Fishing report, March 16-22: Anglers coming from far away to try for Shaver kokanee

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

Photo gallery

Show off your success! Share your fish photos and videos with Bee readers. Please share only jpeg images and Mp4 video files. Include “Fishing Report” in the subject line and a full caption and email to sports@fresnobee.com

Best bets

South San Francisco Bay producing halibut and sturgeon, Captain Steve Gutierrez reported. Rockfish season opens April 1 below Point Arena with ocean salmon tentatively opening on April 2, Pacific Fishery Management Council reported. Don Pedro producing quality kokanee, Monte Smith said. New Melones bass solid for numbers and quality, Ryan Cook reported.

Proposed limit change

The Department of Fish and Wildlife proposed eliminating the two-fish 15-inch size limit at Eastman, Hensley, Kaweah and 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 five fish with a 12-inch size limit.

Roger’s remarks: Take the high road on the water

It’s that time of the year again when your favorite fishing spot has a recreational watercraft invasion. It’s not like anglers own the water, it’s just that we’ve been able to pretty much have the ramps, docks and water to ourselves for long enough this winter to begin to believe that’s how it should be.

Now, we can expect this:

There are always a few boaters who sprint to launch their vessel even though they’re not ready to go at all. Once these same anxious folks back down the ramp to the water, they go into slow motion, moving all their stuff from the vehicle to the vessel (which should already be done). Everything stops because one of the kids can’t find the sunscreen and a crazy fire drill takes place.

We’ll see boaters launch, put the engine down and find out the battery is uncharged or the engine won’t start. Now the boater is stuck moored to the dock, taking up valuable space for others to launch, take on passengers or safely exit the area.

Most of the time it’s due to never checking the battery, terminals or if the engine will start before heading to the lake and chancing it. Nice warm weather can do that to all of us. Do you bring a tow rope, jumper cables and tools along to help these folks? Yes, it’s a hard decision to take your precious water/angling time to help someone who tells you they deliberately went to the lake and didn’t check things out to save time. I always try to help whoever I can but I think that intentional disregard is dangerous and presumptive. I try to err on the positive assumption side.

Last year in the early spring I met a boater stuck at the dock trying to get his engine started. He had young kids and his wife with him and he wasn’t giving up — this was their first time out since last year.

I had a hunch and I asked if I could see his console. The engine would turn over, but not start. Did he have a master run switch on the boat? He didn’t know what that was. He found a switch he had never noticed before, turned it over and the engine took off.

This encounter kind of rebalanced me between just trying to be tolerant of people who slowed up my fishing day and trying to make a family’s day better or maybe even special. Never give up…helping those who need it.

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

Valley

Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

The California Aqueduct continues to be very slow. Bill Sterling of the Sportsman’s Warehouse in Fresno said, “It’s been very slow in the aqueduct and the surrounding canals in the Los Banos area. The water is still stopped at Checkpoint 9 due to repairs of the gates there. I fished 19 hours yesterday and nothing. We had over 20 poles out and all we caught was one shaker. I threw A rigs, swim baits, Rat-L-Traps, cut bait, and live bait. Nothing...” Sterling also runs Striperz Gone Wild, and they are holding another huge fundraising tournament with the first Hailey Lauchland Memorial Tournament on April 23 at the Volta Bridge with 10 cans of unexpired food as the entry fee. Check in at 4 a.m. with the weigh-in closing at 2 p.m. Prizes for top three places in both adult and kids divisions. There will be a raffle and prizes. Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Coyote confirmed the slow action in the aqueduct, and this was reinforced by Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop who said, “There have been some stripers taken around Tracy, but overall, the aqueduct has been slow.”

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, striped bass action has been better than up north as small swimbaits, jerkbaits, sardines, mackerel, or anchovies are all producing, particularly where the water slows. Catfish are taken on cutbaits.

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 1

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Largemouth bass are already starting to stage along the shorelines in both lakes with the warm and low water conditions. Sound-producing lures such as Rat-L-Traps or Brass N’Glass are working best in the murky water.” Trout fishermen lined the shorelines at both lakes after last week’s plants. The possibility for a trophy bass exists at each lake with big trout patterned swimbaits, but the largest bass taken recently at over 10 pounds was on a small Keitech swimbait. Eastman held at 10% and Hensley held at 17%.

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 3 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Don Pedro Reservoir has been relatively quiet over the past few months for both trout and bass, but early season results show great promise for an excellent kokanee season at the lake. Kokanee Power’s annual Team Tournament will be June 11.

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing took out three clients Saturday for great action for 10 rainbow trout, five kokanee to 15 inches, and a 2.5-pound king salmon landed by 7-year-old Maxwell Holbrook of Catheys Valley. Smith said, “The kokanee ranged from 10 to 15 inches, and the big fish came in at 1.5 pounds. The kokanee were all fat and healthy, and this is a great sign for the potential for the summer. The water temperature is at 54/55 degrees, and the kokanee were all high in the water column with most found between 17 and 25 feet with the deepest at 35 feet. We were running Pro-Troll’s Kokanee Killers for the kokanee along with Rapalas on the sideplaners to 10 feet.”

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass bite remains tough with the best action at depths from 20 to 40 feet with plastics or jigs before the fish move up in the afternoons.” The lake held at 59%. 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 1 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

Overall, crappie fishing has been slow, but kayakers working Notorious Jigs over certain trees are finding great action for up to 25-fish limits. The heavy pressure on crappie populations throughout the state are leading some to call for a 10-fish bag limit with a 10-inch minimum. Currently, only two lakes in California have a 10-inch minimum size – both in San Diego County. Trout plants have created a fair opportunity for the planters with Power Bait, Berkley Mice Tails, Atomic Tubes or Kastmasters from the shoreline while trollers are pulling shad-patterned spoons near the surface. The 31st Annual Kern County Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby will run from April 9th through July 4th with 500 tagged fish ranging in value from $20 to $5000. The Derby Headquarters is returning to the senior center for opening weekend, and if you enter prior to March 30, 2022, you will be included in the early bird drawing for $250 before the event even starts. All anglers must enter before April 9 at 7:00 a.m. when all entries are shut down. To enter the derby, go to www.kernrivervalley.com and click on the fishing derby link. Bass fishing remains slow, but a few whiskerfish are taken on Triple S Dip bait, chicken livers, or cut baits coated with garlic spray. 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. Catfishing continues to be best with The recommendation is to return to the state standard of a bag limit of 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit. Lake Isabella held at 11%. There haven’t been any recent trout plants at Buena Vista, and few anglers have been showing up in response to the lack of plants. A few planted rainbows have been taken on minnows or crappie jigs. Catfishing is fair with cut baits. 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. In the local lakes, Ming and the River Walk were kicking out planted rainbows last week, but the bite slows within a week of the plant. Heavy planting throughout the Kern River has brought about solid action despite low flows, and the 20-Mile section has been excellent for fly fishermen with Blue Wing Olives while spin casters are working salmon eggs, live crickets, nightcrawlers, or spinners. The river at Kernville is steady at 275 cfs also holding steady below the dam at 291 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 bass are starting to move into the shorelines with the warmer weather over the past week, but this week’s anticipated rain might push them back slightly into deeper water. The reaction bite is starting to improve, but the best action remains on the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot or jigs. The lake rose from 22% to 23%. The Kaweah River dropped from 212 cfs to 191 cfs at Three Rivers.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Bass fishing is starting to improve due to the warmer weather as the largemouths are moving toward the shoreline. Plastics on the drop-shot or jigs are working along with deep-diving crankbaits or spinnerbaits when the wind is blowing. The lake rose from 23% to 25%.

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

McClure Reservoir

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

48 boats participated in Saturday’s Best Bass Tournaments Central Division event won with a 12.44-pound limit by the team of Mike Van Guilder and Justin Steelman. Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass are scattered throughout the water column from the banks to 40 feet, and a variety of presentations are working including G-Money Jigs with Lunker Daddy twin-tail trailer or with 3.5-inch Lunker Daddy tubes. Numbers are not a problem but finding quality is a challenge.” Recent trout plants have spurred on action for both trollers and bank fishermen. 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 29%, and the best ramp continues to be at Barrett Cove South.

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

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 3

Calaveras Trout Farm planted again last week, and there were a number of trophy-sized trout released including one at 12 pounds. From the shorelines, the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, and the peninsula around the marina remain the top locations with gold or blue/silver Kastmasters, garlic Power Bait, or nightcrawlers. As the rainbows work their way up the river arm in search of cooler water, trollers are scoring with blade/’crawler combinations or red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler at depths to 20 feet near the 2nd Fence Line. The lake dropped slightly from 94% to 91%, but lake levels will remain high throughout the year.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped Bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 1

The buzz is all about how the two high school students took a 18.44-pound limit out of the lake last week while an adult tournament produced a winning weight in the 12-pound range. Dragging jigs on a slow presentation along the rockpiles in either deep or shallow water are working along with some reaction bite with umbrella rigs with 3.8-inch Keitech Fat Impact swimbaits. The San Joaquin River was stable at 637 cfs at Friant as water releases continue. The lake rose from 52 to 54%.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2

New Melones is another Mother Lode option for both trout and kokanee, and limits of planted rainbows are found from the Spillway to Angels Cove in the main lake at depths to 35 feet with white hoochies behind a 5.5-inch gold hammered blade. There have also been kokanee landed at New Melones, but reports have been suppressed in the early season. Kokanee Power will start their summer derby season at Lake Pardee on April 9. before Don Pedro in June and New Melones on July 9. The kokanee in both Pedro and Melones should be impressive by this time.

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Bass fishing continues to be strong with G-Money jigs with a Lunker Daddy trailer, 6-inch Lunker Daddy plastics on green pumpkin/red flake or 3.5-inch tubes at depths from 20 to 40 feet before the fish move up in the afternoons. 3/4-ounce spinnerbaits in white with gold blades are working along the mud lines in the afternoons on a slow roll. The overall reaction bite is slow.” The lake dropped slightly to 40%, and 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 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Deep-diving crankbaits are working on the far side of the lake, and anglers are tossing them off of the rocky structure. Bass are starting to cruise the shorelines. Jigs are also picking up a few fish on a slow presentation. Trout trollers are working hard for 2 to 3 fish per rod with shad-patterned spoons amidst the shad schools. Shore anglers are finding a few trout near Deer Creek with Power Bait or nightcrawlers.” Crappie are making a showing around submerged structure in the river arm. In the lower Kings, recent trout plants for rainbows to 4 pounds have accounted for solid fishing with Float N’Flies, crappie, jigs, Roostertails, Atomic Tubes, Trout Magnets, or Power Bait. The flows are stable at 671 cfs at Trimmer. The lake rose slightly to 33%.

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

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Coyote said, “Trolling remains slow with the best action coming from the banks with pile worms or jumbo minnows off of Dinosaur Point. There is some action with jerkbaits or small umbrella rigs.” The O’Neill Forebay has been a solid option for numbers of striped bass with bait near the old launch ramp as well as the beach near the ramp. continues to be slow with most anglers soaking bait from the shorelines The main lake dropped slightly to 44% with the O’Neill Forebay also dropping from 89% to 82%.

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

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The lake is receiving more interest for bass and trout as the waters are starting to rise and warm up. Trout trollers are picking up holdover near the dam with blade/’crawler combinations or various shad-patterned spoons from the and the Forks. Bass fishing is fair at best with finesse techniques near Willow Creek.” The annual Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby is April 30-May 1 with $55,000 in prize money available. Information - https://www.basslakechamber.com/fishing-derby. 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 https://basslakeca.com/. The lake rose slightly to 58%, creating more accessible conditions at the launch ramp.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

The gates at Kaiser Pass will not reopen until Memorial Day at the earliest. Edison is at 15%, Florence has dropped to 5% with Mammoth Pool also dropping from 83% to 70%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 3 Trout 2

Shaver has been a hot spot for the few trollers targeting kokanee, and dedicated kokanee fishermen are traveling from hours away to find kokanee to 17 inches working Wiggle Hoochies, JPex lures, or spinners with corn soaked in herring or garlic. The kokanee bite has been early in the morning prior to 9 a.m. The launch ramp at Sierra Marina is low, but boats can access the water at this point. Shore anglers are picking up a few holdover trout at both Shaver and Huntington. The access at Shaver is better as you have to trudge through snow to reach the lake’s edge at Huntington. Shaver’s launch ramp conditions can be checked via webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/camera.html. Shaver is at 33% with Huntington rising slightly to 50%.

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 should open by April 1 or earlier. Information is available at https://www.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

The New Captain Pete went out on a sand dab/crab trip on Saturday, but other than this, the harbor has been pretty slow as the April 1st rockfish opener can’t get here quick enough. There is good news with the anticipated April 2nd salmon opener as the majority of early season salmon are normally found south of the harbor at the Deep Reef and off of the Farallon Islands. Shore line action has been decent for surf perch, and limited scores of Dungeness crab are taken on snares or hoops from the crowded pier or surrounding beaches.

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

Salmon 0 Rockfish 0 Striper 1 White seabass 0 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Out of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey, sand dabs, Petrale sole, and Dungeness crab are holding up until the end of the month when rockfish season starts on April 1st. Reservations are starting to fill up for the opening weeks of the season. When the weather cooperates, the best location for Petrale sole remains in deep water in Monterey Bay. The annual Whalefest will take place on March 19/20th at the Old Fishermen’s Wharf from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Information on the free event is available at www.whalefest.org.

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “After a two-year hiatus due to COVID regulations, the famous Sand Crab Classic Perch Derby came roaring back this year on March 12, at the Portuguese Hall in Santa Cruz. Anglers came from near and far to participate to vie for ridiculously pompous Grand Master’s Trophy that stands nearly five feet high, festooned with sea eagles and of course, a leaping perch for the top piece. State and County Health regulations finally allowed indoor gatherings of up to 1000 people which gave organizers the green light for the year. Over 300 anglers and family members were able to attend the event this year.

Respectful of individual health concerns, the raffle and awards ceremony were held outside on a beautiful Saturday afternoon that graced us with sunshine and shady spots as well. Diners enjoyed the Tri-Tip and BBQ chicken luncheon with seating both inside and outside the hall, according to their choice.

Though fishing seemed ‘slow’ in the weeks leading to this annual event, a good number of hog perch were weighed in before the cut-off time of one p.m. The biggest perch this year was a barred surf perch caught by long-time attendee Allan Padua of Salinas whose 15.25-inch fish captured the Grand Master Trophy. Padua is no stranger to the awards ceremony, earning trophies on a regular basis through the years. His slab barred surf perch weighed in at two pounds, ten ounces. It weighed even more before weighmasters cleaned all the sand off the fish.

The complete leaderboard can be viewed at www.sandcrabclassic.com, along with photos and videos of this years’ event. Notable First-place trophy winners include Josh Shinsato for Men’s Barred Surf Perch (14.75-inches caught near 26th Ave in Santa Cruz), Kim Ressa for Women’s Barred Surf Perch (12.5 inches at Seascape), Matt Michie for “Men’s Other Perch” (14.0 striped perch from Monterey), Molly Hanson captured “Women’s Other” (10-inch black perch). Kristina Zepeda got the Junior Barred Surf Perch trophy (13.5-inch from Santa Cruz Harbor) and Caden Williams brought home the Junior “Other” trophy with a 15-inch pile perch.

Captain Mike Baxter and I are the primary organizers for this event which benefits the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project with a donation each year. But, most of the credit for success goes to nearly 30 tireless volunteers for setup and breakdown, raffle sales, silent auctions, music and sound, plus the fabulous kitchen and cleanup crews. Barring anything unforeseen, we will continue to host this benefit event every year on the second Saturday of March. Watch this column closely for sign-up announcements towards the end of December 2022. The event is so popular we sold out 300 entries in less than one hour for this year’s registration list.”

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

Salmon 0 Albacore 0 Halibut 2 Striper 2 Rockfish 0 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 2 Crab 3

There are only three more weeks before the rockfish season opens below Point Arena on April 1st, and there is a strong possibility for an ocean salmon opener on April 2nd. The Bay Area boats are gearing up for both seasons, but with the price of fuel, boats may be reluctant to venture outside the Golden Gate with anything but a full load. Bay potluck trips may take center stage for the early season as there has been a much better than expected halibut bite in the south bay. However, with live bait possibly unavailable until June, trolling will be the primary technique. Most of the action has been from Candlestick Park and to Coyote Point, and the kayak crowd has been joining the private and party boats in the south bay. Most of the action has been for undersized flatfish, but there have been some six-packs which have picked up as many as 18 halibut (six limits). Captain Jonathon Smith on the Happy Hooker took his first halibut trolling trip on Thursday, and they ended up with 4 legal fish along with up to 10 shakers per rod. There was plenty of action, but the numbers of legal fish have been limited. They will be back out again this week from Thursday through Saturday with open loads. The Pacific Dream, also out of Berkeley, will be back in action in a couple of weeks for potluck or early season salmon or rockfishing trips.

Ed Chin at Bay Tackle in El Cerrito said, “Halibut fishing has been on the rise as a few boats have actually put in limits. Everyone is fishing from Candlestick Park south to Coyote Point on the west side of the bay and near the Oakland Airport on the east side. The herring spawns never came over to the East Bay this season as everything was on the San Francisco side along the piers and from 3rd Street south. Striped bass action has been slow in our area, but there are some quality stripers coming out of Rodeo, Benicia, Napa, and Martinez along with a few reports at the Pinole Point Pier and in Hercules. The wind has kept us from heading out early in the mornings on our side of the bay.”

Captain Craig Hansen of Argo Sport Fishing out of San Francisco said, “We have started trolling in the south bay, and the results are surprisingly positive with halibut and striped bass jumping on the hooks, rendering our anchor for emergency use only. We are now exclusively targeting halibut and firmly entrenched in the spring mode. Our latest trips found near limits of halibut to 16 pounds with seven of the ten fish over 10 pounds as we are averaging a fish per rod or better for the last few trips. New fish have moved into the bay this week, giving hope to an upward trend.”

With the absence of live anchovies, most boats are trolling while a few are drifting frozen anchovies or herring, aka ‘popsicles,’ or mudsuckers, smelt, or shiners available from a few select bait shops.

Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast Sport Fishing out of Oyster Point stayed away from the halibut crowd in the south bay on Sunday and went towards the Dumbarton Bridge for sturgeon. He said, “We initially had trouble finding the fish, but after three or four moves, we found some sturgeon on the bottom. Within 15 minutes of getting the rods out, Chris Juan, hooked up with his first legal sturgeon at 54 inches on ghost shrimp coated with Pro-Cure Predator Scent. It was getting windy, and we were just getting ready to call it a day when Juan set hook on another fish, and it took off from starboard to port before running under the boat. He handed the rod off, and the sturgeon came in at an inch over the 60-inch slot limit and was quickly released. We did a lot of searching, but we finally found them.”

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

Less than three weeks to the April 1st rockfish opener, and the boats at Morro Bay Landing or Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay along with Patriot Sport Fishing at Port San Luis are taking reservations for the opening and following days. The sublimit for vermilion rockfish has dropped from 5 to 4 with one copper rockfish also as a sublimit. Boats continue to be 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 2 Sturgeon 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3 Salmon 0

It’s sturgeon time in Suisun Bay as the water temperatures have risen to the mid- to high- 50’s, and the diamondbacks are migrating through the Sacramento-Delta system on their way upriver to the spawning grounds. In any case, the sturgeon are chomping, and some of the six-packs have been loading up with as many as six limits of slot-limit diamondbacks several times per week. How long the resource can last at this pace is anyone’s guess, but for now, outside of a few six-pack operators promoting or practicing catch-and-release, the continued viability of the resource isn’t on enough angler’s radar.

Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions, currently out of Pittsburg Marina, took out friends Johnny Wang, Art Lomelli, and Missy Wakefield on Saturday when a charter cancelled at the last minute. Koyasako said, “The conditions were miserable in the Little Cut with the wind blowing from 10 to 20 miles per hour. Johnny had a good one on, and it came unbuttoned right at the boat when it rolled over and the hook came out. It was like the agony of defeat, but around 20 minutes later, he was able to experience the thrill of victory. He was reeling another rod with a small sturgeon around 18 inches when his rod doubled over and the fish took off running off yards of line. After a solid battle, the 58-inch diamondback came to the net as one of three slot-limit fish landed on the outgoing tide.” Wang added, “Sturgeon don’t normally bite on the ripping outgoing tide, but everything came during the max outgo window.”

Captain Zack Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures has also found tremendous sturgeon action with 8 fish to the boat on Sunday for four anglers with 4 to 5 in the legal slot-range prior to release. Saturday’s trip featured an all-ladies event with 9 sturgeon to the boat prior to release. Medinas said, “The grass wasn’t too bad, but you have to work around to stay out of the grass. Although the Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists indicate that the optimum sturgeon feeding temperature is 56 degrees, I believe that a consistent temperature is most important as the only thing that seems to put them off of the bite is a rapid change in water temperature. Many of our recent fish have sea lice as more sturgeon are moving into the system. This may also be a reflection of the encroachment of salt water further east into the Delta system during this low water year.”

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing has also been on a roll with two slot-limit sturgeon, two shakers, and one oversized on Sunday after bringing 8 fish to the boat on Saturday. He said, “The fish are chomping, and the hardest part has been to calm the nerves of our fishermen as they are too amped up when they get a bite, resulting in yanking on the rod too soon. We had three slots, four short, and one over on Saturday. It has been really good right now, and it should stay strong throughout April.”

There has been quite a bit of grass in the Sacramento system, and the grass has possibly been broken loose after last week’s freeze due to high winds and the releases from the Feather River which reached 5500 cfs on Wednesday. The flows will be dropping to 2500 cfs by Monday, but they are currently at 6158 cfs at Gridley

Dave Houston was out on both side of the Delta this week, and he said, “This week the water clarity and conditions were ideal with 56-degree water temperatures and virtually no grass fouling our lures. We fished both the Sacramento and San Joaquin. Tuesday we had eight keepers and lots of shakers. Friday, we didn’t catch a fish until 1:30 p.m., and after putting on 70 miles we finally found fish. We didn’t limit out, but we did get on to a good bite towards the end and most of our fish were caught shallow.”

Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors went out for striped bass in the north Delta early in the week, but after two hours with minimal action after losing a monster on a glidebait, he switched over to targeting black bass. He said, “The largemouth bite is getting better and better every day as the water temperature has risen to 59 degrees. It was a combination between Brush Hogs, Senkos, or chatterbaits producing great action for the bass. We are releasing our instructional videos on the YouTube channel, and we are already up to 4000 followers within 2.5 months. I will be back on the Delta this week to finish the largemouth video.”

Striped bass tournaments are on the horizon with the 1st Annual Captain Barry Canevaro Memorial Striper Derby hosted by the California Striped Bass Association on Saturday, April 2nd at the Rio Vista launch ramp. The target-length will be announced at 6:00 a.m., and fishing will last until 3:30 p.m. Information and registration is available at www.striper-csba.org. The entry fee is $40/angler with a 90% payout.

The following weekend on April 9th, the NorCal Fish Whisperers and Hammerdown groups are holding their annual Spring Striper Derby at B and W Resort from 5:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Information and registration available via Jason Judson at (209) 663-3579.

The largemouth bass bite continues to improve as the water is warming, and there is an emerging reaction bite. Live bait remains best for striped bass in the central Delta, but there has been some activity trolling deep-diving lures in the main channel.

Dave King, director of NorCal Bass, said, “We had a 34-boat tournament out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton on Saturday, and we weighed in three limits over 20 pounds. Chase Lloyd fished solo for the winning limit at 24.04 pounds with a big fish at 5.82 as he had a solid bag of fish averaging nearly 5 pounds. The best weights came punching deep vegetation, but there is an emerging reaction bite. I landed a 3-pound largemouth on a Whopper Plopper on my third cast, and I thought. ‘It’s on!’, but after another hour of throwing the lure without another hit, I switched over to crankbaits and spinnerbaits while my partner, Craig Tofanelli, worked the bottom with Brush Hogs or plastic worms. Catching fish wasn’t a problem as we were culling bass throughout the day, and I think the bite is going to break wide open in another week or two.” After drawing 34 boats to the Delta, Nor Cal Bass will continue their Lake Series at New Hogan this coming Saturday.

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “The spinnerbait and chatterbait bite continues to improve, and I can’t wait for our new pattern of chatterbait, Dan’s Craw, from Bobby D is released at the BassHole in Oakley and other shops. This pattern along with Golden Shiner continues to be solid, and I have also been scoring by flipping Reaction Innovation’s Sweet Beaver in Bloody Mary in light cover. The punch bite is also picking up, and I expect some solid bags during our upcoming tournament out of Holland Riverside Marina this coming Saturday, March 19th.”

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “Drifting live bait has been the ticket in the central Delta inside of Mildred Island, Frank’s Tract, the mouth of Indian Slough and the Old River, and also at Eight Mile Road east of Stockton. Fishermen are either drifting mudsuckers, minnows, or bluegill, but there is a topwater bite early in the mornings. The largemouth bass are already making beds in the 56- to 58-degree water, and the first spawn is coming soon.”

James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service found striped bass to 9 pounds on Friday trolling on the San Joaquin River around the mouth of the Mokelumne and the shoals to the west of the mouth. He said, “We found a couple of 5’s along with the 9-pound lineside, but there were two sea lions chomping on a striper in the area around the Antioch Bridge. When I went back on Saturday, the stripers were gone so we had to work further east with deep-diving lures for stripers in the 20- to 22-inch range. Live bait has been the best producer, and I will be taking a live bait trip this week. There are small clumps of dead hyacinth in the San Joaquin River, and these have broken loose after last week’s freeze and subsequent wind.”

Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Laurtizen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley said, “It remains a challenge on both side of the Delta, but we have been grinding it out for limits drifting live minnows. The stripers have been scattered out, and it takes some time to find them. Once you find them, the bite is good.”

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “The striped bass bite in the San Joaquin River below the Mossdale Bridge has improved with more legal fish in the system. A number of our customers have been drifting minnows near B and W Resort on the Mokelumne River, and the male striped bass are loaded with milt. Locally, legal striped bass are found at Sturgeon Bend and Turtle Beach, but the crappie bite has slowed down. The small canal behind Clifton Court Forebay has also slowed down for striped bass. Everyone wants fresh shad, but we don’t expect to have fresh shad until mid-April.”

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 2 Trout 0

At Nacimiento, the spotted bass bite continues to improve with jigs or plastics on a drop-shot, dart head, or split-shot at depths to 15 feet while a few spots are found deep around the shad schools with small shad-patterned spoons or ice jigs. White bass are starting to orient themselves to the river arms, and trollers or casters are working small white Kastmasters or Roostertails for the occasional white. The lake held at 28%. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, bass action is steady with the possibility of a 20-pound limit buoyed by a big kicker nearing 8 pounds. There is a rection bite with deep-diving crankbaits or jerkbaits, but the most consistent action has been with plastics on a Texas-rig or drop-shot along with Brush Hogs. A trout plant has provided the opportunity for a trophy bass on a rainbow trout patterned swimbait. Trollers are finding decent action for the planters with spoons while shore anglers are focusing upon deep water access with Power Bait or nightcrawlers. Another plant is scheduled this week. It is best to contact the marina at (805) 489-1006 for the latest launch ramp status as it could change any time. The lake level is nearly 30%. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, the recent trout plant has brought anglers to the shorelines with Power Bait or nightcrawlers. Garlic-scented Power Bait is working best. Another trout plant is scheduled this week. Bass fishing is fair with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot with an occasional quality bass taken on reaction baits of spinnerbaits or crankbaits. Catfishing is fair with cut mackerel scented with garlic. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. The lake is nearly 63%. At San Antonio, bass fishing remains slow, and it hasn’t shown much life for the past several months. Crappie are taken on occasion near submerged structure with minijigs, but the catfish bite is also slow. The lake held at 12%.

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 - March 12th: 1st – Chase Lloyd – 24.04 pounds; 2nd – Alex Sanchez – 23.28; 3rd – Drew Zanotto/Hunter Schlander – 22.55. Armando and Edgar Luzuriga – Big Fish – 7.74.

McClure – Best Bass Tournaments Central Division - March 12th: 1st –Mike Van Guilder/Justin Steelman – 12.44 pounds; 2nd –Mike and Ruben Gomez– 12.32 (Big Fish – 5.59); 3rd – Larry Vang/Bishop Vue – 10.44 pounds.

Santa Margarita – Bakersfield Bass Club - March 12th: 1st –Eric Rodriguez/Jason Tackett – 13.71 pounds; 2nd – Dennis and Matt Polm – 10.44 (Big Fish – 2.64); 3rd – Darren Palmer/Mike Selbach – 7.41.

Events

March 19th –

Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors

New Melones – Best Bass Tournaments

Tulloch – Christian Bass League

Don Pedro – 17/90 Bass Club

Success – Golden Empire Bass Club

Santa Margarita – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

March 20th –

Don Pedro – Kings River Bass Club

McClure - Nor Cal High School Bass

March 26th –

Delta/Big Break Marina – American Bass Association

New Melones – Bass Anglers of Northern California

Don Pedro – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments/Fresno Bass/Kerman Bass

Isabella – American Bass Association

March 27th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto Ambassadors

April 2nd –

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Don Pedro – 2nd Annual Ed Lacy Memorial

Tulloch – Kings River Bass Club

McClure – Angler’s Press

Eastman – Sheet Metal Workers Local 104

Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments

April 3rd –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Riverbank Bass Anglers

New Melones – Gold Country Bass Tour

Don Pedro – Kings River Bass Club/California Bass Federation

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 March 15, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Fishing report, March 16-22: Anglers coming from far away to try for Shaver kokanee."