Need Rain but even slightly warmer temps help
What a difference a good dose of warmer temperatures can make, anglers throughout the area are finding some improved action. By now we have all heard the reports of the poor water quality in the Delta due to the low water conditions. The frigid temperatures of earlier in the year hasn’t helped but decent tides and slightly warming water has improved the bite.
Bass anglers are gearing up already to try to get ready for upcoming tournaments both here on the delta and to some extent in the foothill lakes, the bass just aren’t quite ready to co-operate as the bite remains tough. The blackie bite is tough as anglers ready for upcoming tournaments most are flipping’ and pitching’ small plastics for a fish or two. It looks like the early tournament winners will be those lucky anglers that happen to get bit while working plastics like Worms and others in patterns. Dean Coupe made a run at the Melones Record with this 14.82 pounds caught on a swim bait in eight feet of water.
Super Bowl Week brought big interest in the Diamondback bite. Anglers in San Pablo and Susuin Bays are already seeing some good numbers of sturgeon with the big tides. Sturgeon action should continue to improve as the muddy water reaches the West Delta. Anglers are concentrating their efforts at the north end of the Cut and in Grizzley Bay. Grass and ghost shrimp are the top choices for sturgeon. A few anglers are also scoring in the Antioch area in the Broad Slough and Fraser Shoal areas.
Capt Steve at Flash Sportfishing reports, reports on the First catch-and-release sturgeon derby out of Martinez, “ Sturgeon fishing was slow with 8 fish entered [with over 150 anglers], but all 100% of hooked fish were released! I received nothing but good reviews about the new concept and how well everything went. That said we will expand the concept for next year. Most likely catch and release only. I could not be happier with the conduct of all the 1st class, high quality fishermen we had. We made history today and I believe other derbies and fishermen will start to take note, which will help to improve our fishery for the future”.
Delta has been Tough over the past couple weeks. There still plenty of stripers in the system-keeping anglers busy. Bait fishing is still scoring some nice fish in the Middle River Area. The cold temperatures slowed the trolling bite for trollers in the south Delta. There are also some fish in Discovery Bay for those drifting live jumbo minnows or Spooning As with many other types of fishing, those who take the time to adjust to different conditions will have the most success. Don't be so set in your ways that you miss out on a good bite.
Crank bait anglers are finding some action in areas around sparsely weed-covered banks adjacent deeper water. I like Speed Traps and Bomber model A’s to get the crank bait fish to go, yet some stormy weather needs to start happening a bit before any bite really gets going. For now the bite is staying tough no matter what you throw.
If you must try for stripers, Santa Nella angling regulars have been catching decent numbers of stripers from both O’Neill and San Luis. O’Neill is still the better bet for the anglers. Drifting baits and working artificial in about 12 ft of water off the Rock Wall has been OK. Many limits of smaller fish are the rule, yet there has been some larger fish to 20 pounds. Many anglers are starting to find out about the swimbaits for the Santa Nella linesides. Making long cast and working back slowly with an occasional twitch along the channel weed lines or the Rock Wall at O’Neill has seemed to work well. Enjoy!
