Central California fishing report: Kokanee and trout action hot at Shaver Lake

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

Shaver kokanee and trout action hot, Dick Nichols said. Don Pedro kicking out a Kokanee and bass, Aaron Jones reported. Pine Flat bass and rainbows on a solid bite, Tas Moua said. New Melones kokanee action tremendous, Kyle Wise reported. Isabella bass and crappie hitting, Copes Tackle reported. Westside waterways striper action improved, Josh Mesa said. Bass lake trout and bass action good, Mike Beighey reported.

Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother

Valley/Westside waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 3

Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported a vastly improved bite for striped bass from 26 to 30 inches in the California Aqueduct with jerkbaits or paddletailed swimbaits. There is algae along the sides of the concrete, and fishermen must be very careful to keep from falling in. An angler was saved from drowning this week. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported decent striped bass action with cut sardines, anchovies, or live minnows while tube baits, jerkbaits, or small swimbaits are also effective. Largemouth have been active in the eddies before and after check gates, and the outtake grates have also been good places to land bass with weightless Senkos or plastics on a Carolina rig along with Poppers or walking baits in the mornings. Catfish were reliable in the afternoon for anglers Carolina-rigging cut sardines, anchovies, and chicken liver.

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 reported a short window for reaction baits in the early morning at Eastman before the bass move out into deep water. Large 4.8- to 5.8-inch Keitech swimbaits are effective in the morning before deep cranking with 6-inch swimbaits such as Bass Mafia’s Daingerous or MegaBass Megadrafts. The Sierra Bass Club held a tournament on Saturday and limit over 20 pounds took first with Traci Lucchesi landing the big fish at 8.69 pounds on a second place showing with her partner Dan Folia. At Hensley, Moua reported bluegill and crappie are the top species, but there are some bass found on offshore rockpiles with jigs, Brush Hogs, lizards, or large ribbon tailed worms. Both lakes are releasing water, and Eastman has dropped to 536.46 feet in elevation and 49% of capacity with Hensley dropping to 492.31 feet in elevation and 34% of capacity. Only one more event is scheduled at Eastman through the end of June.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; 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 2 Kokanee 3 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Kokanee over 2 pounds are making a strong showing as Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “The kokanee are starting to school up as there are little pods here and there. We have picked up kokanee to 2.4 pounds this week along with another at 2 pounds. Pro Troll’s Kokanee Killers in various colors such as UV or purple along with Uncle Larry’s Squids behind a Wiggle Disc and dodger at depths from 65 to 75 feet are working, but the best action has been from 50 to 55 feet. Rainbow trout and king salmon are also coming on the kokanee gear. For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle reported a solid topwater or jerkbait bite in the shallows early before moving out to 15 to 25 feet with jigs or plastics on the drop-shot. The bass are moving deeper and suspending, and deep-diving crankbaits are another option along with glidebaits or large paddletail swimbaits. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake rose to 824.15 feet in elevation and 96% of capacity. The Blue Oaks launch ramp is currently open. The lake will be very busy with 8 tournaments scheduled through the end of June. A self-inspection is required for launching.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 3 Trout 2 Crappie 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3

The lake held at 2,586.28 feet in elevation and 65% of capacity. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported an outstanding bass bite with multiple fish over 5 pounds including several 9-pound largemouth and even a few double-digits on Saturday. The bass are widely distributed from holding shallow, off points, or around submerged trees. 7-inch Roboworms in the Margarita Mutilator, deep-diving crankbaits, deep Mavrik or Stunna jerkbaits, green pumpkin/red flake jigs, or plastics on a drop-shot or shakey head are working. Topwater lures and flipping around trees have also produced quality bites. The crappie bite has remained strong with anglers reporting good action on minijigs fished around shallow structure. Trout fishing continues to be productive, particularly in the North Fork area on chartreuse Keitechs, Hook Up Baits, or spinners.

Trollers are also doing well using Flicker Shads and Tasmanian Devils. The catfish bite has really picked up, especially during the evening hours. Both Lime Dyke and Engineer’s Point have been producing solid catches on cut bait, dip bait, or nightcrawlers. Whether fishing from shore or by boat, anglers are finding consistent action in these areas. In the Kern River, Cope’s reported the river is running strong but clear, and fishing conditions have been favorable for both fly and spin anglers. The flows are moderate in the upper sections and slightly heavier in the lower stretches, especially near Kernville. Trout action remains consistent with stocked rainbows and the occasional holdover brown or wild rainbow in the mix. Successful baits include salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, or small spinners like Panther Martins and Rooster Tails. Fly anglers are reporting steady results with Parachute Adams, stimulators, or bead head nymphs (like Pheasant Tails and Prince Nymphs) under an indicator in slower pockets and eddies. The upper river around Fairview and Johnsondale Bridge has been particularly productive for fly fishers in the early morning and late evening. Lower sections near Kernville are seeing good trout bites as well, especially near calmer runs and deeper holes. Watch for rattlesnakes along the trail and use caution near swift water. With water temperatures climbing into the low 60s, early mornings and evenings are your best bet for active fish. In the lower Kern, the river is flowing steadily with warmer water temps and a mix of fishing opportunities. The flows are moderate but swift in some sections, especially near the canyon areas so anglers should use caution when wading or fishing from the bank. Trout fishing has been fair to good with most success coming early and late in the day. Holdover rainbows are hitting on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, or garlic-scented Power Bait near common access points. Spinners like Rooster Tails and Kastmasters are also producing bites, particularly in deeper pools and runs. Smallmouth bass action is starting to pick up as water temperatures warm into the mid-60s along rocky stretches and slower eddies where smallies are ambushing prey with soft plastics, small swimbaits, or curly tail grubs in natural colors.

The flows in the upper Kern River dropped from 2216 to 1743 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake also rose to 1440 cfs at First Point. Three bass tournaments are scheduled during the month of June.

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 3 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake dropped 1½ feet to 712.91 feet in elevation and 98% of capacity. Cope’s reported bass anglers are finding consistent action with plastics on a drop-shot or Ned-rig along with Hula Grubs in brown, purple, or salt and pepper at 20 feet in depth for spotted bass. There is some topwater action reported in the mornings, and small swimbaits slow-rolled parallel to shore scored bites as well. Crappie remained reliable in the Horse Creek area with small live minnows or minijigs. .

The Kaweah River dropped from 1450 to 910 cfs at Three Rivers, but the flows are still high and dangerous. No additional bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of June.

Lake Success

Bass 3 Crappie 3 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake held at 652.43 feet in elevation and 102% of capacity. Cope’s reported

bass anglers worked the newly submerged brush and trees for good results with Senkos, plastics on the drop-shot, or reaction baits. Squarebill crankbaits or jerkbaits paused after hitting structure fooled some quality bass. Crappie anglers did well in all the major coves with fish holding near submerged brush with minijgs, small swimbaits, small crankbaits, or live minnows. Catfishing has been good for anglers targeting deeper water during the daytime and shallower areas after dark.

McClure Reservoir

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

Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait in Modesto numbers of spotted bass are found at depths from 15 to 25 feet with plastics on the drop-shot with a larger grade taken on jigs. There is a topwater bite in the mornings, but when it is overcast, it lasts throughout the day. Trout are taken on blade/’crawler combination, spoons, or spinners at depths from 30 to 55 feet. The Reel Deel Market at Barrett’s Cove is now open for the summer. The lake held at 855.33 feet in elevation and 92% of capacity. Tournament action has slowed down with only 4 tournaments scheduled through the end of June.

Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake McSwain

Trout 2

Not much change here as the lake has transitioned to a water park with the establishment of the Splash and Dash. Trollers continue to have the upper hand as holdover rainbows have moved into the river arm. Rapalas, Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler, or spoons at depths from the surface to 15 feet have been effective for a few quality holdovers. Bank fishing remains very slow with the lack of plants over the past several weeks. The Reel Deal Market at McSwain is open on summer hours. The lake is at 82% of capacity. https://mysplashndash.com/knowbeforeyougo/#hours.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 2 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Tas Moua reported the best action is up in the river arm past Temperance with topwater lures for the largest grade with numbers taken on plastics on a Ned-rig, shakey head, or drop shot, jigs, or Hula Grubs. Small spotted bass dominate the action. The lake continues to rise, and it is at 572.39 feet in elevation and 95% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant have dropped to 292 cfs. Sycamore Island is open every day from 6:00 am to 5:30 pm. After last weekend’s Bass 101 tournament, no addition tournaments are scheduled through the end of June.

Call: Fresno 559 Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Kokanee fishing remains tremendous with quick limits to 17 inches are possible working the main lake from 40 to 75 feet in depth. Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service continues to score limits on up to three trips per day with Paulina Peak’s Wiggle Bug or his custom spinners tipped with Pautske’s Fire Core behind a 5½-inch Paulina Peak gold dodger. Boat traffic has increased, and the kokanee will drop in the water column and hunker down on the edge of the channel when the fleet arrives. For bass, Aaron Jones reported covering water is the key, but there is a topwater bite along with crankbaits, jigs, or plastics on the drop-shot for numbers of spotted and largemouth bass. A decontamination unit is 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 to $180 up depending upon the size and complexity of the vessel. Boats not making a reservation will be charged as much as $180. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the Glory Hole and Tuttletown ramps are open from 6:30 am to 8:30 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. From Monday through Thursday, only the Glory Hole ramp is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downstream Lake Tulloch established the 30-day quarantine process to allow boating for inspected boats after the quarantine period is completed. The lake has dropped to 1040.64 feet in elevation and 78% of capacity with Tulloch at 95% 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 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Tas Moau reported a solid bass bite in the main lake from Windy Gap to Trimmer with 3.3- to 3.8-inch Keitech swimbaits, underspins, topwater lures, plastics on a Ned-rig, drop-shot, or shakey head. There is a topwater bite early in the morning along with deep crankbaits. In the mornings, the bass are on the shorelines transitioning from grass to rocky areas, and Owner’s Flashy Swimmer fished weedless in the grass is also effective. Bass are holding on primary and secondary points with rock while the baitfish schools have gone deep. Chris Counts of Fresno fished solo on Friday for 8 mixed trout from 13 to 17 inches, keeping a limit, before heading back on Saturday morning for 22 trout of the same size running pink and orange custom spoons or Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with a nightcrawler scented with Pautske’s Trout or Anise Fire Gel behind a Dick’s Mountain dodgers in front of Deer Creek at depths from 20 to 45 feet. Jim Tartaglia also trolled Pine Flat with two of his grandchildren along with two other grandfathers to find a wide-open trout bite with orange, pink, or chartreuse spinner rigs with nightcrawler kickers behind dodgers. ExCel lures in the same colors were also effective with or without dodgers at speeds from 1.7 to 1.9 mph before moving up to 2.2 mph around 11 at depths from 25 to 65 feet. Tartaglia said, “The king salmon are still being elusive. I believe the shad are still spawning in the shallows. And that is where the kings and big Trout are hanging.” In the lower Kings River, the flows dropped to 3284 cfs at Trimmer, and the flows are still high. Anglers must be very careful and wear a properly functioning life vest in the high flows. Trout plants have occurred the past two weeks, and action is picking up with Roostertails, Panther Martin’s, Joe’s Flies, salmon eggs, or Power Bait in the transition from fast to slow water. 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 is releasing water, and it is currently at 920.62 feet in elevation and 80% of capacity. No tournaments are scheduled at Pine Flat through the end of June.Call: 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 an ‘off and on’ striped bass bite from the banks with anchovies or pile worms when they are available. Striped bass in the 22- to 28-inch range have been consistent with bait around Dinosaur Point. Trollers continue to pull P-Line’s Predator Minnows while lure casters are tossing Slab Zone’s paddletail swimbaits in pearl white or translucent along with flukes on a jig head for stripers.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported a slow bite for trollers and boat anglers due to the rapidly falling water, a bright moon and heavily milting fish.” Just about every fish we caught were milting - and we even had several other fish following up hooked fish - trying to spawn. I’m finding schools of fish that won’t bite- and the way they are bunched up sure points to spawning behavior . I fished with my son David on Father’s Day- and it was a grind - releasing just 9 fish to 6 pounds. The algae is getting heavier each trip. We are alternating trolling and jigs in the main lake.” George said.

In the forebay, largemouth bass remain the best other than striped bass with bait near Check 12, but the shorelines are loading up with weeds. The California Aqueduct is finally showing some improvement for striped bass from 26 to 30 inches with jerkbaits or paddletailed swimbaits. The sides of the aqueduct are loaded with algae, and at least one angler was saved after slipping and falling in right in front of a headgate. The main lake dropped to 58% of capacity with the forebay 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. A harmful algae bloom warning has been established at Los Banos Creek Reservoir.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954.

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake said, “Rainbow trout in the 12- to 15-inch range are busting at the seams from the dam to the Sheriff’s Tower at 8 to 20 feet using orange Fin Reaper Wiggle Hoochies, pink or orange squids, orange Apex lures, Dick’s Trout Busters, or pink or blue Radical Glow tubes tipped with pink maggots behind Dick’s Mountain Dodgers trolled at 1.6 mph. Boat traffic is picking so trollers need to stay in the dam area in the 5 mph zone. There are big fish in the falls in front of the Forks Resort in cool, shallow water, and trolling with Rapala’s would be interesting there.” Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported solid bass action around the grass flats with watermelon plastics on a drop-shot or flukes, but the recreational boat traffic is very heavy and affecting the ability to fish peacefully. 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 open, and Edison is producing some brown trout near the dam. Edison rose to 68% of capacity, Florence dropped slightly to 94% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool holding at 98% of capacity due to snowmelt. A trout plant is scheduled at Hume Lake next week, but Dave Loftin and Dave Weaver from Visalia trolled fly rods with weighted line to a 6-foot fluorocarbon leader to a Dick’s Texas Tea Trout Buster at 2 to 3 mph to get down to 8 to 10 feet to catch and release 30 stocked rainbow trout from 12 to 14 inches. Southern California Edison (SCE), in partnership with the Sierra National Forest are rehabilitating the boat launch and campground. According to the Sierra National Forest’s press release, “The campground and boat launch have recently been turned over to SCE’s control to begin the rehabilitation work. To complete this work, SCE will need one year for the boat launch-related work, and two years for the campground, keeping in mind that given the elevation, there is only a limited window of time to complete this type of work during the year.” 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 3

Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Mountain Tackle, reported excellent trolling action at Shaver, saying, “Our first trip out this week was with friend Todd Donell, Santa Clarita, his son Ryan, and friends Andrew Gordon and Kyler Freude, and we did an early start of 5:30 am due to the full moon. To my surprise, it was not an early bite, and I was kind of concerned as we only had a few hookups by 7am, but after that, it was a hookup every 5 minutes. We fished the Edison Bay, island, and the Black Rock areas with tremendous success. I had thought it couldn’t get better than Wednesday’s trip until I fished with coach Pat Hill, his son Mike and grandsons Cooper, Charlie, and 4-year-old Cameron on Friday. Because of being a late bite, we put the lines in at 7:30 a.m. and immediately found kokanee at 30 to 40 feet down in the Edison Bay, Point, and island area. Actually the fish were everywhere. We had 11 to 12 triple hookups and one quad hookup. Around 40 kokanee were brought into sight or released on the trip. We used Dick’s Mountain Tube’s and Candy in pink with pink corn behind a D-MAC and Doc Barb Mountain Dodgers on the downriggers and Jimbo Trout Busters tipped with pink corn behind a Mountain Flasher with a setback of 100 feet. The water temperature is 69 degrees.”

Brian Klassen also found great action with Mark, Lance, Scott, Bradley, Colt, and Lacey Carter, taking off from the Sierra Marina at 5:30 a.m. to run pink or orange spinner hoochies tipped with pink or white corn scented with Bloody Tuna Anise behind a Paulina Peak’s dodgers along with Dick’s Mountain Tubes in orange or pink paired with Rocky Mountain Tackle’s dodger at depths from 30 to 43 feet with a 50-foot setback.

“There was a relentless bite from the dam area to the point with approximately 60 take downs for rainbows and second-year kokanee. The size of the fish was not great but quantity for fast and furious fishing for the kids was outstanding,” he said.

Both ramps are open. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. At Huntington, a recent trout plant should bring up the bank fishing with Power Bait or nightcrawlers near the mouth of Rancheria Creek. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. Shaver rose to 87% of capacity with Huntington at 98% of capacity. A trout plant is scheduled for Huntington next week.

Call: Paul Brown 300-4001; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100.

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 2

Kelly Brewer of the Wishon RV Park and Store reported a slower trout bit at both lake, but limits are still possible for rainbows from 12 to 14 inches with blade/’crawler combinations for trollers or soaking inflated nightcrawlers from the banks.

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 two-day salmon season was spectacular out of Half Moon Bay with limits on the Queen of Hearts, Riptide, and New Captain Pete in addition to the swarms of party boats that filled the parking lot at the launch ramp. It’s back to reality now with shallow water rockfishing being the story until the season moved to deep water for a month on Oct. 1. The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing returned with 25 limits of rockfish including an 8½-pound cabezon in addition to a pair of lingcod. Striped bass continue to move south down the coast after coming out of the Golden Gate, and the beaches at Mussel Rock and Linda Mar are producing linesides at night. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches.

Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819;

Monterey/Santa Cruz

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

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Ocean salmon fishing last weekend generated quite a bit of anticipation and excitement. As expected, there were hundreds of boats fishing for kings on Monterey Bay for the “limited opening” on Saturday and Sunday. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife scheduled four open periods for this summer, with a numerical limit of 7,000 fish for all openings. Depending on your point of view, this could be good news or bad news. With the number of boats slamming the salmon last weekend up and down the coast, it would not be surprising if that 7,000 number was met or exceeded just this weekend. Which would mean none of the other planned king salmon fishing days would be available for the summer. For fall salmon fishing, the DFW has scheduled three or four weekend opportunities depending on coastal location. The numerical limit for fall fishing is 7,500 king salmon.

On Saturday, fortune favored those who prepared and launched in the early morning darkness. The weather was calm and beautiful with low seas and gentle winds. Boats spread out over the bay, some even heading north of Santa Cruz. Most headed to the deep canyon edges near Moss Landing. The bait, and the fish were most numerous towards Monterey, by Soldier’s Club and Mulligan’s Hill. Plenty of compact bait balls were there to be found in around 250 feet of water. Most catches were reported midway up the water column about 150 feet from the surface. The fish were beautiful, healthy fat king salmon. A fish like no other both for the sport and for the table. Many boats caught limits, some caught only a few fish and there were skunks to be had by a few unlucky anglers as well. Captain JT Thomas from Go Fish Santa Cruz reported in before 10am on Saturday. The beautiful Miss Beth was already tied up back at the Santa Cruz Harbor dock, and the message from Thomas was concise. He said, “Tied up at the dock around 9:30 am with 16 fish, full limit for the boat including crew fish. For a general report, he added, “Definitely some fish caught, but lots of zeros, too.” Sunday’s fishing was a very different story. Likely stunned by the massive fishing pressure on Saturday, baitballs scattered, and salmon became much harder to find. Weather conditions didn’t help with strong winds early in the day and seas that grew increasingly choppy as the day progressed. There were still some limits to be had, as a few experienced local fishermen proved. Many boats caught fish only in the ones and two’s, including a couple of the big charter boats with 20 or more anglers aboard. There were many more boats on Sunday that came home trailing a civet odor. Reports from harbors to the north indicate decent salmon fishing out of Half Moon Bay, San Francisco and Bodega Bay. But, nowhere was near as good as it was for us here in Monterey Bay, especially on Saturday. Nevertheless, the 7000 fish retention quota for all areas may very well be reached or exceeded after this weekend’s salmon flurry. Remember, there were literally thousands of boats making their stab for what might turn out to be the only salmon fishing weekend of 2025. DFW won’t have a working number for a week or more, and July 5 and 6 are dates for the next scheduled fishing window.”

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 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

Limits of striped bass remain the rule in San Francisco Bay as the halibut counts wax and wane with the tides. During the past week, some of the best halibut action of the year took place with flatfish to 32 pounds, but once the tides ramp up, the bite slows down to a fish here and a fish there. Large anchovies have moved into the bay, and the striped bass schools are busting on the surface at some time during the day. Boats are watching for bird schools before moving in.

Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco was out on Saturday for 8 limits of striped bass to 12 pounds within 20 minutes. He said, “The bass were a solid grade between 8 and 12 pounds, and the anchovies are huge. Halibut fishing improved this week with some six packs even returning with six limits, but with the coming tides, I expect the halibut bite to slow down.”

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Berkeley was able to load up with limits of striped bass on the Malia Kai, and he said, “The bass aren’t on the rockpiles right now, but you can find them in the Berkeley Flats, Buoy 2, and Buoy 4 in the central bay.”

California Dawn Sport Fishing returned with a typical score on Sunday with a combined 42 limits of striped bass to 18 pounds and 13 halibut to 16 pounds on the California Dawn 1 and 2 while the Pacific Dream, also out of Berkeley Marina, returned with 21 limits of striped bass and 11 halibut.

So the pattern of great striped bass fishing regardless of the tides and ‘up and down’ halibut action depending on the tides continues. A few boats have also been starting to venture outside the Golden Gate for rockfish, and boats from Emeryville posted a combined 435 rockfish and 82 lingcod on Sunday while the remaining boats were in the bay for another indicative score of what is taking place right now: 203 striped bass and 19 halibut.

Last weekend’s two-day salmon opener was a shot in the arm for Bay Area party boats, but it’s up to striped bass/halibut/rockfish/and lingcod to entice anglers to get on board.

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

A surprising number of king salmon were landed by private boaters out of both San Luis Obispo County ports, but it’s all about rockfishing again. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing, two boats were out with 53 anglers on Sunday for 311 assorted rockfish, 7 vermilion, 2 Boccaccio, 5 Bolina, one copper, and 10 lingcod to 7 pounds. Out of Morro Bay, the Black Pearl took out 26 passengers to deep water on Sunday for limits of rockfish consisting of 60 chili pepper, 83 assorted rockfish, 52 vermilion to 8 pounds, 65 Boccaccio, and 5 lingcod to 16 pounds. Morro Bay Landing sent out 3 boats for 4 trips on Sunday with a combined 86 customers for 721 assorted rockfish, 67 vermilion, 38 Boccaccio, 8 copper, and a whopping 43 lingcod to 21 pounds. The local rockfish season below Point Lopez 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 2 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

Striped bass are found in the cooler waters of the north Delta near Liberty Island, and chatterbaits in waters as shallow as 1 to 2 feet are producing quality lineside. In the main river from Rio Vista to Collinsville, the wind has been blowing consistently, creating challenging conditions for trollers. The bulk of the spring run has returned from the upper river to San Francisco Bay and outside the Golden Gate, but there are still stragglers moving through. Largemouth bass are taken on chatterbaits, squarebilled crankbaits, or Senkos in the north Delta, and there are bass who have recently spawned on the past full moon. Interest in sturgeon fishing has slowed, but there are still diamondbacks to be found for catch-and-release trips in Suisun Bay. On the San Joaquin side, largemouth bass are taking center stage on the San Joaquin side as the striped bass bite has slowed down. The best action is taking place on the moving waters of the high tide with chatterbaits, plastics on the drop-shot, buzzbaits, or topwater lures like a Whopper Plopper. The wind has been blowing, and spinnerbaits were effective in the wind, but the wind died on Saturday, and Scum’s small white Poppin’ Frog was working on the high tide over the grass along rocky banks. Upstream on the San Joaquin River above Mossdale, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported the best action is in the evening hours with live bluegill for keeper stripers from 22 to 28 inches. Pile worms, blood worms, anchovies, or sardines are producing numbers of undersized striped bass. He said, “It’s hit or miss right now, and live bait is the key.”

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

Tournament Results:

June 7-8

Don Pedro – Sierra Bass Club

1st – Ron Orbaker/Darrell Barnett – 31.24 (Big Fish – 5.89- Orbaker); 2nd: Carlos Contreras Sr. and Jr. – 29.18; 3rd- Michael Pair/Jamal Lane – 27.93.

June 14-15

Don Pedro – California B.A.S. S. Nation Boater Division

1st – Kenneth Cleveland – 28.29; 2nd – Aaron Vang – 27.78; 3rd – Mark Cobey – 26.56.

Don Pedro – California B.A.S. S. Nation Co-Angler Division

1st – George Espino – 15.41; 2nd – Alex Simpson – 14.83; 3rd – Dayne Mendes – 13.89.

June 14

Delta/Ladd’s Marina

1st – Vince Borges/Chad Frie- 22.30 pounds; 2nd – Jerry Walser/John Faylor – 19.30; 3rd- Jamond Andrews/Harvey Pulliam – 18.19.

Don Pedro – Central Valley 17/90 Bass Club

1st –Chris/Destiny– 14.71; 2nd – Gavin/Mason – 14.26; 3rd – Dave/Roy – 13.31.

Eastman – Sierra Bass Club

1st – Dave Largent/Brett Scroggins – 20.33 pounds; 2nd- Dan Folia/Traci Lucchesi – 19.61 (Big Fish – 8.69- Lucchesi) ; 3rd – Dave Bassett/Darrell Barnett – 15.25.

Kaweah – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

1st – Chad Cloyd/Brian Suttles – 16.14 pounds (Big Fish – 12.04); 2nd- Dean Miller/Darrel Masterson – 13.84; 3rd – Brandon Turner/James Beasley – 10.67.

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

June 21

Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc.

Don Pedro – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies/Oro Madre Bass Club

McClure – Yak A’Bass

Eastman – Kings River Bass Club

Santa Margarita – Best Bass Tournaments

June 22

Delta/B and W Resort – Best Bass Tournaments

San Antonio – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

June 28

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

June 29

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.

This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Kokanee and trout action hot at Shaver Lake."