04-15-2008, 12:07 AM
Delta
Wild weather over the weekend chased anglers away. Since Monday, however, three sturgeon to 57 pounds were logged into Hap's Bait in Rio Vista.
"Two of the sturgeon were caught in Cache Slough, the other came from the Powerlines on the main Sacramento River," Audie Urbano said. "All were taken on grass shrimp and ghost shrimp."
Urban also weighed a 20-pound striped bass, hooked just below the Rio Vista Bridge, by a sturgeon angler fishing with grass shrimp. That was the only striped bass he weighed the past week.
Neal Hayden at Martini's Bait in Lodi reported a 65-inch sturgeon brought in from the Powerlines, on ghost shrimp. As for striped bass Hayden said, "I haven't seen one. However, sea lions have suddenly appeared at San Andreas and Santa Clara shoals on the San Joaquin River, so striped bass must be filtering into the system."
Hayden's last day at Martini's Bait is Thursday. He and his wife, Pat, sold the business to Narinder Dhillon of Lodi.
Larry's Bait didn't log a game fish this week.
Tong Chang at The Outdoor Sportsman said jigs are yielding largemouth bass to 4 and 5 pounds.
"They're not catching a whole lot of them right now," Chang said. "Anglers are looking for the clearest water with rock piles and docks. Black and red or black and blue patterns seem best."
Ron Halvorson at Jolly's Bait touts catfish.
"They're biting in most of the back sloughs, mainly on clams," he said. "It's the spawning season.
"We're seeing just an occasional striped bass because the water is so cold and muddy. The better bet is to work large minnows for largemouth bass." Information: (707) 374-2372 (Rio Vista); (916) 777-6662 (Isleton); (209) 333-1692 (Lodi); (209) 473-2239; (209) 957-4867; (209) 948-6344.
Saltwater
Ocean - Sixteen- to 20-foot swells along the Central California coast forced all partyboats to stay in port. Call ahead for sea conditions and the target species - crab, mackerel, sand dabs or giant squid - before making the ride. Information: (831) 375-5951 (Monterey); (650) 726-2629 (Half Moon Bay); (510) 654-6040 (Emeryville); (707) 875-3344 (Bodega Bay).
San Pablo Bay - Tuesday was the first day with decent weather. Tides improve Friday, so there's hope for sturgeon and striped bass. Below the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, shoreline anglers are using mud shrimp to hook sturgeon from Paradise Marina. A herring spawn at San Quentin has attracted sturgeon back into the area from the South Bay. Herring and mud shrimp are the top fodder. Information: (415) 456-0321 (San Rafael).
Suisun Bay - The sturgeon bite was fair, before the storm. Now they are scattered and not very willing to eat. Water is 52 degrees, so conditions are starting to get right. The weekend should show improvement at Honker Bay, Suisun Cut and Ozol. Few striped bass into the teens move into the Mothball Fleet, willing to inhale bullheads. Information: (925) 252-0151 (Pittsburg); (916) 777-6498 (Isleton).<br />
Rivers
Sacramento - Flows are relatively stable, clearing. Night angling on the anchor and from the shoreline yields sturgeon to 62 inches at Tisdale Weir, Verona at the mouth of the Feather River and at Grimes. Take your pick among baits - salmon roe, shrimpbaits and anchovies. Information: (530) 674-1912 (Yuba City).
Smith - Driftboat guides manage to hook from zero to three steelhead per day, with both fresh and downstreamers weighing 8 to 12 pounds. Natural-cured salmon roe and a Quickie puffball is the winning combination. It has been a disappointing steelhead season, so far. Information: Dave Jacobs, (800) 355-3113.<br />
Lakes
Amador - Water is rising with a bit of debris. Clarity is good. Another 6,000 pounds of trout - weighing between 3 and 5 pounds each - were released Tuesday. Shore anglers are doing well, especially with Power Bait. Most of the fish are on top. Boaters run the shoreline with little spinners such as Roostertail, Magic Bullet and nightcrawlers without flashers. Information: (209) 274-4739.
Camanche - Field scout Eldon Porray said he weighed in some "very large trout" this week at the North Shore store, but for some anglers the bite was pretty tough. Savvy anglers are using nonfilament line, with no added weight and toplining Rapalas about 150 feet behind the boat. Some of the better trolling has occurred between the Narrows and upriver, with rainbows to 14 pounds. Limits are rare. Most trout measure 12 to 16 inches. This week's plant of 1,200 pounds of trout were split between the South Shore Pond and south launch ramp on the main lake. No reports on black bass. Boat rentals discounted by 40 percent through April 30. Entry fees are vehicles and boats have also been cut. Information: (209) 763-5166.
Los Vaqueros - Night fishing resumes March 8, allowing anglers to fish until 9 p.m. Trout fishing perks with the improved weather, especially at Peninsula Cove with inflated nightcrawlers. Reservoir is at 85 percent capacity with a surface temperature of 57 degrees. Marina offers free trout fishing seminars and tours at 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Boat rentals reduced 50 percent Tuesday through Thursday. Information: (925) 371-2628 (Byron).
New Melones - Surface temperatures increase to 53 to 55 degrees, with clear water in the main lake, and 12-foot visibility in creek channels. Field scout Melanie Lewis at Glory Hole Sports in Angels Camp said boaters should beware of floating debris. Bank angling continues to improve at Glory Hole and Angels coves and Glory Hole Point. Nightcrawler/marshmallow combinations or Power Bait work well. Trollers work from the surface to 20 feet for trout with single Trophy Sticks, Needlefish, R Lures and Apex lures, though some will pull a nightcrawler behind a flasher or dodger. Kokanee to 14 inches are found at 15 feet. "The bite is hit and miss," said Russ Faught at Fisherman's Friend in Lodi. "There are a few brown trout to 3 pounds in the mix." Crawdad-colored crankbaits, jigs and plastic works do well on spotted bass. Night fishing with a submersible light is the way to hook crappie, down 25 to 35 feet. Information: (209) 736-4333 (Angels Camp); (209) 369-0204 (Lodi).
Pardee - Impoundment is open for the season, with reports of shoreline anglers hooking a few trout in the Recreation Area. Trollers run shallow lures through the Narrows and mouth of the Mokelumne River. Information: (209) 772-1472.
Wild weather over the weekend chased anglers away. Since Monday, however, three sturgeon to 57 pounds were logged into Hap's Bait in Rio Vista.
"Two of the sturgeon were caught in Cache Slough, the other came from the Powerlines on the main Sacramento River," Audie Urbano said. "All were taken on grass shrimp and ghost shrimp."
Urban also weighed a 20-pound striped bass, hooked just below the Rio Vista Bridge, by a sturgeon angler fishing with grass shrimp. That was the only striped bass he weighed the past week.
Neal Hayden at Martini's Bait in Lodi reported a 65-inch sturgeon brought in from the Powerlines, on ghost shrimp. As for striped bass Hayden said, "I haven't seen one. However, sea lions have suddenly appeared at San Andreas and Santa Clara shoals on the San Joaquin River, so striped bass must be filtering into the system."
Hayden's last day at Martini's Bait is Thursday. He and his wife, Pat, sold the business to Narinder Dhillon of Lodi.
Larry's Bait didn't log a game fish this week.
Tong Chang at The Outdoor Sportsman said jigs are yielding largemouth bass to 4 and 5 pounds.
"They're not catching a whole lot of them right now," Chang said. "Anglers are looking for the clearest water with rock piles and docks. Black and red or black and blue patterns seem best."
Ron Halvorson at Jolly's Bait touts catfish.
"They're biting in most of the back sloughs, mainly on clams," he said. "It's the spawning season.
"We're seeing just an occasional striped bass because the water is so cold and muddy. The better bet is to work large minnows for largemouth bass." Information: (707) 374-2372 (Rio Vista); (916) 777-6662 (Isleton); (209) 333-1692 (Lodi); (209) 473-2239; (209) 957-4867; (209) 948-6344.
Saltwater
Ocean - Sixteen- to 20-foot swells along the Central California coast forced all partyboats to stay in port. Call ahead for sea conditions and the target species - crab, mackerel, sand dabs or giant squid - before making the ride. Information: (831) 375-5951 (Monterey); (650) 726-2629 (Half Moon Bay); (510) 654-6040 (Emeryville); (707) 875-3344 (Bodega Bay).
San Pablo Bay - Tuesday was the first day with decent weather. Tides improve Friday, so there's hope for sturgeon and striped bass. Below the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, shoreline anglers are using mud shrimp to hook sturgeon from Paradise Marina. A herring spawn at San Quentin has attracted sturgeon back into the area from the South Bay. Herring and mud shrimp are the top fodder. Information: (415) 456-0321 (San Rafael).
Suisun Bay - The sturgeon bite was fair, before the storm. Now they are scattered and not very willing to eat. Water is 52 degrees, so conditions are starting to get right. The weekend should show improvement at Honker Bay, Suisun Cut and Ozol. Few striped bass into the teens move into the Mothball Fleet, willing to inhale bullheads. Information: (925) 252-0151 (Pittsburg); (916) 777-6498 (Isleton).<br />
Rivers
Sacramento - Flows are relatively stable, clearing. Night angling on the anchor and from the shoreline yields sturgeon to 62 inches at Tisdale Weir, Verona at the mouth of the Feather River and at Grimes. Take your pick among baits - salmon roe, shrimpbaits and anchovies. Information: (530) 674-1912 (Yuba City).
Smith - Driftboat guides manage to hook from zero to three steelhead per day, with both fresh and downstreamers weighing 8 to 12 pounds. Natural-cured salmon roe and a Quickie puffball is the winning combination. It has been a disappointing steelhead season, so far. Information: Dave Jacobs, (800) 355-3113.<br />
Lakes
Amador - Water is rising with a bit of debris. Clarity is good. Another 6,000 pounds of trout - weighing between 3 and 5 pounds each - were released Tuesday. Shore anglers are doing well, especially with Power Bait. Most of the fish are on top. Boaters run the shoreline with little spinners such as Roostertail, Magic Bullet and nightcrawlers without flashers. Information: (209) 274-4739.
Camanche - Field scout Eldon Porray said he weighed in some "very large trout" this week at the North Shore store, but for some anglers the bite was pretty tough. Savvy anglers are using nonfilament line, with no added weight and toplining Rapalas about 150 feet behind the boat. Some of the better trolling has occurred between the Narrows and upriver, with rainbows to 14 pounds. Limits are rare. Most trout measure 12 to 16 inches. This week's plant of 1,200 pounds of trout were split between the South Shore Pond and south launch ramp on the main lake. No reports on black bass. Boat rentals discounted by 40 percent through April 30. Entry fees are vehicles and boats have also been cut. Information: (209) 763-5166.
Los Vaqueros - Night fishing resumes March 8, allowing anglers to fish until 9 p.m. Trout fishing perks with the improved weather, especially at Peninsula Cove with inflated nightcrawlers. Reservoir is at 85 percent capacity with a surface temperature of 57 degrees. Marina offers free trout fishing seminars and tours at 8:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays. Boat rentals reduced 50 percent Tuesday through Thursday. Information: (925) 371-2628 (Byron).
New Melones - Surface temperatures increase to 53 to 55 degrees, with clear water in the main lake, and 12-foot visibility in creek channels. Field scout Melanie Lewis at Glory Hole Sports in Angels Camp said boaters should beware of floating debris. Bank angling continues to improve at Glory Hole and Angels coves and Glory Hole Point. Nightcrawler/marshmallow combinations or Power Bait work well. Trollers work from the surface to 20 feet for trout with single Trophy Sticks, Needlefish, R Lures and Apex lures, though some will pull a nightcrawler behind a flasher or dodger. Kokanee to 14 inches are found at 15 feet. "The bite is hit and miss," said Russ Faught at Fisherman's Friend in Lodi. "There are a few brown trout to 3 pounds in the mix." Crawdad-colored crankbaits, jigs and plastic works do well on spotted bass. Night fishing with a submersible light is the way to hook crappie, down 25 to 35 feet. Information: (209) 736-4333 (Angels Camp); (209) 369-0204 (Lodi).
Pardee - Impoundment is open for the season, with reports of shoreline anglers hooking a few trout in the Recreation Area. Trollers run shallow lures through the Narrows and mouth of the Mokelumne River. Information: (209) 772-1472.