Central California fishing report: Delta stripers hitting
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 hitting, Alan Fong said. New Melones trout active, Kyle Wise said. , Isabella on a multi-species tear, 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
The northern section of the California Aqueduct is starting to heat up as Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported decent action out of Clifton Court Forebay with anchovies or pile worms. He said, “The aqueduct has been fishing better than the San Joaquin River south of Mossdale Bridge.” In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported high heat reduced the number of reports from aqueduct anglers last week, but striped bass, catfish, and bass were still available during the cooler parts of the day. Striped bass favored cut sardines, anchovies, or lugworm after the check gates while white jerkbaits, topwater lures, or small swimbaits are effective at first light. The catfish bite remained reliable with the best action at night with cut bait, SSS dip bait, or chicken liver on Carolina or bait rigs. Prop baits, topwater poppers, or walking baits in the mornings or evenings are effective for largemouth bass along with Roboworms on a drop-shot or Senkos in the slow-moving water.
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
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 a very short window for topwater lures or swimbaits in the early mornings before the fish move out to depths from 20 to 25 feet over rockpiles or island tops. He said, “The best action remains in the evenings. The bass are feeding on bluegill or crappie along the dam or in the rocks. There are still big fish to be found as Max Lee caught and released a quality largemouth on a Burrito Bait’s Bacca Burrito swimbait in either the 5- or 6-inch size.” At Hensley, crankbaits in the shallows are working for bass in the early mornings before the bite dies around 10 a.m.. Eastman dropped two feet to 474.97 feet in elevation and 10% of capacity with Hensley holding at 455.52 feet in elevation and 8% of capacity. One tournament is scheduled at Eastman through the end of September.
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 3 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Recreational boat traffic at Don Pedro was extremely heavy over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend, but on Thursday, Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing put his clients onto limits of rainbow trout by 9:15 am. He said, “There is so much bait in the lake, and it has been holding around 30 to 50 feet. The fish are loaded with shad, and this is typical for the early fall. We were trolling my custom spoons or ExCel’s at depths from 50 to 75 feet, and there were few trollers out on the lake. Bass boats have been the main fishing boats on the lake.”For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle said, “There is a topwater bite throughout the day with Poppers in the mornings before switching over to walking baits by mid-morning. There is also a shallow morning crankbait bite before the fish move out to depths from 25 to 40 feet. Senkos on a nail-weight, jigs, or plastics on the drop-shot are effective for fish at these depths while flukes or spoons are scoring the suspended bass. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake dropped 2 feet to 797.66 feet in elevation this week. Three bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of September. 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 less than a foot to 2570.81 feet in elevation and 42 as the water releases are slowing down. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported the bite has remained steady for numerous species. Bass fishing continues to be solid with the best action coming in the early mornings and late afternoons, particularly in the North Fork or around rocky structure. Most of the bass have been on the small side, but the larger fish are starting to get active. There is a topwater bite with Whopper Ploppers, Buzzbaits, or Poppers, but crankbaits, plastic worms on a Texas-rig or drop-shot, small jigs, 4-inch Keitech swimbaits, squarebilled crankbaits, Flukes, spinnerbaits, or shad-patterned Senkos are all working. Large 8- to 11-inch dark colored worms in Oxblood or purple on the drop-shot are effective along points at depths to 20 feet. Rocky Point has been the top area for an early morning topwater bite. Crappie action has been excellent for both bank and boat anglers in 5 to 20 feet of water near offshore structure on live shiners or minijigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. Good reports of catfish are coming from the Dam and Camp 9 with Triple S Dip Bait, frozen shad, or mackerel. Trout fishermen soaking Power Bait are reporting incidental catches of catfish. Trout fishing remains solid with limits possible with Power Bait in the North Fork while trollers are working around the dam with Tasmanian Devils, Needlefish, or Berkley’s Flicker Shad or lead core. In the upper Kern River, Cope’s reported steady action on both holdover and wild trout throughout the 20-mile stretch. Section 4 was planted this week for the first time in several weeks. Deeper pools and slower-moving eddies along river bends remain the best locations for holding fish. Yellow or gold bead head nymphs, salmon eggs, or trout jigs are best. Trout plants are scheduled in Sections 4, 5, and 6 the weeks of September 8 and Sept. 22. In the lower Kern, bass action remains strong for both smallmouth and largemouth bass with Get Bent Baits, Roostertails, or small crankbaits. Fly anglers are also reporting excellent bass fishing in the deeper pools using a mix of fly patterns. Nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or cut bait are working for catfish. The flows in the upper Kern River risen from 394 to 455 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake have dropped from 843 to 472 cfs at First Point. One bass tournament is scheduled at Isabella through the end of September.
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 held at 591.88 feet in elevation and 8% of capacity so it appears that the water levels will remain stable until the first precipitation of the year. Cope’s reported the stable water levels offered some hope for an otherwise tough bite. Bass are holding on main lake points and around submerged rock piles, and small jigs or brown, light purple, or bluegill plastics on the drop- or Ned-rig have been effective along with topwater lures or crankbaits in the mornings or evenings. Live minnows or minijigs are picking up crappie around the submerged structure in the shallow lake while cut sardines or Triple S Dip Bait is best for catfish. The Kaweah River rose slightly to 81 cfs at Three Rivers. Only a single bass tournament is scheduled through the end of September.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake dropped less than a foot to 600.51 feet in elevation and 15% of capacity. Cope’s reported decent action for bass as the largemouths are holding along rocky points, submerged trees, and near the dam. Plastics on the drop-shot, Hula Grubs, or Senkos are producing bites on a slow retrieve while topwater lures or crankbaits are effective around the submerged trees. The crappie bite is decent with small live minnows or mini jigs while Triple S Dip Bait or chicken liver are tops for catfish.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 1 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait in Modesto reported topwater lures are producing throughout the day with the Berkley Choppo 90 or walking baits the best topwater offerings. Jerkbaits are effective both morning and evening, and when the fish move out into deeper water, jigs, plastics on the drop-shot, lipless crankbaits or nail-weighted Senkos are best at depths from 25 to 40 feet. Spoons and flukes are picking up suspended bass while deep-diving crankbaits are working at depths plus or minus 25 feet. The lake dropped 3½ feet to 815.04 feet in elevation. Tournament action has slowed down with three tournaments on the schedule in late September.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 2
A trout plant is scheduled for this week, and with the last day of the Splash and Dash water feature on Monday, Sept. 1, McSwain will return to a trout fishing lake. Additional plants from the Department of Fish and Wildlife are scheduled the week of Sept. 22 and Oct. 6 in preparation for Merced Irrigation District’s Fall Trout Derby. With the plant, bank anglers should get in on the act with Power Bait, inflated nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters or similar spoons from the normal locations of the Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile, or the peninsula between the Marina. Holdover rainbows from earlier plants have headed up the river arm, and trolling at depths to 30 feet with Ruby Red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler, Rapalas, or spoons are your best bet. Trout plants are scheduled in the Merced River Section 1 next week and again during the week of the 22. The lake is at 87% of capacity.
Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2
Tas Moua reported live crawdads have been the best bet for spotted bass to two pounds. Heavy boat traffic over the Labor Day Weekend limited fishing interest. The lake dropped over three feet to 509.5 feet in elevation and 47% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant remain steady at 237 cfs. Sycamore Island is open every day from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of September.
Call: Fresno 559 Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2
Kokanee are winding down quickly, but Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service has been transitioning over to rainbow trout to five pounds. He said, “There are still trophy kokanee to be found, but the numbers have dropped as the fish are well on their way to spawning. We have been targeting rainbows trolling spoons at depths from 75 to 90 feet in the main lake, and the fish are loaded with two-inch shad. The key is to find the bait. The rainbows are so deep since the surface temperature has climbed to 83 degrees.” For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto provided a similar report to the other Mother Lode lakes with topwater lures producing throughout the day with Poppers working best in the mornings and evenings before switching to walking baits mid-day. Deep crankbaits are working plus or minus 25 feet, and jigs, plastics on the drop-shot, or Senkos on a nail weight are best at depths from 25 to 40 feet. Suspended bass are taken on spoons or flukes. All boats must be quarantined for 30 days or decontaminated for golden mussels.
A decontamination unit is available at the New Melones Marina, and 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. Current launch hours: Glory Hole Point: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Federal Holidays. Tuttletown: 6:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Federal Holidays. The hours are subject to change after the Labor Day Holiday Weekend. 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 a foot to 1019.31 feet in elevation and 69% of capacity with downstream Tulloch at 94% 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 3Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Tas Moua reported a continued solid bass bite with a small Turkey Shoot on Saturday night producing a limit over 14 pounds. Jigs or topwater lures remain best despite the rapid draw down of the reservoir. The trout and king salmon bite is on hold until the lake stabilizes as the combination of heavy water releases, a lowered lake level, and triple-digit temperatures have resulted in warm water conditions, keeping the salmon hunkered down to the bottom and the trout looking for the coolest locations. In the lower Kings River, the flows rose slightly from 356 to 424 at Trimmer this week. The next scheduled trout plant is the week of Sept. 22 with an additional plant the week of Oct. 6. There are still rainbows in the river from plants earlier this month, and Roostertails, Panther Martin’s, Joe’s Flies, salmon eggs, or Power Bait are all effective for a few fish per rod 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 dropped another five feet to 775.27 feet in elevation and 24% of capacity. Only one bass tournament is scheduled through the end of September, the Bass 101 Night Tournament on Sept. 15. The blast off for this event will be at 6:30 p.m. rather and 6 p.m., and it will end at 7:30 a.m. The Pine Flat staff will host a recognition ceremony at 5 p.m. at the Deer Creek launch ramp to honor the six fishermen involved in the lifesaving rescue on January 1, 2023. Call: 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273; ‘Fishing with Jimmy T’ on YouTube.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
The water level in the main lake rose once again to 41% of capacity with increased pumping out of the California Delta. Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported extra-large minnows are once again in the shop, and minnows, anchovies, or pile worms are the top baits from the banks for stripers in the 24- to 26-inch range. He said, “Most bank fishermen are focusing near Dinosaur Point.” Tas Moua said, “Grass shrimp, if you can get it, has been a top bait in the main lake around points.” A caution advisory for a harmful algae bloom has been posted for the Dinosaur Point boat launch area.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the troll and jig bite has been slow to moderate- but there are a few better class of fish up to 8-10 pounds showing up.” I had an big engine problem last week , and I had to use my little trolling motor to try to make the day work. We ended up with about 7-8 school fish which was good under the circumstances. The wind continues to be a constant daily pain. “ George reported
In the O’Neill Forebay, Mesa reported a 20-pound striped bass was landed from a boat, and walking baits such as Whopper Ploppers are best Tas Moua reported anglers continue to wade out in the early mornings past the shoreline grass to toss River2Sea Rig Walker 100’s or 120’s along with Duo Realis 120’s in Neo Pearl. The forebays is at 86% 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. Los Banos Creek Reservoir will be closed to the public from Sept. 6 to April 17, 2026, due to a multiagency project. More information on the closure and the project is available on the California State Parks website.
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
The trout bite is slowing down for trollers, mostly due to heavy recreational boat pressure, but there are still trout taken from the banks with deep water access. Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported the dam area is the best bet for bass as small fish in the 10- to 15-inch range are cruising and chasing bait along the points. Bluegill and crappie are found in the early mornings around Ducey’s Resort. A live webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1. One bass tournament is scheduled through the end of September.
Call: Tas Moua, Fresno 559 Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Portal Forebay is scheduled to receive a trout plant this week, but this may be modified due to the recent fire activity in the Central Sierras.
Travelers to the high country must be aware of current road conditions as evacuations may be in order. All the High Sierra lakes are dropping with Edison at 55 of capacity, Florence at 47% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool at 59% 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 – 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 2 Kokanee 2
Visitors to the Central Sierras need to be aware of any road closures or evacuations due to the number of fires occurring from the recent lightning strikes.
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols, reported, “The lake is providing mixed reports, and the bottom line is that some are getting them, and some aren’t. I think bagging a limit is tough currently. Dave McGlothin of Clovis, a frequent troller, is finding fish in locations that have historically provided fish this time of year. McGlothin recently picked up a limit of kokanee running Dick’s Doom Mountain Hoochies behind Mountain Dodgers in D-MAC and Watermelon at 60 to 70 feet down. Three of the 14- to 15-inch fish were in pre-spawn mode: scaleless, with a hooked jaw, and blush color similar to what is expected of a third-year fish. Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net provided the following explanation. He said because there are very few 3rd-year kokanee due to the lack of planting in 2023, the 2nd-year fish are eating more food and filling out, making them go into a spawning mode. He estimates that 60% of capacity of this year’s second-year fish will not be around next year. It is slow fishing at Shaver, but Wittwer put his 3 guests onto three limits of kokanee heading into the Labor Day Weekend. It took 6 hours and two different locations, but he did it.” Nichols advises that Huntington is the best choice this week for limits of both smaller kokanee and trout.
The final Kokanee Power Team Tournament of the season is annually held at Shaver Lake is this coming Saturday, Sept. 6, and boaters from throughout California and Nevada will arrive early to pre-fish for the event. With the limited numbers of the larger 3rd-year fish in the lake, it could be anyone’s game. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. Shaver dropped to 69 with Huntington rising slightly to 98% of capacity.
Call: Paul Brown 300-4001; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100.
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 2
Wishon and Courtright Reservoirs are closed as of press time due to the Garnet Fire.
The Sierra National Forest implemented a partial closure on Aug. 28, in response to the full suppression effort on the Garnet Fire. The partial closure order was coordinated with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, along with multiple local, state and federal agency cooperators, to identify the minimum area necessary for the safety of firefighting resources and forest visitors. The closure starts at the intersection of Trimmer Springs Road, continuing north along Big Creek Forest Road 10S69, and then up to the intersection with Dinkey Creek Road. It also includes the McKinley Grove Road at Camp Fresno to the north, and areas with no public access to Courtright, Wishon or east to the trailheads to the John Muir Wilderness and beyond, to the south. Trout plants are scheduled at Wishon the weeks of Sept. 22 and Oct. 6.
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
There are many positive stories coming out of the salt water this week with the opening of the four-day ocean salmon season from Sept. 4-7 from Point Reyes south to Point Sur. A 7500-fish quota is listed, but fishing will continue for all four days since it will be difficult to tabulate a total within the time frame. A highlight of the weekend will be the sold-out all-ladies salmon trip sponsored by the Golden State Salmon Association on the New Captain Pete with Captain Melynda Dodds and second captains Meghan Fox and Maddie Day. The Fish and Game Commission took emergency action on Aug. 14 to restore access to fishing depths in state waters that have been closed to protect them since 2023. The new state regulations no in effect as of Aug. 28, 2025. The action was taken in response to new scientific evidence regarding the quillback rockfish. According to the Department’s press release: In state waters between the Oregon/California border and Point Conception (34° 27’ N. Lat.), fishing for rockfish, cabezon, and greenling (RCG Complex) and lingcod is now open in all depths.
Anglers should also take note of other important elements of the state’s recreational groundfish regulations:
There is now a two fish sub-bag limit on canary rockfish (Sebastes pinniger) statewide. Vermilion rockfish and sunset rockfish are now considered the same species for regulatory purposes. Both species in combination count towards the vermilion rockfish/sunset rockfish sub-bag limits.
Retention of quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger), bronzespotted rockfish (Sebastes gilli), cowcod (Sebastes levis), and yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) remains prohibited statewide.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is working to implement similar all-depth fishing regulations for federal waters; however they are not expected to take effect until mid-September. As a result, federal waters will remain closed to RCG Complex and lingcod fishing north of 36 degrees N. Lat. (near Lopez Point) until federal regulations are in effect. From Lopez Point to Point Conception, federal waters will remain closed for RCG Complex and lingcod fishing seaward of the 50 fathom Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line.
A map that includes the boundary line between state and federal waters is available on the Ocean Sport Fishing Map Viewer.
Since fishing in the Southern Groundfish Management Area (south of Point Conception, to the US/Mexico border) is constrained by copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus) and vermilion rockfish (Sebastes miniatus)/sunset rockfish (Sebastes crocotulus), there are no changes to the current fishing seasons in the Southern Groundfish Management Area.
Rockfishing remains strong with the Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing posting 23 limits of rockfish including two cabezon and a pair of lingcod on Sunday while the Riptide also posted 22 limits of rockfish including two cabezon on Labor Day.
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 3 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
The action from the surf is starting to heat up as Josh Mesa from Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill reported solid fishing along the beaches from Santa Cruz south to Marina for perch in the 10- to 14-inch range. Gulp! Sand Worms, lug worms, or motor oil/red flake grubs from Mekini Baitz or Lucky 13 have been the ticket. Striped bass fishing is best at night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. with Duo Realis Tide Minnows, Yo-Zuri Pencil Poppers, Cotton Cordell’s in red head/white, or Diawa’s SP Minnows in Blurple. Mesa said, “The topwater bite has been strong.”
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 all but full with high anticipation for good action. The best salmon fishing in Monterey Bay occurs early in the season, but just the thought of fresh wild-caught will bring out the anglers.
Rockfishing remains outstanding with two boats from Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey returning with 43 limits of rockfish and 13 lingcod. The new depth regulations will greatly benefit the Monterey Bay ports as water that hasn’t been fished in two years is now open.
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
The albacore are still out there along with bluefin tuna, but inclement offshore weather has kept the boats working closer to the coast. When the next weather window pops up, the party and private boats will be back out on the grounds. Party and private boaters are champing at the bit to head out to the Farallon Islands for rockfish now that the depth restrictions for quillback rockfish have been lifted. It will be the first time in 2 years that rockfishing can take place in acres of ground around the Farallon Islands. The new regulations will be very beneficial during the rockfish/Dungeness crab combination season starting in November as the boats were either restricted to 20 fathoms or 50 fathoms with nothing in between.
This week will be dominated by the short four-day salmon season from Sept. 4-7 from Point Reyes south to Point Sur with a 7500-fish quota. Since it will be next to impossible to provide an accurate count within the short window, all four days are anticipated to be open for ocean salmon. Nearly every party boat has been filled for months, and the action is anticipated to be outstanding based upon the early results from the NOAA salmon tagging study along the Marin coast.
Rockfishing remains tremendous both north and south of the Golden Gate, and several party boats continue to make the long run south to Half Moon Bay where live bait makes a huge difference. The Happy Hooker out of Berkeley went south on Sunday for 28 limits of rockfish, 23 lingcod, and 2 halibut. The California Dawn 2 out of Berkeley also went south on Sunday for 24 limits of rockfish including close to sub-limits of vermilion rockfish and an 8-pound cabezon, 35 lingcod to 20 pounds, and a single halibut. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing was one of the many boats to head north along the Marin coast for bottomfish, and he put his customers onto limits of quality rockfish. He said, “I was surprised at the grade of rockfish off Duxbury, but it was hard to get the lings to go.”
Halibut action continues the normal curve of slowing down by the end of August, but Captain Steve Mitchell put his group onto a flatfish per rod with a bonus 54.75-pound white seabass on the North Bar. Most party boats are heading outside the Golden Gate, but there are still large striped bass schools inside the bay. The Lovely Martha out of San Francisco remained in the bay on Monday for 28 limits of striped bass. Big white seabass have also been landed around Treasure Island, and this is a good sign for the coming months. The best seabass months inside San Francisco Bay have traditionally been late September through early November.
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
It’s still all about bottom fishing out of the San Luis Obispo County ports, and limits of rockfish are showing up on the local party boats. On Monday, the Black Pearl out of Morro Bay put in 30 limits of rockfish including 290 assorted, 10 vermilion, and 2 lingcod to 14 pounds. Also on Monday, three boats went out from Morro Bay Landing with 70 anglers for 688 assorted rockfish, 30 Boccaccio, 13 Bolina, 8 copper, and 12 lingcod. Out Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, two boats were out on Monday with 50 passengers for limits of rockfish including 494 assorted rockfish, four vermilion, three copper, and one lingcod at six pounds.
Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing
Others
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
Recreational boat traffic was intense on the California Delta over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend, and most anglers stayed off the water after first light. Boat traffic will slow down after the last big hurrah of summer is over.
The Sacramento side of the California Delta remains best for striped bass, and when the wind is down and the tides are small, the West Bank from Rio Vista to Collinsville continues to produce quality linesides for trollers. There are still plenty of striped bass in the bay, but they will be flooding into the Delta on the next full moon during the traditional fall run. The San Joaquin side has been much slower, but stripers to 7 pounds have been landed outside of Eddo’s Marina on the flats by fly fishermen. Largemouth bass fishing continues to improve for numbers, but consistently locating large fish remains a challenge. Winning tournament limits remain in the 17- to 22-pound range with most teams weighing in from 10 to 15 pounds. Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors was out on Labor Bay in the north Delta for a few quality largemouth bass, but most of the fish were ‘dinks’ flipping Brush Hogs or D-Bombs with a few fish taken on chatterbaits or spinnerbaits. The waters of the north Delta have turned dirty with the larger tides, and the water temperatures are pushing 75 degrees.
There is an early morning topwater bite but punching or frogging remain solid techniques during the day. Fishing shade has been extremely important, and the larger fish are found with big plastic worms off tule points with shade. The bass are hunkering down under the mats with the triple-digit temperatures. Small fish are numerous, but there have been increased numbers of bass in the 2- to 4-pound range with more females in the mix.
In the south San Joaquin below the Mossdale Bridge, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “Small catfish and unlimited numbers of shaker striped bass are the story. If you want to catch a keeper striper, live bluegill or minnows at night have been your best option.” Fresh shad is back in area shops along with large and extra-large minnows.
A proposed 18- to 30-inch striped bass slot limit will be discussed and potentially voted upon during the Oct. 8 meeting of the Fish and Game Commission.
The public may submit written comments on or before 5:00 p.m. on September 25, at the address given below, or by email to FGC@fgc.ca.gov. Written comments mailed, or emailed to the Commission office, must be received before 12:00 noon on Oct. 3, 2025. If you would like copies of any modifications to this proposal, please include your name and mailing address. Mailed comments should be addressed to Fish and Game Commission, PO Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090.
Call: Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828.
Events
Sept. 13
Roosevelt High School’s Bass Fishing Club annual tackle sale at the southwest corner of Huntington Boulevard and 6th from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be bass tackle, fly-fishing tackle, rods, reels, tackle boxes. Prices are bargain basement like $5 for a pound of plastics.
Tournament Results
None
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
Sept. 6
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association
Sept. 13-14
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
Sept. 13
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association
New Hogan – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies
Don Pedro – Christian Bass League
Pine Flat – Bass 101
San Antonio – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
Nacimiento – Bakersfield Bass Club
Sept. 14
Bass Lake – Kings VIII Bass Club
Sept. 20-21
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Sierra Bass Club
Sept. 20
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
Don Pedro – Tri Valley Bass Masters/All American Bass Club
McClure – Stanislaus County Sheriff’s
Kaweah – Golden Empire Bass Club
Isabella – American Bass Club
Sept. 21
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Riverbank Bass Anglers
McClure – Fresno Bass Club
Sept. 27-28
Delta/B and W Resort – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Sept. 27
Eastman – 17/90 Bass Club
Sept. 28
McClure – Valley Backlashers
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published September 2, 2025 at 12:08 PM.