The "Hot Spot" by INNOVATE - Fishing Blog and Reports

California Delta Chambers Report - 7/29/10

2010-07-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

As we come closer to fall and the anticipation of the coming salmon season, many of you have e-mailed me asking about the season dates and bag limit details. So, I went out and searched the Department of Fish and Game’s labyrinth of a website and found details in this document.

According to the document, the Feather River from 1,000 feet below the Thermalito Afterbay to the mouth opens to fishing on July 31st. So, those of you that have been itching to get into some salmon have the chance to do so in just a few days. The daily bag limit is 2 salmon.

I’m eagerly waiting for the area between the Highway 113 Bridge and Carquinez Bridge to open. Between September 4th and October 3rd there is a daily limit of 2 salmon. We’ll get into gear and tackle as we get closer to the opener.

As far as other species around Sacramento…

Striped bass are currently a good bet in the American River. I can’t suggest any good spots to try, only because the fish are on the move daily. Topwater plugs in the early morning and late evening, and subsurface lures like swimbaits and jointed jerkbaits are good when the sun is up. Bait fisherman usually toss crawfish, live jumbo minnows, and cut frozen baits.

Shad are still available in the upper-most reaches of the river and are readily taking grubs and darts. Most of the fish have spawned and skinny, and some are possibly already making their way back to the ocean, dependent on what the water temps are holding at.

Catfish are readily available in the Old Sacramento River just about anywhere you can wet a line. Cut frozen baits, chicken liver, night crawlers and clams are all good for the catfish. This time of year you can literally catch cats by dropping your line straight down off the bank, depending on how deep the water is at your feet. Try a float too, you won’t be disappointed with the action if they’re around.

Bass fishing is a summertime favorite among anglers. I fished a couple of tributaries in the East Delta a few times last week from the bank, landing a couple of nice largemouth to 3 pounds. Punching mats with plastics was the ticket. Smallmouth fishing should be good on the Old Sacramento River – look for rocks and good current flow, along with some shade nearby and you’re golden. Try small 3 inch grubs on a darter head, spinnerbaits, and crawdad imitation crankbaits. Just keep in mind that smallmouth have a very slow growth rate. A 1-2 pound fish could be well over 3 years old. Practice catch and release so everyone can continue to enjoy this special fishery in the years to come.

To all, have a fun time on the banks and as always – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Hey! Its an update!

2010-07-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hey all, I haven't been around much to post new entries due to a new job in fishing.

That's right! I actually have a job in fishing! I was contacted over the spring by Cal Kellog, editor of the Fishsniffer Magazine asking if I would like to write reports. I gladly accepted! So, on top of writing for the California Delta Chambers, I am now also a staff writer for the Fishsniffer! Currently my task is to write reports for Rio Vista, Folsom Lake, the Penninsula Shoreline, and the Silicon Valley Lakes. Its been very fun so far, and I've been able to talk to anglers just like you and myself that love the sport of fishing. Folks like Rich Crispi of TW Guide Service, Don Paganelli of Paganelli's Bass Fishing Experience, and John Akina of Oyster Point Bait and Tackle - these guys are dedicated to the fishing community! I'm really looking forward to working with these folks in the months to come.

So, this is a fishing blog, right? It looks like I stopped blogging around February, so that's where I'll start (of course with the best recollection of my memory).

In the beginning of the year, trout fishing was common for me. I frequented Lake Amador and Lake Pardee. Lake Amador wasn't as hot as last year's season, but it was still fair with some days (or nights) yielding limits.

As the weather got warmer, I switched over to Crappie at Lake Amador for a couple of nice slabs. The fishing was slower this year than last.

Shad season started in late May. The fish were big this year.

Mark (pictured above) landed a 29 inch striped bass earlier this month. The fish took a shad he was fighting and hooked himself in the process. I've seen this happen with Lingcod eating blue and black rockfish, but never with stripers eating a shad. Mark was using an ultra light rig (smaller than the outfit above) and 2lb test to land that fish. Absolutely impressive!

I had to step away from fishing as often during the first part of this month, however my buddies kept at it. Just in the last week, shad are still being caught from the Ameican River. Its been one impressive shad run!

Earlier this month, I had the chance to take out both my wife and my dad on separate trips to Lake Pardee to troll for Kokanee. The fish were schooled up big time around the south end of the lake. I've never seen them there in years past.

I like bass fishing, but I rarely ever do it. So just recently I found a nice spot in Elk Grove to fish in the evenings so I can do it more often.

Brian followed up a few days later with a nice 3 pounder of his own.

Just this past Monday, I went out to Amador for a night time trip. That was a fun one with a nice limit of fish from about 1.5 to 3.5 pounds. I need to replenish my stock of SuperHogs, Brush Hogs and worm weights!

That pretty much sums up this year's fishing so far. Bass, Kokanee, Catfish are all in line until Fall, where I'll be back at the striped bass and sturgeon in the Delta. I also have a trip planned for the saltwater, going for Rockfish and Lingcod. Oh I can't forget! There's going to be a Salmon season on the Sacramento River this year! So many fish, so little time.

Catch you guys soon!
Roland

California Delta Chambers Report - 2/24/10

2010-02-24T13:38:00.000-08:00

I always find it amazing how time flies these days. I’ve come to the realization that when I tell myself that I’m going to try to do something like fish the rivers for steelhead or sturgeon, it usually ends up not happening.

So going out on a whim is usually the best case scenario. That’s what I did yesterday with my good friend Rich and his son Mark. The plan was to fish for sturgeon, however we made a quick change of plans to go for steelhead instead due to the rainy weather. The reports on steelhead on the American were also very promising. Plus, I hadn’t fished for them in close to 4 years, so a change of pace was definitely welcoming.

After picking up a steelhead card, we arrived at Rich’s honey hole on the American River. Another friend, Dave and his son Damien we were waiting in the parking lot when we arrived with fly rods and gear ready to go.

The fishing was slower than what Dave and Rich had experienced just a week before with half a dozen hook-ups and two landed fish. I managed one quick hookup which shook off after the hookset, and Dave had a very nice fish on which shook lose 10 feet from the bank. No action after that. We threw an assortment of lures including flies, jigs, spoons and spinners.

We took off shortly before 4:30 since Mark had school later in the evening.

After settling in at home and making dinner, I decided to go out again, this time in search of sturgeon. When I opened the garage, not only did I notice the rain, but also the gusty wind. Do I go, or do I stay home? Being the crazy fisherman that I am, I loaded up the gear and headed for my favorite sturgeon hole on the Sacramento River.

Getting out of my truck was already a task – I had to fight the wind from slamming the door shut on me. I rigged up, clipped on a 10 ounce weight and walked down the slippery levee. Wind usually causes problems for conventional gear, but I ended up not getting a backlash – wow! Proping my rod down on a rod holder was out of the question with the wind being so gusty, so I ended up having to hold it the entire time.

I snagged up once, which I ended up breaking off. Back up the hill again to retie, fight the wind, then walk back down the slippery levee. Another successful cast into the wind without a backlash. 20 minutes went by, standing there holding my rod against the wind and current. Finally, I felt a good tap and set the hook. There was weight on the end of the rod, but immediately I knew it was something small. And there it was. A 3 pound delta catfish dangling at the end of my 60lb test leader with my eel-filled hook stuck in its mouth. We went back into the drink.

I decided to cast out one more time, another successful cast. The wind got gustier, and the rain fell harder. My fingers were starting to freeze, and to top it off, the water repellent spray on my bibs was starting to fail. I was getting soaked! I waited it out 45 minutes before finally throwing in the towel and giving up. I drove home wet and felt somewhat satisfied with fact that I at least caught something in those horrible conditions.
The weather this coming week and into the weekend is still supposed to be rainy, with at least 30% chance of precipitation each day. Definitely good for the sturgeon as they make their way to their spawning grounds, and definitely bad for anglers as high water means lots of snags and the requirement of heavy weights in order to hold bottom.

While my report left more to be desired, other anglers working the nearby waters in the metro sac area have faired well on sturgeon. Courtland, Clarksburg, Hood, Garcia Bend, Verona and Knights Landing have all see their fair share of sturgeon catches in the last 2 weeks. The toe drain in West Sacramento has also seen some good action.

Ghost shrimp, pile worms and eel have been the best baits.

After this slew of storms, it’ll definitely be game time for sturgeon anglers. I’ll make a commitment to go whenever I get the free time. Like I said earlier, its useless trying to pre-plan a trip.

To all, have a fun time on the banks, and as always – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

California Delta Chambers Report - 1/7/09

2010-01-07T17:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! This year I’d like to start with some tips that I’ve gathered for winter fishing, based on various questions that anglers have asked in the recent weeks. Winter fishing can very productive chasing stripers and sturgeon, however there are a few factors that you need to keep in mind before and during your trip.

Winter Runoff

Large amounts of winter runoff usually mean high water, lots of debris in the form of sticks, leaves, branches and in some cases entire trees can be seen floating downriver. Fishing effectively can be a challenge, requiring you to constantly check and clean off your tackle of debris. Fast current requires large sinkers up to a pound in weight to hold bottom, and sometimes it isn’t enough. And of course, underwater trees and snags are very common. A rig that isn’t properly holding, and bouncing along the bottom will eventually come into a contact with a snag. Most anglers fish medium heavy tackle on the bank, and I can tell you that it aint easy trying to break off a snag with line 20lb test or more! There are a couple things you can do to avoid these problems.

1. Cast close to shore. In many cases the current next to shore will be slower compared to the middle of the slough or river. Having less line out means less surface area for the current to grab hold of and sweep down river.

2. Move. If you find yourself getting snagged often in a particular spot, move. You can either try a few yards up or down from your current location or move to an entirely different spot.

3. Use lighter line. Some anglers may dispute this concept, however I find it to be very effective. Lighter line has a smaller diameter which means less surface area and drag. For example, my choice for fishing normal conditions is 25 or 30 pound test monofilament. When the current is up, I may switch to 20lb test. Superlines are another choice. 30lb test braided line has diameter equivalent to 10lb test mono.

4. Wait out the water. Some anglers prefer not to fish the river when the water is up, and for good reason. Tackle is expensive. Hooks, sinkers, leaders, and line all add up. Trying to yank snags can damage your rod or reel as well. The whiplash from my line (25lb test) snapping broke 2 guides on my surf rod once trying to pull a snag free on the Old Sac. After winter run off, I usually like to wait a week to a week and a half before trying my luck.

Water Temperature and Climate

Both stripers and sturgeon fall prey to cold water temperatures and drops in barometric pressure. There are a couple of ways for you to increase your success when fishing these conditions.

1. Fish shallow. This concept is very important during bluebird skies in the winter. Shallow water warms quickly during the day, drawing baitfish and gamefish. Metabolism increases as temperature rises, and so does activity. Stripers can sometimes be seen chasing threadfin shad in as little as 5 feet of water during the winter.

2. Down-size. Both stripers and sturgeon tend to bite very light in cold water temps due to their decreased metabolism. Use lighter line, smaller portions of bait, and smaller plugs for trolling if water clarity allows it.

3. It’s too darn cold. Temps in the valley can dip to the mid to upper thirties during certain parts of the winter. Mix that in with a great north wind and you’ll be in for a frosty heck of a time. The answer – invest in good cold weather gear. Hunting outerwear is my choice as it has good insulation. A good pair of insulated boots and some headwear is also required. Don’t forget insulated thermals, too. Of course, you can always stay home and wait until the weather warms up a couple degrees. A difference between 40 and 50 degrees is substantial and highly noticeable.

While winter fishing may pose more problems than success, it certainly goes overlooked by many anglers. Hopefully, these tips help in planning your trip and increasing your success.

To all, have a fun time on the water, and always make sure to remember to pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Lake Amador Swing Shift - 12/29/09

2009-12-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hey all!

Its been a while since I made an actual report. Business has been pretty hectic lately with the holidays. Took a trip out to the mud hole last night, despite the negative reports from the day shift. Fished from about 9:30PM to 2:30AM. Right off the bat I started getting whacked with bobbers taking dives every 5 to 10 minutes. I kept on missing hooksets and quickly realized why. The fish were hitting my chartreuse bobbers! To counter act I placed my baits up real shallow leaving only about an 18" leader. That proved to be the ticket to some degree as I rounded out the night with 5 hookups, landing 2 and releasing 1. Countless hits through out the night that never materialized.

Tried for crappie on all edges of the dock, shallow and deep for no love. It probably wont be until February until they start showing up in force.

Later dudes!
Roland

To my friends and family - a Christmas Fishing GIft!

2009-12-24T22:41:00.001-08:00

2009 was tough in the money arena. Furloughs made things less than comfortable for us this year. Christmas shopping was a tough feat for Nikki and I. But, but we're still in the giving spirit. For 2010, I am offering to close friends and family a free fishing trip (or a free PC tune up see at bottom), all expenses paid, including:

One day license fee (if applicable).
Bait, and tackle usage.
Fishing instruction, tips and tricks.
Lake access/entrance fees.
Fish cleaning and packaging.

What's biting?

Winter - Trout
Spring - Trout, Panfish, Bass
Summer - Bass
Fall - Trout

What should I bring?

Appropriate clothing to protect yourself from the elements (jacket for winter fishing, hats for summer fishing).
Any fishing gear you might have.
Food and drink.
Sunscreen.

Send me an e-mail for details!

Not into fishing How about a PC Tune-up instead! Enjoy a free PC maintenance package, including:

Spy ware and virus scan.
Hard drive clean-up.
Speed, performance, and life expectancy assessment of your computer.
Tips and tricks of the trade.

Send me an e-mail for details!

Amador - 12/21/09

2009-12-22T01:43:00.000-08:00

Rich, Mark and I checked out Amador this past Monday for some trout. The action is by far slower than last year, but we still caught a few fish. 3 fish total for us, with loads of short strikers and a couple lost fish.

California Delta Chambers Report - 12/18/09

2009-12-18T01:39:00.000-08:00

Mother nature put on an impressive show for California the last 10 days with rain and hail and even some snow. The only problem was that it happened all throughout my vacation! I was sidelined at home for the most part, left with only day dreams of sturgeon and stripers. I took two trips to the foothills for trout which only left me with more day dreams of sturgeon and stripers.

Anglers that braved the cold and rain saw decent action on sturgeon in the lower Delta from Simmons Point to Sherman Island. There didn’t seem to be any real distinct pattern on the action, with fish coming from all depths, tides and baits. So it seems that the rains have done their job in “sweetening” the water for the diamond backs. Anglers fishing the banks of the Old Sacramento River from Courtland to Freeport saw a small burst of action following the rains, with some oversize fish to boot. Ghost Shrimp has been the best bait.

Striper fishing reports have tapered off in Rio Vista due to the cold and wet weather, however those trying are experiencing fair action. Butterflied shad for bait fisherman and shallow running plugs for trollers. Some anglers have switched to tossing plugs and swimbaits in the east delta for decent action when the schools are found. Bank anglers fishing cut bait experienced a fair bite at the Courtland Bridge and near Steamboat Slough. The ports of Stockton and Sacramento are producing nice fish for anglers drifting jumbo minnows and trolling deep-running plugs.

Salmon fishing above the 113 Bridge in Knights Landing are still experiencing a fair bite sitting on the anchor with flatfish or trolling with spinners. The season ends soon – if you’re looking for smoked salmon for your holiday party , now is the time to do it.

Steelhead fishing on the American has piqued the interest of a few anglers due to the rains. Spinners, spoons and jigs are a good bet to try in the deeper sections of the river.

Catfish is currently on tap for anglers fishing at Knights Landing, Verona and the Sutter Bypass. Crappie are also being reported at the Bypass for anglers chucking tube jigs and fishing minnows under a bobber.

The weather for the rest of the week through the weekend is slotted for periods of cloud cover, with a 10 percent chance of rain. Depending on the wind, it may be a good time for striper and sturgeon chasers in Rio Vista.

To all, have a fun time on the water and if you fish the banks – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Rio Vista 11/9/09 - A Sturgeon bound for the Olympics!

2009-11-10T17:54:00.000-08:00

Fished with pops today in the Vista. My target was Sturgeon, while pops went for striper.

Started off 0-dark-thirty at Decker Island for the last bit of the flood. Pops caught a couple rat stripers and I hit a 31" sturgeon the last hour of the tide.

Moved to Sherman Island for the ebb. Lots of single pull downs, laid wood to a couple but only hooked up on one - it ended popping off on the second hookset. Pops lines up next with a school striper at 23".

As the tide was about to end, one of my rods gets a classic textbook bite. I swung for home and I felt some pressure. I thought to myself, small fish. As I reeled down some more, I noticed my line was heading for the prop. Then, all hell broke loose. I thought for sure this fish was going to be in the 50 inch range. He ripped line off the Tekota and headed for the anchor line then jumped... OVER THE ANCHOR LINE! I followed the fish around the boat, back to the transom where it proceeded to do the hug-bottom dance. After some tug of war back and forth from the port to starboard sides of the transom, he went belly up. Shot the rod over to my dad, put on the work gloves and grabbed him by the tail. After three measures he went 46" on the dot. Time for smoked sturgeon baby!

By the time we were situated the tide was dead. We decided to finish up the evening fishing back at Decker Island for the start of the flood. After a few pecks here and there pops gets blasted by a huge pump on his striper rod. A small tug of water ensued after the hookset and few moments later we had another sturgeon to add to the tally at 44 inches.

A day with three sturgeon to the boat is rare for my pops and I, so this was a pretty good day in terms of action for the two of us.

Couple of side notes on this trip:

Bait: Eel is definitely underrated.
Tides: Who said you can't catch sturgeon on smaller tides? I actually prefer them.

No pictures for this trip. I decided not to bring my camera, and my dad forgot his. The weather was great with winds only around 5-8knots. Partly cloudly with a cool but overly cold breeze.

Later dudes!
Roland

California Delta Chambers Report - 11/4/09

2009-11-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

During a good portion of the year, the Rio Vista area is rocked by wind and waves making boating a difficult task, especially for inexperienced mariners. Fishing is even harder when it is windy. When you can get proper boat position in the current, bite detection becomes a very daunting task. However, the weather over the Halloween weekend was terrific, and many anglers took advantage to try for fall stripers and sturgeon.

The fishing was spotty, however quite a few stripers were landed by anglers fishing from Chain Island up to Decker Island. Bait fisherman were more successful than trollers, as trolling was a bit difficult with the fast full-moon tides. Shad and mudsuckers are top baits to use. My dad took a solo trip on Sunday, fishing the Sherman Island area for one very nice 10lb striper and about a dozen sub-legals and legals from 16-18 inches. He took the big boy home for my mom, who enjoyed some striper to eat later that evening. I had no chance of going out with him that morning due to Halloween activities the night before – but man did I wish that I could have went!

Sturgeon fishing remains a very good bet for anglers fishing from Simmons Point to Decker Island. Bank fisherman have a good chance off Sherman Island road.
Captain Kevin Yost of Lucky Strike Fishing has done well in the Pittsburg area, and noted that the outgoing tide has been better than the incoming. I happened to fish with the Captain two weeks ago on a night trip, also in the Pittsburg area. For 4 anglers including Kevin, we had 9 sturgeon to boat with one keeper at 47 inches. I lost what seemed to be 2 very nice sturgeon after the hookset and missed many others. I guess I was a bit rusty as the last time I fished for sturgeon before that night was almost a year ago. We used ghost/grass shrimp, pile worms and eel for our fish.

I saw that Mr. Dale “FishWisher” Gillespie also had some good that same week, bringing in sturgeon at 50, 66, and 49 inches over a three day period. He used his trusty eel for bait. Good work Dale!

Fishing in the Metro Sac area is still fairly quiet for both sturgeon and stripers, however both species are sporadically being caught from Courtland to Freeport. Sardines for the stripers, and ghost shrimp for the sturgeon. The fishing for sturgeon usually heats up around Thanksgiving, but if you’re wanting a quick trip locally, I’d definitely suggest fishing the above mentioned areas.
Fishing for myself has been very few and far between lately due to my hectic schedule, but what else is new? I plan on taking some vacation in and around Thanksgiving, so maybe I might be able to sneak out and try some fall fishing in the Delta.

For those seeking to get out this weekend, I highly suggest the Rio Vista area for stripers and sturgeon. There is a slight chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday, however nothing too major. Sunday would probably be the better choice, and Monday the best choice for those of you that have it off.

To all, have a fun time on the banks and as always – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished!

Pardee Whiskercritters

2009-09-22T23:50:00.001-07:00

Went out with Eddie "fisherman4life" this past Sunday, along with the girls in tow. Plan for the day was to fish, bbq, and enjoy a lazy afternoon. After getting the rods in, setting up the picnic table, and firing up the grill, all hell broke loose with the rods getting blasted every couple of minutes by angry catfish.

My rod draws a suicide hit and Eddie is the first to it. FISH ON! The fish goes on several hard runs and put the bendo down on my ultralight rod. Fish probably goes about 4 pounds or so.

After unhooking the fish and setting him down on the picnic table Eddie's rod draws the next suicide hit and I happen to be right next to it. FISH ON! Eddie's setup is even lighter with 4lb test and leader! After a couple hard runs he also ends up on the picnic table. A quick photo op with the girls and on the stringer they go.

After grubbing down on steak, tater salad and corn on the cob, Eddie lays wood to another whiskercritter - this one about the same size as the last. On the stringer he went. The rest of the afternoon and evening, while beautiful and calm went pretty much uneventful with only a few hits here and there, but the relaxation factor was definitely felt by all of us.

Motherlode Lakes Round-up

2009-09-10T22:14:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Been trying to squeeze trips in as much as I can along with my hectic schedule. I've taken a few trips to both Amador and Pardee in the last month targetting whatever I could get my hands on.

Pardee

Kokanee fishing is still on tap, with the fish still on the small side. A 15.6 incher was caught at the recent Kokanee Power derby this past weekend, so hope of bigger fish is still on the horizon. Hopefully we'll see more fish in that size class next year!

Trout trolling is also a good bet, with the 25 to 40 foot depth range being the best for me. Trolling fast with spoons and spinners without a dodger have given me some good success.

Catfishing is good for those looking for relaxing action. Pull up to any cove and chuck out some bait. Here's one that my Dad bagged a few weeks ago that hit a mackerel filet:

I have not fished for bass at Pardee this year, but I would suggest drop shotting 20-30 feet of water off main and secondary body points.

Amador

My most recent trip to Amador, aka "Devil's Lake" was this past Tuesday night where I scouted some areas for Crappie. There are fish around in the shallows, but they are extremely small. One crappie that I managed to catch was the half the size of my palm! No reports on catfish and bass fisherman have been scare on the lake as of late.

That's it for now.

Later dudes!
Roland

California Delta Chambers Report 9-11-09

2009-09-10T22:12:00.000-07:00

Stripers are at the top of the list in the Sacramento area as of late, with fish coming from the Sacramento and American Rivers. Bait fisherman have been working sardine filets and jumbo minnows in the Sac, while lure tossers have been working top and sub surface plugs. While most striper chasers prefer dawn and dusk for their striper hunting, many anglers have learned that the mid afternoon timeframe has been best this year. It sure has me puzzled, but hey – that’s what’s working.

Down in Rio Vista, a few boats are braving wind for some schoolie sized fish trolling along the West Bank and by Decker Island. Both shallow and deep running plugs are producing fish.
Sturgeon is a good bet for those fishing the area between the Mothball Fleet and Chain Island. The fish are on an aggressive bite with the warm water and are providing great aerial shows to entertain the anglers. No particular bait has been best, however I would suggest tossing shrimp baits and roe, as well as eel if you can get a hold of it. Be weary of winds in open areas of Suisun Bay – it can come up without warning.

Bass fishing, for both largemouth and smallmouth are good in the slower moving sloughs south of Sacramento. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and senkos are all good baits to try. For the smallmouth, grubs and smaller spinners are ideal. Be sure to be mindful of posted no trespassing signs to avoid a costly ticket.

Catfishing is another good bet for anglers. Just about anywhere you can wet a line will have whiskerfish – all ready to pounce on an offering. My parents took a trip to the Mokelumne River this past Sunday and faired well with close to a dozen fish to 3 pounds. Mackerel was the bait of choice.

I haven’t been able to fish lately due to a hectic schedule at work. Those of you that work in retail know what’s involved at the beginning of a new fiscal year – its tedious work! Once I finally finish up on projects it will be time for stripers and sturgeon for me. I cant wait to get out on the big water again to fish my favorite season of the year – FALL! Too bad the temps are still sweltering hot. Its supposed to be in the high 90’s through Sunday!

To all, have a fun time on the water and as always – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW: Tica Caiman CT100

2009-08-27T02:51:00.000-07:00

I've been real into Kokanee and Trout trolling this summer. While I am fairly rigged for Kokanee, it doesn't hurt to have more gear! I did some research on the local message boards and found that the Tica Caiman series reels have been seeing a lot of usage by die-hard Koke guys here in the valley.

After doing some searching, I picked the CT100 brand new on Ebay.

This reel features 6 ball bearings, instant anti-reverse, aluminum construction, and most importantly, a clicker. The clicker is essential for downrigger fishing as it allows easier lowering of your rig. Without a clicker, you either have to loosen your drag or put your reel into freespool. There have been many times where I've birdnested my baitcasting reels while lowering a downrigger - its not a fun task to fix!

The CT100 holds about 210 yards of 8lb test monofilament which is plenty for fishing up to 100 feet in depth. Some may want to use the larger 200 series reel to house extra line for fishing deeper depths. The reel also comes with a handy custom-fit cover to protect the reel during transport.

Upon first taking the reel out of the box, I noticed a couple of key features:

Construction
This reel is very solid due to its aluminum contruction. The frame, handle, and handle grip are very well made.

Size
Although the reel has a substantial amount of line capacity, the reel is fairly small which makes for easy palming. Coupled with my ultralight Lamiglas Kokanee Special rod (MBC 702UL), it makes for a very light and comfortable fishing combo.

Retrieve
I proceeded to spool some Maxima 8lb Ultragreen and was pleased with the reel's quiet operation. The levelwind spools line perfectly on the reel and also stays engaged with drag is being pulled out.

Drag
This area is lacking in the reel. While the click-drag adjustment is a very nice touch, I noticed that the drag seems to stick on higher drag settings. The CT100 is an older model of the Caiman, so its possible the drag washers may just need a wash-up and re-greasing. I may do this if after priming the drag doesnt fix the problem.

Overall
The bottom line is the Caiman CT100 is a well built reel for its price, and has features that some more expensive round baitcasters do not have. To come - a casting review!

California Delta Chambers Report 8-27-09

2009-08-27T02:37:00.000-07:00

I’m back after last week’s school and work firepit!

This past Monday, I went out with my good friend Brian Arimoto to the delta to chase bass. These days, I rarely do much bass fishing. I’m not too sure why, but after high school its all I ever wanted to do. Almost every day after work I was out on the Delta or nearby lakes catching largemouth or smallmouth.

As far as the fishing goes, it was pretty dead from the get go. Lots of smaller fish - Brian got two dinks and I barely scratched out two small keepers and lost a kicker fish early in the day. Best baits were blades, senkos, and texas rigged worms. Brian got some good blow-ups on a frog.

We fished Hog, Lost Slough and in the Moke. No one particular area produced more than the other. I think the cold front really put the fish off the bite. Usually blades are my staple bait in the Delta but it even it got little love. All in all it was a pretty nice day on the Delta with mild temps and manageable winds. As far as other action went, we saw two anglers scoop up a schoolie striper each within 5 minutes of each other. They were using live bluegill for bait. We attempted to spoon the same area with little success.

In other reports, striper fishing is still a good bet on the American for schoolie sized fish. A few larger fish are being caught, however anglers are needing to put a bit of time in to be successful. Early and late in the day is the best time with topwater plugs, sub-surface plugs and live bait. A few folks targeting the stripers have mentioned that a few small pods of early run steelhead are starting to show in the lower section of the river – for this reason, using rainbow trout patterned lures should be a good to use.

Fishing on the Sacramento River has been only fair for stripers, with some resident fish being caught on cut bait, jumbo minnows and crawdads. No particular area has been better over the other, but more over working the proper tides and putting in your time will increase your success.

Trolling in Rio Vista is starting to take off, with quite a few smaller fish being caught in various areas. Average size fish is currently around 19 inches, with a few larger schoolies in the 3-4 pound class. Do take note that the witches hair is pretty bad at the moment, so be prepared to repeatedly clean off your plugs and terminal tackle while on the troll.

Sturgeon fishing in Suisun Bay has been very good for anglers braving the winds. Big Cut, Little Cut, as well as Chain and Sherman Islands have been places to try. Anchovies, shrimp, eel and roe are good baits to toss out. Captain Kev with Lucky Strike fishing is beginning to book trips for fall sturgeon fishing out of Pittsburg. To book a trip contact Kev at 707-301-8050, or vist www.luckystrikefishing.com

That’s it for this week. Get out there and enjoy less-crowded water with students back in school. Have a fun time on the banks and as always make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Pardee 8/16/09

2009-08-16T02:39:00.000-07:00

Took my parents out to Lake Pardee this afternoon for some Catfish chasing. We managed 3 fish to 8 pounds and missed over a dozen other good take downs and suicide hits. Fished all around the south end of the lake. No trout trolling this time.

Pardee 8/3/09

2009-08-03T15:35:00.000-07:00

Took a quick midday trip with my good friend Eddie "fishrman4life" to Pardee yesterday. Fishing was very good for us with limits served and some. We thought we were going to have a bad day at first because I forgot the downrigger weights and releases at home and ended up having to buy some at the Marina. With the tackle we bought plus the entry free the trip was now an expensive one at over $50.00!!!! Thankfully the fishing was good, even though they were the usual small buggers - 8 to 10 inches with maybe one breaking 11 inches. Kept some of the bleeders and floaters for snacks. Things that worked:

Natural RGT behind a 4/0 Blue Tiretrack Seps
Pink UV Uncle Larry's Spinner behind a Watermelon Sidekick
Homemade Blue and White Hooche behind a 4/0 Silver Prism Seps

Depths 55 to 95 feet, most "catching" came at 75-77 feet. Fished from the River mouth to just past the Rockwall. Very few boats out on the water, probably saw only 4 boats working the river mouth. On the way back in we dropped down some Needlefish for trout inside the narrows and ended up bagging a nice little brown. Farmed two other hits but no love. It was a great day of fishing! Just wish the kokes were bigger! On the water at 12, and off at 3PM.

California Delta Chambers - 7/31/09

2009-08-01T00:41:00.000-07:00

If there’s one season that I could put at the bottom of my list, it would have to be summer. Hot, muggy days are not my forte usually. Thankfully the Delta breeze kicks in most evenings so fishing is doable those particular hours.

Fishing pressure has been light in the metro Sac area as of late, simply due to the fact that Shad have almost entirely disappeared and the stripers are very thin in the system.

A group of my close friends and have been hitting miscellaneous areas on the American River almost daily. So far in the last two weeks, my four friends and I have had close to a dozen good hits and follows which has resulted in about a ½ dozen hook-ups. Four legal fish have been landed so far. Definitely not outstanding fishing but the stripers are there.

Right now with the current conditions (high flows and cold water), I would suggest throwing sub-surface plugs that run the 1 to 3 foot range, as well as swimbaits and rat-l-traps. When the flows come back down, try the same baits but also try topwater baits like zara spooks and pencil poppers. Bait fishing can be a good bet with crawdads and jumbo minnows.

Lower in the system, a few anglers have been braving the whitecaps in Rio Vista, trolling deep and shallow water plugs along the west bank for schoolie stripers. No one has been bait fishing in their boats – its pretty much a futile attempt when the winds are bad (like they are every summer).

The only other species anglers are going for in the metro Sac area is Catfish, with just about all areas kicking out fish. Again, try cut baits like anchovies, mackerel and sardines. Try fishing the Port of Sacramento, Knights Landing and the Sutter Bypass. The Locke in Walnut Grove as well as Clarksburg on the Old Sacramento River are also good places to try.

That’s it for this week. My top pick right now would be catfish. They’re plentiful, provide a good fight on light tackle and are pretty good eating too. Catch a couple and have a summer night fish fry. Fishing for me however will have to wait for a few weeks, as my schedule has gotten a bit too bloated to fit anything else.

To all, have a fun time on the banks and as always - make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

California Delta Chambers Report - 7/15/09

2009-07-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

Shad fishing has finally come to an end on the American River. I took a trip with Rich and his son Mark this past Sunday to bag whatever shad were left in the river. We were rewarded with a quiet river with lots of free elbow room, very little rafters and little to no fish. Rich and Mark scored a fish a piece while I drew a major skunk – that’s unless you want to count the two fish that I lost at the hookset. So long, Poorman’s Tarpon – see you again next year!

Flows on the American River have been very high as of late, and due to that fact, many of the Stripers that were boiling in the evenings have disappeared. Perhaps they moved back downriver for warmer water, or completely left the system altogether. Who knows.

Reports of fish on the Old Sacramento have also been quiet, and the banks have been barren in the usual areas like Clarksburg and Courtland. In the Rio Vista and surrounding areas, a few boaters have been getting fair action on the west bank on shallow and deep diving plugs.

So, with stripers and shad out – what else is there to fish for on the Delta? My recommendation is warm water species like bass, catfish and panfish.

Catfish are probably the most abundant of the three species, and you can catch them just about anywhere you can wet a line. Some areas produce better than others, like the Locke in Walnut Grove, Knights Landing north of Sacramento and Sutter Bypass, which is also located north of Sacramento. Use cut baits like anchovies, sardines and mackerel. Chicken livers and stinkbaits are good as well.

Bass fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth bass is good during the summer. While most areas that produce are closed off from fishing, you can still find fair fishing in the areas that are open. Look for cover and structure such as timber, rocks, weed mats and docks to throw your baits. Expect to find smallmouth in areas with current flow, and largemouth out of the current and holding tight to cover and structure. If were to pick one lure to target both, I would go with a ½ ounce chartreuse and white spinner bait with tandem Colorado and willow leaf blades. I usually catch both species with this bait in the Delta. The Luhr Jensen Speedtrap is also a very good bait to use in either shad or crawdad patterns.

Panfish fishing is often overlooked on the Delta. I think the main reason is because finding bigger fish can sometimes be a challenge. Snags in productive areas can sometimes discourage anglers to fish them. Most sloughs in the Delta have good populations of panfish, and you don’t have to find the most choked up areas to fish for them. I like to look for eddies and cutouts in smaller sloughs with some weed or brush cover. Ideal depth during the summer is 4-6 feet deep. Try deeper if you are working with an outgoing tide. Fish wax worms, meal worms, redworms and nightcrawlers under a bobber. You can also toss small grubs and tube baits. I like to use black baits since the color resembles a lot of the aquatic bugs that the fish feed on. If you are going for Crappie, find the same areas mentioned above but also try and find some good shade. Fish tube jigs and my favorite – a small or medium sized minnow.

Try these tactics out sometime and let me know you do. There’s more to the Delta than just the anadromous species. You’ll find that fishing for bass, catfish and panfish on the Delta is very relaxing as well. To all have a fun time on the banks and as always – make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Lake Pardee - 7/13/09

2009-07-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

The wife and I took the boat out to Pardee for some Kokanee trolling. We started off at the river mouth and drew hits immediately. The problem is, the fish were so small that I could never get them up from the deep. I landed only two fish out of the 7 hits that I drew - both of them were 8 inches! And to think - last year I was getting 15 inch fish in August. I sent down pink and blue/white hoochies behind various colored 4/0 dodgers. Best color was pink behind a silver prism dodger. Depths 55-95 feet with 65 being the best slot. Speed 0.8 to 1.2 on the GPS.

We tried for catfish in the coves for a while and ended up falling asleep with the warm breeze and comfortable temps.

Trolled for trout on the way back to the ramp for two hits that didn't pop the DR. Lots of fish shallow inside the rec area but no takers.

A very relaxing day on the water with the wife.

American River Shad - 7/12/09

2009-07-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

The fat lady has sung for Shad finally. Mark, Rich and I fished the upper A this afternoon for a whopping 2 fish. I skunked out - missed two nice hits which both resulted in LDR's. Looks like Shad is done for the year. On to other species!

Lake Pardee Catfish - 7/6/09

2009-07-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

Took a trip to Pardee for the first serious Catfish trip of the summer. Fishing was slow but the bites I managed to draw were massive. Two of the hits pulled my rod off the bench seat I had them propped on, and one pulled it completely off, then drug it about 8 feet almost into the water. I fell trying to grab the butt of the rod and missed the fish. I drew another hit after that and finally hooked up. The fish weighed about 5 pounds and gave me one hell of a fight!

Sardines were the choice of bait.

Lake Amador Twilight Run - 7/1/09

2009-07-02T01:18:00.000-07:00

Took a solo trip to Lake Amador yesterday evening to try and score some bass and catfish. The bass were fairly cooperative - ended the night with a 5 fish bag averaging about a pound each. I missed several other hits and had one break me off after the hookset. The catfish pulled a no-show most of the night - I got only one small hit that might have even been a bluegill. Overall a slow fishing night but I was still thankful to do ok on the bass. Oh, and I used brush hogs, senkos and jigs to catch 'em.

California Delta Chambers Report 7/1/09

2009-07-02T01:17:00.001-07:00

100 degree weather really makes me indecisive when targeting species on the delta. Do I sit at home in comfortable air conditioned temps or do I brave the heat and do some fishing? Most of the time I’ll opt not to fish - at least not until the evenings when the temps are bearable.

This past Sunday I decided to fish the afternoon heat and try for catfish, but that was all stopped when my good friend Rich Law called to invite me to the American River to chase more Shad. Rich mentioned that a friend of ours nailed some forty fish the evening before. So 20 minutes later, there I was pulling up to the pay station at my favourite American River access ready for an evening of Shad punching.

The afternoon was spotty, however as the sun tucked away behind the hills, the fishing broke wide open. Among my 6 or 7 person group of friends, we all hooked about 60 fish during the 2 hour span before dusk. Doubles and triples were common, and many times we would hit fish one after the other. Definitely fun times on the river with good folks and lots of laughs. All fish were caught on 1 inch grubs rigged on 1/16 ounce jigheads. Colors weren’t too much of an issue.

We tried for stripers right at dusk with no luck, however there was quite a bit of activity from the linesiders. I think the shad need to thin out a little more before the stripers start to show interest in our baits.

Speaking of stripers, I attempted a late night run last Thursday night down in Courtland throwing black lures and soft plastics. I scored a couple of feisty fish, but they were all undersizers, the biggest sitting around 16.5 inches.

Bait fisherman have been getting spotty action up and down the Old Sacramento River tossing anchovies, sardines and crawdads. No spot has been better than the other. One day a spot will produce, and the next day the action will go dead. Reason being is most of the fish are moving south through the system back towards bigger water. Trollers have been scarce in the Rio Vista area with the winds, and the ones out fishing haven’t really been reporting back any positive reports.

Sturgeon is still good in Suisun. The Mothball Fleet, Big and Little Cuts are all good places to try. Just be weary of the winds.

Catfishing is good all around the Delta for those willing to try. Toss out the usual baits like sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and chicken livers for the whiskerfish. I plan on doing some catfishing soon – its quite relaxing to do on a nice summer afternoon.

For those of you looking for Bass, I suggest trying for smallmouth on the Old Sacramento River. Find a spot with good current flow and rocks. Toss out plastic grubs, small spinners and crankbaits for the bronzebacks. Remember – keep only what you can eat as smallmouth have a very slow growth rate.

That’s it for this week. My pick again for this weekend’s fishing would have to be Shad fishing on the American River. If that’s not your cake, try some catfishing. To all, have a fun time on the water and as always – if you fish the banks, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Upper American River Shad - 6/28/09

2009-06-28T23:55:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about doing some catfishing yesterday but ended up being coaxed by Rich to meet him up on the American. H-man from the anglernet board ripped apart the shad on Saturday night, landing a good 40+ fish!

The evening started out spotty but once 8:15 hit the fishing broke wide open. Ended up finishing the night with about 20 hits resulting in about 15 fish landed. Took home eight fish for a friend. Rich and Mark pulled about 25 fish between th two of them. Harry (H-man) also rounded out double digit numbers. Fish were a mixture of smaller females and some males.

Get out there! The fishing is still hot!

Courtland Stripers 6/25/09

2009-06-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of reports lately guys! I've been getting my butt kicked with school lately! Took a night trip to cast lures from the bank in the Courtland area this past Thursday for stripers. Not much going on - hooked a few shakers, biggest one around 16.5 inches and drew a couple big hits but no stickers. The heat should be putting the fish on the bite soon!

Shad Fishing 6/8/09 - 6/12/09

2009-06-12T15:40:00.001-07:00

Fishing is very spotty right now with the colder weather and water. A lot of the schools are broken up into 4-5 fish, nothing like the big 15+ schools that were pushing through last week with the warm weather. Due to this, you'll only get a max of 2-3 hookups per school and then it will go dead for 30 minutes to an hour. Yesterday I fished from 13:00 to dusk and pulled about 20 fish to myself. Best hours of fishing were from 13:00 to about 16:00. I met angler by the name of Lucas earlier in the day and happened to be nailing fish on a consistent basis. I was able to catch a nice photo of a very nice hen that was pushing 4 pounds. Lucas - nice to meet you.

The evening bite was pretty much dead with just a quick flurry of action right before dark. My friend Mark and I fished hard for about 13 fish between the two of us - dismal numbers compared to what we were getting when the weather was warm.

On the way home I noticed that my license was missing from my neck and realized that I left the stupid thing hanging on a bush. Went back out at the crack of dawn this morning go to and retrieve it, and ended up fishing for a little bit. Again, slow action but there was a good flurry that yielded 10 hookups resulting in 6 fish landed.

A friend who owns a sushi restaurant in nearby Rancho Cordova also hooked up with 3 fish while I was there. The fish caught are a 55/45 mixture of females and males. Most fish are smaller 2-3 pound females with a couple of nice hens.

Here are some pictures from this week's Shad fishing:

California Delta Chambers Report 6/10/09

2009-06-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Shad fishing is still strong in the metro Sac area with fish coming in from the same areas as last week, however some of the fish have moved further up into the system. Discovery Park, Verona and up the Feather are good, as well as all areas on the American River up to Nimbus Basin.

I fished quite a bit over the last week on the American River, with good success. Most trips yielded double-digit numbers, however the fishing wasn’t as constant as last week’s action. Most fish have been smaller females with a couple of males in the mix. No larger females yet – those fish are still hanging in the lower section of the river as well as in the Sacramento River.

Striper activity on the American has really got into full swing lately. Every evening, the stripers have been boiling on the surface, chasing after the smaller male shad that are spawning on the surface. I brought along some heavier tackle and topwater plugs this past Friday to try and entice one, but only got two follows. It seems the stripers aren’t too interested in artificial lures, but moreover interested in live shad.

There are still a few stripers being caught on the Sacramento River, most have been spawned out, skinny fish that are very willing to hit bait. I recommend fishing around Discovery Park for a chance at a linesider. Sardines, anchovies and pile worms are good baits to try.

With this cloudy, windy and cool weather, it is possible the stripers may disappear for a bit. Usually, we need about 3 or 4 days of weather in the 90’s to put the fish on the bite. The same story may go for the shad, as their spawn is highly dependent on water temperature. Yesterday while out on the American my friend and I wondered if we were in San Francisco rather than Sacramento with the 60 degree temperatures. And to think, according to weather reports, we were supposed to be getting mid 80’s temps all week!

To all, have a fun time on the water and bring along a sweater if you’ll be fishing the evenings – it does get breezy and cool! As always, make sure you pick up after yourself when you fish from the bank.

American River Shad 6/5/09

2009-06-07T13:07:00.001-07:00

Here's some video of a trip I took with Rich and Mark. I'll let the video do most of the talking:

We caught over 40 fish between the three of us that night with a couple double-headers.

Calfifornia Delta Chambers Report 6/3/09

2009-06-04T12:19:00.000-07:00

Shad, shad, and more shad. That’s where all my attention has been focused on lately. The fever is on with fish being caught throughout the Sacramento area! Miller Park, Discovery Park, Verona and the mouth of the Feather have been god on the Sac, while just about all areas from the mouth to Nimbus have been good on the American.

I made several trips to the upper section of the American this week. My best day was this past Monday, where I hooked around 30 fish. Most ended up being caught and released, with a few coming home with me to give to a friend and for myself for the roe. The fish was good for everyone else in the area too – everytime I looked upriver or down, someone was hooked up with a fish. Today is Wednesday and my arms STILL hurt from Monday’s fiasco.

My good friend Rich Law and his son Mark were out the previous night and had the same action that I had. They hooked into some larger females too, which I didn’t see on Monday. Its possible those fish have moved up higher into the system. I happened to talk to a guide fishing the same stretch of river on Monday, and he and I agreed upon the possibility that a new batch of fish may have entered the system. Go get ‘em folks! The run is on fire!

I switched my line to 4lb test P-line pure fluorocarbon for Monday’s trip. It made a very big difference as far as detecting hits go, however the low stretch sacrificed a couple of fish landed. Barbless hooks are required on the section of river that I was in, so that didn’t help either. After while, I learned that I needed to lower my drag setting a few ticks to avoid ripping holes into the shad’s mouths.

I really haven’t paid too much attention to other species lately with the awesome shad run, however stripers are starting to pique my interest on the American River. I have noticed increased surface activity during the evenings while out shad fishing. Next time I’m out, I will definitely have to try throwing some swimbaits and/or top water lures.

I haven’t heard too much from bait fisherman on the Sac, however trying for them wouldn’t be a bad idea. I would suggest using sardines or pile worms, and to fish at or above Discovery Park. Lower in the system, anglers fishing from boats seem to have switched over to bait, as quite a few spawned out fish have been taken in the Miner and Cache Slough areas. Sardines, shad, anchovies have been the best baits. Some trollers have been hooking into a few fish as well.

That’s it for this week. My suggestion is to get out and catch some shad. The run is hot and the catching is fun. Have a fun time on the bank, and as always, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Upper American River Shad 6/1/09

2009-06-02T02:37:00.000-07:00

My arms hurt! The shad put on a hurtin' on me this evening. Rounded out the evening with about 30 hooked and 1/2 of the fish landed. Let a bunch of small males go, and ended up keeping a couple of (smaller) females for their roe. The bigger females that Rich and Mark got into yesterday didn't show up but there was lot of fish being caught tonight. Boaters and bank fisherman alike were hooking into fish, but once again I think the bank fisherman ruled supreme in the numbers game.

I switched my line to 4lb test P-line pure fluorocarbon for this trip. It made a very big difference as far as detecting hits go, however the low stretch sacrificed a couple of fish landed. But overall, I'm very happy with how the line performed.

California Delta Chambers Report 5/29/09

2009-05-31T11:49:00.001-07:00

First things first – SHAD. The shad are here and are in absolute full force! I’ve made it a priority to fish for shad this year because of one thing – the fight! These guys fight with reckless abandon, and using light tackle makes the fight even more enjoyable.

Fish are being caught in just about all areas of the metro sac area. Miller Park, Discovery Park and Verona are good on the old sac, with good fishing also happening at the mouth of the Feather as well as all the way up the American. Larger females are starting to come in from the Old Sac, with a few in the Feather and American. All the usual baits like darts, grubs, mini jigs and small metal spoons are working for the fish.

I made two trips to the American River yesterday (Tuesday), first in the AM with my friends Eddie Knowles and Brian Arimoto. The bite was a bit slower than I would have liked, but we still scratched out about ten hookups and took in seven. The fish came back with us as Brian’s friend likes fried shad. In the PM, I went back out by myself. The heat was pounding down, but the fishing was pretty good. By the end of the evening I had another seven fish in the box, on top of three fish caught by Brian.

Stripers are still a good bet in the Metro Sac area. Bait fishing Sardines and Pile Worms should score you a couple of nice schoolies. Larger females are in the area, but are a bit hook shy due to the large amounts of recreational boaters. I would suggest fishing the early morning or late afternoon/evenings for a chance at better fishing in terms of quantity/quality.

Fish are also showing up in the American River, with some Shad anglers reporting some big fish chasing after the schools. It's only a matter of time until the topwater bite heats up on the American.

With hot weather usually comes good catfishing. Give it a go with the usual cut baits and you should be able to score a few for a fish fry. I would suggest fishing the Delta Cross Channel, Port of Sacramento, Knights Landing or the Sutter Bypass.

That’s it for this week. I absolutely recommend that you folks get out there and catch some Shad. They’re too much fun to catch!

To all, have a fun time on the banks, and make sure you bring sunscreen and bugspray – you’ll need it! As always, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Upper American River Shad 5/23/09

2009-05-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

Met Rich, a good fishing buddy and his son Mark over on the upper American yesterday afternoon for some shad fishing. I haven't fished the upper-A in a while, probably because I don't live so close to the area anymore. Yesterday was worth the drive however, as the fishing wasn't too shabby. It took a while to find the proper drift, but when I found the slot it was on. Dropped the hammer on over a dozen fish, lost a few at the hookset, had a few LDR's and landed about 8 at the bank. All smaller males.

Rich and Mark farmed a few hits here and there, landing a fish a piece. Rich lost one right before we left and lost him to the rocks.

Thanks guys for the invite, we'll have to go out again soon!

California Delta Chambers Report - 5/21/09

2009-05-21T12:31:00.000-07:00

The recent heat this past weekend really sparked up recreational boater traffic! As a result, many anglers decided to fish other areas on the Delta. With winds laying down, a few took off for the Rio Vista area as it was flat calm for most of the weekend.

Stripers were the top news from anglers, both boaters and bank fisherman.

In the Rio Vista area, boaters trolling shallow running plugs on the west bank hooked into good amounts of schoolie stripers, while bait fisherman working the Decker Island area also faired well on the same class fish.

Around Downtown Sacramento, bait fisherman chucking out sardines and pile worms are doing fairly well on more school sized stripers. The fish are fairly spread out, with fishing good as far south as Isleton, and as far north up to Grimes. The heavy influx of storm run-off from two weeks ago scattered the fish, but they are there. The key right now is to MOVE if you aren’t getting into the fish.

Shad fishing around Discovery Park is very good for both boaters and the bank-bound. Shad Darts fished carolina rigged behind a 1 ounce sinker is the best bet. Verona is also a good bet with the same rig. Inside the American River, fish are being caught all throughout the system with the lower portion kicking out the bigger females. I would suggest using a 1/16th ounce jig head rigged with a 1 or 1.5 grub. Experiment with different sized weights in front of the grub to find out where in the water column the fish are located.

I haven’t been able to fish much lately with school and lots of work duties. I fished for Shad in the lower American about two weeks ago for slow but steady action. The high flows and cold water kept fish right on the bottom. Once I figured that out, I was into a hit or two every couple of casts. I ended the morning hitting 5 fish and missing twice that many. I plan on going back out again tomorrow if time and work permits.

Sturgeon fishing has been very good in the Suisun Bay area for Lucky Strike Charters. The new “Lucky Strike Too” recently scored two big oversizers last week, one sitting at 72 inches and another sitting at 89 inches – those are some nice sturgeon. The Lucky Strike Too is available for sturgeon trips all season long – get in a trip because in my opinion, the best sturgeon fishing comes during the summer and early fall months. Check out http://www.luckystrikefishing.com for more information.

That’s it for this week. The temps are going to be perfect for the next couple of days, so get out there and do some fishing. My pick would be Shad on the Sacramento or American Rivers.

Have a fun time on the water, and always make sure to pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Lake Pardee 5/17/09 and 5/18/09

2009-05-19T01:50:00.000-07:00

Took the wife out to Pardee to enjoy some rays and a little bit of fishing yesterday. Tried to entice some catfish but ended up skunking out. Noticed some very big Carp swimming around in the shallows and tried to entice them with powerbait. Had a couple take nips but no takers.

Went back today with bread and redworms. They weren't too fond of the bread, but I did manage to hook one on the redworms. After one drag screaming run the fish popped off. I managed a couple bluegill and redear sunfish as well as one nice bass which went back into the water after a photo:

American River Shad - 5/11/09

2009-05-11T21:06:00.001-07:00

Went back out to the Lower American late this morning to try for more shad. High flows and cold water were keeping the fish right on the bottom. Got about five fish, lost twice that many at the hookset. Also saw a couple of nice stripers shoot by, one of them pushing 20lbs. For some reason, stripers always look a bit comical when seen swimming from beneath the surface.

American River Shad 5/8/09

2009-05-08T18:11:00.001-07:00

Spent a short time on the lower American this morning and tossed out some grubs. Picked up 3 small males and LDR'd 2 others. They are definitely piping through the American now.

California Delta Chambers Report 5/6/09

2009-05-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Top news of the week is Shad, as the season is underway with fish being caught in many locations throughout the metro sac area. I took a trip out to the Freeport area this past Monday and did fair, catching three fish total, drawing many strikes and losing a couple others. I threw shad darts behind both ¾ ounce and 1 ounce weights, with both sizes drawing the same amount of hits. A picture of the largest fish is on my blog, if you wish to take a peek

Stripers are hit and miss from Courtland to Discovery Park, with bait fishermen taking a couple schoolies here and there on sardines, anchovies and pile worms. I took a short trip in the evening yesterday to try my luck in the Courtland area, only to bag a couple of catfish and undersized stripers. The water was up a bit from Monday with some debris as well as being off-colored. I lost a couple rigs to snags, too.

Boaters trolling lures in the Rio Vista area are scoring fish as well, some scoring the usual schoolie sized fish with a 10+ pound fish or so mixed in the bunch.

Sturgeon fishing has slowed recently due to people switching over to stripers and shad, however it shouldn’t discourage those of you that are looking to score a diamondback. Fishing the Verona and Knights Landing area at night will be your best bet this time of the year if you are looking to fishing close to Sacramento. Eel, ghostshrimp and pile worms are good baits to try.

That’s it for this week. Fishing is great at the moment so don’t waste time. Get out on the water! To all, have a fun time on the water. As always, if you fish the banks, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Old Sacramento River Shad 5/4/09

2009-05-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

Spent this afternoon trying to hook into my first Shad of the season down around the Freeport area and ended up with 3 fish, one of them being a female. The fishing wasn't hot by any means, moreover spotty than anything else. Missed a lot of bites and lost a few fish as well.

Lake Amador Crappie

2009-04-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

After finding out that a conference call for work was canceled earlier this morning, I decided to take a trip to Amador to see what the crappie were doing. Most of the time I fish at night for crappie, however this one was a day trip.

I had less than ideal conditions today, with somewhat breezy conditions as well as a cold front and some cloud cover. I still managed to catch a few fish, rounding up 6 fish total with two of them hitting close to 2lbs. I also bagged a DFG holdover trout, two redear sunfish and a very nice 2lb bass. I fished with nothing but crappie jigs all day.

California Delta Chambers Report - 4/15/09

2009-04-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

Don’t we all hate wind? The last few days have been nothing but wind making fishing conditions undesirable for most boaters and some bank anglers. Wind this time of year usually means cool temps, and lots of pollen. It’s the perfect recipe for a sinus infection.

It didn’t stop me from trying to fish this past Sunday, as I got tired of playing Quake Live on the computer and decided to go out and throw lures for an early-run metro sac striper. I started my efforts down in Courtland, stopping at a spot here and there and fan casting different lures.

I ended up near Steamboat Slough, at a spot where a husband and wife duo was just about ready to pack up to leave. They offered me their leftover sardines and I gladly accepted. I threw out a filet on an extra rod I brought along and continued to toss lures.

I got bit here and there, and tried setting the hook on some good take downs but ended up empty handed. They were probably small undersized stripers having a hey-day with my bait. The sun was just about gone, it was cold and the wind wasn’t making anything better. I tossed out one last time with the sardines and continued to cast.

Right when I was ready to call it quits, the sardine drew a take down and a fish was on. Shortly after a nice schoolie striper was at the bank, weighing about 3 or 4 pounds. The little guy came home with me for a fish fry. I like the smaller, legal stripers because they’re usually the best ones to eat. They’re also a lot easier to clean. Bigger fish are broodstock too, so keeping them in the river system is essential in maintaining the fishery.

Speaking of the striper fishery, Assembly Bill 1253 introduced by assembly woman Fuller seeks to deregulate Striped Bass in California. You can view the details for the bill at this website. In a nutshell, the bill suggests that striped bass are destructive and invasive. They also hint that they are to blame for the decline of the Delta Smelt as well as Chinook Salmon – both theories have no scientific proof.

The fact is that striped bass have been around in the delta since the 1879, and have co-existed with the native species of the delta eco-system since they were introduced. They fail to note that the real reason why native species are declining is due to WATER. I invite all of you to sign the petition and SAVE our striped bass fishery by visiting this website.

Ok, so back to reports…

On my way out to Courtland this past Sunday, I saw a few people lined up on the banks tossing shad darts as well as some boats casting away as well. Its still a little early for the shad, but you can bet that the fishing will turn on in the next 2-3 weeks. I’ll keep you all posted.

Sturgeon are still being caught on the Old Sac, from Hood to Verona. The interest in them has dwindled the last couple of weeks due to warming temperatures and increased shaker striper activity – they steal bait like crazy! Ghost shrimp and pile worms are the usual baits, but I would suggest some eel if you’re getting ripped apart by junk bites. Rio Vista is usually a sleeper this time of year for Sturgeon, but the wind usually determines if you’re going to be able to fish. Charter reports from Suisun Bay this past weekend yielded slow fishing.

That’s it for this week. My pick would be stripers on the old sac. Stock on sardines, folks! Its striper fever time! Also remember to sign the petition at the link I provided above.

To all, have a fun time on the water. As always, if you fish on the bank, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Amador 4/14/09

2009-04-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

Took my coworker Lee out to Amador this evening to try for some trout. This was his first time going on a fishing trip in a good while. My biggest concern for the evening was to make sure he at least had one fish to take home. And that we did, as we took home 5 fish between the two of us - certainly not as hot as I expected it but heck, we took home some fish anyways. Lee was thrilled just being able to get out and enjoy the outdoors and said anytime I need a fishin' buddy that he's there!

We used tube jigs and powerbait to catch our fish.

Old Sac Stripers (Bank) - 4/12/09

2009-04-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Made a last minute run to the Old Sac down in Courtland this evening to toss lures for Stripers. A nice gentleman offered me the rest of his sardines while he was leaving. I greatly accepted, and promptly chucked them out on another rod. I wasn't really expecting to catch any fish this evening, but a nice schoolie striper decided to slam the offering. The feisty guy weighed about 3 or 4 pounds. He came home for a fish fry. Not bad for 2 hours of fishing.

Sorry for the bad quality photo. All I had was the camera on my phone. The flash isnt all that great.

Striper Trolling Report 4/9/09

2009-04-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Got a text message from my good buddy Brian Arimoto yesterday. He went out with the Naked Fisherman himself - Mr. Bob Harries and did some striper trolling on the West Delta.

I was at work wondering if they were doing any good with all that rain coming down, but it turns out they had little wind or rain pretty much the entire trip.

They manged a couple small keeper stripers, the biggest going 27 inches @ 8.4 pounds. They tried a bit of bass fishing as well and got one fish on a senko. Lots of carp in and around the areas just like Brian and I experienced last Thursday.

California Delta Chambers Report - 4/9/09

2009-04-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

I took a nice break from work this past week with a total of 7 days off, most of which was spent (still) trying to recover from my cold. I was able to get out fishing in the foothills last Thursday for bass and did fairly well as the fish were in pre-spawn conditions. I joined my good friend Brian Arimoto on his Sea Eagle craft. I forgot how much fun Sea Eagle boats were. I used to own one a few years back and am now regretting that I got rid of it.

After having such a good time at the lake, Brian and I decided to try fishing the East Delta. We set out this past Monday for a short trip to Miner Slough in search of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Launching at Arrowhead, we stayed fairly close to the Marina, trying both inside the keys and in the slough itself. Brian lost one very nice kicker largemouth at the boat on his first cast and I followed shortly with a nice Smallmouth. The bite remained sporadic as I managed a total of 4 fish – all smallmouth. Brian ended the day losing two very nice largemouth at the boat. We threw a numerous amount of baits, but Senkos and Spinnerbaits were the top getters.

We noticed a lot of surface activity inside the marina, and finally after zeroing in on the body profiles of the fish, noticed that they were all very large carp. We also noticed a few cruising along the shoreline, some of them even picking at our bass baits as we worked them along. I haven’t covered carp fishing before in my reports, but since we’re on the topic I might as well do so.

Most people ignore carp as they are often considered horrible table fare due to their bony and oily flesh. However, many Europeans actually consider carp a delicacy. Gefilte Fish is often made using carp – but I can’t say that I’ve tried it myself. In the states, some people regard carp as a great game fish with awesome jumping ability and fighting power. I have seen some very large carp caught by anglers in the past, some topping 10 pounds and have also seen fish that easily push 20 pounds swimming in the shallows of smaller sloughs.

But the question is, how do you catch them? My preference would be light tackle. Light spinning tackle with 6 to 8lb test would be ideal. There are many dough type baits that you can purchase at bait shops, some of them made for carp fishing, and some made for catfishing. Both with usually work. Sometimes you can also use processed trout baits such as turbo dough or power bait. Rig these on a small hook under a bobber and/or on a sliding rig. During the spring and summer, fish close to shore as carp like to graze on small insects and vegetation in shallow areas. When they hit, be sure to hold on as carp are known to provide great fights, especially if you use light tackle. Give this a try sometime and let me know if you do any good. Heck – I might even try it myself!

And now for the weekly round-up…

Sturgeon fishing is still good from Hood up to Verona, with better fishing happening during the evening hours. Ghost shrimp and pile worms have been the best bait. It has windy on and off in the big waters around Pitsburg and Suisun, so reports have been slim in the area.

Stripers are now starting to come in around the Courtland area, so be on the lookout for the run which should be coming soon in the downtown area. The fishing might shut off this week due to the rains, but all depends on how much we get by the end of the storm which is supposed to clear on Friday. Trollers working the East Delta from Rio Vista up to Steamboat have been getting a few schoolies, mostly males on shallow plugs trolled and on swimbaits casted towards shore.

That’s it for this week – to all, have a fun time on the banks and as always, make sure you pick up after yourself so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Lake Amador 4/2/09

2009-04-02T18:37:00.000-07:00

Brian Arimoto and I took a trip to Lake Amador to fish for Largemouth Bass. We did fairly well catching over 15 fish between the two of us. Lots of fish in the 2 pound range with a kicker or two hitting around 4 pounds. I also caught a nice crappie in one of the coves throwing a tube jig.

California Delta Chambers Report - 4/1/09

2009-04-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely here! We’ve got temps planned in the high 60’s to low 70’s through the weekend which should make fishing ideal just as long as the usual spring winds don’t kick into high gear.

Sturgeon is still the major catch on the Delta currently, with fish now coming from all parts of the system. Bank anglers are still catching fish down in Clarksburg, Hood and Courtland, with some also coming from up north near the metro airport and Knights Landing. All the usual baits have been good with pile worms seeming to be the most popular, but ghost shrimp, eel and roe are also good to try.

Boaters have been getting good action in Sherman and Decker Islands, and also in Cache Slough. A lot of shakers and oversizers have been reported, with legal fish few and far between. The Pittsburg area along with Big and Little Cuts are also producing fish when anglers wait out the wind.

Some anglers have switched over to targeting stripers now, and with good reason because the spawn is drawing near. Most of the fish are being caught trolling the west bank of the Sacramento River by Rio Vista, and some being caught bait fishing at the anchor.

Reports on the Old Sacramento River are still null, but as the temps get warmer, expect to see an increase in reports. Sturgeon fisherman have noted an increase in shakers stealing their pile worms and ghost shrimp, so the bigger fish should be moving in soon. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if you were to intercept an early run fish now – try soaking a sardine filet close to shore if your heart desires.

Catfish is on tap at the Port of Sacramento – throw out the usual baits for some relaxing action. The cross channel is also a good bet, since the locks are still closed – no current and snags to get in the way.

As for my fishing endeavors, I may have to be selective on when I go out in the next few days, due to the wind. Mixing wind with the current high pollen levels will wreak havoc on me since I still have this lingering cold.

That’s it for this week. My pick this week would be trolling for stripers in the West Delta. To all of you – have a fun time on the water, whether it be boat or bank and always remember to pick up after yourself if you fish on the bank so the next person can enjoy the spot you just fished.

Amador 3/31/09

2009-04-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

Got to Amador last night a bit before midnight with high hopes of intercepting some spring crappie, but the bite was off as there was NO shad being attracted by the lights.

The trout gave me plenty of action however, and absolutely ripped my crappie jigs apart. Selectively C/R'd a lot of the fish and kept one here and there until I had a limit. Easily caught over 15 fish by the end of the night. Packed it up at 3AM.