Jeff
Bradshaw - Winter to Spring-New Details Shared
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Oakley’s
Jeff Bradshaw has become one of the Delta’s newest up and
coming Pro’s in the last couple of years. I had my first
opportunity to fish with Bradshaw a year ago and was really impressed
with his approach and attention to detail. Bradshaw has been able
to send a lot of time on the water on the Delta living just minutes
from the water. New to the sport by many standards Bradshaw has
bass fished for a total of 18 years and has fished bass tournaments
for ten years concentrating primarily on the California Delta
as well as many of the Northern California lakes. Bradshaw like
many is a family man who enjoys sharing the safe comfort new 2001
Ranger 520DVX with his son Garrett. I’m sure Garrett has
explored all of the spacious storage space under its large front
deck. The key is Bradshaw’s success is his attention to
detail that has given him the insight to develop an approach that
is extremely effective. Wherever you fish current, weather, baitfish
and can really influence how the fish respond to different baits
and where they set-up. Bradshaw’s understanding of fish
movement will open the eye’s of the most experienced Delta
angler and allow Delta visitors some insight into a tidal fishery
that is sometimes tough to crack. This is how I approach winter/Spring
on the delta from my experience. Others may totally disagree but
this is how I fish it....
Bradshaw’s explains, “Winter on the
delta is comprised of different stages kind of like spring and
each one is dictated by water temperature. Baitfish location,
storm fronts, fog, water clarity and outside air temperature will
really affect daily patterns as well this time of year”.
Bradshaw breaks down his theories on how he approaches fishing
Delta bass into several stages that are affected by water temperature
and then current. Bradshaw explained, “The first stage of
winter is right after fall and the water is typically somewhere
between 47-52 degrees. That’s when the fish start staging
into their winter areas out of the current. These fish can still
be caught on there staging routes by cranking or throwing spinnerbaits
from the fall bite but flipping will usually get real good now
as the fish will tend to want a more vertical presentation rather
than a horizontal one”. When I flip this time of year I
usually use a 3/8 oz Bobby D jigs with plastic pork and may switch
to a ½ oz jig if the current is strong in the area I am
fishing or I want a faster fall with the bait to trigger strikes.
I use a 7 ½’ Kistler flipping/pitching rod with 20#
Berkely Big Game line or at times I will use 50# spiderwire braided
line. The areas Bradshaw targets are typically large weed beds
located between current and slack current areas. “These
fish will be on the deeper edge of the weeds until the afternoon
sun warms the rocks or tulles (if the fog lifts) behind the weeds
and on a high tide there's times they will get right on that cover
where the water is a bit warmer” says Bradshaw. Bradshaw
continued, “If this warming doesn’t happen, the fish
will have tendency to stay deep, remember though on those high
tide periods to check right in the cover as you may be missing
an opportunity”. As the cold foggy conditions of winter
take there grip on the Delta waterways, typically the bite now
is very tough. Bradshaw looks at this as the second stage of winter
when the water reaches 44-46 and the majority of the fish will
be found in there winter haunts like dead end sloughs or anyplace
out of the current. Bradshaw uses his knowledge of how fish relate
to current to find specific areas during the toughest conditions
of the year. “These areas require some deeper water near
by and structure for the fish to hold onto. This is when guys
typically use plastics or jigs and fish real slow”. Bradshaw
brings up a good point that many anglers miss, “Remember
the crawdads will go into hibernation during the winter and the
shad or other little fish will become their main forage”.
During this stage of winter I will switch to a pork trailer instead
of plastic. I feel the pork gives you a little more action from
the bait and the added bulk can help as well.
Turning the corner from the coldest conditions
of the year brings us to what Bradshaw refers to as “The
third stage of winter”. Bradshaw describes, “This
third stage is when the water starts to warm back up to 48-52
degrees again and stays there for a few days in a row”.
Bradshaw continues, “These fish will leave their winter
haunts and start to migrate towards there spawning areas. They
can be found along their migration routes and on structure adjacent
to spawning flats. I like to flip Bobby D jigs all day this time
of year because the crawdad’s are coming out of their winter
holding areas and start to become the main food source once again”.
I may switch back to plastic pork if the fish seem aggressive
or if I am running around allot checking spots.
This leads into the beginning of the spring spawning
season, which is also comprised of three stages: the pre-spawn,
spawn and post spawn. It’s no secret as the fish enter the
Pre-spawn there are some monsters caught, especially in the first
cycle of the pre-spawn period on the Delta. Bradshaw said, “Pre-spawn
fish can start to be caught right at the tail end of winter and
these are usually when some of the largest fish of the year on
the delta will be found”. Traditionally February is when
this starts and the first set of spawning fish of the year can
be found in March if the water is warm enough, they will come
up with the full moon. These are the largest fish but smallest
group as far as numbers go”. For years the months of February
and March have produced some big fish. I will still flip jigs
this time of year but will also start throwing weightless plastics
such as sluggo’s, senko’s and flukes fished on a Kistler
6’10” “Senko Special” with 20# Berkley
Vanish fluorocarbon line. The majority of the spawning activity
will take place in the April though June. “Typically May/June
will be the end of the spawn period on the delta. One important
thing to note is that temperature is the key; bass like to spawn
in or close too 65-degree water. This will first occur in dead-end
sloughs and Marina's. As the season progresses the water temp
in these location warms past this optimum level and the fish will
start seeking other areas within there comfort zone, usually they
will be areas just out of the current” according to Bradshaw.
As the water continues to warm I will start flipping less and
start using more reaction baits such as Bobby D spinnerbaits and
buzzbaits or crankbaits, especially when there are post spawn
fish feeding.
On the Delta during the early spring months many
anglers like Bradshaw can target the pre and post spawn fish at
the same time for consistent success. “As Post spawn starts
right after the first set of big fish comes off there beds in
late March and continues through July, obviously the months of
May through July will have the majority of post-spawn fish”.
This is a time of year where seasoned Delta pro’s like Barrack,
Tyler, Lee and up and coming anglers like Bradshaw can really
do some damage. Bradshaw believes, “Understanding what the
fish are doing and why throughout their seasonal changes is the
key to consistently locating them”. Without years of experience,
many anglers never consider in determining fish locations within
seasonal transitions is current velocity and how it affects the
fish. Combining the knowledge of how fish relate to water temperature
through the season and current is what separates the best Delta
anglers from the rest of the field. “When the fish are feeding
they will position themselves in ambush locations to attack baitfish,
crawdads or whatever the current will bring their way. The more
active the fish are the more they will be located in or near heavy
current, this goes in conjunction with warmer water periods”
explains Bradshaw. During cooler water periods the fish will be
out of heavy current areas for the most part but may be close
to current if still water areas are close by. Bradshaw continues
his explanation, “The Velocity of the current will play
a part in fish location as well as how active the fish will typically
be. What I mean by Velocity of the current is the actual speed
the water is moving along the bank”. There are contributing
factors that those visiting the Delta need to keep them in mind
when locating fish or determining the level of activity to expect
at that particular tide. Bradshaw reminds us to look at irregularities
along the bank, such as points, rock outcroppings, isolated wood
or anything that protrudes from a otherwise bare bank will make
the water condense as it passes by and increase the velocity of
the water as it passes creating an eddy on the opposite side.
“These are great ambush locations,” exclaimed Bradshaw
and these are great places to throw a crankbait or Bobby D spinnerbait
as the fish you will find here are usually active and willing
to hit reaction type baits. If the water is warm enough I will
throw a Bobby D ½ oz buzzbait in these same areas as well.
Understanding the tide will help you understand
which pert of the tide to target. The moon phase dictates the
ebb and flow of the tide, which occurs twice in a 24-hour period,
also how high and low it will go each day. The closer to a full
moon the quicker the tide will come in and go out relative to
the peak high or low tide, this also holds true for a new moon
as well. The further you go from these periods the slower the
tide will come in and go out relative to the peak high and low
tide periods. Also the tide will stop moving at the dead high
and low tides, and then the water velocity will gradually increase
as the tide changes. Bradshaw says, “There will be a point
at which the bass will feed the best each tide, which usually
occurs within the first hour and a half after the switch of a
tide and the hour prior to the switch as well”. On many
banks the tide will reach velocities (speed) which will position
the fish in eddy’s or cuts that are just out of the current,
bass don’t want to fight the current if they don’t
have to (it’s kind of like you and I, the drive thru takes
less energy yet still gets you fed). Bradshaw adds, “Remember
to concentrate on the ambush points where the active fish are
going to be located”.
Bradshaw’s tools for success include 1/4oz.
speedtraps and Norman DD14
Crankbaits both fished on a Kistler #KCBCM7
7’ composite cranking rod or Kistler
#KCBS7 7’ graphite crankbait rod with 15 pound Berkley
Big Game line, Bobby D Limit Jigs in 3/8 oz. with rattles in black/blue,
brown/red or brown/purple fished on a Kistler
7 ½’ flipping/pitching rod with 20 pound Big
Game line or 50# Spiderwire Braid, 5” sluggo’s or
senko’s fished on a Kistler #KSS610 “Senko Special”
with Berkley Vanish fluorocarbon line. I also frequently use 1/2
oz. Bobby D Spinnerbaits in chart/white fished on a Kistler
#KSBS69 “Spinnerbait special” rod with 15 pound
Berkley Big Game line and Bobby D 1/2 oz. buzzbaits in black or
white both with silver metal blades” fished on Kistler 7’
cranking rod with 20 pound test Berkley Big Game line.
There are so many factors to consider on the Delta
with what seems to be so much cover, using this knowledge anglers
can have a much better understanding of where to start there search
for success of this fabulous waterway.
Jeff’s
sponsors include: Oasis Marine, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine,
Kistler Custom Fishing Rods, Bobby D Limit Lures, Berkley Fishing
Line and Toro Irrigation.
Dan
Mathisen
FishDelta.com
- All Species, All Delta
The
Ultimate Resource For California Delta Fishing
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