Fishing report March 27-April 3: New Melones bass outstanding; Delta stripers, sturgeon biting
Compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member 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 stripers and sturgeon bites going, Alan Fong reported. Don Pedro trout and bass action improved, Monte Smith said. Millerton catfish bite solid, Michael Crayne reported. New Melones bass action outstanding, John Liechty said.
Valley
Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 2
Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “The California Aqueduct remains slow overall with a few catfish as the top species.” Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill confirmed the slow bite, saying, “Bait fishing remains the best bet with anchovies, blood worms, or jumbo minnows.” However, a 34-pound striped bass was caught and kept at the aqueduct this week.
Striperz Gone Wild is holding their Spring Memorial Striped Bass Tournament on April 6 at a location on the aqueduct yet to be determined. The entry fee is 10 cans of unexpired food, and there is a prize for whomever brings the most cans. As Merced County has one of the highest food insecurity rates in the country, this event provides much needed food for the Los Banos and surrounding community. Food, awards, a raffle, and a photo booth will be present at the event.
In the south aqueduct in Kern County, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported fair fishing with lower flows and dirty water. Like the northern section of the aqueduct, the best way to get bit was to soak cut baits, fresh shrimp, live worms, or chicken liver on a Carolina and sinker rig for both striped bass and catfish. Largemouth bass anglers took advantage of the lower flows to work finesse baits and small swimbaits before and after check gates.
A map of the 16 designated fishing locations on the California Aqueduct can be accessed through this link: https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/What-We-Do/Recreation/Files/230424_SWP-Fishing-Guildines-Locations_Online_FINAL.pdf.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Cope’s Tackle and Rod, Bakersfield – (661) 679-6351; Bob’s Bait Bucket, 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 added, “Eastman has been slower for the larger grade of bass due to intense pressure over the past month. A ‘dead stick’ presentation with Senkos on a Neko-rig along with Keitechs on an underspin have been the best technique along there have been some decent quality taken on 6-inch Huddleston swimbaits. A finesse presentation continues to work best. Crappie and bluegill continue to be taken deep in the rockpiles or brush piles with minijigs.
Hensley remains limited to small bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill, and there are a few boats shooting carp in the shallows. Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported anglers targeting crappie have been landing double-digit largemouth bass to 14 pounds as the big fish must be feeding on the crappie.
Eastman rose to 657.25 feet in elevation and 78% with Hensley rising three feet to 498.90 feet in elevation and 41%. Annual passes for the US Army Corps of Engineers lakes of Eastman, Hensley, New Hogan, Pine Flat, Kaweah, and Success are now available for $40/year. They are available from the park office at the lake, the pay booth, or several gas stations or bait shops near the lake. A double trout plant is scheduled at Eastman this week along with a single plant at Hensley.
Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151
Lake Don Pedro
Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing found much improved trolling action for rainbow trout at the end of the week as the effects of the full moon started to dissipate. He has been scoring with a variety of offerings including spoons on lead core line along with rolling shad. Kokanee remain scarce, but they should start to group up in the coming months. The rainbows are in excellent shape, and trout to 4 pounds are possible. Bass fishing is on the upswing with the Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments producing three five-fish limits over 20 pounds. These are the first limits of this size for months.
Michael Spencer, teacher/club adviser of the Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club partnered with former student, Steven Cha, during this tournament, and Spencer reported, “We started the day targeting channel-swing banks near the banks of creeks with an umbrella rig and a jerk bait. We got a couple of keepers on the jerk bait but not very big and no umbrella rig fish in that first hour and half. When the sun was up enough to see, we moved into cuts looking for bedding fish. There were plenty of good males to three pounds but very few females that were locked-on. We did find two females though, both better than five pounds, and by 10:30, we had our 20 pounds. The wind came up shortly after that and locating more beds became difficult. We continued to run around looking for cuts but couldn’t find, or probably didn’t see, any fish that would help the bag.
At about 2 p.m. we got hit by hail, and the wind was really blowing, so we spent the last hour with spinnerbaits and jerkbaits around points and caught fish, but nothing that helped, so it was back to the launch and a second-place finish. It was a great day for us and a good day for the field with all but two of the 45 teams weighing better than 10 pounds and it took 17.5 pounds to get 9th place and paid. A big thanks to David and Victoria Coy for running another great event for the Cen Cal anglers.
Small Keitech swimbaits on an underspin, plastics on the drop-shot, or tubes are working with the occasional large fish taken on trout-patterned glide baits or Huddlestons. There is daily vehicle fee of $20 and with an additional $15 for boat launch. The lake rose nearly a foot to 801.43 feet in elevation and 83%. Updates on the launch ramp are available at https://www.donpedrolake.com/. 11 bass tournaments are scheduled at the lake through April 30. All the temporary mooring lines have been removed from the west bay and the 5 MPH buoy lines have been placed back in their original locations.
Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area
Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3
The lake rose less than a foot to 2,572.84 feet in elevation and 45% with water releases from the dam at 570 cfs at First Point. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported the best bass action remains off main lake points and offshore structure at depths from 15 to 35 feet with deep-diving crankbaits or jigs, but the bass bite hasn’t improved much. Trout are the top species with garlic-scented Power Bait, spinners, or nightcrawlers near Red’s Marina. Crappie fishing is fair to good in deeper water around offshore structure with minijigs or live shiners. A pair of local anglers reported solid action on catfish with SSS Dip Bait and mackerel.
The 33rd Annual Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce Isabella Lake will be held from March 23rd through March 25th. Adult entry is $40 with youth entry at $15. Information and registration is available at https://www.kernrivervalley.com/isabellalakefishingderby.
In the upper Kern, Cope’s reported a steady trout bite throughout the 20-mile stretch with the best fishing near Riverside Park in Kernville to the PowerHouse with salmon eggs or minijigs. Fly anglers continue to do better later in the day with nymphs or streamers.
In the Lower Kern, trout fishing has improved after the recent plants. Last month, the lower Kern was stocked in all three sections from the mouth of the Canyon to Isabella Dam. Trout have been coming on salmon eggs, pinched crawlers, garlic-scented Power Bait or minijigs. The lower Kern bass bite has improved this week on crankbaits, jigs, and spinners. Catfish can be found on dip baits, nightcrawlers or cut baits. The flows on upper Kern at Kernville rose from 878 to 1350 cfs.
Call: Cope’s Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351; Bob’s Bait Bucket, 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 five feet to 628.62 feet in elevation and 24% due to water releases despite heavy inflow from the Kaweah River. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported the bass have moved into the shallows, and a variety of techniques including plastics on the drop-shot, Ned-rig, or other finesse baits are working along with jerkbaits or crankbaits. Vertical spooning techniques are still working for the deeper bass. Crappie fishing is fair on small live minnows and minijigs, and catfish anglers threw out dip baits and cut baits for a few whisker fish. Trout anglers used Power Bait, minijigs, spoons, or spinners for decent numbers. The Kaweah River at Three Rivers also rose from 456 to 857 cfs. There are two tournaments scheduled on the lake through April 30. A trout plant is scheduled at Kaweah next week along with Del Lago Park Lake in Tulare.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake held at 628.57 feet in elevation and 47%. Cope’s reported fair bass action with finesse baits in green pumpkin, crawfish, or bluegill along with deep-diving crankbaits or vertically jigging spoons. Catfish anglers reported more fishing than catching while soaking dip baits and cut baits, and crappie were on the slow side. Two bass tournaments are scheduled on the lake through April 30.
Call: Cope’s Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
With few bass tournaments scheduled within the next few months, most bass anglers are heading for nearby Don Pedro. Spotted and largemouth bass are moving into the shallows, and jigs, tubes, small swimbaits on an underspin, or plastics on the drop-shot are working for numbers. Finding larger bass remains a challenge. Crappie are found in deep water inside submerged trees in coves with live minnows or minijigs, but the action has slowed. The lake rose 3.5 feet to 810.20 feet in elevation and 66 percent. Barrett’s Cove will be closed for NICA bike races from April 5-7. Only two bass tournaments are scheduled on the lake through April 30.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 3
The Merced Irrigation District Spring Trout Derby is April 6/7, and heavy trout plants will occur prior to the event. With the lack of trout plants over the past few weeks, action has slowed down with many of the remaining fish moving into the upper end of the lake in the river arm. Holdover rainbows can be found in the river arm near the Second Fence Line with Ruby Red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler along with spinners. The lake is at 92%.
Entry to the tournament is $35 in addition to a $10 vehicle and a $9 launch fee. The derby begins at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday and ends at noon on Sunday with $2000 for the heaviest stringer, $2000 for the longest trout, and $500 for the Wild Card. There is also a wild card and a custom prize in the Kid’s Division with a free raffle at noon on Sunday. Derby entrants must download the Fish Donkey app to participate. The McSwain Marina is closed through March 30 before opening for weekends only from April 1 through May 31. It will be open for the tournament weekend, and the Real Deal Market and Café is open for breakfast and lunch for sale during the derby.
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 catfish 3
There are no tournaments on the docket until at least May, and most bass anglers continue to head to Eastman or Pine Flat. Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Largemouth bass moved into the shallows in Winchell’s Cove, but with the colder weather, the bass moved back into deeper water. Spotted bass are found on the Madera side in deep water. Catfishing has been solid with cut bait .” The lake rose six feet to 546.65 feet in elevation and 73 percent. Sycamore Island is open once daily from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant are steady at 550 cfs.Another trout plant is scheduled at Woodward Park this week.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2
Similar to Don Pedro, trout and kokanee action was slow during the week, but it improved over the weekend. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service was on the lake all week long, and he said, “It was tough, and our best bite was on Sunday with the new Paulina Peak Flutter Bug at depths from 25 to 40 feet. Kokanee are scattered, and anglers are trying hard to find another 18-inch fish.” John Liechty of Xperience Bass Fishing Guide Service said, “Bass fishing has been outstanding with limits averaging from 15 to 17 pounds with Senkos on a wacky-rig or plastics on a Neko-rig in 15 to 25 feet of water. The bass are already holding on beds, and the weekend’s storm didn’t push them into deeper water. “New Melones has a daily use fee of $8 with a boat launch of $10 (day use included). The lake held at 1052.47 feet in elevation and 83 percent.
Several bass tournaments are scheduled through April 30. The Nor Cal tournament scheduled for Tulloch last Saturday was postponed due to the anticipated lightning storm that did appear in the afternoon. There are additionally several club bass tournaments at Lake Tulloch in April.
Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Alex Niapas, Catching California Guide Service (209) 728-4225; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734
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 bass continue to stage into the shallows to spawn, but with the weekend storm, they may push back out into slightly deeper water. The spotted bass are also moving into spawning mode deeper than the largemouths, and a variety of presentations are working for bass, including glide baits, plastics on a shakey head, crankbaits, or 4.8-inch Keitech swimbaits on an underspin.”
In the lower Kings,the river and Avocado Lake were planted during last week with plants also scheduled for this week. The river below the dam near the bridge remains crowded, and finding less pressured water is a key. Atomic Tubes, spinners, nightcrawlers, or Power Bait continue to be effective. The flows on the lower Kings at Trimmer have risen to 1980 cfs while the lake rose six feet to 911.14 and 78%. The Kings River from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Bridge on Pine Flat Road downstream to Cobbles (Alta) Weir is open to fishing all year. The Kings River, from Cobbles (Alta) Weir downstream to the Highway 180 crossing is open to fishing all year. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273. Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “At the main lake, numbers of small striped bass are the rule as boaters are scoring by drifting jumbo minnows or dropping 1.75-ounce Duh! Spoons in shad patterns. Numbers have been good, but size has been limited. In the O’Neill Forebay, bass fishing has been solid by flipping Senkos near Check 12 while striper anglers have been tossing rip baits or flukes in open water.Warmer temperatures this week should heat up the reaction bite.”
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said: ”I scouted one trip with a friend and the reaction/ troll bite was moderate and we released over 33 nice stripers to over 25” moving around the main lake on a” hit and run “ tactic- since the fish in an area would hit at first -then the bite would taper off quickly. Shad colors are still working on the troll, and the best depth zone was about 50 feet. I guided a group of three guys later in the week and the same pattern produced over 30 released fish to over 24” for us. Our overall size was pretty good, most 20-22”, and they seem to be getting heftier. The lake is big right now, so finding active biting fish is the key. There are a lot of suspended fish in the 58-60 degree algae laden water. The full moon could slow things down this week-but the wind also appears to be an increasing issue as we move into April. “ George explained
The main lake rose to 73% with the forebay dropping to 83%. To check the wind conditions on the lake - use windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir.
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
Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Guide Service said, “The lake is still filling up, but it has aways to go. The trout were starting to bite with rainbows as large as ten pounds were released, and fish in the 3- to 4-pound range are common. The frequent storms have been making it difficult to fish with the high winds and rain on the lake. We pulled our guide boats to wait out the storms and are waiting for a break to relaunch. The trout from the surface to 10 feet on the north end of the lake, and a few kokanee have already been landed, and this is welcome news.” A webcam of the launch ramp is available at https://basslakeca.com/. A webcam of the launch ramp is available at https://basslakeca.com/. A trout plant took place last week.
Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
The gate to Kaiser Pass Road remains closed through most likely Memorial Day Weekend. The Kaiser Pass lakes are starting to release water with fewer anglers heading over the pass to fish the small impoundments. Edison receded slightly to 27% with Florence at 8% while Mammoth Pool rising slightly to 62%.
Road conditions 297-0706.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Trout 2 Kokanee 2
Shaver guide Emeritus, Dick Nichols of Mountain Tackle said, “Rain and snow took place over the weekend, keeping many fishermen away. The last day of good weather at Shaver was last Friday, and about 7 boats hit the lake. The reports were that the kokanee bite was slower with a mixture of planted browns and rainbows along with an occasional holder to 16 inches making up most of the fish in the boats.
Brian Barron of Prather and his friend Scott Monterio of Oakhurst fished Thursday and picked up two mixed limits of nine trout and a 14-inch kokanee trolling 3 colors of lead core with a red Needlefish lure. A group of kayakers reported around 10 combined kokanee. This was a far cry from days approaching the weekend where up to 4 limits of kokanee were possible. Dave McGlothlin of Clovis and I caught and released most of our 4 limits of kokanee the Sunday before running chartreuse and orange Trout Busters, tipped with scented corn behind a Mountain Flasher at a setback of 100 feet on the side poles. This set up results in holding the lure at 20 feet in depth, working equally well as a downrigger. It’s the cool water that allows surface to 30 feet depth fishing and allows boats without down riggers to have great results.”
The Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project will be planting approximately 7000 pounds of trophy sized rainbows from an Oregon hatchery before summer. With the low water levels, boats 24 feet or longer are advised not to attempt a launch with the Sierra Marina auxiliary ramp the only one available. The water continues to be low, and there are huge rocks just under the surface while passing from the ramp into open water. A webcam of the Shaver launch ramp is at sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html and for Huntington at http://www.shaverlakewebcams.info/huntington.html. Shaver held at 43 with Huntington rising to 46 percent.
Call: 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 0
The gate to McKinley Grove Road closed on Dec. 1, limiting access to the high elevation lakes. The road is anticipated to be reopened in April 2024.Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3 crab 3
A 110-pound bluefin was brought into the harbor this week, setting off anticipation of the season to come. Unfortunately, the weather window has closed for the time being. Rockfish trips deeper than 50 fathoms open on April 1, but only a few will be willing to make the 20-plus mile run to deep water. One the season opens in waters less than 20 fathoms from May through September, the rockfish season will start in earnest out of this port. 10-crab limits remain a possibility, The City of Pacifica Pier is open, and crab anglers continue to soak anchovies, squid, or sardines in snares. Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; 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
Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “Perch fishing continues to be very good, and more and more anglers are using blood worms along with motor oil/red flake grubs from a variety of tackle manufacturers. Mekeni Baits, Lucky 13’s, or Honey Badger. Striped bass action is picking up, but most of the linesides are on the small side.”
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “They say that time and tide wait for no man. Unfortunately, the rest of us are resigned to twiddling our thumbs on shore while a stack of government agencies deliberates this year’s recreational fishing regulations.
April 1 is the historical opener for king salmon season in our area. Recreational groundfish season usually opens in April or May. Our slice of coast is designated the South Central region and stretches from Pigeon Point in the north to Point Conception to the south. This week’s column was intended to shed some light on scheduled season openings and other possible regulation changes for the 2024-2025 fishing season. But the situation is still in flux. In a few weeks we will have our initial rockfish regs to discuss as well as the possibility of actual salmon fishing this year. What’s ‘most likely?” Like last year, the groundfish rules will include three depth delineations describing habitat for nearshore, slope and shelf rockfish.
Fishing will likely be open at all depths from May through August, then open only beyond 300 feet of water from August until year’s end. This of course puts small boats and especially kayak fishermen at a distinct disadvantage, not having the “legs” to reach those offshore spots safely for basically half of rockfish season.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife has recently acknowledged this concern and is in the process of discussing with stakeholders currently. In 2023 we had no ocean salmon season due to precipitously low numbers of spawning fish returning to our rivers. This years’ numbers were better, but still not good.
There is some serious talk about opening a few three or four-day “windows” for ocean salmon fishing, with various proposals already sent to regulatory agencies. Ultimately, the decision rests with the Pacific Fisheries Management Council under the mandate of the National Marine Fisheries Service, a subset agency of our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Decisions seem ponderously slow. But the timeline becomes more understandable when you consider all these agencies and layers of bureaucracy are working with fisheries data gathered and collated only a few months ago.
The true damage is one of economics. The Monterey Bay is a prime location for recreational charter boats as well as commercial fishing operations. These outfits are directly damaged when the fish stocks become dangerously low. King salmon and Dungeness crab are by far the biggest money makers for small commercial anglers and charter operations. This year, we already saw crab season truncated, and salmon is next on the list. Many in our area have already lost their livelihoods”
Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching Trips in Monterey will start rockfish trips in water deeper than 50 fathoms on April 1, and this harbor is close to deep water without a long ride. Monterey will benefit from the new rockfish regulations as there is an abundance of structure both deeper than 50 fathoms and less than 20 fathoms close to the harbor. For the remainder of the month, they are still running the occasional sand dab/Petrale sole/Dungeness crab combination trip depending upon weather conditions and interest.
Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 2 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2
The first northern California bluefin tuna of the season arrived this week with single bluefin landed out of Half Moon and Bodega Bays along with the 130-pound tuna brought in by the combined crews of Tanker City Fishing and the Codfather, both out of Alameda. The first bluefin in 2023 came on July 1 by Captain Ross Corbett of Pacific Angler out of Alameda, but this came three months earlier. A Nomad Madmac 240 at a release of 65 seconds did the trick. With salmon season in peril, the promise of bluefin will help keep the north Coast fishing industry afloat. Unfortunately, the weather doesn’t appear to be cooperative for a few more weeks, but rest assured, once a window opens, boats will be heading west from Monterey to Shelter Cove in search of the saltwater odyssey for bluefin.
So far in the early trolling season in San Francisco Bay, numbers of California halibut have proven elusive, but limits of striped bass have been achieved with regularity. This bodes well for a summer without, or at the most, an extremely limited salmon season. Halibut fishing has been a grind with all the fresh water inside the bay pushing out the bait, but there is hope that the bait and halibut will return to the bay once the fresh water flows out of the California Delta slow down. There have been some quality halibut landed, but it is the striped bass that are providing much of the action. Captain Johnathan Smith of the Happy Hooker out of Berkeley Marina took their inaugural trip of the season on Friday, and after heading north to San Pablo Bay, the boat returned with 17 limits of striped bass and 7 halibut to an impressive 20 pounds. Smith went against the conventional wisdom of targeting the south bay in the early season for halibut, and his success led to more boats heading into San Pablo over the weekend with similar results. Captain James Smith of the California Dawn II took his inaugural trip on Saturday, and they limited out on striped bass by 8:50 a.m. near China Camp in San Pablo Bay. Smith said, “Last year at this time, we were limiting out with three halibut per angler, but the bait remains outside the bay. So far, the striped bass action is very encouraging while we wait for the halibut to appear.” He had 21 limits of striped bass and four halibut in the box by 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Loch Lomond was out solo on Saturday, and he said, “Plugging hair raisers, I landed a striper on every cast during the incoming tide before the tide switched and the fish scattered.” Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco was also in San Pablo Bay near China Camp on Saturday, and he said, “Captain Hunter Nguyen ran the boat, and we trolled up a bass and a halibut upon dropping the lines in, ending up with 7 halibut and 7 bass for seven passengers. If we anchored up, I am certain we could have limited out with stripers.” After a poor showing in San Francisco Bay for two consecutive years, striped bass returned in numbers in 2023, and they may prove to be the savior of the upcoming bay season.
Call: Captain Ron Koyasako, Nautilus Excursions (916) 704-4169; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388
San Luis Obispo
Surf perch 3
Until rockfishing opens on April 1, boats from Morro Bay and Port San Luis will run whale watching and nature trips. Party boats out of both harbors are taking reservations for the April 1 opener in waters at any depth in April and May before being limited to less than 50 fathoms for the remainder of the 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 2 Bluegill 3
Just like someone hit the main switch, the striped bass bite broke out in a big way on both sides of the California Delta. All that was needed was the water to clear up a bit, and even with the inclement weather over the weekend, limits of striped bass were taken out of the Sacramento and San Joaquin sides of the Delta. Just as in San Francisco Bay, it seems that striped bass will be the staple in the Delta for the coming months as the spring migration has started in earnest.
Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors has been predicting the striper bite would break open, and his prediction was on target as he said, “There is a big school of stripers near Rio Vista where the water has 18 inches of visibility. Trollers are scoring on the West Bank while spooning in the San Joaquin have brought as many as 30 linesides to the boat.”
Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley was out on a scouting session with George Wight, and he said, “I went to check out the outgoing tide, and it was good fishing everywhere we went on the San Joaquin. We ended up releasing 19 keepers and 6 shakers on Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow ran both shallow and deep. The grade of striper was good, and these are chunky fresh-run fish. We had several double hook ups, and we went out to see what the morning bite was going to be like as I have a trip on Sunday.” Soo Hoo was back out with clients on Sunday, and they posted seven limits of quality striped bass.
Guides have been transitioning from sturgeon fishing to target striped bass with the recent action, and most sturgeon six-packs will be heading to San Francisco Bay for the halibut/striped bass season. It’s not because the sturgeon are not biting that the boats are migrating, but April is generally the month of the move as the live bait season will begin within the next few weeks. Sturgeon fishing remains outstanding as Captain Steve Mitchell put his three clients onto 8 sturgeon to the boat with five of the diamondbacks being oversized. Although they didn’t land a slot-limit sturgeon in the small 42- to 48-inch range, Mitchell said, “They all had the opportunity to fight some big fish. It was windy, but we were able to find some calmer water. The sturgeon are biting as the water temperature continues to warm up, and they were biting on both tides.” During the springtime when the temperatures rise, sturgeon become far more aggressive with their approach to feeding. The diamondbacks will be holding in the Delta throughout the summer, but far fewer anglers will be targeting them.
Largemouth bass fishing is also on the upswing as the water temperature has risen to the 63/64-degree range in the central Delta. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was out during the week searching for a consistent bass bite, and he said, “If I was looking for one or two big fish in the shallows, I would be targeting the backs of sloughs or marinas for bedding fish, but I have to put together the puzzle to look at the long-term picture of where I will be needing to put my clients onto multiple bass. I was targeting areas with current in the central Delta, eliminating non-productive sections of the river. Between the full moon and the storms coming through, the bite has been a bit tougher, but I was able to land a 4-pound largemouth in Whites Slough. The reaction bite with bladed jigs, pinnerbaits, and crankbait was null and void, and we found our best action by rigging the Berkley General so it runs parallel to the weeds. If it runs perpendicular or head down, it is not as effective as laying flat. The main river from Ladd’s Marina in Stockton toward Prisoner’s Point was clear.”
In the south Delta, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “The Mossdale area is starting to produce even though the water remains dirty. However, it is much clearer than it was a few weeks ago. Drifting jumbo minnows in the Old River has been producing limits as one customer started with 1.5-dozen minnows in the morning, and he was back to get another 2 dozen around noon as he had released 6 keepers and 4 shakers in the Old River. Crappie are found off Eight Mile Road east of Stockton, Whiskey Slough Road southeast of Stockton, or out of a small canal at the end of Airport Way near San Joaquin City with small minnows or minijigs.” The 3rd Annual California Striped Bass Association- Isleton Chapter Barry Canevaro Memorial Striper Derby will be April 6 at the Rio Vista Boat Ramp. This event is a fundraiser for Rec4Vets, a veteran’s fishing organization. Rec4Vets will hold their own event specifically for veterans on May 4 out of Brannan Island State Park.
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. Soo Hoo Sport Fishing (925) 899-4045.
Events
April 6th –
Roosevelt High School Bass Fishing Club Spring Fishing Tackle Faire at The Boat Shoppe, 2125 Ventura Ave Fresno from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tournament results
Don Pedro – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments – March 23rd
1st: Casey Case/Justin Ryan – 21.87 pounds; 2nd – Michael Spencer/Steven Cha – 20.77 (Big Fish – 5.70); 3rd– Ralph Encizo/Denny Bowlin – 20.07.
San Antonio – Golden Empire Bass Club – March 23rd
1st: David Childress/Nathan Towes – 24.40 pounds (Big Fish – 8.20); 2nd – Dakota and Keith Brown – 16.65; 3rd– Richard Carrier/David Heine – 15.60.
Don Pedro – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments High School Division – March 24th
1st: Austin Burns – 14.60 pounds (Big Fish – 3.49); 2nd –Trenton Housey – 12.11; 3rd– Coleton Rader – 10.38.
Don Pedro – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments Youth Division – March 24th
1st: Chad Bradford– 8.48 pounds; 2nd – Kyler Rader – 3.40.
Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)
March 29th
Don Pedro – E and J Gallo Winery
March 30th
Bass Lake – California Bass Federation
Santa Margarita – 805 Bass Addicts
April 4/6th
Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
April 6/7th
New Melones – California Bass Federation
Tulloch – Kings River Bass Club
Success – Lahu Bass Club
April 6th
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass/Manteca Bassin’ Buddies
Delta/Rio Vista - 3rd Annual California Striped Bass Association- Isleton Chapter Barry Canevaro Memorial Striper Derby
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
California Aqueduct - Striperz Gone Wild Spring Memorial Striped Bass Tournament
Pardee – Sonora Bass Anglers/17-90 Bass Club
Tulloch – Kerman Bass Club
Santa Margarita- San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
April 7th
Pardee – California Bass Federation
April 12/19/26
Tulloch – Friday Night Tournament
April 13/14
Tulloch – Yak A’ Bass
April 13th
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
McClure – California Bass Federation
Eastman – Central Valley Kayak Fishing/Bass 559 Kayak
Lopez – American Bass Association
April 14th
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – California Bass Federation
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
McClure – Stanislaus County Employees
Bass Lake – Kings VIII Bass Club
Kaweah – Bass 101
April 16th
Don Pedro – Mid Valley Agriculture
April 20/21st
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Kern County Bass Masters/Riverbank Bass Anglers
Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Santa Margarita – Golden Empire Bass Club
April 20th
Tulloch – Sierra Bass Club
Don Pedro – Angler’s Press
Eastman – Sheet Metal Worker’s Local 104
Lopez – Best Bass Tournaments
April 21st
Delta/B and W Resort – Best Bass Tournaments
Tulloch – Fresno Bass Club
April 27th
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Valley Backlashers
Delta/Wimpy’s Marina – Central Valley Anglers Spring Striper Derby
Don Pedro – Yak A’ Bass/Bakersfield Bass Club
Bass Lake – Kerman Bass Club
Success – United States Army Corps of Engineers
Isabella – American Bass Association
April 28th
Bass Lake – Kings River Bass Club
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published March 27, 2024 at 12:54 PM.