Fishing report, Dec. 29-Jan. 4: Sycamore Island opening coming; High Sierra trout bite
Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.
Best bets
Aqueduct and Forebay stripers eating, Bill Sterling reported. Delta sturgeon take over spotlight in heavy flows, Steve Mitchell said. Coastal crab action good, Dave Hurley reported.
Roger’s remarks: Fishing is about so much more than a limit
Every year about this time I usually sit down to reflect on the past year, hopefully to gain some clarity on what I have learned, what has been important and where I should go from here.
As I take this moment, I realize there is so much more to my fishing life than just catching fish. Many of my closest relationships and connections revolve around fishing. Sharing a common passion, our dreams and time together without distractions while getting to know each other is a precious gift in today’s world of constant chaos.
One of the things that has triggered my renewed appreciation for angling this year is getting to know another person’s best self during our fishing trips. It’s especially poignant when I’ve realized that I’ve had the honor and privilege of having fished with someone on what would be their last trip. I’m amazed how deeply and clearly those trips seem to stay with me for decades. I expect them to come around a corner, and we would just carry on as we always did. I’ve found that their families covet any recollections I can share about our trips together.
On the other hand, I’ve had several special friends, family and people who I wanted to take fishing, spend time and connect with, but it somehow never happened. I never got to share my world, my dream or my special places with them, and I felt that I had let them down, as well as myself. I told myself I wouldn’t let it happen again. When it’s your own family, the sense of loss can be deep.
My point in sharing all this: Make sure you’re building a legacy. Life is short, all the time I’ve spent fishing with others has been a blessing and it has enriched my life on many levels. Some I’m just beginning to realize are the real serendipities. My goal this year is to be more intentional about making the important things, the important things.
What are the real treasures of life? Take away everything and what’s left? I would suggest that our fishing life has a lot going for it that can bring us back to what’s really important in building up our relationships and our lives. Never give up!
Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
Bill Sterling of the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Fresno said, “There hasn’t been much fishing pressure due to the storms that are coming through, but those who are getting out there during the breaks are still picking up stripers in the aqueduct. I went out in the early morning on Christmas Day for two keepers caught and released within the first hour before the bite died over the next four hours. I started with a jerkbait, followed by a paddletail swimbait before switching to an umbrella rig for the two keepers.”
In the south aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported an excellent largemouth bass bite with Senkos, plastic worms, or flukes while striped bass remain active with flukes, topwater lures, or bait such as sardines or anchovies.
As we move into the winter months, the concrete at the aqueduct can become frozen and very slippery. Anglers have to be extremely cautious to stay out of the cold, swift waters of the aqueduct, particularly when it is flowing heavily during these periods of heavy pumping.
Call: Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield (661) 833-8657
Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Bass action is showing some signs of life at Eastman with plastics on the drop-shot, Neko-rig, or Carolina-rig along with Senkos on a slow presentation. A few planted trout remain along with bluegill and crappie. Hensley remains slow for all species.” Eastman remained at 6% with Hensley holding at 9%.
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 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Sport Fishing said, “The overall bass bite has been tough, but there have been some quality largemouth bass landed near the shorelines with big rainbow trout-patterned swimbaits with the recent trout plants. The most consistent bass action is at 40 to 60 feet with plastics on the drop-shot or jigs.” The 2022 price list has been announced, and the daily vehicle fee will be $20 with an additional $15 to launch a vessel. Annual launch passes will be $120 with an annual vehicle fee of $120 with $65 for seniors. The elevated fees may deter boaters from heading to the lake. King salmon and trout action should improve as the fish move closer to the surface as the lake is turning over. The lake rose from 51% to 53%. The Fleming Meadows and Moccasin launch ramps 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 2 Bluegill 2
Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield said, “It snowed as low as 3,000 feet in the canyon, and there have been few anglers heading up to Lake Isabella. The water temperature continues to drop, and the bass bite has slowed down considerably.” The lake held at 9%. Buena Vista has been decent for the recently-planted trout, and Lightning trout to 7 pounds have been reported. Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters continue to work best. Daily Fishing Permits at Buena Vista are $6.00/adults and $1.00/children under 15. Information on trout plants is available at (661) 868-7000 – press 1. The upper Kern River will be planted again this week, but there is snow in the upper canyon, The river is very cold, and the best action occurs in the middle of the day around the noon hour. Fly fishermen are scoring with BWO’s or midges while spin casters are soaking salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, or live crickets. The Kern River rose from 182 to 419 cfs at Kernville and from 206 to 455 cfs at First Point.
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 2 Catfish 2
The water held at 13%, but flows from the Kaweah River have brought in floating debris to the lake. Bass fishing remains slow, but an occasional fish is taken on ice jigs along with jigs are working best for the lake’s bass at 20 feet in depth. The Kaweah River rose from 94 to 337 cfs at Three Rivers.
Lake Success/Tule River
Bass 2 Crappie 1 Trout 1 Catfish 2
Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company in Springville said, “Bass fishing remains tough as there is a tremendous amount of debris in the lake due to the rapid inflow from the Tule River. There haven’t been many anglers on the lake, but jigs, spoons, or plastics on the drop-shot are working for an occasional bite.” The lake rose from 13% to 18%. The Tule River is blown out with a high and fast flow; however, some anglers are picking up a few planted rainbows on nightcrawlers or spinners.
Call: Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Bass fishing is a bit tougher as the water has become stained from the recent inflow from the Merced River. Small plastics on the drop-shot such as 5-inch worms in Oxblood, 1/4-ounce dart heads, or ½- to 3/8-ounce G-Money jigs are producing at depths from 15 to 35 feet. A few bass are found on rip baits. The rising water has lifted debris off of the banks, and there is floating and submerged wood in the lake. Boaters have to be vigilant.” The lake rose from 21% to 23%, and the McClure Point launch ramp opened, but the ramp is very slippery necessitating 4WD to get off of the ramp. The best ramp continues to be at Barrett Cove South.
Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Guide Service - 691-7008
McSwain Reservoir
Trout 2
Holdover rainbows are taken from the banks around the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, and the peninsula near the marina with various colors of Power Bait, inflated nightcrawlers, or blue/silver Kastmasters. The best trolling action remains in the river arm near the 2nd Fence Line with blade/’crawler combinations or red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler at depths to 20 feet. Additional trout plants are needed to keep the bite going.
Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “With the change in barometric pressure, the bass bite has slowed as the fish are moving into the creek channels or into deep water. The best action remains in the upper portion of the lake beyond Finegold with shad-patterned jerkbaits or swimbaits on a slow-roll on the bottom. There are some bass found deep in the main lake with shad-patterned spoons or plastics on the drop-shot with colors such as Morning Dawn or Margarita Mutilator working best. A Neko-rig is another presentation option..” The lake is rising steadily with inflow from the San Joaquin River, and it came up from 64% to 69% Most of the water is being held behind the dam, and the San Joaquin River only rose from 657 to 696 cfs at Friant.
The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust (River Parkway Trust) will open Sycamore Island for public recreation access to the San Joaquin River beginning Friday, Jan. 7 at 6 a.m. For many years, Central Valley anglers have come to know and appreciate the great fishing opportunities at Sycamore Island. The seven inland ponds and nearly 3 miles of riverbank offer some of the best bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill fishing in the region. Boat ramps for lightweight fishing boats are available. The River Parkway Trust also offers canoe and kayak rentals on site.
Sycamore Island will be open Fridays through Sundays and state holidays through Nov. 11. Seasonal hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. January, February, March, October and November; 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. April and September, and 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. May through August. Entry fees are $9 per vehicle and $5 per trailer. Snacks, drinks, and bait are available for purchase. Sycamore Island is located in Madera County near Valley Children’s Hospital at 39664 Avenue 7 1/2.
The River Parkway Trust offers contactless payment for day-use passes online at www.riverparkway.org. The organization asks that guests follow current public health guidance regarding Covid-19. For more information about Sycamore Island, visit www.riverparkway.org or www.facebook.com/SycamoreIslandPark.
The first High School Angler Team Tournaments for the Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT) is scheduled for Jan. 9 at Millerton, and tournaments are open to all valley high school students and to seventh- and eighth-graders if they have a partner who is a high school student. Anglers without partners, and teams without access to a boat are encouraged to reach out. For information and to register as a High School Tournament Angler, contact Mike Spencer (mespenc@gmail.com or 261-5296)
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1
The lake rose slightly to 38%, and bass fishing remains best at 5 to 40 feet with spoons such as Hopkins Shorties or plastics on the drop-shot or shaky head. A few swimbait tossers are working the shorelines seeking the lake’s trophy bass, but these are few and far between. Trout fishing is best along the edges of the main channel with rolled shad in deep water, but the turnover will bring the trout toward the surface as well as the shorelines. Even though the lake is rising, 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
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “With the new year bringing upcoming tournaments including a Hangover Tournament this coming Saturday, bass fishermen have been keeping their success close to the vest. There have been some quality spotted bass to 4 pounds reported with the best action on plastics on a shaky head within the shad schools. The Nichols Lake Fork Flutter Spoons in Shattered Glass Holographic are another option along with white River2Sea 4.5-inch Flutter Spoons in deep water once the shad schools have been located. The bass remain lethargic, and a slow presentation is necessary. A trout plant occurred at Avocado Lake last week. Trout plants are scheduled on the lower Kings this week, and planters are taken with 1/8-ounce lipless crankbaits, Eurotackle’s Live Spoons, small spoons, Power Bait, salmon eggs, nightcrawlers or live crickets from the access areas. Fly fishermen are scoring in the catch-and-release zone at Cobbles Weir. Bank fishermen have to be careful as the flows have risen at Trimmer. The lake rose from 27% to 29% despite the high flows below the dam.
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 continues to steadily rise as pumping out of the South Delta continues along with some inflow from the local feeder creeks. The overall bite has been solid for those mooching frozen anchovies or shad in deep water, and trophy linesides continue to be caught and released by experienced trollers led by a 38.1-pound giant by guide Roger George.
Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service said, “The overall bite for reaction, trolling, bait, and minnow fishermen has remained slower since the full moon last week as the fish have been very suspended and inactive for the last week with the approach of the storm systems and a brighter than usual full moon. The water temp is running about 56.5 degrees, dropping around 2 degrees from last week with the recent colder nights with a 6- to 7-foot visibility as the algae is breaking up. I’m seeing lots of fish holding inactive in deeper water, and I tried working through these groups, but I got very few bites. Finding active fish groups is still key, especially since they are moving into newly water covered areas. Portuguese Cove is beginning to look like it could be productive, but I think it will take a few more feet to reach the depths they usually prefer. However, it could be soon as the lake continues to rise. The overall bite in light fog and rain has been slow the last few days. I scouted with my friend, Byron Stickler of Fresno, this week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for only five bites, but I hooked what I thought was a school fish before it went screaming off. When it came up, Stickler said, ‘I think we might need a bigger net!’ but he managed to get it in. The fish went 45 inches on a bump board and 38.1 pounds on my electronic tourney scale. It had a massive girth, and we quickly got it back in the water and onto the Seaqualizer to take it back down to the 50- to 60-foot depth in the Romero area where the hookup occurred on a white/silver minnow plug. It’s my fourth-largest striper ever. This was the 34th striper over 20 pounds. that we’ve put in the boat this past year while guiding or scouting.”
Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The main lake has been producing a decent grade of striped bass from 20 inches and above in deep water for trollers pulling umbrella rigs such as Yumbrella’s or G-Funks. We have been out of live minnows for the past week, but boaters mooching anchovies or shad are also scoring. In the O’Neill Forebay, the striped bass bite has been very good with umbrella rigs for linesides ranging from shakers to 28 inches along with a solid largemouth bass bite. The bass are also taken on the umbrella rigs along with shallow-diving jerkbaits or flipping plastics in the grass.”
Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com 905-2954
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1
Snow fell at the lake level, and the cold temperatures kept anglers off of the water. Trout fishing should improve with the colder conditions, particularly in the back of the lake near Crane Valley. The best bass fishing occurs once the water warms up in the mid-morning to afternoons with jerkbaits or swimbaits on a slow presentation. The Sheriff’s Motor Fee remains in effect during the winter months. The lake has dropped well past the comfort range for launching a large boat at the public dock.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
The gates at Kaiser Pass closed Dec. 1 and will not reopen until Memorial Day at the earliest. Heavy snow fell in the central Sierra.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Kokanee 1 Trout 2
Access to the lake was the key over the weekend as the latest series of storms have brought heavy snow. However, these are prime conditions for dedicated brown trout anglers to drag their aluminum boats through the snow to launch at Huntington. Shaver’s launch ramp conditions can be checked via webcam at sierramarina.com/camera.html.
Todd Wittwer – Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Roger George Guide Service, Shaver Lake Sports (559) 841-2740 ; Tom Oliveira – Tom Oliveira Fishing – 802-8072
Wishon/Courtright
The gate at McKinley Grove Road closed Dec. 1. Information is available at fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/home/?cid=stelprdb5399344.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 2 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 2
The use of crab traps has rejuvenated the Half Moon Bay party boats running rockfish/crab combination trips, but the end of the rockfish season is on the horizon, closing on Friday. December 31st. Combined with inclement weather and the holiday season, there have been only a few trips out this past week.
The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing was out the day prior to and the day after Christmas, and they returned with 23 limits of Dungeness crab on Christmas Eve and loaded up with 20 limits of crab and rockfish on Sunday. They will continue to run combination trips throughout the week until the rockfish closure before running crab-only or crab/sand dab/Petrale sole trips from January through March depending upon weather and interest.
The weather has had a lot of say about whether the boats are able to get outside of the harbor, and high winds are predicted for the start of the week before backing off slightly before the end of the week. With the crab pots set much closer to the harbor, crab-only trips are most likely doable throughout the week.
Captain Michael Cabanas of the New Captain Pete will also be running crab-only or crab/sand dab/Petrale sole combination trips after the New Year, and he has experience with finding the elusive Petrale sole in deep water from his time as second captain of the Huli Cat.
The Pacifica Pier was closed on Sunday due to high waves crashing into the structure, and the wind and waves this week may result in additional closures. Anglers can check the status of the pier via this website - as https://www.cityofpacifica.org/depts/pw/parks/pacifica_pier.asp. There is also a live feed from a web cam available at https://www.pacificaview.net/livecam/index.php.
Call: Captain Michael Cabanas – New Captain Pete (510) 677-7054; Captain Chris Chang – Ankeny Street – (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith – Riptide – (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing – Queen of Hearts – (510) 581-2628
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 2 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “The word this week is weather. As in, it’s been too snotty to take the boats out. Another much-needed band of rainstorms is sweeping through California, and Monterey Bay is in the high precipitation area. This latest group of storms included gusty winds, nasty waves, and even a little thunder and lightning. The forecast predicts stormy weather to continue into this coming week.
With rockfish season closing at the end of the month on December 31st, charter operations are doing their best to make trips and fill some wintertime gunnysacks with cod before the season shuts down. Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching Trips running out of Monterey managed a few go-outs this week, posting limits of fish on Wednesday for both the Caroline and the Check Mate. The Caroline also brought home four lingcod, while the Check Mate only got one ling, but included 28 Dungeness crab on their combo trip that day. On Christmas Eve, it was too messy to get around the corner at Point Pinos so their boat fished inside the bay and managed 80 rockfish for the 19 anglers aboard before seeking the safety of the dock.
After New Year’s Eve, we are looking at mostly crab and sand dab combo trips. Owner Chris Arcoleo is also looking forward to concentrating on the larger Petrale sole available near Monterey. At the end of last year’s winter season, they were posting some remarkable numbers of Petrale. Like sanddabs, the Petrale sole can be found in 120 to 250 feet of water with a sandy bottom. Most anglers use a Sabiki rig for these flatfish, and everything from a #10 to a #4 hook Sabiki will work just fine for these fish, especially if tipped with a tiny tab of squid or shrimp. There are quite a variety of sole inhabiting Monterey Bay, including rock sole, sand sole, butter sole, curlfin sole, rex sole, and flathead sole. The Petrale is the largest of the lot and the most numerous in terms of catch rate in Monterey Bay. Starry flounder are also in the mix and can be caught using the same gear. The sand dab, starry flounder, and Petrale have no size or bag restrictions. The “Other Flatfish,” fall under federal groundfish regulations and are subject to standard finfish limits in California ‘10 fish of each species, limit 20 fish total in combination bag limit,’ according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Surfcasting is good and getting better. The recent storms have roiled the water and brought down detritus from the upper rivers and creeks. Find some deep-water holes and water clear of seaweed and you will find barred surf perch. As always, keep a safety eye out for floating logs or lumber that can be leg-breakers in the surf.”
On the Capitola Wharf, Capitola Bait and Bait will keep their shop open, but they will be closing all water activities for the remainder of winter at both locations for the winter months. This means we will not be renting out boats, kayaks, SUP boards or launching private boats during this period of time.
Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell – Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2 Crab 3
It’s been a very productive rockfish/crab combination season for the Bay Area Fleet despite the necessity of using crab hoops from the Dungeness season opener on November 6th until December 16th. The elimination of the crab trap restrictions on December 17th has led to easy limits of Dungeness for the remaining two weeks in the combination season, but the weather has also had a say during this short period of time. The commercial crab fleet was finally able to put out their massive amount of gear starting December 26th with their first official pulls on December 29th, and it is yet to be determined how successful and how long the commercial crabbers will keep their gear soaking.
When the weather cooperates, limits of rockfish and crab remain the rule with the party boats heading out to the Farallons for rockfish prior to pulling less than 20 pots for up to 32 limits of crab. Prior to the use of crab traps, captains and crew had to make over 100 pulls of the hoops to achieve 10-crab limits. Captain Jerad Davis on the Salty Lady, temporarily out of Emeryville, continues to score limits of quality rockfish along with jumbo crab when they are able to make it to the Farallons, but in the event the weather is dicey, they are pulling the pots for limits of crab. On Christmas Eve, Davis was back at the docks by 10:00 a.m. with limits of Dungeness as the weather was less than encouraging to make the long run.
The weather will be the limiting factor during the last week of rockfish/crab combination trips until the rockfish season closes on Friday, December 31st. After January 1st, a few party boats will attempt to put together crab-only or crab/sand dab combination trips until rockfish season opens again in April.
Inside of the bay, heavy inflow is drawing sturgeon to the south bay as well as into San Pablo Bay, and after a very slow sturgeon season in the bay in 2021, there is optimism for 2022. Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast Guide Service out of Alviso was out in the south bay soaking ghost shrimp this past week, and he said, “I put Taku Condo of the popular You Tube Channel ‘The Outdoor Chef,’ onto his largest fish ever as we released a 65-inch sturgeon. It was pretty quiet until the tide change, and just before the change, I submersed the ghost shrimp in Pro-Cure’s Predator Scent. Once we set out the cured shrimp, it wasn’t five minutes before we had fish on. I was out on Sunday, but we cancelled the trip after a few hours as I will take them out on a better day. It was cold and windy with the water temperature dropping to 49 degrees. The south bay is super muddy, and there are a number of sturgeon coming into the south bay. There was a small herring spawn at Mission Rock, and when the spawn takes off at Coyote Point, I will be there. Joe Mitchell of Santa Clara also released a very solid 41-inch sturgeon with me early this week.”
Due to the arrival of herring spawns in the bay, white sturgeon may not be taken in the following described area between January 1 and March 15: That portion of San Francisco Bay included within the following boundaries: A direct line between Pt. Chauncy (National Marine Fisheries Laboratory) and Pt. Richmond, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and a direct line between Pt. Lobos and Pt. Bonita.
Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388
San Luis Obispo
Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3
Interest in rockfishing was down over the weekend, perhaps due to the inclement weather or the holiday season, but the rockfish season ends this Friday. December 31st. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing at Port San Luis, the Patriot and the Flying Fish were out on Sunday with a small load of 17 anglers for 4 vermilion, 1 copper, 5 Boccaccio, 129 assorted rockfish, 1 cabezon, and 13 ling cod to 12 pounds. Out of Morro Bay Landing, only the Avenger was out on Sunday on a ½-day trip with 21 fishermen for 10 vermilion, 135 assorted rockfish, a 3 ling cod to 11 pounds. Out of Virg’s Landing, also in Morro Bay, only the Fiesta was out on Sunday on a ½-day trip with 28 anglers for 140 vermilion and 56 assorted rockfish. The sublimit for vermilion rockfish will drop from 5 to 4 with one copper and one quillback allowed when the 2022 season is opened in April. Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.
Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing
Others
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2+
It’s definitely sturgeon time in the Sacramento-Delta, and the recent storms have turned the main river into a sea of chocolate milk. It was commonly believed that sturgeon needed muddy water in order to bite, but this myth has been disproven by the year-round action enjoyed by the few fishermen targeting sturgeon in the summertime. However, if you were waiting for muddy water, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Although most of the water from the upper Sacramento, Feather, American, and Mokelumne Rivers is being held behind the parched reservoirs, inflow below the dams is flooding into the Delta, bringing not only mud, but loads of floating and submerged debris. It will require a few weeks of clear weather along with some high tides to deposit most of the floating debris on the shorelines, huge logs and poles present dangerous conditions for boats both on the run and also on the anchor. Boats anchoring must either possess a quick release system to release the anchor rope from the vessel with a floating buoy or have a sharp knife at the ready to cut the rope as a massive log can submerged an anchored vessel in short order. Experienced Delta fishermen are constantly paying attention, not only to their rods at the stern of the boat, but also regularly looking off of the bow to see what is coming down the river.
Sturgeon are on the move with the fresh water inflow, and Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg said, “The sturgeon are on the move as there are fish all over the place and not concentrated in one area as which occurred last year. The water temperature has dropped to around 48/49 degrees, and it takes some time for the sturgeon to acclimate to the temperature change. The bite will be much different that it was last winter as the fresh water inflow and the cold fronts have them biting much differently. Last year, there was little, if any, rain in December, and the sturgeon were kegged up in the deep water near Pittsburg. As the water temperature stayed warmer, they bit more aggressively, and there were hundreds of sturgeon taken out of the system. There still are plenty of fish in the system, and I have noticed an increase in the numbers of oversized sturgeon. A few weeks ago, we were seeing sea lice on our sturgeon, and I think a number of diamondbacks are coming in from the ocean. There are already sturgeon upriver near Tisdale as they are moving both up and downstream in response to the fresh water. I cancelled Monday’s trip due to the predicted winds, and I would rather give my customers a quality trip instead of just heading out for a payday.”
Mitchell is one of the featured seminar speakers in the California Sportsman’s Theater at the Sacramento International Sportsman’s Exposition, and his seminars always draw a huge crowd as he thoroughly covers all aspects of sturgeon fishing.
Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing, also out of Pittsburg, has been very busy throughout the month of December, and he was out the day after Christmas for a legal sturgeon along with a shaker on cured salmon roe.
Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait confirmed the amount of debris in the water, and he said, “There have been some large striped bass landed on grass shrimp. The fresh water will push the grass shrimp further into the bay, but we have had some quality grass shrimp in the shop at Bay Point Tackle.”
The Foundation Sportsmen’s Club Original Sturgeon, aka “Super Bowl Sturgeon Derby, will be held out of McAvoy’s Boat Harbor in Bay Point from February 11-13th. The number of sturgeon derbies has been in the decline within the past few years, and this will be the largest derby remaining in the Sacramento-Delta.
The Delta Cross Channel Gates are in active mode. Information on the gate operation is available via 916-979-2194 or www.usbr.gov/mp/cov.
The San Joaquin-Delta has been pounded once again by heavy precipitation, and the inflow from the tributaries of the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced Rivers is just what the doctor ordered to flush out the system. The lack of fresh water flow in 2021 led to stagnant dead-end sloughs, and every once in a while, the system needs to be clear out. This hasn’t happened for a few years, and is getting set for another round of storms, bringing muddy water into the main channel from the Stanislaus and Tuolumne River. The river below the Mossdale Bridge is muddy and high, and there is little going on with the roiled water. The short-term effect that fishing is slow in the San Joaquin-Delta, but the long-term benefits from the flush will pay dividends.
Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors said, “There is minimal visibility in the main San Joaquin River, and early in the week, we worked hard to locate limits of school-sized striped bass along catching and releasing largemouth bass. The swimbait and ripbait action slowed down, even with shad-patterns, and we amazingly found our best action with the VBO swimjig which is in a golden shiner pattern at the change of the tide. Once the water slowed down, we found our best bite. Even though the swimjig was similar to the color of the water, the fish found it. I am going to let the Delta wait a bit to clear out before heading back since it is high and muddy.”
Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley was down at the boat on Sunday morning, and he said, “It was pretty muddy out there, and I am thinking of heading into the south Delta to see if I can find some clear water. With the water temperature around 49 degrees, I think it is still doable to drift minnows, but once it drops much below this, the stripers will become too lethargic.”
Even a matter of a degree warmer will drive the shad into the south Delta, but the shad schools have been absent for the past two weeks.
Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “With the cold water, it is a winter bite for striped bass right now, and expect just a pull down on your rod tip as the stripers will just hold the bait on the bottom and not move. They become very lethargic when the temperatures drop into the 40’s. There are still brooder minnows to be had around the tractor bridge at Eight Mile Road, and the minnows continue to work for largemouth and striped bass. Crappie are still holding around the pilings on the bridge with minijigs or small to medium minnows. Drifting minnows near the pumps across the river from Eddo’s Marina has also been productive for striped bass.”
The temporary emergency drought barrier in False River to slow the movement of saltwater into the central Delta and prevent the contamination of water supplies continues to be installed although it was scheduled to be removed in November.
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 0
At Nacimiento, inflow from the Nacimiento River has brought the lake up from 14 to 17% within the week as the river flows are pushing 10,000 cfs. The river not only brought in water, but it also filled the lake with floating and submerged debris, creating even more dangerous boating conditions than when the lake was just low. Prior to the series of storms, the best action was on the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot, jigs, or Senkos, and it will take some time for the water to clear. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, the bass bite remains scratchy with the best fishing remaining on the bottom with jigs or plastics on a variety of presentations. Trout plants haven’t been announced, but they are possible during the winter months The lake has risen slowly, but launching is still a challenge with the low water conditions. It is best to contact the for the latest launch ramp status as it could change any time. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, similar to Lopez, the bass bite remains tough with only a fish or so per rod. Small swimbaits such as Keitechs along with crankbaits are working when the wind is blowing, but the best action remains on the bottom with plastics, jigs, or Senkos on a slow presentation in the cold water. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. At San Antonio, the lake level rose slightly to 7%, and despite the low lake levels, launching remains a possibility. The launch ramp is only open on the weekends. Bass action remains very slow, but there is a decent catfish bite with cutbaits such as mackerel soaked in garlic scent. Bluegill are taken on jumbo red worms, red worms, or waxworms.
Call: Lake Nacimiento Marina (805) 238-3256; Lopez Lake Marina (805) 489-1006; Santa Margarita Marina Store (805) 438-1522; Lake San Antonio Marina (805) 472-2313
Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.
Events
Tournament results
No tournament results
Events
January 20-23
International Sportsmen’s Exposition – Cal Expo Sacramento – information – sportsexpos.com
Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)
January 1
Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Nacimiento- Bakersfield Bass Club
January 8
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass
New Melones – American Bass Association
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Sierra Bass Club
Millerton – Kerman Bass Club
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments/Bakersfield Bass Club
January 9
Millerton - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
January 10
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker
January 15
Camanche – NorCal Bass
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
Nacimiento – American Bass Association/Golden Empire Bass Clu
January 22
Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors
New Melones – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies/Contra Costa Bass Club
McClure - Sierra Bass Club/17-90 Bass Club
January 29
Millerton – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
February 6
Pine Flat - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
March 6
Millerton - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
April 3
Pine Flat - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
April 24
Delta - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
June 5
Delta – Major League Fishing California High School State Championship
This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 7:58 AM.