Black Bass tops in the Delta

While the most consistant bite is for the sturgeon with the weeks big tides. We have enjoyed some great days and terrible days as the early spring frustration gets started.

I said Last week “Bass fishing is on the verge of an explosion”, and The past week it has certainly lived up to that expectation. Pictured here our two of my longest friends and supporters of Fishdelta.com Dean Ziemer and son Tory. Tory set out to put a whoopin’ on Dad this past weekend putting the first two in the boat. Dean by the way, It has been nearly 19 years now since we left Cody and his Mom in the hospital to fish our first tourney when he was born. Fishing with Dean, Tory beat his dad with his favorite Spinnerbaits

100 Perecent Bass Story will tell of the great bite starting to get going (see Fishdelta.com News)

The blackie bite is improving with the warming effects of the rain as anglers ready for upcoming tournaments most are flippin' and pitchin' 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 swim baits and Rip baits in shad patterns.

Crankbait anglers are finding some action in areas around the main channel and Discovery bay. I like Fat Free Shad and Bomber Model A's to get the crankbait fish to go, yet the stormy weather needs to settle a bit before any bite really gets going. For now the bite is staying tough no matter what you throw.

There were a couple of sturgeon taken in the Rio Vista area this past weekend below the Rio Vista Bridge. The diamondbacks grabbed eel and ghost shrimp. There are a few more schoolie-sized stripers also starting to show in the area 6-8 pounds with shad being the top choice.

Jolly Joes Reports, On the old San Joaquin River, between the Navy Drive Bridge and the golf course on Rough and Ready Island, anglers are using minnows to hook stripers to 22 pounds.

Dwayne King of fishermans warehouse in manteca passed away today, this young man and friend of mine will surely be missed. Our Fishdelta.com families our praying for his family and friends.

 

Sacramento Area Report - by Jack Chapman

Fishing Report for February 20, 2007

By Captain “Jack” Chapman and Lovely Linda Sportfishing

Remember the new sturgeon regulations take effect on March 1 st. Be sure to pick up your report card and tags prior to heading out. The new regulations:

5.80. White Sturgeon.

(a) Open season: All year, except for closures listed under special regulations.

(b) Daily and annual bag limit: One fish per day. Three fish per year statewide.

(c) Size limit: No fish less than 46 inches total length or greater than 66 inches total length may be taken or possessed.

(d) Methods of take: The sturgeon must voluntarily take the bait or lure in its mouth. No sturgeon may be taken by trolling, snagging or by the use of firearms. Sturgeon may not be gaffed, nor shall any person use any type of firearm to assist in landing or killing any sturgeon.

(e) Report card: Any person fishing for sturgeon shall have in their possession a nontransferable Sturgeon Fishing Report Card issued by the department.

(1) Report card requirements.

(A) Notwithstanding other statutes and regulations that exempt sport fishing license requirements, a Sturgeon Fishing Report Card is required for any person fishing for sturgeon. This includes anglers who are under 16 years of age, anglers who are fishing from a public pier, and anglers who hold a lifetime fishing license. Anglers who are under 16 years of age may obtain a sturgeon fishing report card without purchasing a sport fishing license.

(B) A Sturgeon Fishing Report Card shall be valid for the calendar year as shown on the report card.

(C) Notwithstanding other statutes and regulations, no person may obtain more than one Sturgeon Fishing Report Card per year or possess any Sturgeon Fishing Report Card other than their own.

(D) The form number and fee for a Sturgeon Fishing Report Card are specified in Section 701.

(E) Anglers must return their card by January 31 of the following year shown on the report card to the address specified on the Sturgeon Fishing Report Card.

(2) Completion procedures.

(A) Upon obtainment of the Sturgeon Fishing Report Card, if the angler is required to hold a sport fishing license, the report card number shall be entered in ink on the angler’s sport fishing license, and the sport fishing license number shall be entered in ink on the report card on the appropriate line.

(B) Whenever the cardholder catches a sturgeon, whether the fish is retained or released, the cardholder shall use a ball point pen to immediately record on the Sturgeon Fishing Report Card all of the following information: month and day, catch location, and species of sturgeon. If a white sturgeon is retained, the total length of the fish must also be recorded immediately on the report card.

(C) If all lines in the “sturgeon released” field of the report card are filled, any additional sturgeon caught and released need not be recorded on the card.

(f) Tagging Requirements: A Sturgeon Fishing Report Card includes three tags that are to be used to tag any white sturgeon that is retained.

(1) After retaining a white sturgeon the date the fish is taken shall be immediately recorded on the tag with a ball point pen.

(2) The angler shall immediately attach the tag to the body of the white sturgeon, and leave the tag in place until the fish is processed, steaked, or filleted for consumption and stored at a residence or non-transient location.

(g) Special North Coast District Sturgeon Closure ( Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity and Siskiyou cos.). It is unlawful to take any sturgeon in the North Coast District at any time.

(h) For regulations on take and possession of sturgeon in ocean waters as defined in Section 27.00, see Sections 27.90, 27.91, and 27.95.

5.81. Green Sturgeon.

(a) Green sturgeon may not be taken or possessed.

(b) Green sturgeon taken and released incidentally to white sturgeon fishing shall be reported on a Sturgeon Fishing Report Card issued by the department, in accordance with procedures defined in Subsection 5.80(e), Title 14, CCR. The form number and fee for a Sturgeon Fishing Report Card are specified in Section 701.

Striped Bass

There are a lot of schoolies through out the system tight now and the fishing is slowly picking up with bait fishermen out scoring trollers. The bite has been very gentle and slow. The rod tip is barely moving and you must allow the fish time to eat the bait prior to the hook set. In fact I have switched to circle hooks for all my striped bass bait fishing. Their very use requires patience. Their use also allows for very easy release of undersize fish; or any fish you wish to release. The fish also seem to fight better being lipped hooked as opposed to gut hooked. The best bait has been fresh shad, when you can find it, but sardines, pile worms and grass shrimp have been working as well.

Long time CSBA members Bill Crooks and Mark Wilson reported, “Mark Wilson rode with me in the Willie Boat to give me suggestions in rigging the boat to become a striper killer. We launched at Brannon and went south. Water in the San Joaquin very dirty until we got to Franks Tract & Mandeville Island. In that area we had about 3ft. clarity. The good news was we caught about 20 fish. The bad news was that only seven were keepers—to about 20. (Inches that is!) We mostly trolled deep with Yozuri’s. Some shallow trolling & a little bait fishing. In many areas the water was highly colored with AG drainage. Mark said that to make the boat a striper killer I would need to hire a good captain.”

Sturgeon

Sturgeon fishing has been slower than the striper fishing. The only reports of consistant action are from the South Bay near the Dumbarton Bridge.

Steelhead

The anglers are still lining the Nimbus Basin in hopes of hooking a fish.

Catfish

Anglers are catching as many catfish as they want in the early morning and evening hours soaking night crawlers in the shallow water along the small island in Little Potato Slough.

Where I’d Fish

Montezuma Slough or the Port of Sacramento for striped bass

South Bay, San Pablo Bay and lastly the Moth Ball Fleet for sturgeon

American River for steelhead

Little Potato Slough for catfish

 

Proud Supporter of the California Striped Bass Association and the Coastside Fishing Club

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delta Bank Fishing
by Roland “Innovate” Aspiras

No Report this week

 

 

Flash Fishing Report www.flashfishing.net

A bit about Captain Steve, Captain Steve fished the San Francisco Bay since 1970, when his grandfather would take him out to the old Berkeley pier. He bought his first boat in 1980 and got his Captain's license in 1997. He enjoys small groups (no more than 6) and gives personal attention to all. Having 2 young daughters himself, he is especially patient with children on the boat. Bring your own equipment or use Steve's top of the line equipment. Steve has impressive state of the art commercial electronics on the boat to optimize your fishing experience! And yes, we went to the same High School, Welcome Capt. Steve!

Steve reports Just finished up 4 days of fishing.
The conditions are greatly improving but the sturgeon bite is returning slowly . I saw water temp as high as 55.2 degrees and plenty of fish. We lost a big fish on Saturday did well yesterday. I saw some classic sturgeon bites missed on Jeremy’s “Fishinsturgeon” Kangas birthday trip ( a few Coastsiders aboard) but that is a whole nother story. All I can say is it was a lot of fun. Only small bass no big ones. Overall I know of a few sturgeon landed but you had to put in your time and be in the right place at the right time. Yesterday half of my crew decided to pass due to the weather. I tried to talk the last gentleman and his 10 year old son to pass on the trip because of the 10 to 20 winds and the slow bite. Sean could not talk his son into going one another day. Normally I need 4 to go but I didn’t want to break the 10 year old boys heart so off the three of us went. I went over to port Chicago found some fish and put my bow into the wind. After about a dozen bass 10 year old Arine khomejany from Tiburon had a limit of bass. 26” 7 lb and a 25” 6 lb.
Dad Sean Khomejany landed a 65” 68 lb sturgeon. All the fish were fooled with JPS! The sturgeon bite was very very light! This was Sean’s first sturgeon and Ariane’s first bass.
Sean and I both thanked the boy for talking us into going. I will be back on the water when the weather gets better.

Capt. Steve Talmadge
Flash Sport Fishing

 

Capt. Steve
Flash
Sport Fishing

 

 

 

 

Mark your calendar- Glory Hole Sports 9^th Annual 2-day fishing Seminar-March 17^th and 18^thSign-ups for the on-the-water lessons begin on February 16^th.

 

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,983,570 acre-feet of water.  The lake level has held steady for 13 weeks now, and is currently 1050 ft. above sea level and 38 ft. from full capacity.  Surface water temperature is around 50-52 degrees.  Water is clear with around 20 ft. visibility with little or no mudline.  We are still at the high-water ramps.    Trout:  good for both trollers and bank anglers, with bank anglers catching the most fish.   Anglers fishing from shore should target main points such as Glory Hole Point, Osprey Point, under the Hwy. 49 Stevenot Bridge, and Tuttletown.   Nightcrawlers floated with marshmallows or inflated with a worm inflator have produced the most rainbows from shore.   Berkley Select (glitter) Power Bait or Power Eggs have caught plenty of fish, and throwing a silver/blue Kastmaster or spinner such as a Rooster Tail is also effective from shore.  Some lucky bank anglers and the weight of their biggest trout (in ounces and pounds) include Lucky Slayton (5.6), Dave Fong (4.7), Steve Sobleraj (4.7), Dennis Merrill (3.14), Ray Allopenna (3.13), Al Arieta (3.4), 3-year-old Taylor Wilson (3.0), and  5-year-old Evan Sergis (1.5). Trollers should head to the main lake between the spillway and dam, or near Rose Island, at depths of 30 feet to the surface.  Upriver has also been good.  Try trolling a crawler/Wedding Ring combo behind flashers, a U.V. Apex or a Cop Car Needlefish or other shad-patterned lure.  Rolling shad will get you a rainbow or a big, beautiful brown trout.  Be sure to leave out lots of line (100 ft.), or use a side planer to pull your lure out of your boat’s wake, so the shallow fish aren’t scared away.  The Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest (salmonids) and a free deli lunch was won this week by Leonard Brown of Clements, who also caught the biggest fish in the Costco Trout Bout Derby this weekend.  He caught a big 6-pound, 9-ounce Brown trout on a broken-back Rapala.  Andrew Nore and James Richardson won the derby, with a 2-fish limit weighing 7.28-pounds. 2^nd place went to Marty Morffey and Arlie Ahl, and Darren Schultz and Bruce Yates took 3^rd place.  Anglers competing in the derby braved the weather on Saturday, and reported fairly tough fishing.  Anglers used crawlers/flashers, various lures, and rolling shad to bring in their limits.  John, Mike and Clint of Redwood City caught a limit of planter trout in Angels Creek on flashers and crawlers.  Doug Koinzan used an Apex to land a 4.3-pound rainbow.   

Kokanee: done for the season.

Bass: Bass can be found from 5 feet to as deep as 60 feet deep on points in the main lake and upriver, although creek arms are holding fish, too.  All winter long, swimbaits will catch the big fish, as well as shad imitation reaction baits such as T.D. Minnows, or crawdad imitations like Carolina-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Brush Hogs or brown jigs/trailers.   A dart-headed crawdad-colored 4” worm, swam across main lake points, is working well right now.   The old winter stand-bys: drop-shotting a shad-patterned worm or fluttering a silver/blue spoon down under a shad school are both good bets.  Remember, with bass being sluggish in the cold water, persistence is the key.  When catching bass in deep water, please take care of your fish- it may be necessary to pop their swim bladder before releasing them back into the water.  Please remember to practice catch and release. The Department of Fish and Game does not plant bass, so it is up to us to maintain the bass fishery! Catfish:  Use anchovies, sardines, or a ball of nightcrawlers.  Leave your bail open so the cats can pick the bait up and swim with it- you will be more likely to hook them that way. Also, be sure to use a sliding sinker weight.  The bite has been very light- any tension on the line will scare those cats away.  Ron Broyels caught a 5.9-pound catfish on a red and white crappie jig while crappie fishing.   

Crappie and bluegill:  Slowing - we have had the best crappie bite Melones has seen in years. Crappie have moved deeper with the cooling water temperatures- try fishing in submerged trees, about 30-40 feet deep. For crappie, try fishing live minnows or trying to entice them with jigs in red/white or purple/white.  Ron Broyles caught nice crappie on red and white crappie jigs in Glory Ole Cove.   Bluegill and sunfish will hit a piece of a crawler or mealworm under a bobber.

 

Lake Pardee

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The Lake Camanche Fishing Report - January 24, 2006

LAKE CONDITIONS:

Lake Camanche’s current elevation is 217.56 feet above sea level, a drop of 4.4 feet since last Sunday. The surface temperature at the dam is 53.8 degrees F. and drops to 50.6 degrees at the bottom. The surface temp readings upriver are 49 degrees, a result of lots of inflow from Pardee Lake. The lake waters are slightly colored with a Secchi dish reading of 11 feet at the dam and 6 to 9 feet at the upriver sampling locations.

Gate hours for North and South shores are 5 A.M. TO 11 P.M.

TROUT: There were lots of anglers out yesterday taking lots of limits of 1 pound to 6 pound Rainbows. Most trollers did best with floating Rapalas in Fire tiger or gold/black back. Another hot ticket is to troll Sep’s Scented Pro Grubs in chartreuse; pink or orange about 4 feet behind a ¼ ounce split shot or try Needlefish in bright colors, such as the #581 pearlescent white or #054, which is chartreuse with fire dots. When the skies are cloudy or overcast, the fish are right on the surface; if the sun appears , use leadcore to get down to 15 feet deep or so. John and Shirley Bartlett, of Ripon, caught 2 limits of beautiful rainbows this week. They were trolling with Uncle Larry’s spinners, and also wedding rings, and caught most of their fish up the river. Rich and Maureen Drawbert, from Camanche, caught their limits of trout while fishing in shallow water near the islands outside of Camper’s Cove. They were using Power Bait.

Bank angling has improved lately, thanks mostly to the fog and overcast keeping the ‘bows close to shore. Use Power Bait in orange or chartreuse near the North ramp or South Chevron Point. Casting and retrieving the Magic Bullet works off the banks early and again late in the day.

South Shore pond action is very good since we planted the pond with over 600 pounds last week. All sorts of stuff work at the pond; best bet is to use Power Bait in chartreuse or white. Jim Murray, from Camanche, caught a 13.11 pound rainbow from the pond this week using a Pistol Pete lure.

This week’s trout plant of 1,200 pounds will be at North Shore.

BASS: The W.O.N. Bass tournament was held at Lake Camanche on Saturday. We congratulate Leandro Sanchez and Bill Martin for winning the meet with a big fish of 8.41 pounds, and a total weight of 16.62 pounds. Jay LeClerc and Bob Haag had a 5 fish limit weighing 14.63 pounds, and Taylor Parsons and Jeremiah Payne had a total weight of 14.5 pounds. Brown or purple jigs, and worms in brown, purple, or blue were some of the favorite baits. Most bass were in 15-30 feet of water.

BOTH NORTH SHORE AND SOUTH SHORE STORES ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED DURING THE WEEK AND OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS ONLY. BOAT RENTALS ARE AVAILABLE DURING THE WEEK BY TELEPHONE RESERVATION ONLY. PLEASE CALL NORTH SHORE (209-763-5166), OR SOUTH SHORE (209-763-5915) FOR DETAILS. BOTH SHORES ARE OPEN EVERY WEEKEND (WEATHER PERMITTING).

Northshore store:(209) 763-5166

North gate: (209) 763-5922

Boat rental reservations are recommended.
Phone North: (209) 763-5166 Phone South: (209) 763-5915.

Southshore store: (209)763-5915

South gate: (209) 763-5913

Gate hours for North and South shores are 5 A.M. TO 11 P.M.