By VINCE REMBULAT
209 staff reporter
When it comes to fishing, Max Garrido prefers the wide open waterways of the Delta that cover 1,000 miles if they were put end to end. .
He’ll take his boat to the launch off Highway 12 at B & W Resort Marina at 964 Brannan Isle Rd in Isleton, going to Rio Vista in search of striped bass or stripers and sturgeons.
“The best time for fishing is the first two hours of a tide change,” said Garrido, who’s usually out on the water by 7 a.m.
The experienced fisherman, to no one’s surprise, has the proper equipment.
He’ll use live bait such as shad when fishing along the Port of Stockton or put blue gill and mudsuckers to his hook while on the Delta.
On boat, Garrido is able to reel in that big catch. It’s an advantage he has over those fishing off the banks.
“There’s a two-catch limit per day of stripers and (the fish) must be 18 inches or bigger,” he said, referring to the regulations set forth by the state Department of Fish and Game.
Those in violation could face a stiff fine along with having their equipment or, worse, boat confiscated.
Ruben Orona, meanwhile, does most of his fishing along the port.
He prefers doing so by taking his kayak out to the Morelli Park Boat Launch, 1025 W. Weber Ave. – located directly underneath Interstate 5 or about block or two west of the Waterfront Warehouse – in downtown Stockton.
There are times when Orona will do his fishing during the late evenings from this spot. Over the years, he’s caught fair share of striper and black bass from his single-person watercraft.
“I’ll sometimes go to Dad’s Point (Louis Park at the end of Mt. Diablo Rd.),” he said.
Fishing in these parts is fraught with obstacles.
Included is the rapid growth of hyacinth along the Deep Water Channel and places along the San Joaquin River and its many tributaries.
Around the waterways near Rio Vista, Garrido and others also have to contend with seals.
“You got to watch out for them – they’ll go after your catch,” said the Stockton native.
Surprisingly, fishing along the Delta has been fairly good as of late given the sweltering conditions and recent Memorial Day weekend.
“There are still stripers on the San Joaquin River with a number of line sides at 24 inches or less,” reported Dan Mathisen of Dan’s Delta Outdoors.
He added: “There were at least two stripers at 35 inches taken off the Antioch Fishing Pier, and there is a good bite with the Optima 5-inch Bubba shad in Sherman Lake – the largemouth bass bite remains good for those willing to adjust to the conditions.”
To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.
