Over the years I’ve had to put together this column from a lot of different places. Hotels, friends’ houses, while visiting in-laws, while camping, but never from an airport terminal, which is where I am right now. I’m not much of a traveler. After my enlistment in the military was over, I lost a lot of desire to travel anymore. I was actually reluctant to take this trip but as they say “happy wife, happy life.” So, I’m going to try and make the best of this trip. There are actually two places that I’d like to visit someday. One is the town where I was stationed while in Germany, and the other is Florida’s Lake Okeechobee. I spent so many mornings during my childhood watching fishing shows being filmed on Lake Okeechobee. I’d really like to see it in person someday. If I learned anything from my travels, there’s nothing like actually being there in person. Who knows, maybe this trip will inspire me to finally plan a trip to one of those places.

Delta Report:

Fishing for bass is a little tough as anglers are struggling to catch them with consistency. Early in the morning you can’t go wrong with a top water bait and once the sun comes up seek shady areas. You can fish top water all day, a lot of guys do but the bites will be far fewer than in the morning hours. Catfishing is great right now as anglers are catching them with clams and chicken livers. Bluegills are spawning right now making them prime targets for those fishing with wax worms.

Lake New Melones:

The trout fishing has remained slow. Kokanee have been keeping anglers busy lately with lots of limits being caught within an hour or two of trolling. Average kokanee size is 10 to 16 inches long. For kokanee anglers are using a variety of different baits tipped with either shoe peg corn or fire corn trolled between 40 and 70 feet deep. Anglers trolling for trout are trolling between 20 and 40 feet deep while using heavy spoons. Bass fishing continues to be good for anglers as there are a lot of fish being caught right now up shallow while using Senko’s and Carolina rigged Baby Brush Hogs. The top water bite continues to be good for those using shad imitators.

Lake Don Pedro:

Don Pedro remains excellent for kokanee. The kokanee bite has really turned on; anglers fishing around Graveyard Bay, Jenkins Hill, and Big Oak Island are doing well. Depths to target are between 40 and 50 feet deep. Bass fishing is good right now during the early morning hours for those fishing top water lures. During the day anglers are slowing down while fishing with small plastic worms or crawling a brown football head jig along the bottom.

New Hogan:

There are plenty of fish to be caught along the shorelines right now. Most of the bass have spawned already while leaving the spawning grounds to the bluegills. The catfish are also being seen cruising the shallows, and the carp are also spawning. So, if you’re interested in catching any of those species you can find them all fairly shallow. The only problem is going to be getting there before the water gets stirred up by boat traffic.

Lake Camanche:

Fishing is good right now on the lake for bass and catfish. Some nice limits of crappie are being caught. Anglers fishing for bass are catching them up shallow in the mornings and in the evenings. During the day anglers are focusing on main lake points or shady areas while using small plastic baits worked along the bottom. Catfish are being caught during the night for those anglers fishing off the bank with chicken livers. For crappie angler re using crappie jigs around brush piles as well as live minnows.

Tip of the Week:

I’ve tried every type of clothing by now towards keeping cool during the summer. I’ve learned that no matter what, you’re going to be hot. You may be a little cooler wearing thinner fabrics but it’s still going to be hot. The worst part of being out in the sun during extreme heat is the after effects. Getting sunburnt is not the most enjoyable experience. So, I’ve learned that it’s better to cover up and be hot, than to leave skin exposed and be sunburnt.