Central California fishing report: Wishon bite very good,

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

Best bets Delta bass bite best bet, Alan Fong reported. Wishon bite very good, Kelly Brewer said. Pine Flat trout action strong, Tas Moua reported. New Melones Kokanee bite outstanding, Kyle Wise said. Isabella multi-species banquet good, Copes Tackle reported. Don Pedro trout top choice, Monte Smith said. Westside Aqueduct stripers improved, Omega Nguyen 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 3 Catfish 3

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported action for both striped bass and catfish has improved in the northern section from Patterson Pass Road to Tracy with Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits, swimbaits, or anchovies. He said, “The early morning from 4 to 5 a.m. has been the best as the bite slows during the day before picking back up around 8:30 pm.” Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill confirmed the swimbait bite, saying, “Anglers are casting up into the current and working either soft swimbaits or glide baits back upstream against the current like you would in a river. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported solid catfish action on SSS dip bait, cut baits, or chicken liver, and while the best bite occurred after dark, plenty of fish have been caught throughout the day. Cut anchovies, sardines, or jumbo live minnows are working for striped bass near Buttonwillow, Tupman, and Freeborn with a few also reported on Zara Spooks or Poppers during the morning and evening hours. Largemouth bass responded to weightless Senkos and Texas-rigged 6-inch plastic worms in green pumpkin.

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

At Eastman, Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported mixed reviews with selected kayak anglers consistently posting 25- to 30-pound five-fish limits while others are struggling for 1 – to 1½-pound bass. fish Large 7- to 8-inch worms along with 1- to 1½-ounce jigs on the bottom have been effective along with a small window for big glide or wake baits in trout patterns. At Hensley, with the dropping water levels, the bass are holding on rockpiles. Catfishing remains best at night with cut bait, chicken liver, or nightcrawlers. Both lakes are releasing water, and Eastman dropped seven feet to 504.02 feet in elevation to and 25% of capacity with Hensley dropping five feet to 473.28 feet in elevation and 18% of capacity. No tournaments are scheduled at Eastman through the end of August.

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 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Guide Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing reported a slower kokanee bite after last Saturday’s Kokanee Power team derby as the fish are very scattered and moving toward structure and away from open water. He said, “This is their normal migration mode as it is getting later in the season; however, there are still kokanee to be caught at depths from 50 to 80 feet. The rainbow trout are still on a good bite as we are marking school of bait from 30 to 50 feet. This is where the trout will be hanging out. King salmon action has improved as the bait is schooling into large groups from 30 to 50 feet, and the kings are relatively shallow even though the surface temperature is up to 80 degrees. Where the bait goes, the king salmon go, but they are also down at depths from 90 to 100 feet in open water. This is generally where you will find small kokanee and king salmon. Small micro-hoochies or small Apex lures have been working best, and you might have to go through a lot of gear to find the right combination, but it is well worth the time. “For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle reported some huge largemouth bass have been caught and released at night within the past week with an 11 pounder on a crankbait and a 12 pounder on a jig. Overall, bass fishing has slowed as the fish have moved out into deeper water around 30 feet in depth.

Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The Blue Oaks launch ramp has reopened. The lake continues to release water, and it dropped over 3 feet to 811.18 feet in elevation and 89% of capacity this week. The lake will host 4 bass tournaments through the end of August. 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 3 Crappie 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3

The lake dropped two feet to 2,579.05 feet in elevation and 54% of capacity. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported summer bass fishing remains productive, especially in the North Fork areas stretching up to the Cemetery. Early mornings are seeing some solid topwater action followed by a steady bite deeper on points down to 20 feet using plastic worms in Oxblood or purple. Flukes, spinnerbaits, or Senkos in watermelon red or shad colors continue to be top producers. The better-quality bass are being caught on crawdad-pattern crankbaits and the “Rusty Special” 1st Gen spinnerbait. The crappie bite is still going strong with anglers doing best on small live shiners or 2–to 3 -inch Keitech swimbaits. Kayak anglers are finding crappie holding tight to submerged tree trunks and in deeper water from 15 to 20 feet down. Catfishing is red hot right now with Triple S bait or cut bait both from the shorelines and from boats. Surprisingly, there’s still a solid trout bite happening with shore anglers are doing well on Chunky Cheese or garlic Power Bait while trollers continue to find success with Tasmanian Devils or Berkley’s Flicker Shad crankbaits.

The upper Kern River, Cope’s reported great conditions for both wading and fishing. Trout action remains solid, especially in the stretches from Kernville up to Johnsondale Bridge. Recent stockings by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, including the popular “20-mile stretch,” have kept the bite consistent. Salmon eggs, garlic-scented Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or small spinners like Rooster Tails and Panther Martins are all working for casting while fly anglers are also having success using attractor nymphs, beadhead Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs, Parachute Adams, or small streamers, particularly in deeper pockets and behind rocks. The water temperatures are holding in the low 60s with the best action happening early and late in the day. On the lower Kern, recent trout plants in Section Three are producing good results from Democrat down to the Isabella Dam with nightcrawlers, salmon eggs, or small spinners. Smallmouth bass are beginning to show in the rocky, slower stretches of the river with soft plastics, curly-tail grubs, or small swimbaits in natural hues. The flows in the upper Kern River has dropped to 556 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake are steady at 1368 cfs at First Point. Four bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of August.

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 3

The lake dropped over 18 feet to 635.97 feet in elevation and 28% of capacity. Cope’s reported bass fishing remain from fair to good with spotted bass providing most of the action. Finesse baits such as Senkos, plastics on a variety of presentations, and chatterbaits at depths from 5 to 25 feet are working best. There is a topwater bite near the shorelines in the mornings and evenings in low light conditions. Crappie remained reliable for anglers suspending small live minnows over structure. The Kaweah River continues to drop, and it is currently at 114 cfs at Three Rivers. No additional bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of August.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake dropped over seven feet to 631.16 feet in elevation and 51% of capacity. Cope’s reported bass fishing remains productive despite the falling water levels. The bass are holding in the submerged trees, over rocky structure, or main and secondary lake points with finesse baits such as grubs on a dart head or spinnerbaits. Crankbaits, jerkbaits, or topwater lures are drawing strikes over submerged vegetation. Reports for catfish and crappie were limited.

McClure Reservoir

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

Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait in Modesto reported not much has changed here as topwater lures continue to work in the mornings and evenings before the bass drop into 25 feet or deeper. Jigs, plastics on the drop-shot, Senkos on a Neko-rig, or deep diving crankbaits are all effective once the fish move out. With the dropping lake levels, the fish are holding along steep bluff walls or over rock piles. The lake dropped over 5 feet to 836.70 feet in elevation and 81% of capacity . Tournament action has slowed down with only two small club tournaments scheduled through the end of August.

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

Lake McSwain

Trout 2

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported bank anglers have been heading to McSwain for holdover rainbow trout with Power Bait with garlic along with Kastmasters or inflated nightcrawlers from the Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile, or the peninsula between the Marina. Trout plants have not occurred since early April, and although the number of fish in the lake is limited, bank anglers continue to pick up a few fish. Trolling with Rapalas, Ruby Red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler, or spoons at depths from the surface to 30 feet are working for a few holdovers in the cooler waters of the river arm. The Reel Deal Market at McSwain is open on summer hours. The lake dropped slightly to 87% of capacity . The Splash and Dash water feature dominates the lake, especially on the weekends. Information https://mysplashndash.com/knowbeforeyougo/#hours.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Recreational boat traffic dominates in the main lake. Tas Moua reported minimal change at Millerton as the lake is dropping rapidly. Small bass are the story with the best action near the Madera side with underspins, jerkbaits, plastics on the drop-shot, or shakey head. The lake dropped to 539.69 feet in elevation and 68% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant are steady at 224 cfs. Sycamore Island is open every day from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Only one club tournament is scheduled through the end of August.

Call: Fresno 559 Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Kokanee fishing is the big story as Chris Counts of Clovis headed north to find out what all the kokanee talk was about. He said, “Limits of 15- to 16½-inch kokanee shaped like footballs within a few hours of daylight was the story as I fished the Carson Wall area with UV/Glow homemade Plankton Squids behind a Vance’s gold dodger or Mack’s Double Whammy Kokanee Pro in UV cooper/chrome Fire Orange behind a 6- UV/Glow sling blade dodger coated with Anise Fire gel in Anise along with herring gel smeared on the hardware and fire corn at depths from 65 to 75 feet.”

Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service continues to post early limits of kokanee to 17.25 inches trolling with J-Pex lures tipped with Pautske’s Fire Corn behind a 5½-inch gold dodger coated with Herring Gel at speeds from 1.4 to 1.7 mph at depths from 55 to 82 feet near Carson Cove, Rose Island, and Glory Hole Point. He said, “The kokanee are in excellent shape, dime bright with only a few males starting to develop a kype. We should experience good fishing for kokanee until September.” Wise is also running night trips for rainbow trout under lights. For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle reported there hasn’t been much change for bass at New Melones as topwater lures continue to be effective in the mornings and evenings before the bass move out into deep water of 25 feet or more with jigs, plastics on the drop-shot, or deep diving crankbaits. Flukes are also effective for suspending fish. A decontamination unit is available at the New Melones Marina.

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 dropped over 2 feet to 1,029.49 feet in elevation and 73% of capacity with downstream Tulloch holding at 97% 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 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported jigs are the best bet over rock piles or along steep bluff walls, and there is a topwater bite upriver near Sycamore or Big Creek where the water is flowing. The bass are holding on the shallow, grassy flats upriver, but once the sun comes up, the fish suspended over rock piles at depths from 30 to 40 feet. The Sierra Bass Club held at club event on Saturday, taken by Joe and Traci Ploharz by 0.02 pounds at 7.86 pounds. Small bass less than 2 pounds remain the rule as the big fish of the tournament was 2.09 pounds by Jim Lozano. Jim Tartaglia of Reedley trolled the lake twice this past week, and he said, “The lake is dropping fast, but the trout bite remains strong. The Deer Creek area is around 100 feet deep, and the shallower water results in warm conditions forcing the trout and king salmon to move into the various locations in the main lake to find cool water. Sierra Gold lures behind dodgers are getting the job done. The king salmon bite is fair, but I am looking for it to improve soon. There are bait balls in the main lake, but they are as many as last year. I do believe the bait balls will increase soon. The bait balls are the key to catching big rainbows and king salmon.”In the lower Kings River, the flows continue to drop steadily, and they have decreased from 849 to 635 cfs at Trimmer this week. No trout plants are scheduled this week, but there planted rainbows from the recent plants remaining in the river. With the lower flows, the trout are holding along the edges where fast water slows down. A variety of offerings are working including: Roostertails, Panther Martin’s, Joe’s Flies, salmon eggs, or Power Bait. 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 dropped 20 feet to 842.06 feet in elevation and 47% of capacity. Two club bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of August.

Call: 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

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 reported wind has been a factor in limiting boating on the main lake and forebay, but shore anglers are picking up striped bass with anchovies, 1-ounce Rat-L-Traps in Bleeding Shad, or Duo Realis 130 jerkbaits in Chartreuse Shad or Neo Pearl.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported a tough bite this last week as the lake has continued to fall about 1½ feet a day.” The falling water has really slowed the bite down – and the fish we are finding wouldn’t bite much. A buddy and I scouted the lake hoping to find some active fish- but we only managed 11 fish to 23” mainly trolling deeper flats. The wind also came up- which is what it’s doing almost every day after 2. The lake has dropped 100 vertical feet since April 1- down to 800,000 acre feet now-something we haven’t seen since the drought years. It’s been a tough fishing year overall compared to normal, and I thought for sure they would stop taking out this much water earlier- keeping a bigger reserve. “ George said.

In the O’Neill Forebay, Clements reported muddy water from the constant pumping has limited action, but a 45-inch striped bass was caught and released from under the 152 Bridge on a fluke in chartreuse/white. The water under the bridge is one area where the grass is limited, but the constant in and out of water movement from pumping has kept the grass from growing prolifically. The main lake dropped to 39% of capacity with the forebay rising to 88% of capacity. The banks in the main lake are muddy due to the rapidly dropping water level. 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 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0

Tas Moua reported clear water, and the water level has risen as high as it will be allowed this summer. There is a topwater bite in the north end in the grassy flats. Near the dam behind the buoys, smaller 3.3-inch Keitech swimbaits, Brush Hogs, or plastics on the drop-shot or shakey head are working for those walking along the dam. Heavy boat traffic has limited trolling to very early in the morning before the boats have to congregate behind the buoys. 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

Since they were planted three weeks ago, no future trout plants are on the schedule at Edison, Portal Forebay, Mammoth Pool, and Ward Lake. All the High Sierra lakes are dropping slightly with Edison at 71 while Florence at 89% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool at 79% of capacity. 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 (until May 2026), and two years for the campground (May 2027), keeping in mind that given the elevation, there is only a limited window of time to complete this type of work during the year. Forest Order 05-15-51-25-06 covering SCE’s rehabilitation work will be released soon.”

Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station by calling 855-5355 or online at 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 2 Kokanee 2

Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charter reported a slower kokanee bite from the hot action over the previous weeks. He said, “Multiple limits are still very possible, but the double and triple hookups have mostly subsided as weekend’s boat pressure was tough on trollers. I was out with Dave McGlothin of Clovis, 14-year-old Jameson Haffey of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, and his cousin Bill Hanson of Clovis out Sunday morning. We had two quick kokanee hookups before the sun peaked over the hills, slowly the bite to one here and there before finishing with limits as we found a consistent bite after 9 a.m. On the downriggers, we ran I Dick’s Mountain pink tubes or Doom Mountain Hoochies tipped with corn behind Mountain Dodgers in D- MAC and Doc Barb. On the side poles, we worked from 22 to 40 feet with Jimbo or Texas Tea Trout Busters behind weighted Mountain Flashers at a setback of 135 feet, producing found 7 hook-ups at an estimated 28-foot depth. Even though the surface water temperature was 72 degrees, the kokanee were scattered between 25 and 50 feet with the best action at 34 feet in depth.

At the same time, guides Paul Brown and Tom Oliveira were out with their clients. Brown reported a slower bite but still came through with two limits for his guests. Both Brown was using a similar set up to ours. Oliveira found the fish early and stayed on them until his clients, Brian Gogue and Braden and Hudson from Lemoore finished their limits early, including a 19.2-inch third-year-kokanee using spinners or orange squids behind Mag Tackle gold dodgers at 32 to 52 feet deep.”

Both ramps are open. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. At Huntington, the High Sierra Regatta is over for the season, and trollers will once again have much better access to the entire lake. No trout plants are scheduled in the lake or the feeder streams at the present time. The best fishing continues for trollers pulling small spinners or spoons behind dodgers for kokanee to 11 inches, rainbow trout, and the occasional brown trout. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. Shaver dropped to 85 with Huntington rising slightly to 98% of capacity. Call: Paul Brown 300-4001; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100.

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 3

Kelly Brewer of the Wishon RV Park and Store said, “Things haven’t changed much up here as the bite is still good with bank anglers scoring with Power Bait in various colors along with inflated nightcrawlers. Trollers are pulling in 14-inch plus trout at three to four colors with blade/’crawler combinations, Rapalas, or Speedy Shiners. Both lake levels are good.”

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

Rockfishing continues to be excellent for limits of various species along with a handful of lingcod. There will be a 7,500-fish quota salmon season from Sept. 4-7 from Point Reyes south to Point Sur, and many of the local party boats and six-packs are starting to be booked.Captain Melynda Dodds of the New Captain Pete will be offering live bait rockfish trips along the local reefs, and this is the only boat using live bait. Dodds took out three research trips for the California Collaborative Fisheries Research Program this week working both inside and outside of the Ano Nuevo Marine Protected Area. The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing consistently returns with limits of rockfish. Sunday’s trip produced 25 limits, four lingcod, and a bonus 18-inch California halibut. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches. Dungeness crab season is over until the first Saturday in November.

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 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 2

From the beaches, Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported grass has moved into the beaches, slowing down the striped bass bite near Monterey.

He added, “Surf perch fishing has also slowed down with two to three perch possible instead of the 11 or 12 of a few months ago.”

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, “Weather conditions are settling into what we consider a more “normal” summertime pattern. We’re getting a slight breeze around sunrise that dies down for a few hours of calm and glassy seas before picking up again from the west or northwest. How hard it blows after that determines how long we can stay out fishing. We had a few days this week that were nice until noon or later. The weekend forecast looks even better with maximum winds expected to be no more than ten knots or so, over an almost negligible swell. Halibut fishing remains strong on Monterey Bay. Halibut are biting from 30 feet of water out to 70 feet these days. Any flat sandy area of the bay can produce. The Capitola area is slowing down for halibut, while West Cliff and North Coast areas are picking up near Santa Cruz. For a guaranteed catch, rockfishing is the best bet right now. Private boats and charter operations are hauling in limits from the medium and deeper reefs. Shallow reefs should produce as the annoying south swell continues to slowly die out. Six-pack charter Go Fish Santa Cruz has been working the north coast spots lately, near Davenport. The fish are bigger there and limits are quicker. Skipper JT Thomas reported Monday and Tuesday trips caught limits of a great variety of rockfish including vermillion, browns, blues, yellowtail, blacks and coppers. The best news comes from Todd Fraser at Bayside Marine who is tracking catches of the elusive white seabass. Fraser reports that anglers found halibut and a few white seabass while drifting squid near Three Mile Beach north of Santa Cruz. Stagnaro’s Sportfishing operates two bigger boats from the Santa Cruz Harbor and often does multiple trips per day. Owner Ken Stagnaro gave his overview for the week saying, “The Velocity was coming home with half to 3/4 limits with a few ling cod starting to show up. Over the weekend, anglers on Legacy caught limits of rockfish on seven-hour trips and 3/4 limits on the afternoon twilight trips.”

Both Monterey and Santa Cruz will be able to participate in the next window for ocean salmon on Sept. 4-7, and the boats are filling up fast.

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 3 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

The tides will ramp up as the week progresses, but they were ideal for halibut over the weekend. Boats congregated outside the Golden Gate on either the North or South Bar to find spectacular halibut fishing. Captain James Smith of the California Dawn 2 reported 22 limits of halibut to 30 pounds and 2 striped bass to 13 pounds with the California Dawn 1 posting 18 limits of halibut to 30 pounds and 2 striped bass to 12 pounds. On Monday, after posting 28 big halibut for 24 anglers, the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley found the big striped bass outside the Gate with seven lineside in the teens with two over 20 pounds in addition to 15 halibut. The conditions must be right outside the Golden Gate as the combination of wind and current make for a fast, rolly drift on the bars. The halibut are biting in select windows, and when the bite is on, it is on, but when it is off, it is off.

The bigger tides this week should limit the halibut action to a smaller window, but striped bass should improve inside and outside the bay. Boats are running ‘Super Potluck’ trips for three or more species of fish consisting of striped bass, halibut, rockfish, and lingcod. Earlier in the week, the California Dawn 2 posted limits of lingcod, near limits to limits of rockfish, and limits of halibut.

Western Outdoor New’s annual charter trip on the California Dawn 2 is Thursday, August 21 for rockfish and lingcod with a potential shot at halibut. Each angler will receive a Western Outdoor News supply bag packed with Gamakatsu hooks, a 300-yard spoon of Izorline, Costa Gear, a Katch Fishing hook keeper, a free Cancun vacation voucher and more. The jackpot winner will receive a Penn Carthage Rod and an Aftco gift card. Book online or call WON’s Landon Thomas for bookings or questions at (949) 366-0726.

Call: Captain Trent Slate – Bite Me Charters, (415) 307-8582;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

Limits of rockfish continue to be the story out of the San Luis Obispo County as Morro Bay Landing sent out 3 boats for 4 trips on Sunday, and they returned with 660 assorted rockfish, 104 vermilion, 99 Boccaccio, 37 copper, 15 Bolina, 20 ocean whitefish, and 29 lingcod to 16 pounds for a combined 96 passengers. The Black Pearl, also out of Morro Bay, posted 140 assorted rockfish, 40 vermilion, and 20 copper to 8 pounds to go with 15 lingcod to 16 pounds. Out Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, two boats took a total of 46 anglers on Sunday for 185 assorted rockfish, 23 vermilion, 20 cabezon, 27 Boccaccio, 205 Bolina, and 25 lingcod to 18 pounds.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing.

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Sturgeon 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

It’s full summertime mode in the California Delta, and largemouth bass are king for the next few months before the striped bass start to return in late August during the beginning of the fall run. The first of the big frog tournaments is this coming weekend with the Ultimate Frog Challenge out of Russo’s Marina. Both the UFC and the original frog tournament, the Snag Proof Open the following weekend, follow a similar format with anglers fishing an afternoon tide on Saturday and a morning tide on Sunday. The UFC allows for any floating frog with specific rules available on the Angler’s Press website while the Snag Proof Open is limited to Snag Proof Brand, Zoo Baits, or SCUM Frog with rules available on the Best Bass Tournaments website. Flipping and pitching, chatterbaits, and punching the weeds provide the best bass action. Casey Remy won Saturday’s Yak A’ Bass Kayak tournament, and he found his fish on a 25-yard stretch by punching. Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors continues to work the north Delta around Liberty Island, and he said, “Chatterbaits in the weed beds or flipping and pitching are working, and the larger bass are holding in the grass. You can really catch them any way you want to right now. Striped bass are small as the larger fish have left for the cooler waters of the bay or outside the Golden Gate.”

In the south San Joaquin River, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “Fresh shad will be in the shop this week for the first time in months. The best action for striped bass to 30 inches along with big catfish has been at night with frozen shad or pile worms while anchovies produce mostly shakers.”

There are changes to the catch-and-release regulations for white sturgeon beginning on October 1, 2025. In simple terms, there are specific open and closed seasons in geographical areas, and the Sturgeon Report Card period has been realigned to match the open seasons. The catch-and-release sturgeon season is currently closed, but it will reopen on October 1.

The 2025 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet released by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on July 1 lists the following updates: Upon the effective date of the new regulations, CDFW will no longer sell the 2025 annual Sturgeon Fishing Report Card. If you have already purchased a 2025 annual Sturgeon Fishing Report Card, you may either: Continue to use it until it expires on December 31, 2025 or Request a no-cost 2025-2026 seasonal Sturgeon Fishing Report Card and begin using it as early as Oct. 1. CDFW is shifting the reporting period for sturgeon fishing, from an annual/calendar year report card to a report card that is aligned with the new sturgeon fishing season. To better accommodate this disruption for anglers, the 2025-2026 Sturgeon Fishing Report Card will be offered free. Beginning in the 2026-2027 fishing season, Sturgeon Fishing Report Cards will be priced at $7.50, with the standard annual inflationary increase.

The 2025 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations booklet will be updated with the latest regulations upon adoption by the CA Fish and Game Commission at its August meeting and subsequent Office of Administrative Law approval and filing.

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

July 19

Delta- Yak A’ Bass

1st – Casey Remy – 87.00 inches; 2nd – Pua Yang – 85.75 inches; 3rd – Isiah West – 85.50 inches.

Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club

1st – Joe and Traci Ploharz – 7.46; 2nd – Jeff and Michella Karceski – 7.44; 3rd- Dave Bassett/Mitch Mitcheltree – 4.86. Big Fish – Jim Lozano – 2.09.

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

July 25

Don Pedro – Lake Tulloch Friday Nights

July 20

Delta/B and W Resort – Best Bass Tournaments

Isabella – American Bass Association

July 26-27

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Ultimate Frog Challenge

July 26

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass

Aug. 2-3

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Snag Proof Open

Tulloch – Yak A’ Bass

Aug. 9

Delta/B and W Resort – Bass Angler Inc.

Delta/San Joaquin County – Bass N’ Tubes

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Don Pedro – Modesto AmBASSadors

Isabella – American Bass Association’

Aug. 9-10

Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club

Aug. 10

Delta/Big Break Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Delta/San Joaquin County – Valley Backlashers

Aug. 16-17

Don Pedro – Great Basin Bassers

McClure – Bass 101

Santa Margarita – Bass Addicts of So Cal

Aug. 16

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Bass Anglers of Northern California

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

Millerton – Sierra Bass Club

Aug. 17

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association/Angler’s Press Outdoors

Delta/San Joaquin County – Stanislaus County Sheriffs

Aug. 23

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass

For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.

This story was originally published July 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Wishon bite very good,."