Fishing Report (7/13/11)

VALLEY

• LAKE DON PEDRO — Guide Monte Smith reported good action for kokanee to 2 pounds, but said the fish are holding from 60 to 100 feet and getting these hard-charging salmon to the surface has been a challenge. He recommended Uncle Larry's spinners tipped with various Pro-Cure scents behind a Vance's Dodger or Shasta Tackle Sling Blade. Smith said the lake rose 3 feet within two days. Manny Basi reported a very good top-water bass bite throughout the day with Super Spooks or the Lucky Craft Gunfish in white or chartreuse/shad. Drop shotting with the Reaction Innovations Bad Shad Green, Robo Worm Morningdawn or Pro Worm Pro Gold is working, in addition to twin-tailed Hula Grubs in colors 208,221, and 301 on half-ounce jig head. The fish are close to the banks in the submerged grass. Basi added that bank fishing for trout remains good at Fleming Meadows with Power Bait, gold Kastmasters, or night crawlers. Call: Monte Smith (209) 581-4734, Danny Layne (209) 586-2383, Bait Barn (209) 874-301.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR / O'NEILL FOREBAY — Striper fishing in the main lake has improved with fish in the 22- to 23-inch range found off of Romero Point with PopR's, Lucky Craft 128's, or white flukes during the day. Both Ly Tu of Ly's Fishing Goods and Mickey Clement of Coyote Bait confirmed anglers are scoring more undersized fish on sardines, anchovies or pile worms. In the forebay, hot temperatures are bringing out more vegetation near the bridge, making casting difficult. Fresh-water mudsuckers or pile worms have been the top baits for the small stripers. You'll have better luck going for catfish near check 12 with cutbaits, clams or blood worms. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711.

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — Jason Mello of A-I Bait in Snelling said anglers have been scoring limits from the banks with white Power Eggs. The Gulp! Crickets in brown or green are top sellers. Trollers continue to score planted rainbows with ExCels, Needlefish or night crawlers behind a cowbell flasher near Exchequer Dam, the chimney, or the second fence line. Water near the banks is loaded with debris. Call: (209) 378-2534

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Reports are that spinnerbaits, crank baits and top-water lures are working for reaction bites. Live night crawlers, minnows and crawdads are also working from the banks at McClure Point. Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford confirmed the good top-water bite on Lucky Craft Gunfish in white or chartreuse shad or Super Spooks. Basi also said double-tailed Hula Grubs in colors 301 or 330 on a half-ounce jig head or drop shotting with plastic worms is working. Crappie have been taken on blue/white minijigs or a 4-inch Bold Bluegill Robo Worm near Bagby. A mixed bag of kokanee and king salmon are located from 40 to 50 feet from the buoy line to the dam with rolled shad for the kings and typical kokanee set ups for the sockeyes. Call: A-1 Bait (209) 563-6505, Bub Tosh (209) 404-0053.

• DELTA/STOCKTON — The weekend's smaller tides slowed sturgeon fishing. Stripers to 27 inches have been common from the shore under the Carquinez Bridge and 9th Street with grass shrimp, blood worms, pile worms and live bullheads. James Nguyen at Dockside Bait in Pittsburg weighed in a 16-pound striper Sunday, taken from the rocks north of the boat launch. All other stripers have been school sized. Gotcha Bait in Antioch said the public fishing pier has been "on fire" for striped bass over the weekend, hitting frozen shad, sardines, mudsuckers or jumbo minnows. The best sturgeon bite has been around the Sherman Island power lines near Pittsburg or along West Island with ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, pile worms or eel. Capt. Stan Koeningsberger fished the San Joaquin River near Twitchell Island on Saturday for three legal stripers to 24 inches on the incoming tide. He got some fresh shad from H & R Bait in Stockton and spent the outgoing tide at the mouth of Three Mile Slough. Most striper fishermen have been heading to the west Delta, but linesides in the 24- to 26-inch range have been taken on shad off the Grant Line Canal or the Port of Stockton in the evenings. Blue gill have been in every harbor, especially Tiki Lagoon, Turner Cut and along 8-Mile Road with wax or jumbo red worms. Mildred Island is loaded with red-eared perch. Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Mark Wilson (916) 682-1630; Jolly Jay (209) 478-6645; Gary Vella (209) 652-7550