With the water levels being so low my choices for fishing this weekend have really been limited. Fortunately the bite in the Delta is finally starting to pick up and soon the water will be too cold for everyone to swim in except for the fish. This year is different than the last 20 in that I’ll be targeting stripers, salmon, and possibly a sturgeon before the end of the winter. I’ve got an idea of what I want to do and how I’m going to do it but I’ve yet to try it out on the fish. I’m looking forward to this new way of fishing. As much as I’ve enjoyed bass fishing and all that I’ve learned, I’ve always admired anglers that knew how to catch and fish for anything.
Delta Report:
The current water temperature continues to drop, which usually is an indicator that the fish should be actively feeding. Lots of smaller fish are being caught on reaction baits especially when there is a little wind and cloud cover. The bigger bass are still being caught on top water baits or by flipping. Small schools of striped bass are being found throughout the delta right now working bait on the surface. There are also reports of limits of Salmon being caught in the North Delta. Anglers fishing for Salmon are trolling chartreuse Silvertron’s around Vieira’s.
New Melones Lake:
Right now there are very few anglers fishing the lake because of the water levels. The lake is currently 22 percent of its full capacity. Trout fishing has slowed down quite a bit recently. Anglers having any luck are trolling from 30 to 90 feet deep. Anglers fishing at night under submersible lights are having the best luck while fishing the main lake and dam areas. Bass fishing remains steady for anglers fishing drop shotted plastics or while dragging small plastics along the bottom. Jig fishing is also starting to become popular as anglers are catching some of the better quality bass while working depths down to 30 feet with brown jigs.
Lake Camanche:
Fishing is slow right now on the lake for everything except for bass. The bass have been biting just about anything. There are a little smaller bass being caught but the action is steady. Trout fishing has all but died down until the water temperatures drop which should bring the trout closer to the surface.
Lake Don Pedro:
There are very few anglers fishing the lake right now as the lake is being used heavily by recreational boaters. Late fall is usually an excellent time for anglers to catch King Salmon. So most anglers are crossing their fingers and hoping that in the next month or so the water temperatures will drop enough creating better conditions for fishing. Bass fishing continues to be steady with a lot of smaller fish being caught while dragging small plastic worms.
Lake Pardee:
Trout and kokanee fishing is hit or miss right now as the kokanee are in the beginning stages of their annual spawn. Anglers targeting kokanee are trolling as deep as 110 feet for them. Anglers fishing for trout are trolling between 40 and 60 feet deep. Bass fishing is good right now for anglers who are using weightless stick baits like Yum Dingers or Yamamoto Senko’s.
Tip of the Week:
Professional bass angler Rick Clunn said it best when he said “Bass fishing is like playing basketball without knowing where the basket is.” Nobody knows exactly where the fish are. Most anglers, including myself just keep casting or moving until we catch a fish. This time of year is different though, most species of fish are starting to feed heavily in preparation for winter. Cast, cast, and cast some more. There are more fish out there looking for an easy meal than any other time of the year right now.
