Central California fishing report: Delta stripers, sturgeon and bass bites strong
Fishing report 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.
Best bets
Delta stripers, sturgeon and bass bites all going, Alan Fong said. Shaver trout hitting, Dick Nichols reported. New Melones Kokanee and bass on wide open bites, Kyle Wise said. Millerton bass numbers good, Tas Moua reported. Don Pedro king salmon and trout continue biting, Monte Smith said. Success bass on sold bite, Copes Tackle reported.
Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother
Unless noted, area code is 559
Valley/Westside waterways
Striper 2 Catfish 3
Striperz Gone Wild Annual Memorial Aqueduct Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, May 17 at Volta Road near Los Banos. The entry fee is 10 cans of unexpired food to be donated to residents of Merced County. There are trophies for the top three finishers in both youth and adult divisions along with food and tackle vendors. The group is hoping for over 2000 cans to be collected.
The target-length will be announced on Saturday morning via drawing. Boats and kayaks are not allowed during this event due to the golden mussel. Pile worms and blood worms have been the best bait for striped bass in the 22- to 24-inch range. Heavy water movement continues to plague action. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported aqueduct anglers reported good fishing for striped bass, largemouth, and catfish. The bass bite has really been heating up plastics on the drop-shot, tiny flukes in Baitfish, green pumpkin Senkos, grubs, Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits, or topwater lures. Stripers in the 18- to 22-inch range are found before and after the check gates with cut bait, live worms or flukes in White Pearl or Pro Blue. Small paddle tailed swimbaits or jerkbaits are effective at sunrise or sunset. Catfishing is very good with live worms, chicken liver, or fresh shrimp.
A map of the 16 designated fishing locations on the California Aqueduct can be accessed through this link: https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DsWR-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
Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported the bite has been tougher, but there still are bass in the shallows of less than 15 feet. Some fish have moved out to 25 to 30 feet in depth, and big 10-inch ribbon worms, plastics on a drop-shot or Senkos are working for numbers. Champion kayak angler, Damian Thao, landed his personal best largemouth this week after releasing numerous smaller bass in the 1- to 2-pound range. There are complaints of excessive garbage left on the banks at Eastman. At Hensley, Moau reported smaller bass are found in the shallows, but the carp have been very thick in shallow water. Eastman dropped close to a foot to 553.69 feet in elevation and 65% of capacity while Hensley also receded 1½ feet to dropping 503.16 feet in elevation and 46% of capacity. Only one event is scheduled at Eastman through the end of May.
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 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 3 Crappie 2
Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing continues to find great action for both king salmon and rainbow trout for his clients, and he said, “We were out on Saturday with minimal boat traffic, and we had 11 kings in the box by 9:30 a.m. rolling shad before switching over to another area of the lake for rainbow trout with shad-patterned spoons. At the start, I had trouble getting the second rod out as the first rod had a fish within minutes. Finally, we were able to get all four rods out, but the action was fast. The king salmon are loaded with shad, and we are finding the kings and the rainbows mixed at depths from 55 to 70 feet.
We landed a big rainbow on shad at 85 feet. Normally, the king salmon would be must deeper than trout, but there must not be much of a thermocline yet.” The bass are starting to move off the beds, and plastics on the drop-shot or shakey head on a slow presentation continue to be effective as the fish suspending in the backs or coves or inlets. A slower presentation is necessary. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake rose once again due to increased snowmelt, and it came up over a foot to 813.21 feet in elevation. The lake will be very busy with 10 tournaments scheduled through the end of May.
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 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3
The lake rose over a foot to 2580.22 feet in elevation and 55% of capacity. Cope’s reported largemouth bass have been fluctuating between pre-spawn and full spawn with the up and down weather patterns. Jigs, jerkbaits, or swimbaits are producing quality bites, and the bigger fish should be showing up soon. Crappie are still going strong near submerged structure near Camp 9 or in the South Fork with live minnows or minijigs in a variety of colors. A trout plant is scheduled, and anglers have done well the last few weeks with trout jigs, garlic scented Powerbait, spinners, or Kastmasters. Trollings continue to score with Berkley’s Flicker Shad crankbaits or various Needlefish patterns on lead core. Catfish continue to be taken on Triple S Dip Bait, frozen shad, or mackerel. In the upper Kern River, Cope’s reported trout were stocked throughout the 20-Mile Stretch, and anglers have found planters at the easily accessed points along the river with salmon eggs on a split-shot, minijigs, and Panther Martin spinners while fly fishermen continue to do well with nymphs, stripping streamers or dry flies in the warmer conditions of the afternoons. The Upper Kern River was stocked this week in Section 4, Powerhouse #3 to Riverside Park in Kernville; and Section 5, Fairview Dam to Lazy River Lodge; Section 6, Fairview Dam to Johnsondale Bridge. In the lower Kern, trout plants took place in all three sections last week; Section 1, Democrat Beach to Lower Richbar; Section 2, Sandy Flat to Democrat Beach, and Section 3, Sandy Flat to Isabella Dam. Trout have been caught with salmon eggs, floating baits, or trout jigs. The largemouth and smallmouth bass action has been very good in the canyon and along the stretch leading into Bakersfield. Bass have been found with jigs, worms, and small crankbaits. Catfish can be found with cut sardines or SSS Dip Bait. The flows in the upper Kern River bumped up from 1,835 to 2,465 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake also rose from 620 to 794 cfs at First Point. Only two bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of May.
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 3½ feet to 699.57 feet in elevation and 83% of capacity. Cope’s reported bass anglers reported fair to good fishing with some anglers hitting home runs and others striking out. Plastics in green, brown, or purple on the drop-shot or Ned-rig along with darter head grubs in 15 feet of water were the best way to get bites. Jigs, Senkos, or creature baits landed the quality bass holding between deep water and spawning flats. Crappie took Crappie Buster Spin’R Grubs, minijigs, or small live minnows while catfish anglers scored with mackerel, sardines, or chicken liver on a Carolina-rig. A few recently planted rainbow trout were reported on Power Bait or Roostertail spinners in the backs of coves. The Kaweah River rose back up to 1,400 cfs at Three Rivers as snow melt ramped up again. No bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of May.
Lake Success
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake rose 1½ feet to 648.98 feet in elevation and 92% of capacity. Cope’s reported a solid bass bite as the water temperature has risen into the mid-60’s. Bass action was best with Senkos, grubs, or plastics in green pumpkin/copper flake on a drop-shot. Medium-diving crankbaits near submerged brush or trees is another productive technique. Power Bait or Berkley Mouse Tails were effective for recently planted rainbow trout while the crappie bite improved with Keitech’s Easy Shiners, minijigs, or live minnows over submerged structure. Catfish anglers is best after dark with chicken liver or cut bait.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Numbers of small bass are the rule with plastics on the drop-shot or Senkos on a wacky-rig as the fish are moving off the banks and suspending in deeper water. Coves, bluff walls, and inlets are holding suspended fish. The Reel Deel Market at Barrett’s Cove is open weekends to May 18 on Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. before opening daily on May 24. The lake rose nearly 5 feet to 847.83 feet in elevation and 87% of capacity. McClure will be busy with 8 tournaments are scheduled through the end of May.
A fishing event for individuals with special needs will be held from 7 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 17 at Scout Island on Lake Yosemite. Participants must be registered with the Merced County Parks and Recreation by calling Michael Sanchez at (209) 385-7426 or email at Michael.sanchez@countyofmerced.com.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 2
The lake is desperately in need of a trout plant, and one or two fish per rod is a good score for bank anglers in the early mornings or evenings with rainbow glitter Power Bait, garlic Power Bait, Kastmasters, or inflated nightcrawlers from the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula near the marina. Trollers are finding a better grade of holdover rainbow up the river arm beyond the Fence Line. The Reel Deal Market at McSwain is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday until Memorial Day weekend. The lake dropped slightly to 82% of capacity. The lake will soon turn into a summer waterpark with the Splash and Dash opening on Saturday, May 24. Information: https://mysplashndash.com/knowbeforeyougo/#hours.
Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 3 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2
Tas Moau reported action has been good for small spotted bass as the fish are chasing bait throughout the reservoir. He said, “There are more bait fish in Millerton than at Pine Flat.” There is a good spinnerbait bite along with topwater lures and other reaction baits.. The lake rose 5 feet to 562.78 feet in elevation and 86% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant are steady at 545 cfs. Sycamore Island is open every day from 6 a.m. to 5:30 pm. No tournaments are scheduled through the end of May.
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 3
Major changes to launch ramp availability will take place within the next week as both the Glory Hole and Tuttletown ramps will open 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday starting May 16.
The Tuttletown ramp will remain closed from Monday through Thursday, but the Glory Hole ramp will be open their normal hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. A decontamination unit will be available at the New Melones Marina on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting May 20. Boaters are advised to schedule a decontamination via https://musseldecon.com/ with a deposit of $60. Costs will vary from a minimum of $60 up depending upon the size and complexity of the vessel. Kokanee fishing remains tremendous with Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service continuing to score as many as six limits within a few hours trolling Paulina Peak’s Flutter Bugs or Apex lures behind a Paulina Peak 4½- or 5½-inch gold dodger at depths to 70 feet. The kokanee are in excellent shape and loading up on plankton. By August, there should be kokanee as large as 20 inches.
The kokanee bite is attracting more and more boats to participate in the 30-day quarantine process. Bass fishing remains outstanding with a variety of techniques as the fish are moving off the banks in post-spawn mode. Bank fishing is allowed. Non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboards, may also be subject to inspection. The lake dropped around a half foot to 1051.33 feet in elevation and 83% of capacity. Downstream Lake Tulloch has established the 30-day quarantine process to allow boating for inspected boats after the quarantine period is completed. The first day the lake will be open is May 16 if the boat was red-tagged on April 16. Tulloch is at 92% of capacity.
Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734.
Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Tas Moau fished the Hawj/Her Family Fundraiser tournament with his brother, Kong, on Sunday, and he said, “We won the 7-boat event with a limit at 9.23 pounds, but the bite has changed. A few fish were taken on topwater lures, but most of the action came on plastics on the drop-shot or 5-inch plastics on a Ned-rig along with Senkos or shaking a minnow. There were few baitfish throughout the lake, and even though there were grebes in the coves, there wasn’t much bait below them. Normally the presence of grebes means bait and bass below.” In the lower Kings River, the flows remain high, and waders or kayakers need to use extreme caution or stay off the river.
The flows rose from 3,527 to 6,122 cfs at Trimmer, and these are dangerously high flows. Anglers must be very careful and wear a properly functioning life vest in the high flows. The catch-and-release section is located below the Alta Weir (also known as Cobbles Weir) extending downstream to the Highway 180 bridge. This area is considered a zero limit, catch-and-release zone where only artificial lures with barbless hooks are allowed. The lake rose 3½ feet to 913.75 feet in elevation and 79% of capacity. One bass tournament is scheduled through the end of May. Trout plants took place in the lower Kings and at Pine Flat Reservoir last week.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported bank anglers have been scoring striped bass in the 25- to 27-inch range with pile worms or live minnows. Trollers continue to pull P-Line’s Predator Minnows or umbrella rigs in the main lake. Mesa added, “We have been selling several ½- to ¾-ounce jig heads for paddletailed swimbaits or white flukes.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the combination of a bright full moon, water falling over a foot a day and spawning stripers made it a tough bite the last few days.
“Overall anglers were complaining about fish that wouldn’t bite- and of course it’s because they are in the spawn mode with a lot of milting males during this full moon phase. The fish are busy all night , then suspending during the day right now. I guided an old high school buddy Ted Durant of Las Vegas and his friend Dan Rennick of Cincinnati on Thursday and things started very slow but we worked the main lake with Rapala style baits in minnow colors for over 25 released fish, topped by a 7 and a 10 pounder. The schools are moving and the game right now is covering water to find some active fish,“ George said.
In the O’Neill Forebay, largemouth bass are in the shallows, and chatterbaits, Senkos, or topwater lures near the weed lines are working. The main lake dropped to 77% of capacity with the forebay also at 77% of capacity. Boat inspections at San Luis Reservoir, O’Neill Forebay, and Los Banos Creek Reservoir in Merced County are required when exiting these lakes to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. At O’Neill Forebay, golden mussels were detected. Boats leaving these San Luis Recreation Area lakes will not be granted a “clean boat” tag. After boating in waterways, always remember to clean, drain, and dry to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species. To check the real time 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
Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing reported trout trolling has slowed down, perhaps due to the weather or the heavy pressure from last weekend’s Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce Fishing Derby. The derby was a success with a female resident of nearby North Fork landing one of the $10,000 tagged rainbows. Beighey said, “There were some large downpours on Sunday, and I went down to the lake to see what was going on, and there were diehard anglers out there in the downpour. The trout are still feeding on the massive amounts of insects on the surface. I’ve been fishing in the top five feet of water using Orange Wiggle Hoochies, Apex lures, or Dick’s Trout Busters behind a Dicks Big Blue Mountain Dodgers. There are plenty of planted trout along with some trophies from the pre-derby plants in the lake, and the bite should pick up this week. I’m still looking for the kokanee.” For bass, Tas Moua reported a good bite for shore fishermen for bass in the 3- to 4-pound range with Brush Hogs or plastics on a drop-shot or shakey head near the docks. A live webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1.
Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Kaiser Pass Road is closed to vehicle traffic with only snowmobile access available. Edison rose to 39, Florence rose to 27, and Mammoth Pool rising to 91% of capacity with snowmelt slowing down.
Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station – 855-5355 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
Road conditions 297-0706.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2
Shaver Lake Captain Emeritus, Dick Nichols of Dick’s Mountain Tackle reported David Geil and his son, Ostin of Sanger fished Shaver this past week, and they found big concentrations of trout between the Boy Scout island and cove at depths from 20 to 30 feet with pink Dick’s Mountain hoochies behind Dick’s Mountain Dodgers in Watermelon or Doom on the downriggers Mountain flashers or Shaver Trout Buster’s tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a Texas Tea Mountain Dodger on the side poles for multiple double and even triple hookups. Second-year kokanee to 12 inches remain the rule, and most everyone is releasing the kokanee with care by not removing them from the water. Dave McGlothin of Clovis continued drilling 2nd year kokanee shaking all off in the water, adding, “It was not quite the bite we have been used to, but the 2nd year kokanee are there along with some trout using Dick’s Mountain pink and doom Tube’s behind a D-Mac Mountain Dodger at 20 to 28 feet deep.” Nichols continued, “A hatchery person said the 2nd year kokanee should grow faster without the feeding competition from 3rd year fish.” Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. Huntington is thawing out, and bank fishing should be picking up soon at the mouth of Rancheria Creek. Shaver held at 78 with Huntington also rising to 79% of capacity with snowmelt flowing down the inlets.
Call: Paul Brown 300-4001; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100.
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 0
McKinley Grove Road is closed, limiting access to both reservoirs. McKinley Grove Road was to open on May 1, depending upon weather. A trout plant occurred in Dinkey Creek last week.
Road conditions – Sierra National Forest Ranger Station 297-0706.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing continues to work the shallow reefs for 21 limits of rockfish and 12 lingcod over the weekend. The nearshore rockfish season remains open until Sept. 30, and more private boaters including kayakers along with party boats will be operating. As the salmon are traditionally found in the early season along the San Mateo County coastline, this port will be a hot spot for the first of the two-day openers on June 7-8. Spots are nearly filled on the party boats and six-packs. The recreational quota for the early season is 7,000 salmon, and the quota may be reached within two days. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches. Dungeness crab season ends on June 30.
Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819;
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Rockfish 2 Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 2
Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported surf perch action has been decent for small fish near Rio Del Mar, but there has been grass in the surf. Lucky 13 or Honey Badger grubs are effective along with Berkley’s Gulp! Worms on a Carolina-rig. Striped bass in the 25- to 27-inch range are taken from various locations from Monterey north through the mouth of the Salinas River, Manresa Beach, and further up the coast towards Pacifica.
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, Chris’ Fishing Trips posted half to full limits of near shore rockfish and up to twelve lingcod on Check Mate trips this week. J & M Charters hosted eleven anglers aboard the Kahuna on Monday. They did well with client and crew limits of 120 rockfish plus twelve of the toothy lingcod. Fishing in the Monterey area is noticeably better when heading south past Point Pinos. The Carmel Highlands, Stillwater Cove area and especially the areas near Point Sur provide quicker limits and bigger fish. No specific reports on halibut from the Monterey area this week, though a few must have been caught.
Those lucky anglers are just not sharing their info. Halibut fishing is on the rise near Santa Cruz, and we have the receipts to prove it. Featured photo this week is Ed Burrell. Longtime Capitola Boat and Bait manager and now full-time rabid fisherman, Burrell is working less and fishing more these days. He deserves it. Using one of Capitola B & B’s skiffs this week, Burrell landed a hefty halibut, one of the first of many for this season, we’d wager.
Other Santa Cruz halibut hunters report some success, fishing the sand flats near Lighthouse Point, across to the Mile Buoy, and following the 50-to 60-foot line down to the SC3 Buoy and even around the corner of the Capitola kelp beds towards New Brighton Beach. The halibut bite is not “on fire” by any means, but it’s a good start for the season with fairly typical timing.
Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey has routinely returned with limits of rockfish with a combined 24 limits and 11 lingcod on their last two trips in shallow water.
Call: Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 3 Rockfish 2 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2
Striped bass remain the stable in San Francisco Bay although there was an encouraging shot of halibut over the weekend. The biomass of halibut seems to be down after several good years of halibut fishing. There are unlimited undersized flatfish in the bay, but it will take a few years for these fish to reach the legal 22-inch range. Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco was out on Friday and Saturday, and he put his clients onto limits of striped bass, but the halibut were limited to undersized fish. There was a showing of halibut at South Hampton Shoals on Friday, and after picking up a striper there on Saturday morning, Koyasako moved over to Red Rock Shoals for quick customer and crew limits with four on at a time. The went to Paradise Cove to drift for halibut, and after landing one within the first fish minutes, they ended up with four flatfish of a quality grade. He called in Captain Melynda Dodds of the New Captain Pete, and she put her clients onto the high score of the weekend with 10 halibut to 16 pounds for 16 anglers on a private charter. She said, “We found a late afternoon bite, and we will be running live bait trips out of Hyde Street Pier for the rest of May with ½-day specials.”
Captain Steve Mitchell grinded out limits of striped bass on Monday in the Berkeley Flats, but once again, the halibut were scarce. He is going to switch to slow-trolling live bait on Tuesday to cover more water. The Happy Hooker out of Berkeley had a solid score of 12 striped bass and 8 halibut to 10 pounds on Monday. After several years of two- to three-fish limits on halibut, this season is shaping up for a fish a rod at the best.
Few boats have ventured outside the Golden Gate for rockfish, but the regulations are from 120 feet of less until Sept. 30.
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
Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3
Out of Morro Bay Landing, three boats were out on Sunday with a combined 56 anglers for 252 assorted rockfish, 76 vermilion, 93 Boccaccio, a copper, a Petrale Sole, and three lingcod to 12 pounds. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Flying Fish and the Sunny Day were out on Sunday with a combined 23 passengers for 42 assorted rockfish, 23 Bolina, 6 vermilion, one Boccaccio, one Petrale Sole, and 4 lingcod. Out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay, the Rita G took a veteran’s fishing trip sponsored by Make A Difference Outdoors, and on the 12-hour trips, they picked up quick limits of rockfish before working structure for lingcod and the sand for California halibut. Also out of Morro Bay, the Black Pearl was out on Sunday with 16 anglers for 150 assorted rockfish, 15 vermilion to 5 pounds, and two lingcod. The rockfish season is open at all depths through June 30.
Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing
Others
Delta/Stockton
Bass 3 Striper 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
Sturgeon remain a major story in Suisun Bay although few anglers are targeting the diamondbacks. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing took out Captain Melynda Dodds and second captain Meghan Fox of Half Moon Bay’s New Captain Pete for epic action on Friday with 12 sturgeon, including several over 6 feet, out of 13 bites.
Striped bass continue to be a big story in the California Delta, and the linesides are spawning in Delta waters. Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors was in the San Joaquin River near Three Mile Slough, and they caught and released over 120 striped bass using Blade Runner’s 2-ounce spoons. He is locating the schools with Forward Facing Sonar and using the trolling motor to stay on the schools. Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley said, “It’s been a grind, but we found limits of quality striped bass over the weekend trolling the West Bank on the Sacramento River. The wind was a challenge on the outgoing tide, and it was hard to keep three shallow lines from tangling. We picked up three stripers in the shallows right off the bat, and once the tide changes to the incoming, it was much easier to keep the boat straight, and we moved out for limits using deep-diving lures. There are numbers of females in the system right now, both spawned out and spawning fish, and this one reason the bite has been a grind. They were biting mid-week, but the following day, they didn’t want to go, but we made an adjustment on Friday and Saturday by heading over to the Sacramento side.”
Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoorsman in Stockton, said, “The Delta is hot right now with very good striped bass action in many places on the San Joaquin side in the east and central Delta. Drifting live bluegill has been productive behind Mildred Island, and there are linesides from Paradise Point, Disappointment Slough, Fourteen Mile Slough, Prisoner’s Point, and around the Nomellini Duck Club. There are still fresh stripers moving in from San Francisco Bay.”
Wang added, “Largemouth bass fishing is wide open from Ladd’s to downtown Stockton and from Ladd’s upstream to the mouth of Fourteen Mile Slough by flipping and pitching plastics.” Up north inside Liberty Island, Alan Fong has been scoring limits to 21 pounds with a variety of techniques.
Call: 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
May 17
Scout Island at Yosemite Lake – Fishing Event for Individuals with Special Needs – 7 a.m. to noon – Participants must be registered with the Merced County Parks and Recreation by calling or email to Michael Sanchez at (209) 385-7426 or Michael.sanchez@countyofmerced.com
Striperz Gone Wild Annual Memorial Aqueduct Tournament at Volta Road near Los Banos. The entry fee is 10 cans of unexpired food to be donated to residents of Merced County.
Tournament Results
May 9-10
Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc. Teams Circuit TOC
1st – Jamond Andrews/Harvey Pulliam– 39.75; 2nd – Phil Tilbury/Aaron Sapp – 35.76; 3rd – Tony Vaughn/John Garrett– 35.74.
May 10
Pine Flat
Hawj (Her) Family Fundraiser - 1st – Kong and Tas Moua – 9.23 pounds; 2nd – Chufu and Alexander Vang; 3rd – Xong, Eli, and Jacob Heu – 8.55. Big Fish – 2.78 – Michael Her/Aaron Vang.
Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)
Note – tournaments scheduled for New Melones, Camanche, Tulloch, or Pardee are subject to change and will not be listed
May 16
Don Pedro – Stanislaus County Sheriff
May 17-18
Don Pedro – Sierra Bass Club/Valley Backlashers
Nacimiento – C.A. B.A.S.S. Nation
May 17
Delta/Big Break Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
McClure – Bass Anglers of Northern California/Kerman Bass Club
Bass Lake – Bass 101
Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments/Bakersfield Bass Club
Isabella – American Bass Association
San Antonio – Best Bass Tournaments
Santa Margarita- Kern County Bassmasters
Lopez – Golden Empire Bass Club
May 18
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association
Delta/B and W Resort – California Bass Federation
Don Pedro – Fresno Bass Club/Kings VIII Bass Club
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments
May 24
Delta/San Joaquin County – Yak A Bass
Pardee – Angler’s Press Outdoors
New Hogan – 17/90 Bass Club
Santa Margarita – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
May 25
Delta/Big Break Marina – California Bass Federation
May 30–June 1
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Bass Angler Inc.
May 31-June 1
Don Pedro – Modesto Ambassadors
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Delta stripers, sturgeon and bass bites strong."