Fishing report, Aug 24-30: ‘Fat, healthy trout’ continue to bite at Bass Lake

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

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Best bets

Delta stripers and bass hitting, Alan Fong reported. New Melones catfish and kokanee the top bites, Kyle Wise said. Bass lake rainbows active, Michael Beighey reported. Isabella bass top pick, Dave Hurley said.

Roger’s Remarks

Roger George’s column will return.

Valley

Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

Bill Sterling of Striperz Gone Wild said SGW is organizing a Clean-Up Day on the California Aqueduct on Saturday, Aug. 28. Meet at the Volta Bridge in Los Banos at 8 a.m. “We are in the process of gathering supplies (garbage bags, graffiti removal supplies, push brooms, etc). If anyone is interested in helping feel free to reach out to any of the SGW admins (Bill C Sterling BriAn Mestaz George Valencia Migz Padilla. SGW will be providing some BBQ for all of those that show up and support. Also we will be providing a raffle ticket to all those who arrive on time and help with the clean up... FREE STUFF! This is our opportunity to show that the SGW family cares about not only the fishing community, but the community as a whole. Let’s show everyone what can be accomplished when SGW shows up in full force! If we get out there and take care of business, I’m sure there will be opportunities for some fishing afterwards.” He added, “There were a few limits out on the aqueduct, but again it seems like the heat this last week slowed things down. Bass fishing has slowed, as well, in the local canals but seeing more catfish caught from the night fisherman.” Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “There was a problem with water conditions at the Clifton Court Forebay, and the fish in Bethany Reservoir were being pushed into the California Aqueduct to avoid a fish kill. There are boils throughout the upper aqueduct, and the various species of fish have been migrating south with the current toward Check 4 near Patterson.”

In the south aqueduct in Kern County, finding clear water is important as the algae is building up in the slower sections of current. Working the bottom with flukes on a heavy jig head or deep-diving crankbaits are working for stripers along with the occasional largemouth bass. Cut baits are effective for both striped bass and catfish.

Call: Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis 292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield (661) 833-8657

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The boat ramps are out of the water at both lakes as the water levels have dropped to 6%. Kayaks or float tubes are able to access the lake, and kayak anglers are concentrating around the dam with crankbaits in search of the big largemouth bass. The bass bite has slowed after intense pressure over the past several weeks.” Algae blooms are forming with the low water conditions and triple-digit temperatures will contribute to the blooms.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod Gun, Clovis 292-3474; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

The kokanee are scarce, and few anglers are trying with the triple-digit temperatures. Trout trolling is fair at best with the possibility of a king salmon below 65 feet. Chuck and Laura Pizano landed a 12.4-pound king salmon within the past week. Bass fishing remains slow, but there have been a few good topwater fish taken in the early mornings. The lake dropped slightly to 57%. The Fleming Meadows, Blue Oaks, and Moccasin launch ramps remain open, but the Fleming launch requires a long walk to the parking lot.

Call: Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Kyle Wise – Head Hunter Guide Service – (209) 531- 3966; Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing – 691-7008

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 3 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2

Bass fishing remains solid despite the dropping water levels, and large plastic worms from 7 to 12 inches on a Texas-rig along with big jigs or deep-diving crankbaits are all working. The best locations have been French Gulch, Piney Point, and Rocky Point. Crappie are holding around certain submerged brush or rock with jigs or small minnows. In the lower river, catfish, bass, and carp are possibilities, and the smallmouth bass are taken on plastics on the drop-shot, deep-diving crankbaits, or live minnows. The river at Kernville have dropped from 176 to 155 cfs, and water releases out of the dam are steady at First Point at 316 cfs. The trout in the upper river are holding in the deep pools as the water is becoming very skinny. The lake has dropped to 8%.

Call: Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816

Lake Kaweah

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

Not much change with the exception of heavy recreational boating pressure and dropping water levels. The bass bite is challenging in the dropping water conditions, but there is a reaction bite in the early mornings before dropping to the bottom with ice jigs, spoons, or jigs. The lake is starting to release water, and it dropped to 13%. The flows in the Kaweah River have dropped to 32 cfs at Three Rivers.

Lake Success/Tule River

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake is dropping fast, now at 16%. Bass fishermen are working around the submerged trees in the early mornings or evenings with plastics on a Texas-rig, deep-diving crankbaits, or Senkos. The flows on the Tule are low and dropping, and fly fishing is best far from easily-accessed locations with terrestrial dry flies or Woolly Buggers. Spin casters are scoring larger holdover browns or rainbows in the deeper pools in the lower Tule with Panther Martin spinners.

Call: Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626, sequoiafishingcompany.com

McClure Reservoir

Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 3

The lake continues to drop as it is currently at 29%. The best launch ramp remains at Barrett Cove South. Topwater action is best in the early mornings or evenings with Berkley Choppo 110s or similar walking baits. The overall bass bite is tough. Trout trolling has been productive for the few anglers trying at depths to 80 feet near the dam with shad-patterned spoons.

Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Guide Service – 691-7008

McSwain Reservoir

Trout 2

There hasn’t been much change here as holdover rainbow trout from the original Calaveras Trout Farm plants months ago along with the catchables from the Department of Fish and Wildlife several weeks ago remain in the lake in limited numbers. The best action is in the deep water up the river arm for trollers pulling blade/’crawler combinations or ruby red Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a dodger while shore anglers have to get out in the early mornings from the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula near the marina with Power Bait, Panther Martin spinners, or ¼- to ⅜-ounce Kastmasters. The river below the dam is also producing fish that have migrated downstream. The lake rose slightly to 94%.

Call: Angler’s Edge Market – (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Spotted bass is best in the back of the lake with high recreational boating pressure on the Fresno side. In the evenings, the Madera side around Sky Harbor or Finegold Bay is a good location with the spots chasing bait. Catfishing is best near the Courthouse with chicken livers or cut baits.” The lake dropped from 53% to 50%, and the San Joaquin River flows held at 259 cfs at Friant.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Few kokanee fishermen are targeting the lake, but Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service continues to score limits to 17 inches by running Apex or J-Pex lures behind a gold hammered dodger at depths from 80 to 90 feet. Finding the schools is the key. Wise is also finding outstanding catfish action on his evening trips, and he is running a special evening catfish trip for $150 including barbecuing Lockeford sausages and sides. The lake dropped from 893.37 to 891.02 feet in elevation this week, and the overall capacity dropped slightly to 28%. The launch ramp situation has improved with the ability to launch two at a time with a dock in the water. The bass bite is decent with underspins, weightless Senkos on a wacky-rig, or ¼-ounce G Money jigs around rock or wood.

Call: Glory Hole Sports (209) 736-4333; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734; John Liechty Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “The overall bass action is slow with the triple-digit temperatures, but there is a topwater bite in the early morning with catfish to 9 pounds taken on chicken livers or anchovies near the rocks around Deer Creek or Lake Park. Bluegill or crappie are taken around the docks near Deer Creek.” In the lower Kings, the last trout plant occurred a month ago, and the action has slowed. The best fishing is occurring far from the easily accessed areas. The flows have dropped once again from 578 to 388 cfs at Trimmer. The lake dropped slightly to 17%.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 1

San Luis Reservoir continues to drop in elevation due to water releases down the California Aqueduct, and a week of triple-digit temperatures slowed fishing interest. The O’Neill Forebay is the most consistent striper producer in the region. A warning for blue-green algae has been issued for both the main lake and forebay.

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, “The heat hindered fishing at the main lake and forebay this week, but cooler temperatures on Friday and Saturday brought out more anglers. Trolling is decent along with drifting extra-large minnows for school-sized striped bass. The topwater bite remains slow, but it was good the week prior. The forebay is the most consistent location with pile worms or anchovies near the Highway 33 Bridge or the Twin Islands. There was a 41-pound striper reported out of the California Aqueduct this week, consistent with several large stripers caught either in the forebay or aqueduct over the summer months.”

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the troll bite has been decent some days and very slow on others. “The water is going down fairly slowly, half-foot or less a day so far, and anglers are still launching from the Dinosaur Point first ramp. Boaters leaving the dock need to know where the shallow channel is – all the way east out to the end of Tunnel island. It’s important from that point to follow the shoreline around to the south for at least 100 yards before heading out east into the main lake. Cutting across the front of Tunnel island may put you on the No. 3 dock parking lot area, and you want to stay south of it. Park rangers said that moving the dock to the No. 2 launch ramp could happen in a week depending on releases. The overall troll bite has been slow, with lots of suspended fish ignoring the regular baits. We’re not sure why the fish have been so inactive for the last few weeks, but all the regulars have told me the same thing. These kind of patterns can come and go. Water temps are from 74 degrees early up to 82 degrees on a hot calm day.“

Bill Sterling of Striperz Gone Wild said, “Striper fishing this week was OK. I think the heat slowed things down a bit. Forebay fishing seemed to be the best bet still. Fishing with topwater lures early and flukes later morning and afternoon. San Luis Reservoir seems to be very up and down. Between four of us, we caught three small stripers and one bass all from shore with topwater lures early. There were a lot of fish chasing but not very many commitments. Fishing with paddletails later in the morning and afternoons along the shores seems to work the best as they are coming in close to feed on the windier days.”

A blue-green algae advisory warning has been posted for San Luis Reservoir near the Basalt boat launch area with another caution advisory in the forebay at boat launch area, Check 13, and the Gianelli Power Plant within the caution range for microcystins.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George of rogergeorgeguideservice.com 905-2954

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1

Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Guide Service said, “Fat, healthy trout from 13 to 19 inches continue to be the main course, but the kokanee remain on hiatus. Boat traffic is slowing down, and trolling without grass has improved near the Pines. The trout are thick from the Sheriff’s Tower to the Forks in the early morning before 9:30 a.m. with Dick’s Mountain Tubes or Trout Busters tipped with Maggots or nightcrawlers behind a Dick’s Big Blue Mountain dodger along with Rocky Mountain Tackle’s Plankton spinners behind a orange Signature dodger at depths to 20 feet. Jerkbaits or crankbaits near the dam are working best for bass. The lake held at 80%.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Portal Forebay and Ward Lake were planted at the start of the month, and Edison received a trout plant over the Fourth of July weekend, but all the lakes should be mostly fished out with the catchables by now. Edison dropped from 27% to 24%, Florence rose slightly to 65% with Mammoth Pool holding at 76%.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Kokanee 2 Trout 2

Since the inception of the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project 15 years ago, thousands of pounds of trophy rainbows have been released into the lake, drawing fishermen from throughout California. The SLTTP was the brainchild of the late Captain Jack Yandell and Shaver’s guide emeritus, Dick Nichols, and the 11th annual fundraiser dinner was held this past Saturday at the new Camp Chawanakee Scout Hall on the shores of the lake. In addition to releasing trophy trout, the project has taken on a variety of projects to enhance fishing for youth.

Nichols said, “Under the expert coordination of event chairman Caroline Thomson, who has led the best dinners for years, the dinner came off with perfection. It’s expected to be the largest financial producer to date. So many fun events involving attendees for wonderful prizes were on the card under the direction of Mark and Shelly Etcheverry, David and Pam Dungy and several great members. A highlight of the dinner was the attendance of longtime SLTTP member and outgoing Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. She introduced the newly elected sheriff, John Zanoni, and his wife. Sheriff Mims brought a gift to the live auction that generated $3,000. All in all, it was a fun night that will provide income for many SLTTP events including the hugely successful Trout In The Classroom headed by California TIC founder David Dungy; the annual Greg Mark’s Shaver Lake Kids Derby; and the annual high school scholarship awards to students entering college with fishery- or mountain-related majors. The scholarship program is a joint effort of Dr. Barbara Stewart, Mark Etcheverry and Jeff Linder. Fishing education for youth is the project’s upmost goal. The SLTTP goals are to get children hooked on fishing, not drugs or gangs.”

The kokanee bite has been tough overall, but Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service took a fun trip to the lake with his wife, Kim, and they taught the locals a few lessons by landing nine kokanee with a couple of doubles including two fish over 20 inches. Dunham said, “We wanted to get up there before the Kokanee Power Derby anglers arrived to pre-fish, and we worked from the Shaver Lake Marina to the left side of the dam along the house. The lake is rising every day, and the big fish are not hugging the bottom. We found the majority of our kokanee suspended at 70 feet with 1.0 Apex lures in Kevorkian, gold, black, or red behind a small dodger. I think the key was scenting the corn with Smelly Jelly Crawdaddy as the males protect the eggs from crawdads at this time of year.”

Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service confirmed the slow bite, and he postponed Monday’s trip to wait for better action. He said, “The lake has been coming up all week long, and it is expected to rise for a few more weeks as work on Pumps 2 and 4 are being conducted upstream. I will be taking out the youth from Mendota High School again this weekend, and we will be focusing on trout as the kokanee bite has been slow. There aren’t too many of the big fish remaining in the lake, and it is hard to predict how the upcoming derby will unfold. There is small debris and grass on the surface, and the big fish are still suspended and haven’t started hugging the bottom.”

The Kokanee Power Derby is Sept. 10. The lake has risen to 73%.

Todd Wittwer – Kokanee.net Guide Service – 288-8100; Jerad Romero – Jrods Guide Service – 392-6994; Tom Oliveira – Tom Oliveira Fishing – 802-8072

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said, “Courtright is kicking out small trout near the dam, and your best bet if you have a boat is to go to the back of the lake near the inlet. Same for Wishon, but Wishon has been extremely crowded with the hot temperatures. Finding moving water is a key.” Trollers continue to work at depths from 20 to 30 feet with Rapalas, Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger, or blade/’crawler combinations. Holdovers are found in Wishon near the mouth of Short Hair Creek and the inlet at the back of the lake.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Salmon 3 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Salmon fishing remains outstanding north of Half Moon Bay, and the best indicator is that the Bay Area boats continue to turn left at the Golden Gate to head to the ‘Southside.’ Mussel Rock was the hot spot Thursday and Friday, but the south wind arriving on Friday night had other ideas as the limit-style fishing left the six-packs and party boats scratching for a fish to over a fish per rod. The anchovy schools are forming in thick clouds off of the San Mateo coastline.

Captain Michael Cabanas on the New Captain Pete was out on Sunday with 11 anglers for 15 salmon to 22 pounds which is a representative score with the bite slowing due to the south wind. The Queen of Hearts out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing returned with an excellent score of 24 salmon to 27 pounds for 15 anglers on Saturday while the Riptide put in 18 salmon to 25 pounds for 22 anglers on Saturday and loaded up with 22 salmon to a whopping 41 pounds for 13 passengers on Sunday. With the tremendous amount of bait along the coast, salmon action should continue for the foreseeable future.

Rockfishing remains tremendous with the Ankeny Street posting limits of rockfish working the coastal reefs over the weekend despite the south wind making for a rolly ride. They posted 16 limits of rockfish and two lings on Saturday along with 17 limits including 5 cabezon to 10 pounds and 6 ling cod to 10 pounds.

Call: Captain Michael Cabanas – New Captain Pete (510) 677-7054; Captain Chris Chang – Ankeny Street – (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith – Riptide – (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing – Queen of Hearts – (510) 581-2628

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Salmon 2 Rockfish 3 Striper 2 White seabass 2 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Local anglers haven’t been bugged by big swells, but the afternoon winds are kind of a nuisance. Still, the mornings are mostly nice, with a little chop on the water but generally very fishable. Some boats from Santa Cruz are even making it up to the Ano Nuevo area to fish the reefs that haven’t been pressured all summer.

Rodney Armstrong from Santa Cruz Coastal Fishing Charters has been working the reefs north of Santa Cruz for his six-pack clients and shared good news on Wednesday. He reported, “Rockfishing remains red hot, and today we went up north and fished rock fish. We had easy limits of quality rock fish, a bunch of short lingcod, and one nice halibut.” Fellow Santa Cruz six-pack skipper JT Thomas took his clients north on Sunday for quick limits of red rockfish, a good mix of quality vermilion and canaries. Thomas reported on trips from earlier in the week saying, “Our clients were military here from Hanford. They fished for halibut. We landed five keepers plus two Petrale sole and a few rock fish. The bite continues to be hot.” The big charter boats were all fishing for rock cod this week. Chris’s Fishing and Whale Trips in Monterey reported limits for every trip, but one on the Check Mate, Caroline, and Star of Monterey, while in Santa Cruz, Stagnaro’s Sportfishing limits last Wednesday and near-limits of big rock cod for Friday’s seven-hour trip.

Striped bass remain elusive in Monterey Bay. We received a couple reports this week from surfcasters who found a striper or two from the mid-bay beaches. The flat wave conditions and warming water are bringing halibut in very shallow though. Quite a few flatties were reported caught this week from area beaches by surfcasters using KastMasters, Lucky Craft LC 110s, swimbaits, and drop-shot rigged white flukes. Barred surf perch is very good with 20- to 30-fish outings not unusual. Most of the perch are released, of course, though anglers can keep 10 per day with a maximum of five for any one species. If you have a big surf rod and don’t mind sitting around for a few hours at a time, there are also leopard sharks and bat rays that will eat whole squid or anchovies close in the shallow waters of protected coves around the bay. Waiting around might be boring, but when one of these big fish takes your bait get ready to run down the beach as your line peels out.”

Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell – Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Salmon 3 Halibut 3 Striper 2 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

Salmon fishing is unpredictable at best as you can never expect limits even if the day before the action was ‘epic.’ This week was a good example of the consistently inconsistent nature of salmon fishing as Thursday and Friday brought limits of big fish all around for the party boat and six-packs. Thursday was a big day out of the Golden Gate as all the party boats limited out on the south side near Mussel Rock. The Salty Lady out of Sausalito took out the second installment of ‘Fish Like A Girl,’ and it was limits all around for their 25 female anglers up to 29 pounds. There were some smaller fish in the mix, particularly at the start of the day. Captain Jerad Davis said, “We limited out on both of our ladies trips this year, and these ladies always provide a limit of smiles.” After a whale watching trip on Saturday, he went out on Sunday for over a fish per rod at 27 salmon to 32 pounds for 24 anglers along with a handful of rockfish.

The three Sausalito boats returned with a combined 43 limits of salmon while the two Berkeley boats also pounded the south side for 38 limits to 29 pounds. Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Loch Lomond Marina put in six limits of big salmon on Friday at Mussel Rock, but although expectations were high on Saturday, the south wind had other ideas as they scratched out a fish per rod. Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco was able to scratch out 14 salmon in the same rocking and rolling conditions. The good news is that there is tremendous feed off of the San Mateo coastline, and the Marin coast should be lighting up again soon, and the salmon are big.

Limits of rockfish remain the rule outside of the Gate whether it be at the Farallon Islands or the Marin coastline, but the Farallons are the top producer when the weather is amenable. The California Dawns I and II were at the islands on Sunday for a combined 34 limits of rockfish and 56 ling cod to 25 pounds.

The majority of boats continue to head outside of the Golden Gate for salmon, halibut, or bottom fish, but the few boats staying inside the bay are starting to find an improved halibut bite. The best halibut fishing remains outside the Gate at the North Bar where limits of big fish to 30 pounds have been taken within the past week, but there are days when the ocean is too rough with the waves, swell, and current rolling over the shallow shoals to allow a boat to drift comfortably.

Captain Steve Talmadge of Flash Fishing out of San Francisco said, “We did really well on the halibut on the North Bar with 11 flatfish including a couple pushing 30 pounds before hitting the rockfish reefs, but the weather kept us from heading outside over the weekend. Both Flash I and II were at Alcatraz Island on half-day trips for a total of 15 halibut for 10 anglers. We tried to go outside, but the south wind wouldn’t let us so we started off on the west side of Alcatraz before finishing up on the back side of the island when the tide changed. The shark fishing slowed down on Sunday after starting out at Alameda for 8 to 10 leopard shark before the bite tide. We moved to the San Francisco side near the Red Stack in 60 feet of water for more shark action before the bite died again. This was a donated trip from the Diamond Classic Catch and Release Sturgeon Derby, and they had to bring three kids on the trip since it was designed to encourage kids to go fishing.”

Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Bait and Tackle in San Rafael said, “Our bay has been very muddy with the dredging, and the normal striped bass locations of Red Rock, the Brothers, the Sisters, the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge, and the Brickyard have been clouded by muddy water.”

There has also been a red tide affecting certain areas of the bay including the Marin Rod and Gun Club Pier and Lake Merritt in Oakland.

Call: Captain Trent Slate Bite Me Charters (415) 307-8582; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3

Rockfishing is the story out of the San Luis Obispo ports, and perhaps no two ports will be as affected by the 2023 rockfish regulations shortening the season to 5.5 months. Ling cod counts remain very limited, and the best action occurs far from the safety of the ports. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, the Patriot and Flying Fish were out on ½-day trips on Sunday with 45 anglers for 24 vermilion, 196 assorted rockfish, 97 Bolina, and a ling cod for a total of 318 fish for 2/3rd limits. Out of Morro Bay Landing, the Avenger took two half-day trips while the Starfire was on a 3/4th day trip on Sunday for a combined 49 vermilion, 10 copper, 10 Boccaccio, 470 assorted rockfish with a single cabezon and ling cod. The longer trip on the Starfire produced limits. Out of Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay, the two boats were out on Sunday on trips ranging with 56 anglers for 24 vermilion, 256 assorted rockfish, 12 ocean whitefish, 2 rock sole, three ling cod, and a bonus halibut. Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 3 Sturgeon 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3 Salmon 2

The big news in the Sacramento/San Joaquin-Delta is the arrival of fresh striped bass from parts unknown. The linesides have been primarily absent from San Francisco and San Pablo Bay, but new arrivals with blue backs are coming in on a daily basis. With triple-digit heat raising the Delta’s already hot water temperatures, the largemouth bass are holding under mats, and the punch bite is taking off. The salmon are moving through the river at warp speed with the hot water, and the weeds are a major limiting factor for trollers working from Clarksburg to Freeport. Kyle Wise of HeadHunter Guide Service took an exploratory trip out of Clarksburg, and he said, “You couldn’t go 50 yards without having to clean your lines.”

Alan Fong of Alan Fong’s Outdoors You Tube channel was out with Steve Cooper of In Deep on the Delta with videographer, Denise Loo, in the north Delta inside of Liberty Island, and they punched the weed mats for numbers of largemouth to put together limits in the 16- to 18-pound range. Fong said, “It’s all about pitching and flipping right now as when the temperatures get really hot, over 100 degrees, the key is to work under the vegetation near current. The water temperature will be 5 to 6 degrees cooler under the mats, and this when I pick up my flipping stick and punching rod. We have a video coming out on our channel on Monday on punching techniques.”

For striped bass, Dave Houston of Livermore said, “There’s still a lot of fish in the system, almost everywhere we went today we found fish but also lots of grass. Friends of mine started on the Sacramento River, and I started on the San Joaquin. We were both catching a lot of fish but their score was way better than mine. I fished from the Antioch bridge through Three-mile Slough to the West Bank. They caught 32 fish and only two were short. I got 30 fish and 15 were short, and it just shows how paying attention to the tides and routing your day makes a big difference. They also released a 14 and 11 pounder, and my biggest fish for the day was six.”

Bob Wright of Bob Wright’s Guide Service out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley took out Larry aka ‘The Legend’ Nelson during the triple-digit heat, and they found great action for striped bass before the heat drove them back to air-conditioned surroundings.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Nor Cal Guides and Sportsmen’s Association is hosting a public meeting this Wednesday, August 24th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. within CDFW’s Fisheries’ Branch headquarters at 1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento, 95605, in the California Poppy Conference Room to receive input on a proposed regulation changes for a striped bass slot limit. Those interested can attend and participate either in person or remotely (online or by phone). Participants can visit the following link to join the meeting online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81676220423. Those wishing to listen or participate by phone can do so by calling (866) 390-1828.

Brannan Island State Recreation Area is open on weekends-only from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. until September 1st. A new concessionaire is being recruited for fulltime duty. Only the launch ramp and nearby day-use area is open as the other parts of the park remain closed.

Dan Mathisen Outdoors is holding the ‘Dee Thomas Memorial’ tournament out of Holland Riverside Marina on September 24th to memorialize the ‘Father of Flipping.”

On the San Joaquin side, Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoors in Stockton, said, “There are stripers everywhere with linesides taken by drifting bluegill or minnows in Frank’s Tract, jigging spoons by the Prisoner’s Point, drifting bluegill by Pirate’s Lair along with Disappointment or White’s Slough. These are blue-back stripers fresh to the system. Bass fishing remains excellent by flipping plastics. The Wednesday Night Shootout’s out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton consistently take over 20 pounds to win.”

Fresh shad has arrived in area bait shops, and Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop said, “We received 100 pounds on Sunday, and we should be getting this amount on a regular basis. There are lots of big shad in the mix, and I am separating and freezing the smaller shad for trout and king salmon anglers. I plan on having a supply of 3000 pounds of frozen shad to hold us over during the winter months. Stripers are coming into the San Joaquin, and linesides to 31.5 inches have been landed near Turtle Beach in the south San Joaquin.”

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell – Hook’d Up Sport Fishing – (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges – Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828

Lake Nacimiento/San Antonio/Santa Margarita/Lopez

Bass 3 White bass 3 Striper 0 Catfish 3 Crappie 2 Bluegill 2 Trout 2

At Nacimiento, white and spotted bass action remains strong with whites to 3 pounds taken this week. The best action is coming on reaction lures along with topwater in the early mornings or evenings with the Berkley Choppo 100, River2 Sea Whopper Plopper, or similar walking-style lures. Buzzbaits have also been effective. The bass are loading up on the abundant shad schools. Trolling remains the best technique for the white bass with white Kastmasters or Roostertails through the submerged schools. Hot weather makes for a long day after 11:00 a.m., so it is best to get out there and off early. Bluegill and red ear perch continue to be taken on red worms, jumbo red worms, or meal worms. The lake dropped slightly to 20%. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/lake-nacimiento-live-webcam/. At Lopez, in spite of the launch ramp being out of the water for the past several weeks, bass fishing is decent for quality largemouth and smallmouth bass with underspins, Senkos, crankbaits, or topwaters lures early or late. Rental boats are available at the marina, and kayakers are able to launch from the shoreline as the launch ramp is out of the water. The lake dropped to 24.8% of capacity. Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at https://805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam/. At Santa Margarita, there is a solid reaction bite in the early mornings or late evenings with a variety of offerings, including: lipless crankbaits, underspins, topwater lures, squarebill or Pinjack crankbaits in shad patterns. When the reaction bite slows, working the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot or jigs has been productive. Catfish have been active with the hot weather, and they have been taken on bass gear, much to the dismay of bass fishermen who think they have gone double-digits. Crappie are found intermittently around submerged structure while bluegill and redear perch are taken on meal worms, waxworms, or jumbo red worms. The lake dropped to 54.4% of capacity. A webcam of the lake is available at https://805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california/. At San Antonio, there hasn’t been much change as the best fishing all year has been taking place for crappie, catfish, or carp from the shorelines and off of boats. The carp are in the shallows with dough baits while crappie are found around submerged bushes with minijigs. Catfishing is best with mackerel coated with garlic spray. Bass fishing has also improved with a topwater bite in the early morning followed by working the bottom with plastics. The launch ramp is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekends and from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Fridays. The lake held at 10%.

Call: Lake Nacimiento Marina (805) 238-3256; Lopez Lake Marina (805) 489-1006; Santa Margarita Marina Store (805) 438-1522; Lake San Antonio Marina (805) 472-2313.

Reminder: consuming white bass, black bass, crappie, catfish, or carp are subject to safe eating guidelines due to excessive mercury.

Events

Tournament Results:

No results

Upcoming Tournaments (subject to change)

August 27th –

Delta/Big Break – Bass N’ Tubes

September 4th –

Delta/Contra Costa County – Delta Teen Team

September 10/11th –

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

New Melones – American Bass Association

Millerton – Bass 101

September 10th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass

Shaver Lake – Kokanee Power Team Tournament

September 11th –

Don Pedro – Kings VIII Bass Club

McClure – Gold Country Bass Team

September 15th-17th –

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Wild West Bass Trails

September 15th –

Delta/B and W Resort – Calvary Christian Center

September 16/17th –

New Melones – Nor Cal Bass

September 17th –

Delta/B and W Resort – Bass N’ Tubes

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Christian Bass League

New Melones – Sonora Bass Anglers

Kaweah – Golden Empire Bass Club

Isabella – American Bass Association

Santa Margarita – Bakersfield Bass Club/Orange County Bass Club

Lopez – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

September 18th –

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Hook, Line, and Sinker

New Melones – Nor Cal High School Bass

September 21st – 23rd –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Western Outdoor News

September 24/25th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Angler’s Press

Delta/B and W Resort – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments

Lopez – California Bass Contenders

September 24th –

Delta/Holland Riverside Marina – Dan Mathisen Outdoors ‘Dee Thomas Memorial’

New Melones – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Santa Margarita – Kern County Bassmasters

September 25th –

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Riverbank Bass Anglers

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Discovery Bass Community