Stripers
Chase Shad
The striper action has started to
boom in many areas of the delta and Sherman Lake and Franks Tract
are no exceptions. The stripers in these areas now are easily
found as they are chasing the shad right up on the bank at times.
As the stripers surge through the shad the birds are right there
to signaling to all in the area where the action is.
The other day I pulled into this submerged Island
confine only the fine one of the best striper days I've had on
the delta in a long time. Although there wasn't much size to those
linesides I caught and released this fall morning it was plenty
of fun.
I saw a dozen birds diving at the outside edge
of a weed line about 300 yds away. We motored over and coasted
within casting distance of the surface disturbance. Once we made
first cast that Shad Patterned Super Spook the surface erupted
as a 16 pound striper exploded on the walking bait as it was Zigzagging
slowly along the outside edge of the weed line.
There are basically two types of lures that work
well when trying to fool these shallow water stripers. Half-ounce
Rat-L-Traps are a top choice among many anglers. The vibrating
action and noise generated by the Bb's inside the lure draw some
explosive strikes. There are many different types of vibrating
baits available, but because of the size and aggressive nature
of the stripers stick with the Rat-L-Traps and Cordell baits,
as they seem to take the abuse the best.
The best of the topwaters is the Super Spook.
Once you learn how to "walk the dog" with a Spook, you
can consistently catch fish. To "walk the dog", keep
your rod tip down and make short (less than 1 foot) twitches with
your rod tip while reeling at the same time. The lure will walk
side to side as it moves toward you. Once again, vary the speed
of your retrieve until you get bit. Spooks are especially good
on points or in the backs of pockets where the big fish come to
feed. I remove the center hook and fish them on 65 lb test braid.
This helps a lot when the big linesides go zinging through the
weed beds of these flooded islands
The best thing about catching stripers in the
manner is the options anglers have when these linesides shad the
shad in such a vigorous manner. Many of the more daring anglers
are trying some even lighter tackle extremes. Of course fly tossing
anglers are taking advantage of the shad crazed stripers. Fly
casters using shad imitations are enjoying success Mildred and
a number of different areas, including the Sacramento side of
Sherman Lake, Franks Tract and False River, to name a few.
Some of those seeking to do battle with the abundant
number of schoolie stripers are doing so with a variety of plastic
baits. I am having fun with white Storm Wildeye curl tail in Pearl
Shad colors on light spinning tackle to fool the shad chasing
linesides. Others are even more adventurous using micro light
rods with crappie spins to imitate the shad offerings.
There are so many options for anglers seeking
shad chasing striped bass it is almost impossible to mention them
all. Grubs, Git-Zits and other shad look-a-likes i.e.: Sassy Shad
and others will all work to catch the frenzied stripers.
Well there are those anglers who prefer a slower
paced day of fishing, taking a more kicked backed approach to
their striper fishing. For these anglers there is always bait
drifting, drifting live minnows will get its share of stripers
here too. The problem is your just sitting with no activity, thinking
about just one thing, how damn cold the fall mornings here can
be, but you can still catch fish. I'll write more about this productive
but slower paced action later in the year as the water temperatures
cool.
The
wind here has also been the biggest deterrent for anglers, but
when things calm down, there are big fish being caught. Enjoy!
Dan
Mathisen
FishDelta.com
- All Species, All Delta
The
Ultimate Resource For California Delta Fishing
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