Fishing during the summer months is definitely not for someone who doesn’t like a little sunlight. This past week was extremely hot during the day causing even me to head back towards the dock. Not knowing how hot it was until I got behind the wheel of my truck I saw that it was 107 degrees. Once getting home I ended up sleeping the rest of the day while trying to regain some of the energy the sun had taken from me. Originally, I had planned to get off the water by noon but noon came and I decided on another half hour, then that came, and another half hour went by. It was tough calling it quits but I’m glad I did because I could see that my fishing partners were getting a little restless. I was one fish away from completing my limit was the excuse I used to keep on fishing.
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.
New Melones Lake:
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; try the areas of Graveyard Bay, Jenkins Hill, and Big Oak Island. 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 their 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:
Wearing the proper clothing while fishing in the summer can definitely make a difference. I always try to wear light colors and a round fishing hat over a traditional baseball cap. I also wear shirts with a collar so that my neck is protected from the sun. Some anglers prefer long sleeves for extra protection, I prefer short sleeve shirts. Occasionally though, I will wear a long sleeve shirt during the summer. Most importantly, is understanding that the sun reflects off the water. So, any unprotected skin will most likely get burned.
