Fishing report, Nov. 30-Dec. 6: Delta tips ahead of Saturday’s Toys for Tots tournament
Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.
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Best bets
Delta pumping out sturgeon and stripers, Alan Fong reported. Don Pedro and McClure bass bites steady, Ryan Cook said. McSwain trout hitting, Dave Hurley reported. San Luis stripers active, Mickey Clements said.
Roger’s Remarks: Going bananas
“Banana or not to banana” was the question that popped up on a guide trip I had with a husband and wife.
The overall fishing was decent. As we trolled, we all broke out our snacks and food items. I was focused on the next fish but when I turned around, I saw she was eating a banana! They didn’t know that on some fishing boats, the captain would have a fit if they saw one onboard because the banana is bad luck.
In the next hour the bite slowed. I blamed it on the banana, explaining the superstition that’s been around since the 1700s when many ill-fated ships were noted to be carrying bananas when misfortune hit. Banana bunches also had snakes and spiders in them, which didn’t help their reputation among sailors when the fruit was brought onboard.
An hour later the bite came to a complete stop. Could it be?
We only had about 15-20 minutes of fishing left, and I had a sudden hunch that we needed to go to a new spot for one last try, bananas or not! I went over the spot I thought might produce a fish when suddenly the line took off. I just hoped the banana curse wasn’t going to affect us landing this good fish?
The 14-pounder was a beauty, an awesome way to defeat the curse. On the way back to the dock, the guests told me that they just realized that the last fish was the 21st of the trip! Ha! The topper of the day!
So, what’s my conclusion? Some things go bump in the dark, and you never know what it was, but I’m still unsure how to deal with this phenomenon. I may take just one carefully selected banana along on my next trip. …Never give up!
Roger George: rogergeorge8@protonmail.com, Rogergeorgeguideservice on Facebook and @StriperWars
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
Bill Sterling of Stripez Gone Wild said, “In the aqueduct, there is still some good topwater action in the early mornings, and swimbaits or flukes along P-Line’s Laser Minnows, or flutter spoons are good options at this time of year. The water has cooled to under 60 degrees, and the stripers have gone deep and are more lethargic. Dropping deeper and a slower retrieve is necessary for success.” Striperz Gone Wild is hosting the third annual Toys for Tots Fishing Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the Hilldale Bridge on the aqueduct from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Collected toys will be donated to needy families in the Los Banos area.
In the north California Aqueduct, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “The section from Mountain House to Tracy has been outstanding for striped bass with jerkbaits or white flukes.” Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported the topwater and umbrella rig bite has died down along with the boils, and anglers are driving the stretch from Manning to Fairfax Road and from Fairfax to Los Banos in search of feeding stripers.
In the south aqueduct in Kern County, there hasn’t been much change as it is a matter of finding moving water where it suddenly stops to calm water. Bouncing the bottom with shad-patterned swimbaits or flukes is a solid technique for striped bass. Some anglers are drifting live shad on a live bait rig while catfish are landed on chicken livers, live minnows, or Triple S Dip Bait.
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
Both reservoirs remain very low at 6%, and launching a large boat is problematic. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said Eastman remains the better of the two lakes for bass fishing with jerkbaits, or plastics on a Texas-rig or shaky head. The recent trout plants should spur on the swimbait bite for trophy largemouths. Trout anglers are picking up the recent planters from the banks for Power Bait, Kastmasters, or nightcrawlers.
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 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “Bass fishing is picking up over steep bluff walls in the main lake at depths from 40 to 50 feet with G-Money jigs in brown/purple with a green pumpkin trailer. Finding bait balls is a key, and spoons such as ¾-ounce Hopkins Shorties in shad patterns along with 3-inch plastics on the drop-shot continue to be effective.” Anglers should always possess a fizzing needle as the bass are coming out of deep water. Trout trolling is also improving at depths from 25 to 55 feet with heavy spoons. Finding the shad schools is the key. The lake held at 50%. The Fleming Meadows, Blue Oaks, and Moccasin launch ramps remain open, but the Fleming launch requires a long walk to the parking lot.
Call: Monte Smith – Gold Country Sport Fishing – (209) 581-4734; Kyle Wise – Head Hunter Guide Service – (209) 531- 3966; Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing – (559) 691-7008
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area
Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 2
Catfishing is the most consistent bite for numbers, and Triple S Dip Bait, mackerel soaked in garlic, shrimp, or clams. Crappie action is fair at best, but there are some slabs holding in select structure near French Gulch. Bass fishing has slowed with the colder temperatures, and a finesse presentation is best in the winter months. The lake held at 7% and 2526.92 feet in elevation. Buena Vista Lake will host the annual Taft Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby on Saturday, Dec. 17 with entry forms available at the Chamber of Commerce at 400 Kern Street in Taft or three other registration hubs - Bob’s Bait Bucket (2131 S Chester Ave, Bakersfield, CA), Cope’s Tackle & Rod (1654 Calloway Dr, Bakersfield, CA) & Cooper’s True Value (407 9th St, Taft, CA). Entry is $25/adult and $15/children. In the Kern River, the best action remains in the lower river below the dam for bass with small plastics or swimbaits while catfish are taken on nightcrawlers or Triple S Dip Bait, In the 20-Mile Section of the upper Kern, flyfishing is best in the most remote stretches, but the easily accessed areas have been slow with the low water conditions and lack of fish. The upper river at Kernville held at 138 cfs with water releases increasing out of the dam resulting in First Point also holding at 190 cfs.
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 just over a half-foot to 590.28 feet in elevation and 8%. No trout plants are scheduled as of yet, but once the plants begin, anglers will start to line the shorelines near the launch ramp with Power Bait or nightcrawlers. Bass fishing is fair at best with the largemouths holding in the deepest water where the shad schools are located. Jigs, plastics, or deep-diving crankbaits are the best offerings. The Kaweah River held at 74 cfs at Three Rivers.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
Success rose slightly to 587.90 feet in elevation at 8%. Not much change here as the bass are holding in the deepest water near rock or submerged wood. Plastics on a Texas-rig, deep-diving crankbaits, or Senkos are working best. Catfish are taken on cut or dip baits while carp are inhaling dough baits in the shallows. No trout plants are scheduled, but once the plants occur, the swimbait bite will pick up.
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 consistent as the fish are holding on the shad schools at depths from 30 to 70 feet with ¾-ounce Hopkins Shorites plastics on the drop-shot, or ¾-ounce jigs in brown/purple with a green pumpkin trailer. A trout plant occurred this week, and this should help with the swimbait bite. Crappie continue to be taken in the coves with minijigs or small swimbaits. The lake held at 18%. The launch ramps at Barrett Cove South and McClure Point remain open, but the Barrett Cove South is the better ramp despite the long walk back to the parking lot.
Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Guide Service – (559) 691-7008
McSwain Reservoir
Trout 3
The recent trout plant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has helped the overall action with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters at the normal locations of the Handicapped Docks, Brush Pile, or the peninsula near the marina. Trollers are working the river arm to the Second Fence Line with blade/’crawler combination, Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a dodger, or bright-patterns of spoons. Regular trout plants are necessary to make this a viable option with the possibility of limits. The lake has dropped to 70%.
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 1
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “There hasn’t been much happening since the recent tournament, and the best spotted bass bite remains on the bottom at depths from 30 to 40 feet with plastics on the drop-shot or jigs. Most bass are deep from 30 to 40 feet, but some fish are hanging in the shallows. The Madera side of the lake warms up faster at Sky Harbor and near Finegold, and this is where anglers should start in the morning prior to heading over to Winchell’s Cove later in the day along the rockwall.” The San Joaquin River flows rose from 538 to 658 cfs at Friant.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1
Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing said, “There have been a few large spotted and largemouth bass taken on rainbow trout-patterned swimbaits, but the most consistent action remains in the main lake with ¾-ounce G-Money or similar jigs in brown/purple with a greenpumpkin trailer at depths from 40 to 70 feet. A few bass are moving into the shallows, and spinnerbaits or umbrella rigs are working when the wind is blowing.” Holdover trout are found at depths from the surface to 20 feet with big Rapalas out in open water. The lake held at 875.24 feet in elevation this week and 24%.
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, “The best bass action is in deep water from 40 to 50 feet, and anglers will need to bring a fizzing needle to release the pressure from the bass out of the deep water. Plastics on the drop-shot are working best as the spoon bite has been slower. The bass came into the shallows from 15 to 20 feet on recent overcast days. Crankbaits or jigs have also been effective as the fish are holding on the shad schools. Trout trollers are searching for bait in deep water near the Power Lines, and a few king salmon have been taken by rolling anchovies at 70 to 80 feet in depth.” In the lower Kings, a trout plant occurred last week, and action from the shorelines is best with Atomic Tubes or Teasers along with finesse Trout Magnets. Power Bait or nightcrawlers are also effective. The flows held at 337 cfs at Trimmer. The lake held at 17%.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 3 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 1
San Luis Reservoir, the O’Neill Forebay, and the California Aqueduct are favorite locations for San Joaquin Valley and South Bay anglers, and the winter months provide some of the best action of the year for the striped bass who become trapped in the water conveyance systems after arriving as small fish through the head gates in the south Delta.
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “Both the forebay and the main lake are doing very well as there is a ripbait, jerkbait, and topwater bite in the early mornings before switching over to dropping 1.75-ounce Duh! Spoons or drifting jumbo minnow around 10 a.m. Trollers are out on the lake again, and the Lucky Craft 128 Pointers are their lure of choice. Casters are tossing Sixth Sense jerkbaits, Shimano World Minnows, Duo Realis Neo Pearls, or Lucky Craft Pointer 120s. It is similar action in the forebay, but it is a matter of quantity over quality. It has been the best fishing in the forebay that I have seen in a while. The weeds are breaking down with the cold water, and anglers are tossing the lures around the weed lines. Pile worms and anchovies have also been a good option.”
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service was out with father Dave and son McKay Bigler of Fresno, and they caught and released 21 linesides to nearly 24 inches trolling. He said, “Good fall water temperatures, a consistent lake level, and increased fish activity are the factors producing improved action. Trolling minnow-type lures in shad patterns while covering lots of water seem to be the key to entice actively feeding fish. I expect the pattern to continue.”
The main lake rose slightly to 25% with the forebay holding at 85%.
Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George – rogergeorgeguideservice.com – (559) 905-2954
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0
Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Crappie are found near structure in 20 to 40 feet of water and also under certain docks. The bass bite is best with jerkbaits or plastics on a Neko-rig, and with the recent trout plant, trout-patterned swimbaits may be effective near the dam.” The bank action is fair for planted rainbows from the banks with Power Bait near the Sheriff’s Tower or for trollers working blade/’crawler combinations near the surface. A webcam of the launch ramp is available at basslakeca.com. The lake held at 50%.
Call: Mike Beighey – Bass Lake Fishing – 676-8133
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Kaiser Pass road conditions are subject to change. Edison is very low, but as the water cools, the remaining trout in the lake should be ready to bite in preparation for the coming winter.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000; road conditions 297-0706
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Kokanee 1 Trout 3
At Shaver Lake, field scout Jay Irvine was out trolling with his neighbor Scott Bosler to see how the trout bite is with the warmer temperatures. They were able to boat 2 limits of rainbow trout with Bosler landing the big fish at 2.5 pounds. Mack’s Koke A’Nut glow orange with a rubber body and fluorescent tail paired with a Paulina Peak Moon Glow dodger with an orange stripe. The Paulina Peak orange and green UV spinner was great on the side rod about 100 feet back. The fish are shallow. The best speed was 1.5 mph. A webcam of the launch ramps is available sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html.
Todd Wittwer – Kokanee.net Guide Service – 288-8100; Jerad Romero – Jrods Guide Service – 392-6994; Tom Oliveira – Tom Oliveira Fishing – 802-8072
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 2
Few anglers are heading up to either lake in search of holdover rainbows or browns. If the road remains open, Wishon is the best option for either trollers or bank anglers as Courtright is very low. The normal closure for McKinley Grove Road is Dec. 1.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Out of Half Moon Bay, it’s a matter of focusing on crab before rockfish as the Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing returned with 13 limits of crab along with 115 rockfish. Captain Michael Cabanas of the New Captain Pete put in limits of Dungeness on a crab-only on Thanksgiving Day before following this up with 18 limits of crab and ½-limits of rockfish near Martin’s Beach.
The Pacifica Pier remains the best location to score up to 10-crab limits of legal-size using snares from the shorelines, but it gets extremely crowded and territorial on the weekends.
Call: Captain Michael Cabanas – New Captain Pete (510) 677-7054; Captain Chris Chang – Ankeny Street – (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith – Riptide – (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing – Queen of Hearts – (510) 581-2628
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Rockfish 3 Bluefin tuna 2 Striper 2 White seabass 0 Crab 3 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Winter is fast approaching. We’ve already had a couple significant northwest swells hit the Monterey Bay area, the latest was a one-day overhead swell on Thursday. This affects water temperatures and bait concentrations. It also tends to move the rockfish and halibut out further to deeper waters for the season. But,we are by no means done with good fishing in our area.
There are plenty of rockfish around. Targeting the deeper reefs is a smart bet at this point. In Santa Cruz, the reefs off Natural Bridges and Wilder’s Ranch in 125 to 250 feet of water can provide plenty of rockfish action. There are numerous deep spots up the coast holding big grumpy cod as well. The deep reefs are harder to find if you don’t have your GPS waypoints already. Good advice is to slow down and pay close attention to your sonar to locate fish. When you find them, hit that waypoint button quickly so you can stay on the spot and use it again next week.
Monterey rockfishers are doing best below Point Pinos, towards Carmel, and off of Big Sur. Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching Trips is running daily trips and continues to report limits of cod for their clients aboard the Check Mate and Caroline. Ling cod fishing is picking up on both ends of the bay, though we haven’t seen a major movement of lings towards the shallows as of yet.
Bluefin tuna are still in the area. Counts were lower this week as wind and swell conditions kept most boats away from the offshore “Fingers” area where most of the bluefin have settled in. Mackerel have proven to be the best bait for the big tuna this year, but they are getting harder to come by for die-hard tuna chasers. Only a few tuna were reportedly caught, though reports of jumpers and breezers indicate these trophy fish are still hanging around. Get them while you can!
Sport anglers are restricted to using hoop nets only for Dungeness crab so far this season. The hoops must be monitored, no overnight soaks. Being open at the top, hoops would allow the crabs to climb out after they’ve eaten the bait so short soaks are most practical, and a maximum of a two-hour soak is required by regulation. Limits of Dungeness are there to be had for dedicated crabbers willing to put in the time and effort. Many are trailering their boats up to Half Moon Bay where the crabbing is quicker. In Monterey Bay, common Dungeness depths are 140 to 200 feet of water. In Half Moon Bay, even the kayak fishermen are catching limits while hoop-netting in 30 to 50 feet of water these days.”
Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell – Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2 Crab 3
The guarantee of Dungeness crab and rockfish limits continues out of the San Francisco Bay Area as the party boats have been running to the Farallon Islands for quick limits of rockfish before working the hoop gear for limits of Dungeness crab. The captains and crew have become far more proficient with the hoops, and combined with the biomass of Dungeness off of the coast, the boats are getting in far earlier this year. The only thing that has the possibility of slowing the boats down is the strong possibility of the arrival of inclement weather later this week.
This past weekend was about as good as it gets with the Pacific Dream and Happy Hooker returning with a combined 46 limits of rockfish and crab. Captain Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream said, “We were in by 2 p.m. on Sunday with 23 limits of both as I wanted to get in before the weather came up. We were done with the rockfish in one long 30-minute drift as the fish bit really well. The crabbing was amazing today as well as we only had to pull 40 of the 51 pots to post limits. We were able to upgrade during the last 11 pots.”
The California Dawns I and II posted similar scored with a combined 102 limits of both over the weekend while the boats out of Emeryville came through with a combined 217 limits of both on Saturday and Sunday. Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady out of Emeryville said, “I’ve only been posting a few times per week on social media as the reports have been redundant with limits on most days. The fish didn’t bite as well on Friday, and we settled for 3/4th limits in order to have time to get rockfish limits. Every day is different as it will take somewhere from 30 to 80 pulls to put in over 20 limits of crab.”
Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing was also out on Saturday on the Malia Kai out of Berkeley with limits of rockfish before pulling the pots later in the day. He said, “The swell came up and our pots started walking, creating more problematic conditions for the crab. The swell really affects the lighter hoop nets.”
Few boats are fishing inside of the bay as the sturgeon have yet to materialize in San Pablo Bay, and the majority of the bay’s stripers are undersized. However, there are reports of large striped bass on the anchor around the Pumphouse in San Pablo Bay. Leopard sharks are the top species. Dredging in San Rafael, Larkspur, and Loch Lomond along with big tides continues to mud up the bay. The live bait receiver in San Francisco is now closed until spring.
Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388
San Luis Obispo
Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3
Limits of rockfish are possible out of the San Luis Obispo County ports as the Fiesta out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay put 10 anglers onto limits of rockfish consisting of 93 assorted rockfish and 7 vermilion on a half-day trip on Sunday. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Starfire was on a 3/4th-day trip on Sunday with 21 passengers for 170 assorted rockfish, 8 ling cod, and a halibut for a total of 199 fish. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Patriot and Flying Fish were out on trips ranging from ½- to 3/4th day on Sunday with 27 customers for 5 vermilion, 2 Boccaccio, 35 Bolina, 189 assorted rockfish, 2 cabezon, and and nine ling cod to 9 pounds for a total of 242 fish. Rockfish season lasts until December 31st, and there will be major regulation changes during the 2023 rockfish season Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.
Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing
Others
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3 Salmon 2
Sturgeon remain the top draw in the Sacramento-Delta with the majority of diamondbacks kegged up around upper Suisun Bay in the Pittsburg area. Most telling are the number of six-pack operators berthed out of Pittsburg Marina as the traditional location downstream at Martinez has been barren without the regular six packs due to low water in the harbor and the amount of sturgeon upriver.
While sturgeon draw anglers to the Delta, there is the strong potential of the downside of removing too many fish from the system. Sturgeon fishermen have become extremely adept at targeting the species due to improved electronics, shared information, time on the water, and the right cure for salmon roe. Of all of the factors, the effectiveness of the correct cure on salmon roe cannot be ignored. Ultimately, it is up to the individual angler to decide how many of the three-sturgeon per year that are necessary to keep.
Captain Joey Games of Golden State Sport Fishing continues to find success while others struggle with 4 slot-limit fish along with 8 undersized sturgeon on Sunday working shallow water near Port Chicago. He said, “The sturgeon are everywhere, and it is a matter of finding feeding fish. I thought the small tides would hamper the bite, but we found ones willing to bite.”
Tides are a major factor as Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Fishing took a day trip on Friday for two shakers before second Captain Robbie Mack put in 2 slot-limit sturgeon on an evening trip, also releasing an oversized and 5 shorts. Mitchell will be out on an evening trip from 4 to 11 p.m. on Monday.
Captain Zach Medinas offers catch-and-release trips for white sturgeon in the Delta, and he is working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife along with a private organization to tag and take tissue samples of white sturgeon to determine the amount of pollution and contaminants in their system, particularly after this year’s devastating red tide.
Striped bass has been centered in the west Delta, and Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing found great action for limits of striped bass drifting live mudsuckers or minnows around the Antioch Bridge. He said, “The fish really cooperated over the weekend as we found them in two areas on the last part of the incoming tide along with the first push of the outgoing further upriver. They were really biting on the first push of the outgoing, and when you can find fish like this, it’s really good. There have been new stripers moving into the Delta as these fish have some girth with big shoulders. They are loaded with crawdads and shad.”
Justin Leonard of Out Cast Guide Service also found excellent striped bass action over the weekend around Sherman Island on the San Joaquin side with mudsuckers for linesides to 25 inches. Mudsuckers have been the preferred live bait of choice, but they have been both scarce and expensive at $4/apiece.
Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors continues to find good striped bass action in the north Delta inside of Liberty Island with swimjigs or topwater lures.”
Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, will be targeting striped bass with topwater lures this week as the largemouth bass are in a lull. He said, “These are Florida-strain bass, and they don’t like the cold water, taking time to adjust to the temperature change. You have to slow up your presentation as the bite slows way down. Think about it – the longest portion of the day with warm weather is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. while the other 19 hours of the day are much colder. The water will stay cold under these circumstances. For striped bass, we will start with the ima Little Stick topwater lure before moving over to the Optimum Bad Bubba Shad on a ½-ounce jig head or the ima Glide Fluke over the weeds.”
The water temperature in the south Delta ranges from 50 to 58 degrees depending upon the location, and the bass bite remains tough as the fall bite has never materialized this year. Red-ear perch are in the shallows by Paradise Point with red worms or jumbo red worms.
Brannan Island State Park will remain open and staffed by state employees on the weekends until the new concessionaire takes over at a date to be determined. The launch ramp and limited day use areas are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The rest of the park will remain closed. The weekday phone number is (925) 447-0426.
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 2 White bass 2 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout
At Nacimiento, with the cold nights, the reaction bite remains slow with the best fishing for spotted bass with slow-rolled swimbaits on an underspin along with deep-diving crankbaits. Working the bottom with finesse presentations of plastics on the split-shot, drop-shot, or Texas-rig are the most productive. White bass are taken by slow-trolling white Roostertails or Kastmasters once you find the schools on the meter. The lake dropped to 16%, and there are unmarked hazards throughout the shallow lake. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, similar to Nacimiento, due to consistent cold weather, working the bottom with plastics on a drop-shot or Ned-rig remain the best bets. Bluegill and red ear perch are another option with jumbo red worms or red worms. Kayaks or float tubes along with the marina’s rental boats are the only way to get off of the shorelines. Rental boats are available at the marina, and kayakers are able to launch from the shoreline as the launch ramp is out of the water. The lake dropped slightly to 22.1% of capacity. Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at https://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, jigs, plastics on the drop-shot or Ned-rig are working best on the bottom after a brief window for reaction with spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or crankbaits. There have been a few quality largemouths landed with the best action in the warmer afternoons. Crappie are found in the Narrows and around White Oak with small Keitech swimbaits or minijigs while red ear perch and bluegill are found around structure with jumbo red worms, red worms, or meal worms. The lake level rose slightly to 49.8%. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. At San Antonio, bass fishing remains slow with the best action on the bottom with crawdad-imitation plastics on a drop-shot or Ned-rig while catfishing is mostly likely the best bet with cut mackerel soaked in garlic scent. Some larger whiskerfish pushing 15 pounds have been landed in the shallow lake recently. Crappie have moved out into deeper water with the cold temperatures, and they are holding in submerged trees or bushes to 30 feet. The lake is at 9%, and there are unmarked hazards throughout the lake. The launch ramp is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.
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
Cal Expo – Sacramento – International Sportsman’s Exposition – Jan. 19-22
Tournament Results
XXX
Upcoming Tournaments (subject to change)
December 3rd –
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies
California Aqueduct/Hilldale Road – Third Annual ‘Striperz Gone Wild’ Toys for Tots Fishing Tournament
Don Pedro – Hughson High School Bass
December 10th –
New Melones – Sonora Bass Anglers
Pine Flat – Kerman Bass Club
Nacimiento – American Bass Association
December 11th –
Don Pedro – Riverbank Bass Anglers
McClure – Fresno Bass Club/Modesto Ambassadors
Pine Flat – Kings VIII Bass Club
December 17/18th –
Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club
December 17th-
Delta/Big Break – Bass N’ Tubes
Los Banos Reservoir – Slay Nation Tournaments
Lake Webb – Taft Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby
December 18th –
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker
This story was originally published November 29, 2022 at 7:15 AM.