Fishing report, June 8-14: High Sierra report: ‘As soon as your lure hits the water, bam’

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

New Melones kokanee and bass hitting, Kyle Wise reported. Shaver trout take center stage, Dick Nichols said. Don Pedro kicking out bass, kokanee and rainbows, Monte Smith reported. Wishon and Courtright trout bending poles, Kelly Brewer said. Success bass and Tule River trout active, Chuck Stokke reported. Delta stripers and bass bites good, Alan Fong said. McClure bass steady, Ryan Cook reported.

Roger’s remarks: More anglers embracing guided trips

I’ve had lots of guests tell me they had a fishing boat for years, then they suddenly changed course and sold it. These folks are usually very busy, don’t want to be bothered by all the issues having a boat can cause, and realize they just aren’t on top of the fishing trends, bites and new techniques. In many cases they sum it up by saying that it became obvious they only have so much time and/or only so many years to enjoy fishing, and they want it to be as good as possible every time they go.

This trend has become even more pronounced with the rising price of gas, the distance to some fishing areas, storage and insurance costs, and being able to get parts and service work done.

In addition to all the regular boat issues, I’ve found that a lot of anglers say that they just aren’t having the luck they expect to have fishing one of their regular holes. The pressure on many of these lakes has increased, especially with the current drought reducing most lake levels far below what used to be annual norms.

Funny how many folks tell me that catching some fish would be great, but they are out on the water so they can escape having to deal with all the regular problems. I watch them walk down the dock with their ice chest and some suntan lotion, step in the boat, sit down, look around and then take a big breath as they begin to unload the stress.

Sometimes I’m envious! The guest will drive down to the dock, get in the boat and everything is ready to begin fishing. All they need to do is enjoy themselves, reel in some fish, step out of the boat and drive home. There were no prior day preparation problems, tackle setups or worrying if the fish would bite. Afterward, no boat cleanup or putting-away chores.

Guided trips aren’t cheap, but owning a boat and using it aren’t, either. Some days I think I need a guide, too! Never give up!

Proposed new bag limit

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 5 fish with a 12-inch size limit.

Valley

Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “A number of our customers are fishing the Delta/Mendota Canal with anchovies or sardines for small striped bass and catfish. The striped bass seem to be migrating south down the aqueduct as the flows have increased.” Moving water remains the key for active linesides. Largemouth bass are taken on plastics, flukes, or underspins.

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, striped bass, largemouth bass, and catfish are possibilities. Largemouth bass are taken with topwater lures, Senkos, or plastics on the drop-shot. Catfishing is best with live minnows, cut bait, or Triple S Dip Bait on the bottom of the aqueduct. The best action occurs where moving water stops to a crawl.

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

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Holdover rainbow trout to 15 inches have been taken on 3-inch swimbaits or jerkbaits near the dam at Eastman. There are bait fish throughout the lake, and palm-sized crappie are showing up in the submerged bushes with minijigs. Bass fishing is fair as the fish are thin and in post-spawn mode.” Eastman held at 10% with Hensley holding at 21%.

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

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 3 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

The boat traffic at Don Pedro has been ramping up throughout the week in preparation for the annual Kokanee Power Team Tournament this coming Saturday. Don Pedro has made a remarkable turnaround within the past few years for kokanee as this same tournament only produced a handful of the landlocked salmon a few years ago.

Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing has been out on the lake on a regular basis, and he said, “We had nine kokanee and a king salmon on the box by 8:45 a.m. in the overcast conditions on Saturday morning, and this was the best fishing we have experienced all season. I wasn’t able to get a second rod out for several minutes as we kept catching trout. We worked over a small area around 50 yards, and we picked up a 3-pound king. The watermelon Pro-Troll E-Lure along with the Paulina Peak’s Platinum Flutter Bugs were effective behind a Mack’s or Rocky Mountain Tackle dodger at depths from 55 to 65 feet. T-Bone’s Tackle by Tyrone Beard along with my custom micro-hoochies are also effective, but spinners haven’t come into play as of yet. We marked fish at 75 to 80 feet, but we couldn’t get these to go. After loading up in the early morning, we put down rods at 45, 50, 55, and 60 feet in depth for kings with the E-Lures, and Henry Sanchez of Stockton landed a king at 5.2 pounds. We also pivoted for rainbow trout with my custom spoons, and we picked up clean rainbows to 2.4 pounds. Sanchez’s nephew, Christian Valencia, landed the big rainbow, and it seemed that the cleaner rainbows came on the fast-trolled lures with more copepods on the fish while slow-trolling. There were a number of boats out pre-fishing for the upcoming tournament, and it is a matter of finding the fish in order to stay on top of them since the schools remain scattered. It was no problem catching rainbow trout as they are loading up on the lake’s shad schools. It has been normal to see live shad wriggling out of the trout’s mouths when they hit the net. We have been catching trout as deep as 70 feet, and the fish in the morning are coming up relatively clean while the one later in the day are fuzzy with copepods. The kokanee are still scattered in various locations, but they are in great shape and pushing 16 inches. We put in 10 rainbows and eight kokanee during the week, but we couldn’t get the last two kokanee to the net to fill out limits. I have been building my own micro-hoochies in pink and running them behind either a Mack’s, Vance’s, or Rocky Mountain Tackle dodger at depths from 55 to 60 feet. The kokanee seem to be holding at this depth. I have one RMT 5.5-inch Hyperplaid dodger in silver with a pink line that has just the perfect bend, and this particular dodger is responsible for 85% of the kokanee. The surface temperature is rising, and we are seeing trout busting shad on the surface. We have a trip this week where the anglers want to focus on king salmon, and I know they are in there, but it is a matter of finding them. Pro-Troll’s Sting King E-Lures are my go-to for kings in deep water.”

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Bass fishing is best with topwater lures such as the Berkley Choppo 110 or 120 as the fish are chasing shad on the surface in main lake. The key is to look for birds working the surface.”

The water level at Don Pedro held at 67%, and the water is now covering the parking spots on the right side of the Fleming Meadows launch, leaving boaters to make the long walk up to the parking lot. The Blue Oaks launch ramp features a shorter walk to your tow vehicle.

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 3 Trout 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

Largemouth bass action has improved, and there is a reaction bite with swimbaits or crankbaits at depths to 15 feet while there are still bass cruising in the shallows. Plastics on a Texas-rig or jigs are also effective. Crappie fishing continues to improve with minijigs or small to medium minnows selected structure in deeper water. The key is finding the right tree or bush holding the slabs, but once you find them, numbers of quality crappie can be landed. Trout plants have propped up the bite for planted rainbow trout with Power Bait or nightcrawlers from the shorelines with deep water access while trollers are scoring with shad-patterned spoons. The Kern County Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby which will last until July 4th. Tagged fish worth $20 to $5,000 have been planted. The registration is closed. The lake held at 14%. The river at Kernville dropped from 532 to 457 cfs, and it rose below the dam from 565 to 753 cfs at First Point. The flows in the upper river are reaching their apex, and the river will be fishable throughout the summer. When the flows drop, it will be fishing from pool-to-pool. The insects are hatching with the warmer weather, and various dry fly patterns are working. Spin casters are scoring with nightcrawlers, spinners, live crickets, or salmon eggs due to heavy plants in the spring. The Kern River Section 4 was planted 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 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake rose slightly to 64%. Crappie are found near rocky structure or submerged trees by Horse Creek while the bass are moving out into deeper water. The Kaweah River dropped from 327 cfs to 288 cfs at Three Rivers.

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Trout 3 Catfish 2

Chuck Stokke of the Sequoia Fishing Company said, “This is the best time of year for bass fishing as plastics, reaction lures, topwater lures, and swimbaits are all effective. Crappie fishing is the same with minijigs or small to medium minnows near the marina. No trout plants are scheduled in the future for either the lake or the Tule River. In the Tule, fishing is excellent for natives with dry flies, stimulators, hoppers, ants, or Woolly Buggers. Spin casters are scoring with Panther Martins.”

The lake held at 38%. In the Tule River, Balch Park was planted last week.

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

McClure Reservoir

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

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “The bass bite has been tougher than the other Mother Lode reservoirs, but there are some quality fish schooling on bait in open water. ¼-ounce Kastmasters, 2.8-inch Keitech swimbaits on a 1/8-ounce G-Money Ned-rig head or a 1/8-ounce G-Money underspin are effective along with topwater lures or jigs in a light sculpin pattern.” The trout have gone deep, and the best action is for trollers pulling shad-patterned spoons near the dam. The lake held at 44%, 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 best action for the holdover rainbows is in the early mornings or late afternoons with Power Bait, Panther Martin spinners, or ¼- to 3/8-ounce Kastmasters at the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, and the peninsula around the marina. As the summer progresses, the rainbows will 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 from 91% to 82%, but lake levels will remain high throughout the year. During the summer months, the water park feature will dominate the lake.

Call: Angler’s Edge Market – (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Recreational boating is taking over the lake, and a few anglers are trying to locate some crappie with limited success. Bass fishing is best in the early mornings or late afternoons with Senkos or Hula Grubs in the main lake along with reaction baits in the river arm.” The next big tournament is the annual Father’s Day derby held by Bass 101. The lake dropped to 71%, and the San Joaquin River held at 1,680 cfs at Friant.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Although Don Pedro will be the center of the California kokanee scene this week, don’t sleep on New Melones as quality kokanee are found here. The word is out since the boat traffic has ramped up in response to a great bite. Bass fishing has also improved with the fish feeding heavily on the lake’s shad.

Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service continues to find quick limits of kokanee to 16 inches running the original J-Pex lures behind a gold Paulina Peak hammered dodger at depths from 28 to 65 feet. He said, “The fish are already on structure, and it is a matter of finding the schools lining up along the edges of the channels. After starting out at 28 feet in the morning, the fish go deep quickly. We are done by 8 a.m. every morning, and I also have been running twilight trips for easy limits.”

For bass, the Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments held an event on Saturday, and Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club adviser Michael Spencer came in second place with former bass fishing club member Steven Cha. Spencer said, “Steven and I were able to pre-fish last Sunday and found that the bass were still in the backs of creeks and coves, but the better fish for us had transitioned to more summer locations on points and humps. They were still fairly shallow as most of our fish were in less than 20 feet, but they had moved toward and to the main lake. For the tournament, we focused mainly in the southeast section of the lake because that was where we caught more black bass pre-fishing. Tournament morning started with a light wind from the north. and Steven had four keepers in the box before 6 a.m. on a bone-colored Whopper Plopper worked around visible treetops sticking up on points. I added a solid fish on a 3.8-inch Keitech over submerged wood just after 6. The Plopper was good for a few more fish till about 7 a.m., but then for us that bite died. The wind had picked up by then, still coming in from the north so we moved to a couple of exposed points, and I culled out all the topwater fish with the small swimbait. Submerged trees with hard bottom were the most productive combination of cover. By 10:30, we had 12 pounds. Steven and I are both grateful to David and Victoria Coy for creating the Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments with a “family” atmosphere. The teams are competitive, but also friendly and supportive. It’s been rewarding to be around so many good anglers so willing to share good information.”

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing has also been finding great action at Melones with largemouth bass to over 7 pounds and spotted bass over 4 pounds with topwater walking baits such as Strike King’s Sexy Dog, double buzzbaits, River2Sea Rovers, or Berkley Choppos in 110 or 120 in bluegill patterns. He said, “Everything is shad-related, and shad-sized baits such as the Rage Swimmer in 3.23 or 3.75 inches in Electric Shad on a ¼-ounce G-Money underspin are working, as well.”

The lake dropped 3 feet to 36%. The high and middle water ramps at Glory Hole Point are closed with the concrete lower ramp at the end of Glory Hole Point remaining launchable with two courtesy docks. Driving down to the ramp, the road is slightly bumpy, but manageable. This ramp is in the water from 940.00 to 900.00. Angels Cove boat ramp and parking lot will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to low water levels. The high and middle ramps at Tuttletown are closed with the lower concrete ramp open with courtesy docks in place until the lake reaches 900 feet in elevation. The lake is currently at 921.96 feet in elevation.

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 said, “There is a topwater and reaction bite in the early mornings, but the most consistent action is found with finesse presentations on a Texas-rig or Senkos along with deep-diving crankbaits. Limits of trout have been found by trollers pulling Needlefish in shad or frog patterns along with Little Cleos near the shad schools at depths to 60 feet from the Power Lines to the dam. Crappie are found in the trees near Sycamore or Big Creek along with around the docks at Deer Creek. A tournament on Sunday attracted a number of local anglers, and the lake produced a winning limit at 14.63 with the big fish pushing 4 pounds.” The lake rose slightly to 62%.

In the lower Kings, planted rainbows or brook trout are taken on Power Bait or nightcrawlers along with small Rebels or crankbaits. Finding slower water is the key as the flows are still high, although dropping from 1,949 cfs to 1,741 cfs at Trimmer, creating potentially dangerous conditions for waders.

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 2

The long-awaited Safety of Dams Project at San Luis Reservoir has started, resulting in the closure of the Basalt Recreation Area kiosk, road, boat launch, and dock on June 1 in order to begin the project of reinforcing the dam against seismic concerns. This phase of the project is expected to last three years, leaving the only available launch ramp and dock at the Dinosaur Point launch and parking area on the west side of the lake. Alternative campgrounds and day use areas throughout the park complex will remain open during the temporary closure.

The Dinosaur Point launch is located off of Highway 152, creating a longer drive around the lake for those coming from the south portions of the Central Valley. The O’Neill Forebay at Check 12 had been the hot spot for the past month, pumping out not only water down the California Aqueduct but a number of big striped bass in the 40-inch range.

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “Although there is still tremendous interest in Check 12, the overall bite has died for big fish, leaving numerous 12- to 17-inch stripers on pile worms or anchovies. In the big lake, the minnow bite has also slowed down, primarily since the supply of extra-large and jumbo minnows has dried up. There is a topwater bite in the mornings at the mouth of Portuguese Cove with Super Spooks or River2Sea Rovers along with jerkbaits such as Duo Realis 120s in Neo Pearl.”

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the overall bite continues to be tough for most anglers. “I scouted with a buddy on Wednesday and we fished hard all day. We got three nice fish trolling in the morning then the bite completely died ‘til 5:30 when I accidentally found a feeding school on some flats at 70 feet. We ended up with 12 released stripers to around 7 pounds trolling Lucky Crafts. The fish are hard to find for some reason. I had to cover a ton of water to finally find some fish. I expect the heat to make a difference this week in the activity. The wind has been a real issue the last two months.”

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “In the main lake, trollers are working umbrella rigs or jerkbaits while everyone is still looking for those 40-inch striped bass at Check 12. Some anglers are fishing at night with big rattling plugs.”

Wind has been a major factor on both the main lake and the forebay in the past several weeks, and there are warning and lake closure lights on the main reservoir near the Basalt Entrance Station, Quien Sabe Point, and the Romero Visitor Center. In the O’Neill Forebay. Warning lights are located near the old Medeiros boat ramp and above South Beach. Amber lights signify caution conditions for winds or other concerns while red lights mean the lake is closed for boating and all vessels must immediately vacate the lake when the red lake closure lights are on.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com 905-2954

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2

Trout fishing has been on fire for the recent planters along with a few holdovers. Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing.com said, “The trout bite is off the charts as it’s a constant bite of 12- to 16- inch rainbows here. We have so many limits taken this week with clients from Australia and Sweden. As soon as your lure hits the water, bam. We continue to use Dick’s Mountain Trout Busters or Mountain Tubes in orange or pink tipped with white maggots, along with Rocky Mountain Tackle’s pink Planktons behind Dick’s Mountain Dodgers in blue at depths to 23 feet from Miller’s Landing to the Sheriff’s Tower. The kokanee bite has not developed yet. I think it’s coming as the water level rises and water temperatures rise.” The Grand Prize in the Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby is worth $500 for derby entrants until June 30. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun said, “There are a lot of post-spawn bass, and males are guarding fry while the females are cruising in deeper water. Topwater lures or jerkbaits have found post-spawn bass from 5 to 7 pounds.” A webcam of the launch ramp is available at basslakeca.com. The lake rose to 91%.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Kaiser Pass was scheduled to open on May 30. Edison rose slightly to 36%, Florence rose from 61% to 72% with Mammoth Pool also rising slightly to 94%. Access to Mammoth Pool is closed until June 15 for the annual deer migration.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 2 Trout 3

Shaver Lake has been producing the largest kokanee in the state by a few inches this year, and as a result, kokanee fishermen from all over the Western states have been arriving for the opportunity of a 19-inch or even larger landlocked sockeye salmon. Kayak anglers have been a regular feature on the lake, and they are getting dialed in on the kokanee scene.

Dick Nichols, guide emeritus, will be coming out of retirement with trips on the lake a few times per week. He said, “Craig Davidson, manager of Shaver Lake Hardware and a regular on Shaver Lake, reported that the kokanee bite is off, but the trout bite is pretty good. He has not talked to many successful kokanee fishermen at his store in Shaver as most report kokanee fishing is pretty slow with the better fishermen catching up to seven on a trip. But sadly, more are picking up none to two kokes on the average. As a result, Davidson said he has switched from targeting kokanee and is focusing upon trout, finding a solid bite of rainbows and browns with Dick’s Mountain Trout Buster tipped with corn behind a Dick’s Mountain Flasher at a setback of 100 feet or about 20 feet down as his go-to set up. On one of his downriggers, he is using a Trout Buster behind a Dick’s Mountain Dodger in orange and gold.”

Jerry Yang of Merced has been routinely scoring limits out of his kayak, and he recently posted his personal-best kokanee at 19.25 inches. Yang was on the lake on Saturday morning for a limit of quality kokanee, and he said, “The best action is very early in the morning before the sun comes over the mountain, and the key has been pink hoochies at 35 feet.”

The annual Youth Trout Derby is Saturday, June 18, and according to Nichols, it is shaping up to be the largest youth derby in some time. The derby was originally developed by U.S. Forest Service Ranger Greg Marks and it has been in existence for 25 years. In spite of being bound to a wheelchair after a work-related helicopter accident, Marks coordinated the event for the first two decades-plus until declining health has decreased his involvement. The current derby is under the direction of Mike O’Connell, past secretary of the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project.

Nichols said, “The Shaver Lake Trophy Trout picked up Mark’s banner and continued the event under his guidance. 125 young fishermen have signed up for the June 18 event. In addition to several fishing-related games and visits by Smokey Bear, lunches will be served by the SLTTP members under the direction of Bob Bernier. Prizes will be distributed to winners. Involved again this year is the USFS and Cal Fire along with the entire SLTTP membership. The event was not held the past few years due to COVID. The last event held fish winners included six trophy-sized trout. This year’s event will get an extra boost with the SLTTP’s partners in several of their events California Fish and Wildlife. They will be planting the lake with catchable rainbows the day prior to the event.”

Huntington is kicking out limits of trout and small kokanee for trollers working small gear from the surface to 20 feet. Brook trout are found in the creek arms.

Shaver’s launch ramp conditions can be checked via webcam at sierramarina.com/camera.html. Huntington rose to 97%, with Shaver also rising slightly to 58%.

Todd Wittwer – Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Tom Oliveira – Tom Oliveira Fishing – 802-8072

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 3

Kelly Brewer at the Wishon RV Park and Store said, “Fishing is great at both lakes with a number of 14-inch trout at both Courtright and Wishon. Bank fishing with rainbow or pink Power Bait is still producing limits while trollers are pulling spoons, Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger, or Rapalas.

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Wishon is also kicking out limits for bank fishermen as trollers are working the shallows along the right side of the rockwall with Rapalas or various spoons. Bank fishing is best in the river arm, but everyone seems to be limiting out.” The Wishon RV Park and Store is now open.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Salmon 3 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

The salmon season remains open below Pigeon Point, and the Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sportfishing went south on Friday for 13 limits of salmon to 20 pounds. Rockfishing was on tap throughout the weekend, but with the salmon still holding south of Pigeon, even one of the big party boats out of Sausalito is willing to make the excessively long run south to find open salmon waters. The season above Pigeon Point will reopen on June 23rd and last until October 31st. With the numbers of salmon in Monterey Bay along with the pattern of salmon moving progressively up the coastline, the action should return around the harbor once the season reopens.

Rockfishing was the story over the weekend, and the Riptide put in 9 limits of bottom fish on Saturday with the Ankeny Street holding along the coastal reefs for 20 limits of rockfish and 6 ling cod on Saturday. After a solid day on the salmon grounds on Friday, the Queen of Hearts worked shallow water for 16 limits of rockfish including 5 cabezon along with 6 ling cod. The Ankeny Street followed up Saturday’s performance with 20 limits including five cabezon and 4 lings to 5 pounds.

The California Department of Fish and Wildilfe released approximately 250,000 brood year 2021 fall-run chinook salmon on Sunday, June 5th into Half Moon Bay at Pillar Point into the Coastside Fishing Club net pens. These fish are from the Mokelumne River Hatchery, and these are the first of three releases. These fish are approximately 106mm fork length and Coded Wire Tagged (CWT) and marked with an adipose fin clip at a rate of 25%. The salmon will be released from the net pens after acclimation, and they are anticipated to return to the harbor area in three years.

Anglers can check the status of the Pacifica 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 2 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “A new south swell rolled into Monterey Bay this week. Combined with a larger west swell, the water roiled and nearshore fishing suffered. Salmon also scattered this week with catches reported all around the bay as well as off the north coast of Santa Cruz. Salmon are holding deep and were hard to find for many anglers. Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching Trips in Monterey had a good day of salmon fishing Friday as the Check Mate reported 14 fish for 14 anglers while mooching. All of Chris’ other trips for the week went for rockfish and reported back with the usual limits including ling cod up to 20 pounds. Chris Arcoleo said, “We have been hooking plenty of salmon, along with losing over half of them as these are big fish. We returned with 14 salmon on Friday after 9 limits on Thursday and 31 salmon on Wednesday. The salmon are in the bait, and when they are in the bait, we are stopping on the piles and getting them mooching. The commercial boats aren’t finding this type of action by trolling. The Caroline pulled in 12 limits of rockfish and a pair of ling cod on Friday.”

The Moss Landing crowd of private boaters continued on the hunt for salmon, and some did quite well despite the south swell and scattered fish. Working the big canyon edges and fishing deep, quite a few limits were reported all through the week. A few skunks were in the mix as well. The Pajaro Pipeline area is holding some schools of rockfish, and it is also an excellent habitat for halibut that have been moving in over the past couple weeks. The swell slowed catches of these fish considerably.

In Santa Cruz, salmon fishing blew hot and cold. Go Fish Santa Cruz reported full limits on Wednesday for six clients aboard the beautiful Miss Beth, but only landed one out of three on Saturday. On Friday and Sunday, their trips for rockfish were fantastic. Working the deeper reefs just north of Santa Cruz, Captain JT Thomas reported full limits for all aboard on Friday, saying, “The clients had early limits of a variety of quality fish including vermillion, yellow tail, and coppers,” On Sunday, he said, “The clients caught a variety of quality rockfish. The weather was a wet but everyone had fun!” Santa Cruz Coastal Charters recorded a similar experience for the week. Skipper Rodney Armstrong reported on Wednesday saying, “Today we were back at it for king salmon. The fishing was red hot again. We had the 12 for the clients and one for us. Could have easily had the other three for us but stacked the gear and got out of there.” On Saturday, Armstrong went for rockfish, and he reported, “We had to work hard but we ended up with six limits of rock fish. Only found one short lingcod and fished four different rock piles. It was good times hunting around.”

Surfcasters were challenged by the booming waves and massive amounts of kelp and seaweed in the water. Still, with the right tide and the right location, fish were there to be had. I fished New Brighton in the morning and found a few clear spots towards the middle of that long beach. Mostly, I was pulling kelp in and breaking leaders. The reward was meager with only a few fish measuring up to ten inches. That evening, local Santa Cruz Surfcaster Ivan O’Sullivan headed down to the end of his street near Pleasure Point for an epic one-hour session into sunset. He reported, “I caught six perch from seven inches to what was probably my personal best- a female at more than 12 inches and 1.5 pounds. She was so pregnant I didn’t want to measure or weigh her and just got her back in the water. All caught on Lucky 13 grubs coated with Lunker Oil (shrimp). It was amazing. Clear beautiful water with zero salad. It was surreal! I am loving perch fishing again!”

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

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Salmon 3 Halibut 3 Striper 2 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 2

The first wave of the salmon season ended on Tuesday, May 31st, but this was the best day of the season by far for the Bay Area party boats as the fish showed up in numbers along the Marin coastline. Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Sausalito said, “Clearly a big wave of salmon started moving into Duxbury, and it is highly likely that they will be stacked up like cordwood along the whole Marin coast. This was a great way to end the first part of our 2022 salmon season. We ended with 36 king salmon for 18 anglers with our biggest fish of the year at 29 pounds.”

One boat out of Emeryville Sport Fishing continues to head to the Farallon Islands whenever the weather allows, and they put in 14 limits of rockfish and 12 ling cod on Saturday. There has been limited interest in rockfishing so far this year, but this will change starting in late August.

The boats out of Sausalito that normally will be chasing salmon are now inside the bay in search of halibut, but at least one of the boats is willing to make the excessively long run down the San Mateo coastline below Pigeon Point where the salmon season remains open. The salmon season from Pigeon Point north to Point Arena reopens on June 23rd to October 31st. There is great anticipation for the salmon to be holding along the Marin County coastline in numbers when the season reopens.

The availability of live anchovies has allowed San Francisco Bay party boats the ability to work the deep water spots in the central bay off of Alcatraz Island, the Barges, and Angel Island, and the larger grade of halibut has responded. The deep water holds the majority of the larger fish that were unreachable by trolling, although trolling was producing up to limits.

Saturday was perhaps the best day on the bay so far this unbelievable season as party boats returned with up to 23 limits of halibut. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing continues to prove that his new 14-pack, the Malia Kai, out of Berkeley is a ‘Fishy Boat.’ Saturday’s haul was 10 limits of halibut and 2 crew, only to be followed by 32 halibut to 14 pounds along with 6 striped bass to 10 pounds. Mitchell said, “We have been working off of Alcatraz, the Barges, Treasure Island, and Southhampton Shoals in the central bay, and there are fish all over. We missed several opportunities to put in limits on Sunday as the key aspect to halibut fishing is to let the fish suck down the bait. A common error is to be too quick by pulling the bait out of the mouth of the fish. Young 9-year-old Colton Berkhout of Modesto was a real stick, and he was putting on a clinic in front of the adult anglers by listening to the captain and deckhand by letting the halibut suck it down before lifting up on his rod. I was happy to see him shine amongst the older guys who lost so many fish. We also found some quality striped bass, and they are fat. I am sure that the bass are on the rockpiles now when the incoming tide pushes the bait into the rocks. I am targeting areas with bait on the bottom, and we were able to call in the boats the past two days.” Mitchell is running a Father’s Day Special on June 19th with two passengers for $400, a savings of $50, to encourage fathers or grandfathers to get out on the water.

Two of the boats that Mitchell called in were the California Dawn 1 and California Dawn II out of Berkeley, and they posted an incredible score of 46 limits of halibut and 10 striped bass on Saturday, following this up with 97 halibut and 14 striped bass to 10 pounds on Sunday. The Pacific Dream out of Berkeley combined with their sister ship, the Happy Hooker, on Saturday for 116 halibut to a whopping 28 pounds and 5 striped bass on Saturday with 12 limits of halibut to 14 and 6 striped bass to 10 pounds on Sunday. The biomass of halibut in the bay must be incredible since these are the best scores in recent memory although the past few years have been amazing.

Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Sport Fishing out of San Francisco said, “The Flash II was out on a full-day combination trip for shark and halibut, and after releasing numerous leopard shark in the south bay near ATT Park on Saturday morning, they came through with 9 halibut during the second half of the day.”

Speaking of shark, Captain Joey Gamez of Golden State Sport Fishing, the bay’s big shark specialist, was out exploring mid-week, and they caught and released 14 big seven-gill shark while only being able to keep one rod in the water. By early morning, all of the crew had sore arms, and they came back to the harbor to let the lactate acid settle in their muscles. His first big shark trip of the year with customers is this Wednesday.

Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Salmon 2+ Surf perch 2

The Black Pearl out of Virg’s Landing took an overnight trip on Saturday, and their 18 anglers returned with 12 ling cod, 72 vermilion, 40 Boccaccio, and 68 assorted rockfish for a total of 18 limits. The Fiesta and Rita G took out 41 fishermen on Sunday for a total of 355 fish composed of 6 ling cod, 120 vermilion, 59 assorted rockfish, 15 canary, and 20 sand dabs. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Endeavor, Avenger, and Starfire went out with 84 for limits of rockfish consisting of 119 vermilion, 695 assorted rockfish, and 26 Boccaccio. They also posted 30 ling cod to a whopping 30 pounds. Out of Port San Luis, the Patriot and Flying Fish went out on ½-day trips on Sunday with 45 fishermen limits of rockfish consisting of 6 vermilion, 3 Boccaccio, and 441 assorted rockfish. 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

The Sacramento-Delta is now fully into the annual transition to summer as the majority of boat traffic is recreational boaters, but there are still fish to be caught. Striped bass are making a quick turnaround from the upper rivers on their way back to the cooler waters of the bay. On their way, stripers are loading up with any food source that they can find. Sturgeon are still around, but fewer and fewer anglers are targeting the diamondbacks. Largemouth bass action is best in the north Delta sloughs with chatterbaits.

Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors found ‘epic’ action for striped bass inside of Liberty Island earlier in the week. He was out filming a YouTube episode with his videographer, Denise Loo, and she said, “This was the most incredible day that we have experienced. The stripers are in the shallows loading up on crawdads, and we were throwing Z-Man’s Jackhammer crankbaits in Red Craw, getting hit on nearly every cast. There are even males milting so it has been a very late spawn with both downstreamers and stripers yet to spawn. The guides were outside of the island drifting minnows for linesides in the 20- to 22-inch range, but the big fish were in the grass. The wind started to blow around 8:00 a.m., and we were off the water by 10:30 a.m.”

James Netzel of Tight Lines Guide Service finished up his Delta ventures by limiting out on downstreamers drifting live minnows above the Rio Vista Bridge on the shoals. He said, “I had to head up to Yuba City Bait and Tackle to get extra-large and jumbo minnows since there are none available around the Delta, but fishing was good with all downstream fish eating everything in their path.”

Nelson Vineyard of Topline Sport Fishing continues to find limits of striped bass on the Sacramento side drifting live bait.

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait and Tackle reported excellent striped bass fishing from the Dillon Point State Park for linesides in the 25- to 30-inch range on pile worms. Under the Benicia/Martinez Bridge, pile worms or grass shrimp has been the ticket for stripers. The grass shrimp at this time of year is very small, and it dies easily after being brought up in the nets.

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing was out earlier in the week with Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service on a fun trip looking for a slot-limit sturgeon in the sloughs. They didn’t find any fish in the slot-limit, but they had the opportunity to pull on four oversized sturgeon to 7.5 feet. Cook’s fiancé, Diana Martens, muscled in her oversized within 8 minutes while the others were on the hook for over 20 minutes.

There are still a few six-packs operating out of Pittsburg Marina, but the majority of six-pack operators have headed for San Francisco Bay. Captain Zack Medinas of Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures has vacated Pittsburg Marina for the San Francisco waterfront for the summer months.

After three days of high skies during the Major League Fishing Toyota Series out of Russo’s Marina, the overcast conditions on Saturday and Sunday contributed to a vastly improved largemouth bass bite as they came out from under the weeds. Striped bass are thinning out in a quick return to San Francisco Bay, and most striped bass anglers have now reversed course and have headed over to the Sacramento side of the Delta.

Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was the tournament director for Saturday’s Best Bass Tournament Delta/Wine Region at Russo’s Marina. The area was crowded with bass fishermen as the Major League Fishing event was based here for the previous three days with the high school event held on Sunday. Pringle said, “We drew 89 boats, and the big fish came out of the weeds and became active in the overcast conditions. The big fish of the tournament came in at 10.58 pounds by Steve Hoover on a frog, and there were numbers of bass ranging from over 5 pounds to the second big fish at 9.70. The overcast skies changed everything as the bass don’t have eyelids, and they will come out of the weeds. After the top weights the previous days were just breaking 20 pounds, I was asked on Saturday morning what the winning weight would be. I responded over 21 pounds with big fish pushing 10 pounds. We actually had 8 tournaments over 20 pounds up to the winning weight of 25.47 pounds by the team of Brent Zieska and Jim La Rosa. They were very consistent with no fish over 6 pounds, but a solid limit of bass ranging from 4 to 6 pounds. There was a topwater bite with Popr’s, frogs, buzzbaits along with chatterbaits. Weightless worms or plastics on the drop-shot were also working along with crankbaits. When it is sunny outside, the big fish get bogged down and hunker under the grass, but they came to play on Saturday.”

Dave King of NorCal Bass said, “I fished the BBT on Saturday, and my partner was on fish throughout the day on topwater Popr’s. Frogs in black or Tweety Bird are also working, and we missed some big fish that would have put us in the money. I went back on Sunday to see about a fish that we had missed on Saturday, and I found a 5.4-pound largemouth on a Popr. The key was to let the lure pause, and they always hit it on the pause. Our next tournament is Saturday, June 18th at Ladd’ Marina in Stockton.”

Vince Borges of Vince Borge’s Outdoors was out fly fishing on Friday in preparation for the Costa Bass N’ Fly Event on June 7th through 10th at Sugar Barge Marina on Bethel Island. He said, “The fly bite has been challenging as we can’t get the fish to come up for the frog-imitation flies. We have been finding a good frog bite here and there with largemouth bass to 6 pounds, and if you threw a frog all day long, you would find five good bites. There is ‘cheese’ throughout the Delta. I have still be scoring with the Reaction Innovation’s Skinny Dipper along with chatterbaits, both in bluegill patterns. The bluegill are spawning, and the big fish are hanging around where the bluegill are in the shallows, picking off the panfish in a reversal of the bluegill feeding on their fry. The punch bite is good, and I like to only use weights from 1.25 to 1.75 ounces to get through the grass. There is a new surface vegetation in the Delta with a 2-inch round leaf and very tight root structure. It is impossible to get through these mats with anything under 2 ounces, and it is very difficult to pull a fish out of there. The bass are holding under these mats, though.”

Dan Mathisen of Dan Mathisen Outdoors said, “The Major League Fishing event was won by punching the weeds in the south Delta near Italian Slough in the bright sunny skies. The conditions changed over the weekend, and the frog bite took off. Our next tournament is this Saturday, June 11th, out of Holland Riverside Marina.”

The big event of the week is the 10th Annual Costa Bass-N-Fly on June 9th/10th out of Sugar Barge RV Resort and Marina on Bethel Island, drawing in fly fishermen from throughout the United States. Clara Ricabal, Western Outdoor News columnist, will be covering the event while participating as a boater. The two-day features prizes, awards, and swag from the top gear companies. This is a fly-fishing only event for largemouth, smallmouth, or spotted bass with a daily weigh in at 2:00 p.m. before fun-filled afternoons.

In the south San Joaquin River below the Mossdale Bridge, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported small striped bass are taken on pile worms or sardines, but the hyacinth is very thick throughout the river.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell – Hook’d Up Sport Fishing – (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges – Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

Bass 3 White bass 3 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout 2

At Nacimiento, there hasn’t been much change as bass fishing remains strong for both white and spotted bass with the occasional largemouth bass in the mix. There is a topwater bite with River2Sea Whopper Ploppers or similar walking baits along with Rat-L-Traps or squarebilled crankbaits. Swimbaits on an underspin are also effective along with ice jigs, spoons, small jigs, or plastics on a drop-shot at depths to 20 pounds. White bass are taken by trollers pulling white Kastmasters or Roostertails. Crappie action is fair, but the slabs are large at up to 2 pounds. The lake is low at 25%. Recreational boating is taking over on the weekends. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, the launch ramp is out of the water, but rental boats are available at the marina. There have been quality largemouths to 6 pounds taken by those renting boats and working the shorelines at depths to 20 feet with the best action on plastics on a variety of presentations as well as large profile jigs. The recent trout plants have contributed to the possibility of limits for bank anglers with deep water access with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or spoons while trollers are running a variety of spoons, spinners, or Rapalas. The lake level continues to drop slightly, and it is currently approaching 26%. A webcam of the lake is available at http://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, the Best Bass Tournaments held a 26-boat tournament on Saturday, and the top two teams tied for 1st at 11.27 pounds with the big fish of 3.30 pounds. Five teams weighed in 10 pounds or greater, but the weights dropped of precipitously. The topwater bite has picked up with Zara Spooks, Whopper Ploppers, or buzzbaits along with crankbaits. Plastics on a Texas- or Ned-rig along with jigs are also effective. Catfishing is best with mackerel soaked in garlic fished weightless while trout are landed by trollers pulling small spoons or spinners along with banks anglers scoring with garlic Power Bait or nightcrawlers. Crappie are taken around structure on minijigs in chartreuse, green, or white while bluegill and red ear perch are found with meal worms in the shallows. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. The lake dropped to 59%. At San Antonio, the shad are thick throughout the lowered lake, and the bass are actively feeding on the shad and less on lures. Small palm-sized crappie are taken on minijigs with catfishing best with cut baits soaked in garlic scent. Bluegill are found on red worms or jumbo red worms in the shallows. Carp are throughout the shallows and easy to catch on doughbaits. The launch ramp is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends and from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Fridays. The lake held 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/Russo’s Marina – Major League Fishing Toyota Series – June 1st – 3rd: 1st – Stephen ‘Bub’ Tosh Jr. – 59.00 pounds; 2nd – Lane Olson – 54.13; 3rd –Nick Salvucci – 53.12.

Santa Margarita –Best Bass Tournaments Delta/Wine Region– June 4th: 1st –Brent Zieska/Jim La Rosa – 25.47 pounds; 1st – Steve Hoover/Keith Hurney – 24.11 (Big Fish – 10.58); 3rd – Billy Hume/Ted Perry – 23.81.

Camanche –- June 4th: 1st – Ed Zinda/Brian Conder – 15.10 pounds (Big Fish – 4.01); 2nd – Bud and Kyle Porter – 13.27; 3rd – Joey Verna/RJ Regert – 12.85.

New Melones – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments – June 4th: 1st – Casey Case/David Donatelli – 16.84 pounds (Big Fish – 4.73); 2nd – Michael Spencer/Steven Cha – 13.71; 3rd – Carl Nelson/Zac Tate – 13.42.

Santa Margarita –Best Bass Tournaments – June 4th: 1st –Brandon Columbo/Graham Grove – 11.27 pounds; 1st – Geno and Jason Lazzerini– 11.27; 3rd – Tucker Mount/Landon Ralston – 10.53.

Pine Flat –- June 5th: 1st – Randy and Mason McAbee– 14.63 pounds; 2nd –Adam Belmont/Steve Magill – 14.27 3rd – Dean Miller/Darrell Masterson – 13.73.

Upcoming Tournaments (subject to change)

June 9th/10th-

Delta/Russo’s – Bass N’ Fly

June 11th –

Delta/San Joaquin County – Sonora Bass Anglers/Manteca Bassin’ Buddies/Angler’s Press/17-90 Bass Club/Santa Clara Bass Busters

Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors

McClure – Sierra Conversation Center

Don Pedro – Kokanee Power Team Tournament

Pine Flat – Kings River Bass Club

Kaweah – Cen Cal Bass Tournaments

Isabella – American Bass Association

June 12th –

Pardee – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Lake Amador – Gold Country Bass Tour

Delta/B and W Resort – Fresno Bass Club

Eastman – Kings VIII Bass Club

June 18th/19th –

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

June 18th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass

New Melones – Yak-A-Bass

Isabella – Kern County Bassmasters

Don Pedro – Sierra Bass Club

Millerton – Bass 101

Shaver Lake – Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project Derby

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

June 19th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Delta Bass Busters

June 25th –

Lake Pardee- Central Valley Anglers Kokanee Derby

Isabella – Golden Empire Bass Club