DELTA

The striped bass fishing is about ready to heat up with reports coming from a variety of locations on the San Joaquin River side of the Delta.  Trollers have been working 12 to 14 floor depths dragging deep diving Yozuri Crystal Minnows with several reporting taking two fish limits to 8 pounds on a daily basis.  The water clarity is slowly improving.  Some of the better locations have been the Santa Clara Shoals and the mouth of the Mokelumne River.  Striped bass are beginning to make an appearance over in Discovery Bay.  This has been a banner location during the spring run.

On the Sacramento River is still on the muddy side where trollers are beginning to hook a few stripers to 5 pounds trolling the west bank. This is an indication that stripers are beginning to stack up.  The striped bass fishing will only improve after we begin to get better water clarity in the area.

CAMANCHE LAKE

The big news last week was the 15.01 pound largemouth bass caught and released by Tim Wells of Clovis while pre fishing for the upcoming California Bass Federation Event. The big bass was caught while drop shooting on the South Shore marina.  Trout anglers still hooking and landing some quality fish in the 3.24 to 6.67 pounds using a yellow grub/white Power Egg combination.  Lake Camanche has risen to 75 percent capacity.

PARDEE LAKE

The smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing has improved within the past week with the recently planted rainbow trout quickly vacating the marina cove and moving into the main lake. Lately, the trout are averaging from 1 to 2 pounds and smallmouth and largemouth bass have been averaging from 3 to 6 pounds.

 AMADOR LAKE

At Lake Amador, the Red Hook Trout Wars tournament took place.  Before the start of the event 20 Lightning trout averaging 5 pounds a piece were released in the lake along with 800 pounds of cutbows.  The best action is taking place in Jackson Creek with Rapalas. Also, a good bet is the Green Chunky Cheese trout dough baits which are producing limits from the shoreline.

SAN LUIS RESERVOIR

San Luis Reservoir remains outstanding for striped bass with shoreline having as much success as the boaters.  The bite has improved for a variety of techniques including casting, drifting minnows, soaking bait, or trolling.  The big fish of the week was a 35 pounder from the banks near Romero Visitor Center.  Most of the fish remain in water column from 40 to 90 feet and they are beginning to move in 56 degree water temperature.  “Rip baits and jerk baits are working such as Lucky Craft Pointer 100’s but the top water bite hasn’t started yet. The local bait shops are selling plenty of jumbo minnows for bait drifters while shoreline fishermen are soaking blood worms, pile worms, anchovies, and minnows.  San Luis Reservoir is now at 99 percent of capacity.

Stay tuned for rock cod and salmon fishing season openers.

Until next tide stay safe to fish another day.