Fishing report, Jan. 12-18: Bass anglers beginning to focus on Millerton; Hensley rising
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
Suisun Bay sturgeon, Captain Steve Mitchell said. Golden Gate/Half Moon Bay Dungeness crab combo trips, said Emeryville Sport Fishing. Monterey Bay surf perch, said Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surfcasting Guide Service. New Melones largemouth and spotted bass, Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing. Lake McClure spotted bass, said Kevin Cheek of Best Bass Tournaments.
Roger’s remarks: Eliminate the distractions to focus on your goals
This is the month when most set new goals for everything from losing weight, getting some important projects done, or maybe making this the year you catch a new personal-best fish. Just about every angler I take out has a goal to someday catch a wall-hanger. Few accomplish it. What’s keeping most anglers from reaching their goal is analysis paralysis.
Most have more information in their little finger than the best anglers had 50 years ago. There are podcasts, YouTube videos, new product tutorials and TV fishing shows. Some anglers can rattle off incredible amounts of information and they are constantly gathering it, but with no purpose.
Too much knowledge leads to too many choices. This wasn’t a trap we fell into 50 years ago. Then it was mostly about using a rubber worm or a topwater lure. Today’s fisherman too often gets lost in the mental quagmire and defaults back to what they have always done; it’s easier, safer and they usually catch something. It’s the “wet cookie syndrome” — it’s better to get a wet cookie than no cookie at all. But making no choice is a choice.
Cell phones and devices are equally detrimental to reaching our fishing goals. I watch anglers get so distracted by every beep, tone or quiver of their device that they never get on track. How can you be tuned into all that’s going on, on the water, when all your senses are tuned into making sure you don’t miss a weather notification telling you there’s a snow storm in Oregon? Distractions and focus are diametrically opposed mental sets and we badly underestimate the toll it takes on our productivity, learning curve and success. Fishing is a subtle and intuitive sport; all your senses have to be recruited to do it well. If something is bothering me or taking my attention, I won’t go. It’s a waste of time.
Cutting through the information overload by planning ahead on what’s key, then making good choices and executing them with focus is how you can take control of a distracted environment. It takes discipline and an honest evaluation of what’s critical and what’s not. Most anglers just let it happen; good ones make it so and control what’s happening around and to them.
You probably already have all the tools you need to reach your goals, but it’s quite possible that it’s the insidious arm of distraction that’s keeping you from your dream fish. It’s a different world now on many levels; it may take reevaluating what’s really keeping you from your goals and dreams to break through. Never give up!
Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported a solid striped bass bite in the California Aqueduct with umbrella rigs, Magnum Flukes or topwater lures. He said, “They are pumping a lot of water in and out of the O’Neill Forebay, and the Gustine area of the aqueduct has been particularly productive.” Omega Nguyen of MegaBait and Tackle in Lathrop reported a slower bite in the northern section of the Delta/Mendota Canal with the colder water temperatures. Cut baits such as frozen shad or anchovies are working best.
In the south aqueduct in Kern County, largemouth bass fishing remains solid with Senkos, plastic worms or flukes while striped bass remain active with flukes, topwater lures or bait such as sardines or anchovies.
With the freezing temperatures over the past week, 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 1 Trout 1 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 1
The water has been murky at both lakes, but Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported decent action at Eastman with lipless crankbaits such as Rat-L-Traps or LV 500s as noise and vibration is necessary to entice a strike in the stained water. Chatterbaits have also been productive at Eastman along with spinnerbaits with heavy dark blades on a slow roll near the bottom. A few anglers are tossing swimbaits off of the bank at Eastman, but Hensley remains very slow. Eastman held at 9% while Hensley rose from 13% to 15%. Bass fishing will improve once the water clears as new food sources are being poured into the 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 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 1 Crappie 1
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported a solid bass bite as shallow as 5 feet and as deep as 40 feet on main lake points with G-Money jigs in green pumpkin with a Hula Grub twin-tail trailer along with 3.5-inch Dry Creek tubes. A few fish are taken on spinnerbaits, but the bait is sparse at best. He said, “I took out ‘Catch ‘Em Quick’ Cory Griffiths of Denair this week, and he found some quality spotted bass on the finesse techniques.” Don Pedro will be heavily impacted with tournament action for the next two months with the Best Bass Tournaments holding stops on Jan. 15 and Feb. 5 with the American Bass Association holding an event on Feb. 12. There are six additional club tournaments sprinkled in within the next two months. The 2022 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 lake held at 54%. 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 1 Crappie 1 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2
Lake Isabella continues to be very slow for largemouth bass with the cold water temperatures, but even in the cold water, a few catfish can be found on Triple S Dip bait, chicken livers, or cut baits coated with garlic spray. The lake held at 9%. Buena Vista is fair for the recently-planted trout with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters, but the bite slows down a few days after the plants. 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 was planted with four different plants last week, and with the cold water temperatures, 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 held at 290 cfs at Kernville and from 417 to 169 cfs at First Point. A trout plant occurred at Brite Valley Reservoir in the Tehachapi Mountains outside of Bakersfield last week.
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 1 Trout 0 Catfish 2
A trout plant occurred last week, and the introduction of the planted rainbows should stir up the swimbait bite for the largemouth bass. Trout fishermen are lining the launch ramp area with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or small spoons such as Kastmasters. The water held at 13%, and 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 held at 199 cfs at Three Rivers.
Lake Success/Tule River
Bass 2 Crappie 1 Trout 0 Catfish 2
A trout plant occurred last week, and the planters have been taken from the banks with Power Bait, nightcrawlers or small spoons. The swimbait bite should take off, as well, as the bass will be corralling the planted rainbows near the shorelines. Bass fishing remains tough with the best action occurring with jigs, spoons or plastics on the drop-shot. There is quite a bit of floating and submerged debris in the lake. The water level held at 19%. 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 3 Trout 1 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 3
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported good action for numbers of spotted bass with G-Money jigs or plastic worms in the shallows along with a few spots found deeper from 30 to 35 feet on 3/4-ounce Hopkins Shorty spoons. The Best Bass Tournaments Mother Lode Region drew 61 boats on Saturday with the team of Shad Sullivan and Troy Thomas taking first at 12.56 pounds with a big fish at 6.35. The BBT will be back at the lake on Feb. 12 along with several additional tournaments in the coming months. The lake rose from 24% to 25%, and the best ramp continues to be at Barrett Cove South.
Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Guide Service - 691-7008
McSwain Reservoir
Trout 2
The lake is nearly filled, and lake levels remain high throughout the year. 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 3 Crappie 1
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “With the upcoming tournaments at Millerton, bass fishermen are starting to focus on the lake. Bouncing umbrella rigs off of the bottom along with the MegaBass Dark Sleeper which is a weedless swimbait in a gobi imitation are working for the spotted bass. The Dark Sleeper has a fin which covers the hook, and it is also a good smallmouth bait. Dragging Robo Worms on a drop-shot along with small jigs are also effective, but the presentation has to be slow. There haven’t been any reports of striped bass.” The river arm is heavily stained as the inflow from the upper San Joaquin River is rushing in. Most of the water is being held behind the dam, and the San Joaquin River held at 668 cfs at Friant.
The San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust opened Sycamore Island on Friday. 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 light-weight fishing boats are available. The River Parkway Trust also offers canoe and kayak rentals on site. Expert kayak angler Damian Thao found a quality largemouth bass at the end of a tough day of fishing on Sunday.
Sycamore Island will be open Fridays through Sundays and state holidays from Jan. 7 to 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 riverparkway.org. The organization asks that guests follow current public health guidance regarding COVID-19. For more information about Sycamore Island, visit riverparkway.org or facebook.com/SycamoreIslandPark.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 3 Crappie 1 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing reported a phenomenal spoon bite in deep water along with G-Money jigs in brown/purple on a 3/8th-ounce jig head with a 5-inch Yamamoto twin-tail trailer in green pumpkin at depths from 15 to 40 feet. He said, “The Float N’Fly is also very effective for both spotted and largemouth bass at this time of year up the river arm.” The American Bass Association held an 11-boat tournament on Saturday won by Angels Camp locals Jason Remmers and Alex Niapas with a 19.11-pound limit with a big fish at 4.86 pounds. Trout fishing remains excellent for the small planted rainbows with shad-patterned lures near the surface, but the larger holdover rainbows remain in deep water to 100 feet, and few anglers are putting in the effort for the opportunity for a holdover. Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service went searching for crappie on Saturday, and he found 17 slabs in deep water. Even though the lake rose slightly to 40%, 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, “There hasn’t been much change here as the best action remains on the bottom with finesse techniques of plastics on the drop-shot, Neko-rig, Ned-rig or dart head. The occasional quality bass is found near Deer Creek with swimbaits or umbrella rigs where the recent trout plants were released. Spoons such as Hopkins Shorties or the Nichols Lake Fork Flutter Spoons in Shattered Glass Holographic are working in the deep water around Windy Gap. The shad schools are forming with the colder water temperatures.” Finding the shad schools is the key for trout trollers, and a few rainbows are taken on shad-patterned Kastmasters, Needlefish or Speedy Shiners. A trout plant occurred as scheduled at Avocado Lake last week with a trout plant also taking place on the lower Kings. 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. There have been reports of anglers poaching trout with either overlimits or taking trout out of the restricted catch-and-release section at Cobbles Weir. The flows have dropped from 774 cfs to 686 cfs at Trimmer. The lake held at 29% with a balance of inflow and outflow.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 1
Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service reported the overall bite has improved slightly for trollers and reaction fishermen due to milder temperatures. He said, “Trolling has improved for experienced anglers at depths from 60 to 70 feet with regular minnow lures such as Rapalas, Lucky Craft Pointers or Duo Realis in shad patterns such as blue back or black back with white. Most trollers are picking up a few schoolies from 19 to 24 inches working around the Romero and Basalt areas. Anglers are telling me that they are seeing a number of fish on their sonar, but the fish aren’t biting. The key is finding active schools that will bite as working inactive fish is tough. I fished with a friend on Wednesday, and we covered the entire lake scouting new areas because the fish are moving. The bite was slow early, but we kept scratching out a fish here and there off of the Romero and Basalt area throughout the day. There was very little activity at the Trash Racks although there was pumping, but I was encouraged by the improved activity as we ended up releasing 17 schoolies to 25 inches and one nice 10-pound hen. With the lake rising so fast, the fish are in a transition stage with the rising water. The water temperature is around 54 degrees with visibility ranging from 6 to 7 feet. The Basalt Ramp remains in good shape.”
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The bite for numbers of striped bass in the forebay is better than in the main lake, and most of our anglers are wanting to toss lures instead of soaking bait, 7-inch Magnum Flukes either a 3/0 or 5/0 underspin or scrounger head are working along with casting smaller five-wire umbrella rigs such as G-Funks or Yumbrellas. In the main lake, anglers are either drifting live jumbo minnows or jigging Duh! Spoons or Hopkins Shorties.” The main lake rose from 30% to 34%.
Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com 905-2954
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0
With the Sheriff’s Motor Fee in place and low water levels at the public launch ramp, few bass fishermen are heading to the lake, but kayaks are launching and working jigs on the bottom or tossing jerkbaits near the dam area. A trout plant occurred last week, and trout trollers are finding some success with blade/’crawler combinations or Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger at depths from the surface to 15 feet. Planters are also found near the Sheriff’s Tower with Power Bait, nightcrawlers or small spoons. The lake has dropped well past the comfort range for launching a large boat at the public dock. A webcam of the launch ramp is available at basslakeca.com.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
The gates at Kaiser Pass closed on Dec. 1, and it 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 0 Trout 2
Both lakes remain slow with snow remaining on the shorelines, but this is prime time for big brown trout hunters 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; Tom Oliveira – Tom Oliveira Fishing – 802-8072
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 0
The gate at McKinley Grove Road was closed on Dec. 1. Information is available at fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/home/?cid=stelprdb5399344.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Salmon 0 Rockfish 0 Striper 1 White seabass 1 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Half Moon Bay is one of the best locations for sand dab and Petrale sole during the winter months, and the New Captain Pete will be running sand dab/ Petrale sole/Dungeness crab combination trips depending upon interest and weather. Captain Tom Mattusch said, “Crabbing is slowing down out of Half Moon Bay. A commercial crabber pulled 45 pots for 150 crab. We are starting to see pots stacked on boats, bringing in their gear along with seeing more females in the pots.”
The Pacifica Pier has their own specialist cult of crab fishermen, and limits can be taken with long soaks by those throwing large hoop nets or working snares. This fishery has become very specialized with various snare designs, and since there is no requirement for a fishing license on a pier, it is perhaps the most popular location in northern California for shore access to Dungeness crab. The pier may be closed during stormy weather, and 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
Salmon 0 Rockfish 0 Striper 1 White seabass 0 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “Nearly 20 years ago, I was fortunate enough to share hosting duties on a local fishing radio show here in Santa Cruz. It was called ‘The Let’s Go Fishing Radio Show’, with founder and co-host Captain Mike Baxter. We took a few months “Winter Break” every year between the end of rockfish season and the salmon opener in spring. Wintertime felt long and grey. Grizzled harbor veterans became more irritable, and a downer mentality was prevalent. In a moment of inspiration, Baxter came up with a question “What can we do when there’s nothing to do?” Always community minded and both of us deeply involved with The Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project, we decided to hold a fishing derby. For surf perch. A benefit for MBSTP that might raise a few hundred bucks for the project. We envisioned the biggest derby in town for the smallest game fish.
Ironic as the idea might have been, the hard-core locals took to it immediately. Serious commercial fishermen, rabid sport salmon chasers, and a coterie of accomplished surfcasters bought into the idea. They began to trade challenges and good-natured insults and charged into pre-fishing weeks prior to the contest. Thus, the Sand Crab Classic Perch Derby was born. Our first derby was quite the learning experience. We measured the biggest limit of barred surf perch (at the time five fish), and fried up all the donated perch for a taco feast (Imagine fileting hundreds of surf perch for fillets…No thank you). Our celebration was further complicated by horrible rainy weather including gale force winds blowing up to 60 knots for the outdoor awards ceremony. We hosted about 90 anglers that year, brought a lot of smiles to the community, and raised a few bucks for our precious steelhead hatchery. A few years later the Derby was held one day after a tsunami hit Santa Cruz, destroying dozens of boats and docks in the Harbor.
We’ve learned a lot since then. Now it’s the biggest single fish that wins (why kill all those little perch?) We have multiple categories with over twenty trophies to bestow each year. By year 10, we settled into a new indoor venue and limited the entry list to “only” the first 300 entrants. The Sand Crab Classic had become insanely popular, with registrants traveling from as far as Arizona and Nevada for the annual benefit. The event is never perfect or seamless, but a dedicated cast of up to 30 volunteers help to hold the raffle and silent auction, operate the wood-fired BBQ, and handle check-in and T-shirt handouts.
Then, in 2020, COVID hit. At the very last possible moment, we were forced to postpone the event. We held an online “Virtual Derby” last year, but it’s just not the same. Now, in 2022, we’re stoked to be able and have an in-person derby once again. Everyone that entered in 2020 is automatically registered for this year’s event. Sadly, we cannot take any new entrants. On the positive front, we had all the prep work accomplished in 2020. A plethora of prizes and phalanx of golden trophies await the patient and loyal derby participants for the March 12, 2022 version of The Sand Crab Classic.
For those entered already from 2020, here are a few key points regarding this years’ derby. The 2022 derby is scheduled for March 12 at Portuguese Hall in Santa Cruz. Thanks to all who signed up for the 2020 Sand Crab Classic Perch Derby, we hope to see you all soon. While still a valid concern, COVID regulations at this time do not preclude holding an ‘In-Person’ derby for this year. So, it is a GO! (We’ll do our best to roll with the punches if conditions or regulations change. But, IT’S GONNA HAPPEN! Most questions can be answered by checking www.sandcrabclassic.com or the Sandcrabclassic Facebook Page. Queries can also be addressed to: sandcrabclassic@yahoo.com.”
In Monterey, Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching Trips said, “We are running sand dab/Dungeness crab combinations throughout the winter months depending upon interest and weather.”
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
Salmon 0 Albacore 0 Halibut 1 Striper 1 Rockfish 0 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 2 Crab 4
Boats out of Berkeley, Emeryville, and San Francisco are running sand dab/Dungeness crab combination trips depending upon weather and interest, and Emeryville Sport Fishing is running a morning crab on Friday, January 14th, a full day crab/dab on Saturday, January 15th, and a family day of inshore Dungeness and rock crab on Sunday, January 17th.
Inside the bay, Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast Guide Service went south from his berth at Oyster Point Marina to the Dumbarton Bridge area on Sunday for a 55-inch slot limit sturgeon at the start of the outgo along with releasing a 71-inch oversized. Both fish were taken on ghost shrimp.
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 0 Salmon 0 Surf perch 3
Rockfish season ended on Friday, December 31st, and it will reopen again in April with a slightly different sublimit for vermilion rockfish dropping from 5 to 4 with one copper rockfish also as a sublimit. Boats are limited to nature trips, whale watching, or the occasional crab/sand dab combination trip. The Patriot out of Patriot Sport Fishing went out with 14 anglers on Saturday for a total of 4 sand dab, 2 spider crab, 10 rock crab, and 3 Dungeness crab. 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 3 Bluegill 3 Salmon 0
Despite cold water temperatures and loads of floating and submerged debris including heavy logs, the sturgeon bite broke out over the weekend in lower Suisun Bay. The fresh water has been pushing the sturgeon toward the Benicia/Martinez Bridge, and the area outside of Martinez has also been the clearest stretch in the Delta without weeds.
Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing put on a sturgeon clinic on Sunday near Seal Island with his new ‘Fire Cure’ salmon roe, putting his clients onto six sturgeon including three slot limit fish at 43, 45, and 48 inches. He said, “The group decided to release the largest of the slot fish as I really promote catch-and-release in any circumstances, but particularly when we already have a couple of fish in the box. One of the clients hooked what he thought was a small sturgeon when it came running towards the boat, and he handed the rod off to his friend. When the sturgeon turned and started ripping off line, he wanted to take the rod back, but it was too late. That fish nearly spooled us twice before finally coming to the side of the boat to be released in the water as it was a good 8-feet in length. The fishermen that ended up fighting the oversized sturgeon was worn out by the time we got it to the boat. After a few quick pictures at the side of the boat, the big fish went back on its way.”
Mitchell will be presenting his sturgeon techniques at the International Sportsmen’s Exposition at Cal Expo in Sacramento on at the California Sportsmen’s Theater at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 21 and at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 23rd.
Another Delta sturgeon fishermen presenting at the ISE is Captain Zack Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures, and in addition to his seminars at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, his co-captain, Virginia Salvador, has arranged for a wide selection of raffle prizes for attending his seminars including Traeger Grills, Costa sunglasses, Accurate reels, and Seeker rods. Medinas said, “I went looking around in the sloughs this week, and the grass wasn’t as bad in the backend sloughs. If you hit the tides right, you can stay away from the grass, and if you compare it to a tumbleweed, it all makes sense. A tumbleweed takes wind to move, and the grass and debris require moving water to get clogged on the lines. I released a sturgeon at the Horseshoe during the week, and this is the area across from the Mothball Fleet.”
Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing has also been working the same areas as Mitchell, closer to the Benicia/Martinez Bridge, and he said, “We hooked five sturgeon on Saturday, and we dropped every one on the way to the boat. This has never happened to us before as the sturgeon were really chomping. There is quite a bit of debris on the bottom, but the top has been clear. The water temperature is up to 48.5 degrees near the bridge, and the fish are moving west with the fresh water flow. With all of the big logs in the water right now, night trips are on hold since it is dangerous to run in the dark. We are heading out in the dark in the mornings, but we are running slow and using our headlights to watch for logs.”
Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions is also operating out of Pittsburg Marina, and he said, “It sounds like they are catching fish outside of Freeman Island. The water temperature has risen, and the fish are biting.”
Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Sport Fishing said, “Captain Charles Kimberly of Flash I out of Pittsburg will be out scouting for sturgeon this week, and I know of two boats that found a pair of keepers near Seal Island. There are stacks of sturgeon showing up near the Benicia/Martinez Bridge, and if the bite continues there, I will move to my normal winter port of Martinez. We have been in Pittsburg the past two seasons because that is where the fish have been. The Diamond Classic Catch-And-Release Sturgeon Derby is a go this year, and Olivia Ortega of the Martinez Marina is coordinating the event. She has arranged for tents for the seminar when will be in the evening on January 28th with the derby on the 29th. I will be taking care of the awards and the raffle prizes. It is unfortunate that the majority of the pier will not be available for the youth anglers this year as most of the pier is under construction, but the derby will be happening.”
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. Information and registration at http://www.originalsturgeonderby.com/
Sturgeon Report Cards for 2021 are required by regulation to be returned to the Department of Fish and Wildlife by January 31, 2022, and they can be filled in online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing#44521416-harvest-reporting. The report cards provide critical data on catch and harvest that enable the Department to make informed fisheries management decisions surrounding white sturgeon and federally threatened Green Sturgeon populations.
Striped bass are found on the anchor with cut baits of frozen shad, sardines, or blood worms in the stained water, but the bite is extremely light with the cold water temperatures.
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.
Two bass tournaments were held in the Stockton area over the weekend, and if the size of the limits and the numbers of fish weighed in are any indication, the bass bite is nothing short of brutal. NorCal Bass drew 20 boats out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton on Saturday, and the combined 40 anglers weighed in a grand total of 5 fish with a winning weight at over 4 pounds. Sunday’s action was a slight improvement with Vince Borges and his son, Josh, taking first in the Delta Bass Busters tournament with a limit over 8 pounds.
Dave King, director for Nor Cal Bass said, “We did find some clear water in Whites Slough, but if you get out in the main channel, it was stained the color of tea. We only landed two fish for just over 3 pounds for 3rd place, and I was surprised that we ended up in third as it was a very tough bite. I lost one at the boat on a crankbait, and our first fish came on a spinnerbait. Once the tide changed to the outgo, I hooked another one on a crankbait so I threw the crankbait for the rest of the day. Mark Seaters and Charlie King took first with two fish at 4.85 pounds with a big fish at 3.06 pounds on a green Speed Trap. The water was 48 degrees with only 2 inches of visibility in most of the areas. Still, we were very encouraged with our first tournament of the year in tough, tough conditions.”
During Sunday’s tournament, Borges said, “I am primarily done guiding during the wintertime, but it is fun to fish with my son during these tournaments. We weighed in the only limit of the tournament at over 8 pounds with most teams weighing in one or two fish. We found a pattern in deeper water on the outside edge of the weeds, and using the Hummingbird Mega 360 really allowed me to find the bass on the deep grass. I used to think that electronics were unnecessary in the Delta, but I am a believer as the 360 works like a Side Scan, but it allows an image ranging 80 feet in circumference around the boat. Every time we found a hard ridge on the bottom outside of the weed line, we either landed a fish or hooked on. The water temperature was 47 degrees, even inside the marinas with a clarity between 1.5 to 2 feet. There was a little stain on the water, and we used light line on spinning rods throughout the day. Our two largest bass came on reaction baits with Josh landing one on a chatterbait while I picked one up on a swimjig. The rest of the bass came on Reaction Innovation’s 6.5-inch Flirt on a nail weight or drop-shot. The key was using light line and finding the bass in deeper water. All in all, it was a very tough bite.”
Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, said, “With the muddy and cold water, you have to slow things down. We have been finding a few striped bass on Optimum’s Bad Bubba Shad swimbaits on an underspin to gain more thump, and you drag it slowly on the bottom. We are catching a few stripers, but not very many.”
Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors reported a few anglers are punching the dead hyacinth patches as the cold water has been killing the hyacinth. Dan Mathisen will be hosting his first Delta event at Holland Riverside Marina on January 22nd.
Omega Nguyen of MegaBait and Tackle in Lathrop reported the San Joaquin River below the Mossdale Bridge is extremely muddy and cold. He said, “Striped bass fishing is very slow with the best opportunity for success on cut baits of frozen shad or sardines. I have been teaching my customers how to butterfly the sardines and tie the fillet around the hook. I am discouraging my customers from purchasing minnows right now as drifting minnows is very slow in the cold and off-color water. Cut bait, blood worms, or pile worms are the best offerings right now. With the Delta at a standstill, many of our anglers are heading to Lake Amador, Los Vaqueros, or Lake Tulloch for trout.”
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 1 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 3 Trout 0
At Nacimiento, 28 boats participated in Saturday’s Best Bass Tournaments won by Bryan and Rebecca Botts with 10.70-pound with a big fish at 3.77 pounds. The lake has risen from 27 to 29%, but there are loads of debris on the surface and below the surface, creating challenging conditions for boaters. In the stained water, the best action is 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 hit-or miss with the best action remaining on the bottom with plastics on a drop-shot or Ned-rig along with jigs. The lake has risen slightly, but boaters need to be cognizant of the low lake levels while launching and running on the lake. Trout plants have yet to be scheduled. 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, the best bass action is found on swimbaits or crankbaits along with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot. The bite is slow for the most part. Catfishing is also slow, but a few whiskerfish are taken on cut baits soaked in garlic A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. At San Antonio, the lake level held at 10%, and the launch ramp is only open on the weekends. There hasn’t been much change as bass action remains very slow in the cold and dirty water, 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
New Melones – American Bass Association/Mother Lode – January 8th: 1st –Jason Remmers/Alex Niapas– 19.11 pounds (Big Fish – 4.86); 2nd – Steve Chappell/Steve Riggs- 14.19; 3rd – Brandon Silvey/Robert Mansor – 13.97.
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Mother Lode – January 8th: 1st - Shad Sullivan/Troy Thomas – 12.56 pounds (Big Fish – 6.35); 2nd –; 3rd – Bryan Cox/Kevin Davidson – 12.29 pounds (Second Big Fish – 4.17) Ron and Rich Ingram – 10.34.
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments/Coastal Region – January 8th: 1st – Bryan and Rebecca Botts– 10.70 pounds (Big Fish – 3.77); 2nd – Dave Childress/Nathan Towes- 9.78; 3rd –Jason and Geno Lazzerini – 9.00.
Events
January 20-23
International Sportsmen’s Exposition – Cal Expo Sacramento – information – sportsexpos.com
Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)
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 January 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Fishing report, Jan. 12-18: Bass anglers beginning to focus on Millerton; Hensley rising."