It’s that time of year again when San Joaquin County taxes me for having a boat. Many know of it as a “luxury tax” even though on the bill it’s titled “property tax.” It’s basically a tax that boat owners pay every year for owning a boat. After going to our state’s website, I found out that all “tangible” property is taxable according to the California Constitution (Section XII, Article 1). This of course isn’t the first time I’ve had to pay this tax, or the last. One thing’s for sure, I definitely don’t advise purchasing a boat or any other high dollar item if you’re trying to avoid spending money. Once again, I keep repeating to myself, a saying from one of my favorite comedians “You don’t want to own a boat; you want to have a friend that owns a boat!”
Delta Report:
Fishing continues to be tough for a lot of bass anglers right now. For a lot of people fishing this past weekend the flip bite all but died down as the top water bite accounted for some of the bigger fish caught. There are lots of smaller schools of bass actively feeding on small baitfish which can be caught on reaction lures and small top water baits. Catfishing remains good right now for anglers fishing cut bait. Look for bigger catfish to be relating to deep holes along the river right now.
New Melones Lake:
Bass fishing continues to be good for smaller bass on soft plastics while worked along the bottom. Bigger bass are being caught in the early morning hours on topwater lures and at night on top as well. During the day anglers are dragging Carolina rigged plastic baits such as brush hogs and lizards. Kokanee fishing is hit or miss for a lot of anglers trolling. Those that are being caught are bigger than they’ve ever been with a few topping 19 inches in length. Recent reports are that anglers trolling between 90 and 100 feet deep are having the most success. Bluegills continue to provide steady action for those fishing around boat docks and the backs of coves. Fishing for catfish is good right now for those fishing at night. Crappie fishing at night has also been good lately for anglers fishing with live minnows around a submersible light.
Lake Don Pedro:
Bass are being caught on Senko’s and top water baits right now. Hula grubs and crank baits are also working well while fished between five and 10 feet deep. Trout and salmon fishing is very slow on the lake right now. Typically the further that we get into to summer the better the bite becomes.
Lake New Hogan:
Bass fishing remains good for those fishing Senko’s and topwater baits during the morning and evening hours. New Hogan is one of those lakes that gets very little fishing pressure compared to the other local lakes. There is a small fee of no more than five dollars to launch a boat and fish for the day. It does get a lot of boat traffic during the weekends though. It’s well worth the visit if you can manage a day off during the week.
Lake Pardee:
Kokanee fishing has really been tough for anglers trolling recently. Anglers that are having success are fishing a variety of depths between 45 and 120 feet deep. Bass fishing is hit or miss right now. The best bites are coming early and late in the day.
Lake Camanche:
Bass fishing is good right now for anglers fishing around the visible islands with small worms such as Robo Worms. Bluegills are also there for the taking just about anywhere along the shoreline where there is some type of structure for them to swim around. Anglers fishing for bluegill are using red worms and wax worms.
Tip of the Week:
When storing your tackle it’s important to separate certain items in order to prevent rust or damage to your tackle box. Some plastic baits for example will actually melt through a plastic box if having direct contact with another plastic. They’re also most likely to have a high salt content which will also take its toll on exposed metal. Lead weights and hooks should never be stored in the same box as the moisture from the lead will surely create rusty hooks. Hard baits should be left out to air dry before placing back inside a tackle box. Silicone packs that come with a lot of items we purchase today can be re-used to help keep moisture out of your tackle box.
