LETS GO FISHING
*Hard copy of Jay’s columns can be found in the River News Herald & Isleton Journal
APRIL 22, 2015
DELTA
The spring striped bass bite is now taking place out on the Delta waterways with good reports coming out of Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers with bait dunkers and trollers getting into the action.On the Sacramento River side of the Delta trollers have been scoring on the West Bank on the top of the high tides from the Red Barn up into the Sandy Beach area dragging Rat-L-Traps and shallow running Yo-Zuri’s with a white worm trailer and above the Rio Vista Bridge off the mouth of the old Sacramento River and Steamboat Slough with several fish taken to 18 pounds taken on the troll. Field scouts report that some of the fish have spawned out while some have yet to complete the ritual. On the San Joaquin River striped bass are holding off the rock barges off Sherman Island, False River between Jersey and Bradford Islands, mouth of Three Mile Slough, Santa Clara Shoals, San Andreas Shoals, mouth of Big Potato Slough, Mokelumne River’s North and South forks, Old Sounding Board and Old River Flats. Bait dunkers tossing thread fin shad getting into the action for stripers averaging 22 inches to 28 inches in length, up to an occasional 10 to 12 pounder. Two fish limits have been the rule as of late.Some of the best sturgeon fishing is taking place in Suisun Cut and Montezuma Slough, but very few fishing for them. The best baits continue to be lamprey eel strips, salmon roe and ghost shrimp.Last week’s 20 to 25 knot winds kept most off the water.Check weather conditions before venturing out on your next fishing adventure. The fishing is better on less windy days.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Some of the best Striped Bass fishing along with quality halibut are beginning to be caught in San Francisco Bay with 2-fish limits the rule to 18 pounds and halibut to 32 pounds taken on the drift on live shiner and anchovies. The hot spots lately have been The Brothers and The Raccoon Straits for stripers and off Angel Island for halibut. Party boat skippers haven’t seen the bite this good in years. One of the reasons is the amount of live bait inside the Golden Gate where massive schools of anchovies are holding. As a bonus good numbers of leopard shark taken in the 48 to 51-inch category.
MONTEREY BAY
Party boats putting their clients on full 10-fish limits of quality rockfish and full 3-fish limits of lingcod. Salmon fishing is slow with only 3 fish hitting the docks to about 12 pounds. Half Moon Bay reports very little action on salmon due to the lack of krill and bait fish. But in the interim the rock cod fishing is rated good. Take time to go out into the great outdoors.
DELTA SMELT RECEIVE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
Delta smelt, once one of the most abundant species of fish in the Bay-Delta Estuary, are now on the precipice of extinction. Recently, biologists recorded the lowest number of smelt ever documented, 8, at a total of 100 sites sampled from September through December. Now, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has rewarded the UC Davis lab’s captive breeding program, located in Byron near Discovery Bay, a total of $10 million over a four year period to continue and improve it’s work preserving the imperiled species. The 2.0 to 2.8 inch long fish is an indicator species that demonstrates the health of the Bay-Delta Estuary. Delta smelt were officially listed as threatened in 1993 and as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act in 2009.
JAY’S BEST BETS
SAN FRANCISCO BAY - ( striped bass, halibut, leopard shark, )
DELTA - ( striped bass, sturgeon, largemouth bass );
SUISUN CUT - ( sturgeon )
MONTEZUMA SLOUGH- ( sturgeon);
MONTEREY BAY - ( rockfish, lingcod )
UPCOMING EVENTS
SACRAMENTO FISHERMAN’S WAREHOUSE SEMINAR
Thursday, April 23, 2015 - The Sacramento Fisherman’s Warehouse presents a seminar covering landlocked salmon fishing. The seminar begins at 6 p.m. at 9035 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento. Information: (916) 362-1200.
SACRAMENTO FISHERMAN’S WAREHOUSE SEMINAR
Thursday, April 30, 2015 - Roland Aspiras will present a fishing seminar covering American Shad. The seminar begins at 6 p.m. at 9035 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento.
Information: (916) 362-1200.
WEST WALKER RIVER TROUT FISHING DERBY
MAY 22 - 25, 2015 - You won’t want to miss the annual “Size doesn’t matter” fishing derby on the West Walker River. There will be lots of prizes and plenty of smiles.
Information: (530) 208-6078
SIERRA TROUT FISHING SEASON OPENER
Saturday, April 25, 2015 - The Sierra trout fishing season opens statewide. Due to the drought, most streams will be fishable where salmon eggs, worms and spinners work well on the opening weekend.
KOKANEE POWER LAKE SHASTA TEAM CLASSIC
May 2-3, 2015 – Kokanee Power presents it’s Lake Shasta Team Tournament where you will have the opportunity to catch some big trout and land-locked salmon. During the event you can win some awesome prizes along with a free dinner. For more information call Gary Coe at (916) 985-4943
FUTURE PRO CLEARLAKE BASS TOURNAMENT
MAY 16, 2015 - Future Pro holds their bass tournament at Clearlake. For more information call Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938.
NTAC TROUT ANGLERS CHALLENGE AT CAMANCHE LAKE
May 17, 2015 - Cammanche Lake is the next stop for the Northern Trout Anglers Challenge. For more information call Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938.
KOKANEE POWER DON PEDRO TOURNAMENT
May 30, 2015 Big trout, king and kokanee along with some awesome prizes. For more information call Gary Coe at (916) 985-4943
FUTURE PRO CALIFORNIA DELTA BASS TOURNAMENT
June 13, 2015 - Fish the California Delta for largemouth bass. For more information call Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938
KOKANEE POWER NEW MELONES TEAM DERBY
June 13-14, 2015 - Kokanee Power presents it’s New Melones two-day team derby where you will have the opportunity to catch some big kokanee, rainbows along with some awesome prizes. For more information call Gary Coe at (916) 985-4943