Fishing report, Feb. 16-22: Prime time for big brown trout at Huntington Lake
Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.
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Best bets
Delta striper and bass action heats up, Alan Fong reported. Pine Flat crappie active and Bass Lake trout hitting, Michael Crayne said. New Melones bass and rainbow bites good, Don Pedro kicking out trout, Dave Hurley reported.
Roger’s remarks: It’s up to you how you’re going to act and react at the lake
Angler etiquette and how important it is to the quality of our fishing experiences came up in a conversation I had with a concerned fisherman the other day.
Practicing good manners while having respect and consideration for those around you starts before every fishing trip begins and doesn’t end until you unhook your boat. It’s a mental practice that expects the best but is prepared for the worst and how to respond to it correctly. Taking the high road is a proactive process, not the default setting.
By not getting offended and reacting negatively to an obvious protocol breach while also giving others the benefit of the doubt, you’re modeling the very attitude that promotes a healthy atmosphere and response. It’s the kind of attitude that can get caught by others and may help them want to change, too. Getting angry without real cause doesn’t really achieve the desired outcome of getting someone to change or to stop doing something; it just leaves two anglers upset.
Have you ever been at a crowded lake and everyone is on edge? I’ve seen it where just one guy decides to be a difference-maker and tries to be positive, helpful and patient with all the boaters around him. I’ve seen it where that one person’s attitude has transformed the people all around him . Funny what a positive attitude, a smile and some kind words can do.
I’ll confess, many times I’ve been guilty of rushing to judgment about other anglers running too close to me, not paying attention to other boats and hogging the launch or docks — then I later find out that what I thought was thoughtless behavior was actually unintentional, a mistake, and they were sorry. Jumping to conclusions isn’t a part of good etiquette.
Good etiquette can keep you out of trouble most of the time, because giving others respect, space and patient understanding can diffuse most tense situations. Trying not to react automatically to a perceived affront is not easy, but it seems to be the best way to stay cool, keep the peace and go on your way..
Good etiquette is synonymous with good sportsmanship. Practice patience, love, consideration and forgiveness when you hit the water. It’s what counts. Never give up!
Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
The California Aqueduct has slowed down, but Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “The northern section of the Delta/Mendota Canal is producing small striped bass on jerkbaits or flukes. Most of our customers are heading either to the Delta/Mendota or the main San Luis Reservoir.”
In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, the striped bass bite has improved with anchovies, sardines, or mackerel along with Keitech swimbaits or jerkbaits in shad patterns. Catfish are also taken on cutbaits with enough weight to hold to the bottom.
With the cold wintertime temperatures, 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 3
Eastman has been producing crappie in the submerged brush with 2.8-inch Keitech swimbaits on light 4-pound test. An estimated 10-pound largemouth bass was landed on a swimbait intended for crappie this past week. A few anglers are heading to Hensley, but the action isn’t stellar. There remains the possibility of a trophy bass on vibrating baits on the bottom in the off-color water, but the odds aren’t in your favor. The Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed eliminating the one-fish 22-inch size limit at Eastman and the two-fish 15-inch size limit at Hensley since efforts to create a trophy fishery have been unsuccessful. The recommendation is to return to the state standard of a bag limit of 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit. Eastman held at 10% with Hensley also holding at 15%. A double trout plant is scheduled at Eastman with a single plant at Hensley this week.
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 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
The American Bass Association tournament produced three limits over 11 pounds with the winning weight taken by the team of Kirk Sakamoto and Keith Friesen at 11.72 pounds with a big fish at 3.60. The best bass action remains with Lunker Daddy’s 3.5-inch tubes or spider jigs on a slow presentation at 20 to 50 feet on the bottom. The overall bite is a challenge, but Berserk Jigs on a painfully slow presentation is another option as the bass do not want to chase in the 53-degree water. Planted rainbows are thick at depths from 9 to 12 feet with Rapalas along with shad-patterned spoons on lead core from the surface to 15 feet. There is plenty of bait at 120 feet, and a few king salmon have been dragged out of the depths. The lake rose slightly to 57%. The Fleming Meadows and Moccasin launch ramps remain open.
The 2022 daily vehicle fee is $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.
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
Crappie fishing continues to improve, but it is essential to be in a boat with outstanding electronics as the slabs remain off of the shorelines. They will be moving into the shorelines soon as the water continues to warm. Small Keitech swimbaits, Notorious Jigs, or small- to medium- minnows have been most effective for the crappie. The bass were moving up, but with this week’s cold front, the bass will back off once again. Deep-diving crankbaits such as Norman’s DD-22’s or Strike King’s KVD 10XD’s along with big jigs are working best. The Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed eliminating the two-fish 15-inch size limit at Isabella since efforts to create a trophy fishery have been unsuccessful. The recommendation is to return to the state standard of a bag limit of 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit. Catfishing continues to be best with Triple S Dip bait, chicken livers, or cut baits coated with garlic spray. Planted trout can be found on various colors of Power Bait, Berkley Mice Tails, spoons, or spinners. Lake Isabella rose to 11%. Fishing interest at Buena Vista remains light, but there have been a few bass taken on plastics on a finesse presentation during the middle of the day while reaction baits are working in the mornings or evenings when the fish move up into the shallows. For trout, anglers have to be aware of the planting schedule as the bite slows quickly after the plant. 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. Heavy planting has taken place over the past month in the upper Kern River, and small spinners such as Blue Fox or plugs such as small Rapalas are working for the recently-planted rainbows. The access areas in the 20 Mile Section have been producing quick limits of planters. Salmon eggs are also effective. With the amount of snowpack, the river should remain viable for the coming months. The river at Kernville has from 245 to 329 cfs with the early snowmelt, but it is stable at 169 cfs at First Point below the dam. The upper river has several upcoming trout plants with Section 4 for the next three weeks with Section 5 receiving a double plant during the weeks of February 20th and 27th.
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
Finesse fishing remains best at depths from 15 to 40 feet deep with plastics on the drop-shot or with jigs. The bass were moving into the shallows, but with this week’s cold front, they will be backing out into deeper water once again. The Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed eliminating the two-fish 15-inch size limit at Kaweah since efforts to create a trophy fishery have been unsuccessful. The recommendation is to return to the state standard of a bag limit of 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit. The lake rose slightly to 17%. The Kaweah River rose from 130 cfs to 244 cfs at Three Rivers with snowmelt starting to flow into the watershed. A trout plant is scheduled at Mooney Grove Park next week.
Lake Success/Tule River
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
A trout plant occurred last week, and in addition to fishing for trout from the banks with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters, bass fishermen are casting for the opportunity at a trophy largemouth. Overall, bass fishing remains tough with plastics on a Texas-rig or drop-shot along with swimbaits on a slow roll working best on a slow presentation. The Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed eliminating the two-fish 15-inch size limit at Success since efforts to create a trophy fishery have been unsuccessful. The recommendation is to return to the state standard of a bag limit of 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit. The lake held at 20%.
On the Tule, nymphing with little weight and an indicator is working best as the flows are excellent. Nightcrawlers, live crickets, or salmon eggs are all working for planters for spin casters.
Call: Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 3 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
The Best Bass Tournaments held a 74-boat event on Saturday, and similar to last week, four teams weighed in over 10 pounds with the winning team of Joe and Mike Pischarz weighing in 12.94 pounds, a two-pound improvement over last weekend’s tournament. The best action remains on the bottom at depths from 20 to 40 feet with G-Money Jigs with Lunker Daddy twin-tail trailer or with 3.5-inch Lunker Daddy tubes. Planted trout have created a solid trolling bite near the dam with Kastmasters or similar shad-patterned spoons. The area from the Houseboats south including Temperance and Cotton is now 5 mph. There are several additional tournaments in the coming months. The lake held at 27%, 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 last plant was three weeks ago, but there are still holdovers from the plant with some anglers finding success while others are struggling. The best action has been in the middle of the day with the warming water around the normal locations of the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, and the peninsula around the marina with gold or blue/silver Kastmasters, garlic Power Bait, or nightcrawlers. Trollers continue to find the occasional rainbow in river arm near the 2nd Fence Line with blade/’crawler combinations or red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler at depths to 20 feet. The lake held at 94%, and lake levels remain high throughout the year.
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, “The bass are starting to stage for the pre-spawn in the upper section of the reservoir, and the small males are migrating into the river arm around the submerged trees and rocky structure. Some fish are suspending in the warmer portions of the day. The best action remains on the bottom with plastics on a drop-shot or jigs. The larger female spotted bass remain in the main lake. With the fish in deep water, a good fizzing needle is necessary. The San Joaquin River dropped from 441 cfs to 355 cfs at Friant as water releases continue. The lake is at 52%. Trout plants are scheduled for Woodward Lake in Fresno during the next two weeks.
The Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club will be in action again on Sunday, March 6 for the Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT) is These tournaments are open to all valley high school students and to 7th and 8th 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 Spencer (mespenc@gmail.com or 559-261-5296).
A trout plant occurred at Sycamore Island this past week. Sycamore Island is open Fridays through Sundays and State holidays until November 11. Seasonal hours of operation are 6:00 am to 5:30 pm January, February, March, October, and November; 6:00 am to 7:00 pm April and September, and 6:00 am to 8:30 pm May through August. Entry fees are $9.00 per vehicle and $5.00 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, Madera, CA.
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.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1
The trout bite is outstanding for planters both in open water and inside of the creek channels at the mouth with Speedy Shiners, Kastmasters, Needlefish, or similar spoons in shad patterns near the surface. The Future Pro Tour held an event on the lake over the weekend, and bass are holding shallow around big rocks or wood inside of 20 feet while others are out between at 45 to 60 feet. The 3.5-inch Lunker Daddy tubes in sculpin patterns have been excellent along with G-Money jigs with either a creature bait trailer or a Lunker Daddy double-tail trailer for largemouth bass to 5 pounds. The lake held at 41%, but numerous unmarked hazards remain 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 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 3
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Crappie are showing up in the trees up the river arm and also along the marina docks with various crappie set ups. The docks around Lakeview have been holding some slabs along with bluegill. Bass are found in the submerged trees, and while some anglers are trying umbrella rigs or deep-diving crankbaits, the best action remains on the bottom with 5-inch Senkos along with finesse plastics on green pumpkin, orange, or black/blue. Trout trollers are pulling shad-patterned Kastmasters, Needlefish, or Speedy Shiners through the schools of shad.”
In the lower Kings, Bill Sterling of the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Fresno reported a trout plant has spurred on action with the best fishing remaining in the late afternoons when the waters warm up slightly. Roostertails, Atomic Tubes, Trout Magnets, and Power Bait are all working in the transition from fast to slow water. The flows have risen from 544 cfs to 837 cfs at Trimmer as snowmelt has started. The lower Kings is next scheduled for a plant during the week of Feb. 27. The lake has also risen slightly to 30%. Trout plants are scheduled for Avocado Lake for the next two weeks.
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
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The main lake continues to produce school-sized striped bass for those tossing the River2Sea Rage Walker, lipless crankbaits, or 4-inch paddletail swimbaits in chartreuse/white.” Drifting jumbo minnows has also been productive.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the main lake bite has been going from slow to decent, then back to tough for trollers and minnow anglers this last week. “ The bite has been very slow overall most days in the stained 3- to 4-foot visibility cloudy water that has been at around 55 degrees until this weekend when I found surface temps up to 62 degrees. The fish are very suspended right now, and I fished with a buddy on Sunday for just seven school fish. It’s one of the toughest bites I’ve seen, and I’m getting reports from quite a few trollers and minnow anglers who are experienced. We believe that the stained water may be the result of decomposing plant materials which may be affecting the oxygen levels until it clears up. We are already catching some milting males which tells you the spawn will be early. We aren’t seeing a lot of active fish schooling up right now, but things could change quickly.”
In the O’Neill Forebay, the bait bite has slowed down, but the warmer water temperatures are contributing to active schools of striped bass, particularly around the rockwall. Umbrella rigs, jerkbaits, or lipless crankbaits are all working along with soaking jumbo minnows. The bait bite is fair with anchovies, sardines, or pile worms. The main lake has risen to 45% this week with the O’Neill Forebay dropping to 76%.
Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com 905-2954
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1
Michael Crayne at Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Trout trollers continue to find success for holdover rainbows near the dam with Kastmasters or similar spoons in shad patterns. Crappie action has improved around submerged brush or trees with Z-Man’s Slim SwimZ’s, tiny Zoom Flukes, or Strike King’s Mr. Crappie Slabalicious.” Bass fishing is fair at best. With the Sheriff’s Motor Fee in place and low water levels at the public launch ramp, few bass boats are heading to the lake. A webcam of the launch ramp is available at basslakeca.com. The lake held at 53%.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
The gates at Kaiser Pass will not reopen until Memorial Day at the earliest. Edison is at 13%, Florence has dropped to 3%, and Mammoth Pool is at 72%.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Kokanee 2 Trout 2
Jay Irvine of Visalia trolled Shaver starting around 9:30 a.m., and he said, “We caught trout to 1.8 pounds at the Point on Paulina Peak purple/green spinners behind a brass lake troll at a setback of 100 feet. We landed another five kokanee on the downrigger at 35 feet with a setback of 50 feet on the Paulina Peak Clown hoochie with a Peak Performer dodger in pink lemonade with another kokanee on a side rod on a Clown hoochie behind a pink/silver dodger at a setback of 124 feet. We have been trolling between 1.3 and 1.4 mph, and tipping the hoochies with a piece of nightcrawler and corn has been most effective. This is prime time for big brown trout at Huntington, but the secretive brown trout society will not give it up under any circumstances. Shaver’s launch ramp conditions can be checked via webcam at sierramarina.com/camera.html. Huntington held at 47% with Shaver rising to 31% with the start of snowmelt.
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 https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sierra/home/?cid=stelprdb5399344.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Striper 2 White seabass 1 Crab 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 2
Things haven’t changed much out of Half Moon Bay with a few party boats including the big boat New Captain Pete available for crab/sand dab/Petrale sole trips. Ed Chin of Bay Tackle in El Cerrito said, “For surf perch along the ocean beaches, the action has been inconsistent due to changes in water temperature. The perch are big in the 1- to 2-pound range, but it has been ‘hit or miss.’”
Anglers can check the status of the pier via 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
Striper 2 White seabass 1 Crab 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
The best location for Petrale sole remains Monterey Bay, and Chris Arcoleo of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching said, “We are taking reservations for the rockfish opener, and we are filled on April 2nd which is Saturday after the Friday opener. Our Petrale sole trips have been very popular, and we have had some great success as we have dialed in our techniques. Captain Tinker landed 15 on his rod alone this week. The Petrale sole trips are all-day long, and we also load up on sand dabs during the trips. We have some room on Saturday’s trip, and a number of mackerel are also a bonus. The Spanish mackerel are highly desired as their flesh is mild.”
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “We enjoyed some fine weather ad ocean conditions this week on Monterey Bay. A few afternoons were gusty, but most mornings showed calm and glassy seas. Surfcasters had a little swell to contend with, but surfperch like a little tumult in the water, don’t they?
There aren’t a whole lot of boats going out to the fishing grounds right now. Most of the six-pack charters are on vacation until April. The bigger charter companies are doing well, looking for sand dabs and crabs for the most part. Chris Arcoleo at Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey posted good numbers for multiple trips this week, including scores of up to 27 Dungeness crab, 800 sanddabs and 105 Petrale sole on the Check Mate and Caroline.
There’s not much point in trying to predict how a fishing season is going to shape up, but we are already seeing some signs that this year might be weird. If we’re lucky it will be wonderfully weird. One angler took advantage of a huge bonito feeding frenzy off Santa Cruz a couple weeks ago, and we received reports of feeding bonito again this week. Which brings up the big tuna question. Are the bluefin still around? If not, might they come back this year? Will we finally have a year for albacore fishing like in “the old days?” The bluefin tuna might well be here still, just nobody is fishing for them. There is a huge amount of bait in the bay including anchovies and mackerel which is probably holding those bonito close by and hopefully keeping the bluefin in the area as well.
The plentiful bait is making a noticeable difference for inshore anglers. Halibut look to be starting their annual migration back to the shallows already, a month or so earlier than usual. We received reports from the Santa Cruz Mile Buoy and the 60- to 80-foot depths near Capitola of halibut caught as recently as Super Bowl Sunday. It would be well worth anyone’s while to get out and bounce ball hoochies, stickbaits, or even frozen bait right now. Usually, March is the earliest we see these halibut scouts coming in while April and May bring bigger returns on the flatties. Don’t be surprised if that whole scheme of things shifts to a month earlier than usual.
Like last year, surfcasters are not seeing much striped bass action from Monterey Bay beaches. But, surfcasting for perch is decent and getting better. Much of the beach structure from December’s storms has flattened out. Good parallel troughs seem to be the best structure target at this time. Surfcasters below Moss Landing are catching more and bigger fish, though the Santa Cruz County beaches are starting to catch up. A few anglers have reported good results while traveling north of Santa Cruz to the wilder north county beaches and select spots below Half Moon Bay.”
On the Capitola Wharf, Capitola Bait and Bait is open for boat rentals on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Reservations are advised – (831)462-2208.
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 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2
Although it is mid-February, the window for halibut is being kicked open with a few of the tasty flatfish starting to show up in the south bay. The south bay is traditionally the top location at the start of the season as the water is generally clearer, and private boats and kayaks are launching out of Alameda, San Leandro, Oyster Point, or Redwood City to get in on some early season action trolling hoochies behind a flasher or frozen anchovies or herring known as ‘popsicles.’ The numbers aren’t great with only a few flatfish landed so far, but this is what Bay Area anglers have been waiting for as it is still six weeks prior to the local rockfish opener. Herring spawns continue to be intermittent and limited to the San Francisco side of the bay, but there may be a big spawn brewing along the East Bay shores with the coming full moon on Wednesday, February 16th.
The herring spawns continue along the San Francisco shoreline, and Ed Chin of Bay Tackle in El Cerrito said, “It’s all been on the SF side with the exception of a single spawn at the Alameda Rockwall. They have been around Piers 48-52, ATT Park, Red Rock Marina, and the Municipal Pier near the Marina Green.” The striped bass bite continues to slowly improve around the Carquinez Straits and Rodeo with some action in the Napa and Petaluma Rivers. The striped bass have moved into the Salt Ponds along Highway 37 on the high tide, and they get trapped in there until the tide comes up again. Along the East Bay shorelines, small striped bass in the 15- to 19-inch range have been the rule with a few from 20 to 30 inches around Pinole and Hercules.
Captain Craig Hanson of Argo Sport Fishing out of San Francisco said, “Halibut are slightly over the horizon, leaving striped bass and sturgeon on the current menu. Until recently, our voyages into San Pablo Bay had been a leopard shark catch and release free-for-all. The action was enjoyed by many, but the target species remained bass and sturgeon. Finally, both showed in tandem last week. Outstanding weather and cooperative fish changed the narrative with two 50-plus-inch sturgeon landed and enough bass bites to keep everyone on their toes. In theory the lack of freshwater does nothing to increase the catch rate of sturgeon in San Pablo Bay, but the switch has flipped and we’re following the light until further notice. The lack of striped bass highlights the very sad state of a once vibrant fishery, and it’s unfortunate seemingly no one within the agencies assigned to protect the species is doing their job. That said, this is the time when some bass should be moving through the bay. Within a few weeks the Argo will likely stow the anchor and begin halibut trolling excursions.”
The party boats out of San Francisco, Emeryville, and Berkeley will start their halibut trolling trips soon while waiting for the appearance of live bait in the pens.
Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael had a different version of the last few days with slow sturgeon action throughout San Pablo Bay as the diamondbacks seem to a missing in action. He said, “There are a few striped bass coming off of the shorelines, but it’s nothing to write home about.”
In the south bay, Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast Sport out of Oyster Point has started his halibut trolling trips, and he said, “Darius Schumake of Patterson landed a 24-inch flatfish on one of my Deadliest Kast halibut trolling rigs.”
White sturgeon may not be taken in the 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 between January 1st and March 15th.
Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388
San Luis Obispo
Surf perch 2
Rockfish season 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. 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 3 Striper 3 Sturgeon 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2
The 38th Annual Foundation Sportsman’s Club 38th Original Sturgeon, aka “Super Bowl Sturgeon Derby, was held in spectacular weather in the California Delta over the weekend. The weather during early February has brought high winds and major storms plaguing participation over its history, but there were no excuses regarding participation this year as the continued high-pressure system brought record-breaking temperatures. Even with the amazing weather, the participation dropped to 667 entrants from a high of 919 in 2021. This year’s weather even topped the fantastic conditions in 2021 and 2020 as the last year in which weather was a major factor in the derby was 2019. With entry fees of $40/participant, the derby raised a total of $26,680.00 in fees, paying out $20,524.00 to the top 7 finishers closest to the 50-inch slot on both Saturday and Sunday for a 77% payout.
The Foundation Sportsmen’s Club started with a group of anglers in Bay Point who needed a place to go, and they rebuilt a dilapidated bait shop for their clubhouse. According to the club’s history, shortly after the club was formed, a young man named Johnny Filbeck lost his battle with cancer, and since he was a huge football fan, the club members formed a 501 (c) 3 foundation to establish a scholarship fund in Johnny’s name to help high school students from the Bay Point area who participated in sports during their four years of high school to attend college. Major funding for the scholarships come from the ‘Super Bowl’ Sturgeon Derby. This year’s derby should have over raised over $6,000.00 in scholarship money based upon entry fees minus payouts.
Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing was out with an all-star crew for the entire 30 hours with Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing and deckhands Joey Gamez Jr. and Anthony Gibbs. Mitchell said, “We ended up with 3 slot-limit fish with two close to the 50-inch target, and Gibbs ended up on a tie for 7th place on Sunday. The boat traffic was intense, but there were more fish turned in by 2:00 a.m. on Sunday than throughout the day on Saturday. The outgoing tide was big, and there was a good incoming tide during the night. Everything for us came on salmon roe, and we stayed out of the shallow water, fishing at depths from medium to medium-deep. The good part was the radio chatter was kept to a minimum this year, and this was a pleasant change from past years.”
The water clarity continues to improve in the Sacramento-Delta, and it is only a matter of time before the striped bass bite breaks out in a major way. Sturgeon fishing remains good for some and a struggle for others as the warming water temperatures have resulted in the diamondbacks scattering throughout Suisun Bay and into the upper Delta.
In the north Delta, Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors reported improved conditions, saying, “The water temperature is cold at 49 degrees in the early mornings, but it warms up to 54 degrees by 1:00 p.m. The visibility has improved to 2 feet with green water color, and the striped bass bite is going to happen quickly. A number of fly fishermen have been working around Liberty Island, and we found 20 school-sized striped bass to 7 pounds on 5-inch Fish Traps.” Fong was back out on Super Bowl Sunday in 2 to 3 feet of water in the north Delta with a protype lure, and his videographer, Denise Loo, caught and released her personal-best striped bass in the 30-pound range. Fong said, “We also lost four other monsters as it was crazy hooking all these big gals in the shallows.”
Captain Zack Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures was out with his co-captain Virginia Salvador on Saturday along with UFC contender at the 145-pound weight, Josh Emmett of Sacramento. Medinas said, “We caught and released a total of 7 sturgeon with four in the slot and three under while losing an oversized fish. We weren’t participating in the derby, but we did have one fish right on the 50-inch mark. Our previous trip was with a Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist responsible for the fish count on the river, and we caught, tagged, and released 8 sturgeon out of a triple hookup, a double hookup, and three single hookups. We are working with the department along with UC Davis on their sturgeon programs.”
Prior to the weekend derby, Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing found at least a sturgeon per trip up to Thursday when he said, “The sturgeon are very spread out in small groups, and you have to find the ones willing to bite. We went into the Montezuma Slough side near Collinsville and set up on fish, but these were unwilling to bite as the action was all down by Port Chicago. The water temperature has really come up to the 53/54-degree range, and I think this is why the sturgeon are moving around.”
Striped bass have been on hold on the Sacramento side for months after the late-October blowout, but there are signs of life with the clearing water. Craig Newton of Will Fish Tackle in Auburn said, “Ron Retzlaff and Mark Wilson were out on the West Bank, and the water was clear at 54 degrees. They found their best action at the bottom or the top of the tide with minimal water movement, ending up with a quad hook up, a few triples, and some doubles of schoolies.”
Bass tournaments are popping up throughout the San Joaquin side of the California Delta, and the weights are significantly more impressive than the 4- and 8-pound limits taking first place in early January.
Dave King of NorCal Bass out of Stockton said, “We had 29 boats out of Ladd’s Marina on Saturday, but the bite was kind of tough for at least half of the field. The best action came on the bottom along the rocks with Senkos in crawdad colors such as black/blue, black/red, or watermelon red flake. The bass are already starting to stage up.” Vince Mina and Alex Sanchez took first at 17.6 with a 6.7-pound big fish followed by the team of Kris Huff and Joe Bryson at 15.92.
Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “It’s starting to perk up a bit, and little swimjigs worked along the outside weed lines along with chatterbaits are effective. I switched from a crawdad color to golden shiner this week, and right off the bat, I started getting thumped. I picked up two at 6 and 4 pounds for a 10-pound total early in the week throwing the old-style Bobby’s Perfect Frog in white/blue/black on Thursday, but when I went back the next day, they wouldn’t touch the frog. The old-style frog has a subtle kick from the placement of its nose. The best locations have been in the areas where the sun has been beating down such as south-facing banks. The blue/black Senko on a Texas-rig with a 1/8th to 1/16th-ounce weight is also effective.” Mathisen is holding his second Delta event this coming Saturday, February 19th at Holland Riverside Marina.
A 60-boat tournament was held out of Russo’s Marina on Saturday with the team of Zack Ploeger and Payton Lyndall taking first at 21.94 pounds with the top four places all weighing in over 20 pounds. Punching the weeds or working secondary weed lines with plastic worms were best for numbers while the big fish of the tournament was taken on a frog.
Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors said, “The Delta is starting to come alive as the 70-degree weather is bringing out a more aggressive largemouth bite. There will be limits over 20 pounds during this weekend’s tournaments out of Russo’s as the pre-fishing limits have been in the 18/19-pound range. The visibility has improved to 2 to 3 feet, and some areas the water temperature has risen to 51/52 degrees. It seems like we are around a week behind from where we were last year as the nights have still be cold. Once the nights move into the 50-degree range, the bite will turn on like a light switch. Punching the dead hyacinth has been productive, but there are some areas without the dead mats. The swimjig bite has improved along with paddletail-type swimbaits. The bite is going to come in waves as you might go two hours without a bite and then land 10 fish within an hour. The bass could be spawning very soon.”
On the San Joaquin River, Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing will be out scouting early in the week as he said, “The bite is ‘hit or miss’ right now, and I want to be able to put my clients onto fish. Usually, our best action starts in early March for striped bass after the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach. The steelhead smolts have been coming down the river, and there are stripers trickling in.”
School-sized striped bass have been taken by drifting mudsuckers near B and W Resort on the Mokelumne River along with tossing glide baits near the mouth of the Mokelumne at Korth’s Pirates Lair.
In the south Delta below the Mossdale Bridge, Omega Nguyen of MegaBait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “It’s still very slow south of the Mossdale Bridge with most of our fishermen either heading to Los Vaqueros, Amador, or even San Pablo Dam Reservoir for trout along with the Delta/Mendota Canal for striped and largemouth bass.”
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 2+Crappie 2 Bluegill 3 Trout 2
At Nacimiento, the Best Bas Tournaments held a 42-boat event on Saturday, and there were two limits over 10 pounds weighed in with the winning team of Mike Enos and Steve Bereda at 10.37 pounds. The team Randy Wallis and Mike Hummel took third with 9.67 including the big fish at 3.67 pounds. That’s a big bass for Nacimiento. Plastics on the drop-shot along with jigs are working best at depth to 30 feet, and there has been some action under the shad schools with ice jigs or spoons in deep water. The warmer afternoons have been the most productive time for bass. The white bass are starting to gather near the mouths of the creek and river arms as they are pushing the shad schools into the banks. The lake held at 29%, but it has risen over 50 feet since the end of October. There is floating debris throughout the lake, and navigation requires extreme caution. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, quality largemouth bass in excess of 7 pounds have been landed on jigs or reaction baits, but the best action for numbers is with plastics on the drop-shot, Texas-rigs, or Ned-rig along with slow-dragging Brush Hogs. the best bass action is on the bottom with plastics on a drop-shot, shakey head, or Ned-rig along with jigs at depths to 20 feet. The lake remains low at 30%, and launching a boat requires some patience. Trout plants have yet to be scheduled. It is best to contact the marina at (805) 489-1006 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, quality largemouth bass are also a possibility as an 11-pound bucketmouth was weighed in this week on a Senko. Crankbaits and small swimbaits are effective, but the best numbers are taken on jigs or plastics on the drop-shot. The water temperatures remain cold in the low- to mid- 50-degree range. Shad schools are thick in the main river channel, and the bass are loading up on the shad schools. Catfishing is fair with mackerel soaked in garlic spray, but there is the intermittent decent whiskerfish landed from the shorelines. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. The lake is at 64%. At San Antonio, the water continues to clear, but bass fishing remains slow. The best action has been for crappie with small swimbaits or minijigs as the catfish bite has also slowed. The lake remains at 11%.
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
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass – February 12th: 1st – Vince Mina/Alex Sanchez – 17.60 pounds (Big Fish – 6.70); 2nd – Kris Huff/Joe Bryson – 15.92; 3rd – Rich and Christian Fonbuena – 13.94.
Delta/Russo’s Marina –– February 12th: 1st – Zack Ploeger/Payton Lyndall – 21.94 pounds; 2nd – Logan and Colby Huntze– 21.09; 3rd –Cameron Cardoza/Rober Reihl – 20.02.
New Melones – Future Pro Tour–– February 12th (No First Names provided): 1st –Holloway/Price – 14.67 pounds; 2nd – Lizama/Trout – 14.01; 3rd – Javioux/Manning – 13.91.
Don Pedro – American Bass Association/Mother Lode –– February 12th: 1st –Kirk Sakamoto/Keith Friesen– 11.72 pounds (Big Fish – 3.60); 2nd –Steve Riggs – 11.57; 3rd – John Liechty Jr./Rob Betsch – 11.33.
Lake McClure– Best Bass Tournament –– February 12th: 1st –Joe and Mike Pischarz – 12.94 pounds; 2nd –Tristan Hale/Charles Welch – 12.67; 3rd –Brian and Jeremiah Payne – 10.70.
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments –– February 12th: 1st – Mike Enos/Steve Bereda – 10.37 pounds; 2nd – John and Erik Zillig – 10.12; 3rd – Randy Wallis/Mike Hummel – 9.67 (Big Fish – 3.67).
Lake McClure – Fresno Bass Club –– February 13th: 1st – Ron Red Sr. – 10.63 pounds; 2nd – David Heirendt – 10.16; 3rd – Cory Kerber – 8.48. Lazaro Calderon - Big Fish – 4.58.
Upcoming tournaments (subject to change)
February 18th
Pine Flat – Golden Empire Bass Club
February 19th
Delta/New Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors
Amador – Nor Cal Bass
Don Pedro – Kerman Bass Club/Christian Bass League
Santa Margarita – American Bass Association
Lopez- San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
February 20th
Delta/Big Break Marina– American Bass Association
New Hogan – Modesto Ambassadors
New Melones – California Bass Federation
McClure – Riverbank Bass Anglers/Kings River Bass Club
Millerton – Bass 101
February 26th
McClure – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Kaweah – Sierra Bass Club
February 27th
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – California Bass Federation
Lake Camanche – Nor Cal High School Bass Fishing
March 6th
Millerton - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
April 3rd
Pine Flat - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
April 24th
Delta - Big Valley Region of the California High School Student Angler Federation (CAHSATT)
June 5th
Delta – Major League Fishing California High School State Championship
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 6:45 AM with the headline "Fishing report, Feb. 16-22: Prime time for big brown trout at Huntington Lake."