Fish Report

last updated: September 17, 2008 02:52:51 AM

DELTA/STOCKTON

Benicia Bait reported good striper action along the shoreline from First Street to the state park with live bullheads for fish to 39 inches. Blood worms have been very difficult to obtain due to the weather on the East Coast. Dockside Bait reported schools of 4- to 6-pound stripers throughout the central Delta with live bullheads or fresh shad working the best. Kevin Yost of Lucky Strike Fishing has returned to Pittsburg from the bay and will be hosting the Sturgeon Marathon fund-raiser for Restore the Delta. They will be fishing round the clock from Saturday through Sept. 27. Information at 707-301-8050. Mark Wilson of Mark Wilson Sport Fishing reported scattered schools of smaller stripers to 6 pounds from Miner Slough to Broad Slough with the best bite on shallow-running Yozuris in chartreuse or red head/white. They caught and released 15 keepers and eight shakers Monday despite the large morning tide which brought debris into the Sacramento River system. The trolling bite should improve with this weekend's smaller tides. Contact: Jolly Jay's Guide Service 478-6645; Randy Pringle 543-6260; Kevin Yost, Lucky Strike Fishing 707-301-8050; Mark Wilson Sport Fishing 916-682-1630

DELTA MENDOTA CANAL AND SLOUGHS

The big news was a 40-pound striper taken in the California Aqueduct near Tracy. Other than this huge fish, catfish are biting Catfish Dynamite or other prepared catfish baits in the aqueduct from Firebaugh to Five Points. A few schoolie stripers are also in the area on anchovies.

LAKE DON PEDRO

Mike Van Guilder Jr. of Fishwrangler's Bass Guide Service said largemouths to 7 pounds have been taken on Berserk spinnerbaits. With the cooler weather, crank or rip baits are working around structure of rocks or wood. Crankbaits work best when making contact with the structure. A few quality fish can be landed on the Lunker Punker. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said the ramp at Blue Oaks is as low as he has ever seen with the lake at 52 percent capacity. He marked large schools of fish near the dam at depths from 80 to 120 feet on a recent trip, but he wasn't able to get them to bite. There is no boat pressure during the week, but the lack of fresh inflow brings out the doldrums in all of the foothill reservoirs at this elevation. Contact: Monte Smith 581-4734, Danny Layne-Fishn' Dan 586-2383, Bait Barn 874-3011

NEW MELONES RESERVOIR

Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods Camp reported catfish continue to provide the most consistent action as trout have been scarce and kokanee are in deep water on their way up the river to attempt to spawn. Steve Wallman of MiWuk Village pulled in a 7.75-pound catfish near the marina. Anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken livers or night crawlers all are working for the whiskerfish. Kokanee fishing is slow with the fish at depths to 130 feet in the main lake or the river arm. Greg Branson of Angels Camp was able to land a limit of four kokanee and a 1.75-pound brown trout while trolling a silver Needlefish behind a 50/50 Dodger in the river channel near the spillway. The kokanee are turning rapidly with hooked-jaws, no scales and pink to reddish colors. Trout fishing is slow on the main lake with fishing at night under lights the best bet. Bass fishing continues to be fair with small spotted bass feeding aggressively. Best bet is 4-inch Roboworms in Aaron's Magic or Green Craw, The best crappie action is at night under lights. The lake dropped 1,851 acre-feet to 46 percent capacity. The Angels Cove ramp no longer is accessible with several normally submerged islands being exposed with the lower water levels. The middle ramp at Tuttletown and Glory Hole Point are still in service. Contact: 736-4333, Monte Smith 581-4734, Danny Layne-Fishn' Dan 586-2383, Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023

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