CA DELTA REPORT
Updated - 12/07/2005
Brought to you by...

Bob’s Bait Report www.themasterbaiter.com

It was winter storm swept through the Delta last week and brought temperature down to mid thirty degree at night and low sixty during the day. This was also brought the water temperature down significantly.
Since the water temperature was really cold within a short period, fish mostly tend to move to warmer area where their baits are more comfortable to stay during the winter time. In the winter time, most striped bass ends up to small slough in the Delta like Snod-Grass slough or further East, North.

For sturgeon, the rain helps to make water muddier, and hence more sturgeons bite in the Delta channels. During the week last week, some sturgeon was caught at Rio Vista Bridge up to Light 49 in Cache Slough. Tom and Andy from Sacramento caught 66” sturgeon and 17 lb striped bass at Decker Island on 12/03/05 on ghost shrimp. Luke Lee from Antioch got 59” sturgeon at Old Dairy on grass shrimp on 12/04/05. Steven Gonzales from Galt caught 52” sturgeon and 12 lb. striped bassoon grass shrimp at Rio Vista Bridge on 12/05/05. Louis and his friends from San Jose got three striped bass 4lb. 7lb. and 8lb. on pile worm at Isleton Bridge. Eddie from Stockton caught 20 lb and 16 lb. stripped bass on mud sucker at Tyler Island Bridge on 12/02/05. Williams from Stockton caught 33” striped bass on mud sucker at the mouth of Georgiana Slough and Mokelumne River on 12/05/05.

Striped bass bites are very much different now than in the warm day for mud sucker bait. They just bite then let go if feeling any resistant. Rather than using small size of hook like 2/0 in the warmer days, size 5/0 or double hook should be used. It would help to hook the fish for its first strike.

Even last weekend was very beautiful, but because the previous raining days, fish needs sometime to adjust the new changes like muddier and colder water. Fish will start their normal activities after a couple days of rain. Therefore, it will be good for fishing in the coming week including striped bass and sturgeon.
For sturgeon fishermen, who have not many experiences with this kind of fish, single hook leader should not be used but double hook steel leader is recommended. There are some discrete reasons behind the double hook steel leader that are not being explained except the one who invented it. For double hook steel leader, when sucker it, sturgeons are more likely hooked by the hook itself without setting the hook by fishermen. This gives fishermen more changes to hook the fish in case of very light bite or unnoticeable bites.

Best luck to you all and keep on fishing.

The long weekend holiday is approached. It would be very busy weekend in the late fall. The demand for baits would be very high and number of baits store in the Delta couldn’t handle with that huge demand. For that reason, if you plan for fishing trip in the Delta, be sure to call to your favorite bait store to check for the bait you prefer to. The bait stores information can be found in the www.californiadelta.org or www.fishdelta.com.
Good luck and wish all of you and your family having wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

The Wilson Files- Mark Wilson

Dan, Monday, November 28, 2005...Fred Hicks went striper trolling with me today. We trolled Rebels in 12' to 16' of water all day. We trolled around Sherman Island on the Sacramento River side. The water turned pretty clear and was at 56 degrees. An overcast day mixed with sprinkles and some wind. A good day for trolling? No, it was a lot slower today than it has been. We did manage about 20 hits for 5 shakers and 8 keepers to 8 pounds. We kept a 4 fish limit between 6 and 8 pounds. Headed to Vieira's early to clean fish and home right at rush hour traffic. That's it. Good luck. Catch you later - Mark.

November 30, 2005

Bank Anglers see results at Melones

Angels Camp- Bank fishing has been picking up. We have a tie for the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest (salmonid). Al Judnich of Sonora has had great luck shore-fishing in Angels Cove, with both spoons and crawlers (Power Bait is another good choice). Al caught a 3.5-pound rainbow from shore (he also caught a 3.4-pounder). Charlie Krawchuk of Sonora also caught a 3.5-pounder, while trolling 35 feet deep by the spillway. So Al and Charlie share bragging rights this week! As soon as the water temp drops a couple of more degrees, bank fishing will really pick up. Trollers have been having best luck the main lake, from 30-60 feet deep. However, with trout beginning to be caught from shore, it’s time for the trollers to try in the bigger coves and creek arms, and troll a little shallower. Shad-patterned lures seem to be the ticket. Try a Cop Car or threadfin shad Needlefish. Excel Lures have been really bringing in the limits- try a blue/silver or blue/pink, or a shad-pattern. Most trollers are not using dodgers or flashers. Greg Branson of Angels Camp caught a pretty 3.1-pound rainbow on a shad-pattern Rapala, while trolling 12 feet deep near Glory Hole Point. Joe Hallett caught a 3.1-pounder on a green Needlefish. We have heard several reports of a 9-pound brown trout being caught, but we don’t have the details.

The Bite is good for smaller bass. Many anglers have had a tough time catching keeper fish. Most bass being caught are in the 1-2 pound range, and still many anglers cannot find a limit. The bass are there spooning and Rat-l-Trapping as the water temperature changes, bass are moving from shallow water into deeper water. The bonus here (or Nuisance) there are some big trout willing to grab these baits as well. Areas that provide structure at different depths are a good bet. Main lake points, submerged islands, and creek arms are all good choices. Wind the wind comes up, fish the banks and points that the wind blows into- the fish will move shallow to chase the bait that the wind is blowing into the shore.

New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,949,500 acre-feet of water, and is at 81% capacity. The lake is full and beautiful. The lake elevation rose slightly last week, and is at 1,048 ft. above sea level and only 40 ft. from full capacity. Surface water temperatures are approximately 61-62 degrees. Water is fairly clear by most lakes’ standards, but still more stained than is usual for Melones at this time of year.

Lake Pardee

Dropping Like a rock and Closes Sunday October 30th

Camanche Bass and Catfish Action Decent

Cooler temps bring on the Trout

Wallace-Cool evening temperatures and bright sunny days have made for some great fishing conditions this week at Lake Camanche. The weather made it seem more like spring than fall, but the water is cold enough for trout to prowl the surface;A much to the delight of the trout trollers. Local resident Ted Allgood was trolling Needlefish in silver/black, from Hat Island to Camper’s Cove, and caught 8 or 9 beautiful rainbows fishing about 15 feet deep. Jim and Gary, from Roseville, caught 2 limits of trout trolling near the dam with a dodger and a night crawler on the surface down to 15 feet deep. 2 gentlemen from Camanche Village, fishing on Wednesday, were using a silver/gold dodger and a night crawler. They caught their limits of trout with one nice rainbow weighing 5.5 pounds. Brad and Anthony, from Merced, caught 2 limits of trout from the Day Use Point on Tuesday; with a beauty weighing 5 pounds. They were using night crawlers, jigs, and crawdads. The action at the South Shore Pond has been very hot, with limits of trout a common occurrence. Power Bait and Power Eggs as well as night crawlers are working well, and float tubers using woolly buggers report fast action also. This week’s trout plant of 1,200 pounds will be split between South Shore launch ramp and South Shore Pond.

My favorite and biggest nemesis the bass fishing remains very good at Lake Camanche. Anglers fishing early and late report success using topwater baits in China Gulch and Camanche Arm. Drop shotting with 4-6 inch worms and leeches in green, purple, and smoke will turn up bass in 8-20 feet of water. Gary Nishida, from Stockton, rented a boat on Saturday and trolled 2 Rapala lures from the Narrows heading up river. He caught numerous largemouth bass, several spotted bass, a couple of trout, and a 2 pound crappie. He has never been to Lake Camanche, was basically just seeing the sights here, and trolled 2 lures everywhere he went on the lake. He came back in raving about the beauty of the lake, the wonderful weather, the variety of fish available to be caught, and the very reasonable boat rental rates. I imagine he will be coming back to Lake Camanche soon.s are cooperating quite nicely.

Lake Camanche’s current elevation is 219.68 feet above sea level, a drop of .20 feet since last Sunday. The lake should drop very slowly this week. Water is currently flowing into Camanche at 278 c.f.s. and water is flowing out of Camanche at a rate of 330 c.f.s. Surface water temperature at the marina is 60 degrees. The water is very clear, with a Secchi reading of 18 feet.

Pennies on the dollar for fishing rods, reels, baits, lures, and more? You be the judge!
Team Daiwa, Lucky Craft, G-Loomis, Fenwick, Heddon, Yo-Zuri, St. Croix, Shimano, Strike Pro
Rat-L-Traps, Lures, Bucktail Jigs, Spinnerbait, Crankbait, Buzzbait, Marine Electronics, and lots more!