyfriend, keeping 7 rainbows. He said, “We had at least three triple hookups on spotted bass, and the fish are holding around the shad schools, but they are scattered throughout the main lake. The water is cooling down, and the action should continue to improve.

Boaters have to be extremely cautious with the lake very low at 35%.

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 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

The lake continues to balance inflow with outflow, and it held at 20%. Night fishing for bass has shown improvement, and largemouth bass to 9 pounds have been reported at night with large swimbaits. There is a nighttime topwater bite, as well.

In the lower Kings, trout plants continue and action for planters remains strong with spinners, Power Bait, salmon eggs, or nightcrawlers in the transition from fast to slow water. Fly fishermen are scoring in the catch-and-release zone at Cobbles Weir. There have been anglers reportedly keeping trout in the restricted section of the river. The flows dropped from 139 to 129 cfs at Trimmer.

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

San Luis Reservoir has dropped to a low of 12%, but don’t tell the striped bass that the lake is low and loaded with a bloom of blue-green algae limiting visibility to 2-3 feet. There are still big striped bass being caught and released by experienced trollers. The O’Neill Forebay is kicking out numbers of smaller stripers, but patience and persistence can result in a legal limit.

Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service set a personal goal of catching and releasing 25 stripers over 20 pounds by the end of September, and he surpassed his goal this week with his guest Mike Padilla landing linesides at 24.4 and 31.9 pounds, bringing his total to 26 big ones for the last year.

George said, “The troll bite has improved in the main lake along the shorelines around the lake at depths from 40 to 65 feet but it can be a day to day thing. There is a fairly thick algae bloom that is limiting visibility to 2 to 3 feet. Experienced trollers are picking up limits of schoolies working the regular minnow plug patterns such as Lucky Craft Pointers or Rapalas in shad patterns. Shore reaction anglers trolling the main lake at the 40- to 65-foot level along shorelines around the lake. I guided guest Mike Padilla of Fresno this week, and I was surprised that we ended up with a 40-inch, 24.4-pound lineside that was a new PB for Mike, followed a couple hours later with a huge 44-inch, 31.9 pounder, one I was sure was just a school fish at first. Funny, we only caught seven fish all day, an overall tough bite. Both fish came at the 40 to 50 feet in depth and were released using the Seaqualizer. Our lures are usually in the silver range due to the fish working the shad schools now. With the warmer surface water temperatures up around 74 degrees, it’s important to have a plan to quickly get the big girls back down to a cooler depth while they recover for a few minutes. I use a leash attached to my downrigger ball to put them down to 20 to 30 feet in cooler water as soon as I can. Many anglers don’t realize that walking the big fish by the boat, in the hot surface water, can kill them after a hard battle.”

Shore anglers working Basalt and Romero continue to catch school fish on regular bait choices. The full moon has had some effect on the fishing but the bite should rebound this week. The Basalt ramp #2 is in good shape, but a strong northwest wind can send rollers into the dock and over the back of a boat. The lake is still closing at dusk due to all the illegal off-road travel as there have been several vehicles getting stuck up to their axles on a daily basis.

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported the grass is very thick in the forebay with the exception of near the rockwall, under the Highway 152 Bridge, or around the Twin Islands. He said, “Trolling umbrella rigs around the islands has been producing along with topwater lures in the early mornings. Once the sun comes up, anchovies or similar cut baits are working best. The majority of stripers are undersized, but you can put together a limit of 18-inch linesides.”

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

The lake is in the late summer doldrums with recreational boaters dominating the waters on the weekends. Few fishermen are heading to the lake as fishing interest remains slow. The bass bite will improve once the water cools. The lake held at 64%. The national forests have been reopened, but few fishermen are heading to the lake.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

The lakes are very low with Florence at only 2%, Edison at 9%, and Mammoth Pool to 20%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 2 Trout 2

At Shaver, the guides have pulled their boats out of the water as the water levels have necessitated the movement of the Shaver Lake Marina into open water. The launch ramp at the Sierra Marina remains open, and the focus is on the holdover rainbows as the kokanee are all but spent and attempting to move into the creek arms near the Sierra Marina. The lake dropped from 57% to 55%.

At Huntington, water releases have started, but and the lake dropped significantly from 75% to 63%. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported trout fishing is improving as the browns are pushing the spawning kokanee into the creek inlets. Spinners or Trout Magnets in hellgrammite patterns are working for the occasional brown.

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 reported Courtright is very low, but Wishon has water up at the second turnaround on the ramp. He said, “Wishon was planted last week, and fishing is great with an assortment of Power Bait or inflated nightcrawlers from the banks while trollers are scoring near the rockwall with blade/’crawler combinations, Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger, or Rapalas.”

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

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

Nothing gets the blood stirring of northern California saltwater afficionados more than the thought of bluefin tuna, and the first sighting of bluefin tuna outside of the Half Moon Bay Weather Buoy occurred this past Wednesday, anglers went into immediate ‘bluefin mode,’ adding top shots to their reels and visiting area tackle shops in search of huge plugs. The internet lit up with the report by Captain Michael Cabanas of the Huli Cat who witnessed a 9-mile stretch of tuna jumping from the Weather Buoy to Pioneer Canyon while on a bird watching trip. The tuna were being followed by Sabine’s Gulls and Buller’s Shearwaters which are always around feeding whales, albacore, and tuna.

Captain Dennis Baxter of the New Captain Pete has been experiencing all symptoms of ‘bluefin fever’ after four unsuccessful attempts last season. He said, “This was a chance for redemption for last year as it’s not very often you get the opportunity to land a southern California species in our waters, and I immediately called a ‘family emergency’ by summoning my son, Braden, to come home from his studies at Humboldt State University to get on the boat on Friday morning. He made the 7-hour drive home while I iced up the boat and made all of the preparations. The boat will be sold within the coming months, but it has always been a ‘bucket-list’ experience to land a bluefin in northern California waters. There’s only a handful of people that I know that I would want to be out with on a crew trip, and my son is number one on this list. This made for an incredible experience. Perseverance was the key word as we went out on Friday for no hookups. There were around 20 boats out on Friday so there wasn’t a lot of pressure as the boats were spread out. Saturday was a different story as the parking lot was full, and there were three hookups reported with two fish landed. Fortunately, we were one of the two boats that came through with a bluefin.”

Braden added, “Dad coerced me to drop everything and come home on Thursday, and we trolled all day on Friday for nothing. However, Saturday, we hooked one at 9:30 a.m., and I was able to bring it to the gaffs in 20 minutes on a rod that I wrapped myself, a United Composite 76 Viper on a Penn 50 SW reel. Alan Tani, northern California tuna guru and reel repairman, rebuild the reel and provided advise on targeting the bluefin. I was glad that the fish bit the rod with 130-pound mainline as the others would have been more of a struggle. Most anglers are undergunned right now, and the chances of losing the fish-of-a-lifetime increase the longer the fish is on the line. Some of these fights are taking up to four hours. The bluefin was larger than the 120-pound tuna I landed out of San Diego a few weeks ago, and we estimated it between 135 and 140 pounds. The fish bite a Nomad-design DTW Minnow at a setback of 600 feet.”

Dennis Baxter continued, “The long setback was important as it was a matter of 50 feet on the downrigger and 500 to 600 feet behind the boat. We got three gaffs into this fish, and immediately began setting up a tail noose for the next fish if it came. We trolled around for another 1.5 hours before the words of Kenny Rogers proved true – ‘You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run,’ and we pulled the plug at 11:00 a.m. There was one other fish landed that day on a big swimbait when the boat stopped to throw iron, and the fish bit on the retrieve. Some anglers are trolling jacksmelt that are taken outside of the harbor, but there is no live bait available. These fish are jumping once before heading back down and not foaming, therefore, there hasn’t been enough time to even throw iron. These are big fish, and 85 pounds is a small one.”

How long the fever lasts is anyone’s guess, but for Captain Dennis and Braden Baxter, this day won’t be forgotten for a lifetime.

The Coastside Net Pen salmon are finally making a showing out in front of the harbor, and more boats are trolling between the buoys for a fish or two. Inside of the harbor, there are NO FISHING signs posted, and shore anglers are restricted to a small area. Rockfish limits remain the rule for every trip out of Half Moon Bay whether they head south along the coastal reefs or to the Deep Reef. However, bluefin tuna created quite a buzz, and the internet when viral once the reports from Captain Michael Cabanas of the Huli Cat witnessed a 9-mile stretch of tuna jumping from the Weather Buoy to Pioneer Canyon while on a bird watching trip.

Out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, the Queen of Hearts continues to find rockfish limits, and they are gearing up for the possibility of a Dungeness crab opener on November 6th. Last year was the first year this boat ran the popular combination trips. Earlier in the week, the Queen of Hearts was out on Wednesday for 15 limits and 6 lings while the Ankeny Street posted 13 limits of rockfish, 7 ling cod, and a bonus halibut. The Riptide went north of the Golden Gate with 5 passengers on in mid-week for 7 salmon to 25 pounds.

Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat still has another week left before the vessel head north to Fort Bragg to be rechristened The Majestic Seahawk out of All Aboard Adventures. Mattusch was out with Que Sera Sera owner Henry Sutter along with San Mateo County Sheriff Carlos Bolanos, and they posted easy limits of assorted rockfish on shrimp flies in 260 feet of water at the Deep Reef. He followed this up with a Customer Appreciation Day on the boat before it heads north for more limits of rockfish along with a few lings. On Sunday, Cabanas ran the boat for 16 limits of rockfish. Mattusch said, “The net pen fish have made a showing out front, and the private boats are working the area with far more frequency.”

The Ankeny Street also found great action for rockfish with 13 limits along with 7 ling cod south of the harbor on Sunday.

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

Monterey/Santa Cruz

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

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “Monterey Bay is enjoying the best bluefin tuna fishing in memory right now. Roving schools of feeding tuna are ranging from below Big Sur then north to the Davenport Fingers area. And, boats are starting to catch them with some consistency. Some bluefin schools are as close as six miles to the beach in the southern regions while the large body of bluefin near Davenport is about ten miles from shore. Still unbelievably close for tuna fishing in Northern California. These are big fish. While some caught were reported in the 40-pound range, many are fat fish in the eighties, and a number have been reported now reaching the triple-digits. Bluefin expert, Cody Rodenbaugh from Santa Cruz, weighed in a 160-pound bluefin at Bayside Marina on Saturday which is the largest bluefin recorded so far during this epic bite.

Last week we wrote, “If the tuna stick around and enough people try for them enough times, we’ll see the catch rate numbers go up.” Sure enough on Wednesday, Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz reported the catch rate increased dramatically. “Bluefin went on the bite today at the Sur Canyon. There were several fish caught on cedar plugs and Nomad DTX Minnows. The anglers who did the best were slow trolling mackerel on the surface and 50- to 100-feet down. There are boats hooked up as I write this at 5:15 p.m.,” Fraser noted.

Since then, the news has been better and better in terms of bluefin. Multiple fish were boated through the weekend with some boats counting multiple fish landed as well. While the main schools are located near the Sur and Davenport Canyons, bluefin were reported caught straight out from Santa Cruz as well. Saturday evening, Fraser reported, “The bluefin continue to be caught by the anglers who are putting in the time. There were multiple fish caught in front of Santa Cruz up to the Davenport Fingers. There is another school of bluefin being caught near Point Pinos and the Sur Canyon.” A flood of bonito are trailing the big tuna and were “biting good” about 4 to 6 miles straight out of Santa Cruz, according to Fraser.

A month of southerly flow, wind, and swells combined has created the conditions favorable for bluefin feeding. The tuna will go where the food is. Two weeks ago, we saw a huge influx of mackerel in and around Monterey Bay. Along with that bait came the bluefin. This bite should continue until we get some major disruption in the conditions as they stand now. This is a remarkable situation for area anglers to enjoy. Make the most of it, and do not go out undergunned. Heavy duty tackle and long-handled gaffs are recommended. Besides the quantity of fish and the large size overall, another major positive factor is that these fish will BITE. In years past the bluefin code was to troll mackerel as slow as possible. That technique is working well these days, but the big tuna are also responding to fast trolled tuna jigs, diving stickbaits and cedar plugs. Throwing iron jigs or drifting live bait near tuna boils has produced results as well. If the weather holds up and the fish stick around we could be looking at the epic bite of the decade, at least.”

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

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

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

Like lions in the savannah, salmon are clearly king out of northern California ports, and the allure of big, mean smoker salmon continue to draw fishermen to the Marin coastline for the opportunity for a lifetime fish. 2021 has been the year of the big fish, but it has also been the year of a consistently inconsistent salmon bite. If you really want to bring home fish to the freezer, the rockfish and ling cod bite has been phenomenal at the minimum at the Farallon Islands and Fanny Shoals with limits of big rockfish and ling cod being the rule for every trip offshore.

Captain Jared Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito said, “We had another day of similar action on Friday as it was far from ‘wide open,’ but we definitely still have opportunities to get quality salmon out there. The typical flat calm fall weather is living up to its reputation, and we had 10 kings in the box for 18 anglers. We are likely to have lighter loads and plenty of elbow room throughout the end of the season which ends on Halloween.”

Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco continues to travel far and wide to put his clients onto fish, and he started in the bay for 7 striped bass for 6 anglers on Friday before heading outside the Gate for 6 salmon. He said, “It’s funny to think that a fish per rod is a good score right now. We went salmon trolling on Saturday for 4 salmon for 4 fishermen before heading north to Duxbury to load up on rockfish limits along with a few ling cod.”

Captain Craig Hanson of the Argo out of San Francisco posted one of the top scores over the weekend with 5 limits of salmon to 25 pounds on Sunday. Most of the party boat scores range from a half-fish per rod to close to a fish per rod with the six-packs finding a much higher catch ratio.

Rockfishing remains ‘lights out,’ and Captain Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley Marina said, “My son, Jonathan, took his boat, the Happy Hooker, to the islands on Saturday for 20 limits of ling cod and 20 limits of rockfish. We are picking up limits on single long drifts the action is so good.” The California Dawn and El Dorado III out of Berkeley had a tremendous weekend for their fishermen with a two-day total of 88 limits of rockfish and ling cod.

Inside the bay, halibut fishing is starting to improve, and a few boats are starting to run bay trips once again. The California Dawn took a small trip with 8 fishermen on Wednesday for the big shark, and this time, they returned with 5 seven-gills to 300 pounds, topping the 200 pounder last week, along with 2 leopard shark and a soupfin, releasing another 6 seven-gills. It’s had to tell someone to release the big shark, but I know the captain tried to get the fisherman to release it. Several of the six-pack boats have migrated to the Delta to target sturgeon during the fall/winter months.

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

Near-limits of rockfish continue to be the story out of the San Luis Obispo County ports with the party boats taking a variety of trips from ½-day to long-range. Similar to every other week of the season, the longer you travel from the harbor, the better the quality of rockfish. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing at Port San Luis at Avila Beach, the Patriot was out on a two half-day trips on Sunday with the Phenix on an all-day trip with a combined 70 anglers for 38 vermilion, 2 copper, 158 Bolina, 1 Boccaccio, 265 assorted rockfish, 3 ocean whitefish, 12 treefish, 7 gopher rockfish, and 4 ling cod to 9 pounds for a total of 490 fish. Out of Morro Bay, the Fiesta, Rita G, and Black Pearl were out on Sunday with 75 passengers on Sunday came home with 80 vermilion, 500 assorted rockfish, 20 copper, 9 ocean whitefish, and 5 ling cod. Also out of Morro Bay, the Endeavor, Avenger, and Starfire were out on Sunday with 77 fishermen for 534 assorted, 166 vermilion, 40 Boccaccio, 30 copper, 2 rock sole, a cabezon, and 8 ling cod to 16 pounds. All ports are taking trips ranging from ½ day to long range. 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 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3 Salmon 2

The oldest bass derby on the West Coast is back once again this year with the Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival highlighting events in the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta over the weekend of October 8th through 10th. After a one-year hiatus due to the global pandemic, fishermen can once again participate in several different divisions on the same ticket as there are target-length competitions in striped bass and sturgeon with salmon determined by the heaviest fish. The target lengths will be drawn at the start of the derby on Friday morning as fishing starts at 6:00 a.m. on October 8th and continues day and night until Sunday, October 10th at 3:00 p.m. The striped bass target length is measured from the tip of the head with the mouth closed to the fork of the tail, and it will be somewhere between 25 and 32 inches. The fish closest to the specified length without going over will win the first-place, and in the case of a tie in the length, the winner will be determined by the greatest weight.

The prizes have been doubled this year with $3000, $1500, and $1000 for 1st-3rd in the adult striped bass division with $1000, $500, and $200 for 1st-3rd in the adult salmon and sturgeon divisions. Youth division winners in the striped bass and catfish divisions are a $50 gift certificate and fishing gear. Additional prizes will be awarded in all divisions.

Tickets may be reserved for pick up at the Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce Office by calling (707) 374-2700 by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 7th and also at dedicated bait shops and other locations by the

The transition from the San Francisco Bay to the Delta and from halibut/striped bass to sturgeon has already begun as the six-pack captains are returning to work closer to home out of Pittsburg or Martinez. Salmon continue to make their move through the Delta towards the Sacramento River, and even with the hot daytime temperatures, the cooler nights are helping slow the salmon just a bit. More and more salmon have been landed in the stretch from Benicia towards the Sacramento metropolitan area. The wind has been a factor in limiting the ability to troll on the main Sacramento River, but there are still stripers for the taking. The north Delta has been producing both striped and largemouth bass as both species are loading up on the abundant crawdads.

In the north Delta, Alan Fong, manager of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento, caught and released a 34-pound striped bass in 2 feet of water on a Z-Man’s Jackhammer red crankbait. He said, “The bass are loading up on crawdads, and the key is the proper rod and reel combination to keep the Jackhammer darting from side-to-side. After working over the stripers, we went bass fishing and caught a lot of them with Senkos or chatterbaits. The next day, I took out Warren Trombley and Denise Loo, and I had a funny feeling that the fish were going to be in a certain area. We took a run downriver, and my hunch was right as we landed numbers of largemouths in the 3- to 4-pound range on 3/4th-ounce Brush Hogs in water as shallow as one or two feet. Both species of bass are loading up on anything that is coming into the shallows.”

Salmon are starting to show up in greater numbers below the Freeport Bridge for those either jigging spoons or casting Mepp’s Flying C’s from the banks. The numbers aren’t great, but they are showing improvement, and the fish are bright.

For striped bass, Dave Houston of Livermore said, “Striper fishing is definitely not red hot for us trollers as it’s very difficult to find fish. The upper San Joaquin has not been very productive so we worked Broad Slough into Montezuma Slough and only found two places holding fish. There was no boat traffic so I was able to work the schools in one direction so that I didn’t scatter them. We ended up with 15 keepers to 10 pounds.”

Craig Newton of Will Fish Bait Tackle in Auburn said, “Our regular customer, Ron Retzlaff of Orangevale, was out this week running deep-diving Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows, and they went all over from the West Bank into Broad Slough and Montezuma Slough for 12 keepers.”

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait and Tackle lots of striped bass are coming off of the banks at both the Dillon Point State Park and off of 1st Street with Vee-Zee spinners intended for salmon. He said, “A few salmon have been landed each day, and it is getting better. For sturgeon, Ron Reisinger of Chico has made the trek down, and he ended up releasing three sturgeon on his first trip. He is focusing on catching big striped bass on splittail. We have loads of grass shrimp in the shop, and bullheads are starting to show up.”

Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service was out on a fun trip with Doug Philpott and his friends on Thursday, and they posted four limits of sturgeon. The six packs are returning to Pittsburg and Martinez with Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing back in Pittsburg with Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing starting his sturgeon season on October 1st. Gamez was out on crew trips this week at night, and they were finding great action on his cured salmon roe.

There is a real danger of depleting the sturgeon population as the ability to catch a sturgeon has been improved greatly by new bait, aka salmon roe, enhanced electronics, and the lack of fresh water pushing the sturgeon down to San Pablo Bay. It is possible that a one-fish annual limit will be enforced if more anglers are unable to practice catch-and-release. Similar to keeping big striped bass, the one factor that fishermen can control is CNR.

The San Joaquin-Delta has been a solid producer of for both striped and largemouth bass, and with the cooling water temperatures, crappie are starting to make a showing. The wind has been a factor, particularly on the outgoing tide, and the most productive time on the water is during the incoming tide.

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors held his Tournament of Champions out of Holland Riverside Marina on Saturday and Sunday, and he said, “We had eight teams out of 17 invites, and a total payoff of $3900.00 was distributed despite the limited participation. The team of Joey and Gary Skym took first place with a 20.83-pound limit on day one, followed up 16.4 pounds on Sunday for a total of 37.23 pounds. Jon Rodgers represented his team by fishing solo as his partner was in Lake Havasu, and he came in second at 31.29 pounds. The big fish of the tournament came in at 7.83 pounds by Mike Andrews who as also fishing solo as his partner, Phil Dutra, was also in Lake Havasu. Buzzbaits and flipping were the top two techniques.”

Due to the excessive permit requests by one circuit for 2022 along with the inadequate rules established by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Mathisen currently has only received 2 permits for the following year as he lost every random draw to the circuit with permit applications from more than one person representing the organization. Fortunately, the Department appears committed to rectifying this situation for the 2023 year. The current permit schedule for 2022 has not been released.

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “I went out to the Duck Pond in the central Delta this week for largemouth bass, and we landed 23 largemouths, flipping worms in the shallows around weed pockets. When the tide got moving, we moved over to the main river near Prisoner’s Point for 3 keeper stripers out of 10 hookups on P-Line’s Laser Minnows. Once the tide died, we moved back into the Duck Pond for largemouths. Frank’s Tract, Fishermen’s Cut, and the False River near the Stucco House have been productive areas for striped bass. Crappie are starting to show up off of Eight Mile Road with minijigs or small to medium minnows.”

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor said, “The wind has been brutal the past few days, and we have been sticking to the San Joaquin side on the incoming tide to stay out of the wind as much as possible. Once the tide starts rolling on the outgo, it is very difficult to keep fishing. Drifting live minnows has been the trick, and the minnows are getting larger which is nice to see. There have been some quality linesides during the week up to 16 pounds with a school in the 6- to 8-pound range arriving. This school of fish moved on as a group of sea lions came into the area.”

In the south Delta, Omega Nguyen of MegaBait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “There are more and more stripers moving into the south Delta below the Mossdale Bridge with fewer shakers. Stripers in the 22- to 25-inch range have been coming on topwater lures such as Heddon Spooks or 1-ounce Yo-Zuri ripbaits from Mossdale up past Turtle Beach. Drifting minnows is working at the confluence of the Old River and the San Joaquin, and there is also a bite with topwater lures or jerkbaits. Catfish are coming on all sorts of baits from the banks below Mossdale.”

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. \u0009

Back after an 18-month hiatus due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Purple Hearts Anglers are making a big splash with a number of events in the coming months. The Purple Heart Anglers is nonprofit organization founded by Randy Houston to honor his brother, a Purple Heart two-tour Vietnam veteran who died from complications brought about by exposure to Agent Orange. It only to support disabled vets with the therapeutic value of the outdoors.

The first event will be held at Brannan Island State Park on October 23rd with their annual Salmon Event along with an optional fall-run striped bass event. In the past, the Spring Striper Event along with the Fall Salmon Event draw between 70 to 100 veteran participants to the Delta.

Disabled veterans from throughout the region are invited along with the normal participation from the Yountville Veterans Home. Volunteer boats and captains are needed for the event along with helping with the BBQ, If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Darren Butler at darren@purpleheartanglers.org. If you are interested in participating, please contact Randy Houston at randy@purpleheartanglers.org. If you are able, please avail yourself to this important event.

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, the lake remained at 12%, and there are unmarked hazards throughout the lake. There is a topwater bite early in the morning before working chatterbaits or crankbaits. The greatest numbers are coming on plastics on the drop-shot or Texas-rig at depths to 20 feet. With the water starting to cool, vertical jigging with small shad-patterned spoons is picking up. White bass are busting shad on the surface on occasion, and the best opportunity for the whites is to cast or slow-troll white Kastmasters or Roostertails for the subsurface bite. The red ear and bluegill bite remains excellent with red worms, jumbo red worms, or wax worms. A webcam of the lake is available at http://www.lakenacimientolive.com/. At Lopez, the bass bite remains solid for largemouths in the 3-pound range with a variety of offerings including topwater early or late before dropping to the bottom with plastics or jigs. There is a spinnerbait or crankbait bite, particularly when the wind is blowing. Meal worms or red worms are effective for the lake’s bluegill or red ear perch for some quality panfish. The launch ramp may or may not be accessible, and it is best to contact the marina at (805) 489-1006 for the latest launch ramp status. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, the bass bite is fair at best, and crankbaits are the most productive offering along with plastics or Senkos on a weedless presentation. The weeds are thick throughout the shoreline areas. Catfish are taken on cut mackerel soaked in garlic while bluegill or red ear perch are found with wax worms or meal worms near shady areas around trees or docks. At San Antonio, the lake is holding at 7%. The bluegill and crappie bite has improved as the panfish are moving into the shallows. Minijigs are best for the slabs while bluegill are biting a variety of different types of worms. Catfishing is decent with Triple S Dip Bait or mackerel coated with garlic. Bass fishing is fair at best with plastics on the drop-shot. 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/Contra Costa County – Sierra Bass Club Team Event – September 18th/19th (3 limits): 1st – Chris Flammang/Ryan Motter – 28.47 pounds (Big Fish – Flammang – 5.62); 2nd – Ron Orbaker/Tim Chase – 23.13 pounds; 3rd- Quincy and Mickie Marrs – 20.38.

Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors Tournament of Champions – September 25/26th – 1st: Joey and Gary Skym – 37.23 pounds; 2nd – Jon Rodgers – 31.29; 3rd – Marc Young/Dave Newton – 30.59.

Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)

October 2nd/3rd –

Delta/Contra Costa – Angler’s Press

Delta/Ladd’s Marina - Wild West Bass Trails

Don Pedro- Wild West Bass Trails

McClure – Kings River Bass Club

October 2nd –

Camanche – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Kaweah – Golden Empire Bass Club

Nacimiento – American Bass Association

October 3rd –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto Ambassadors/Gold Country Bass Tour

October 9th-10th –

Delta/Contra Costa County – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments Tournament of Champions

October 9th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Sonora Bass Anglers/Christian Bass League

Camanche – Bass N’ Tubes

Bass Lake – Kerman Bass Club

Nacimiento – Cope’s Tackle and Rod

October 10th –

McClure – Slay Nation Tournaments

Success – Kings VIII Bass Club

October 16th/17th –

Camanche – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

October 16th –

Delta/B and W Resort – Angler’s Press/Fresno Bass Club

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass/17-90 Bass Club

New Melones – Outlaw Bass Team Tournament

Tulloch – Sierra Bass Club

Don Pedro – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s

Success – Kern County Bassmasters

Nacimiento – Bakersfield Bass Club

October 17th –

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

Tulloch – Nor Cal High School Bass

October 22nd – 24th-

Delta/B and W Resort – Wild West Bass Trails

October 24th –

Pardee – Lodi High School Bass Team

Don Pedro – Angler’s Press

October 29th – 31st –

Delta/Contra Costa – Wild West Bass Trails

October 30th –

Don Pedro – Gold Country Bass Tour

This story was originally published September 28, 2021 at 8:40 AM.