Fishing report

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DELTA/STOCKTON

The water temperature dropped dramatically to the mid- to high-40s after the cold front moved through. As a result, striped bass fishing in the main portions of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers slowed.

A few fish continue to be found in the back sloughs, such as Nurse Slough inside Montezuma Slough, but the overall bite from Martinez to Rio Vista has been slow. Benicia Bait and Tackle said a couple of legal sturgeon to 65 inches were brought into the shop over the weekend despite minimal angling pressure. Cut bullheads continue to pick up a few stripers in the deep water near the Mothball Fleet.

Jay Lopes of Right Hook Sport Fishing continues to find great sturgeon action with ghost shrimp in upper Suisun Bay. They have landed at least a keeper sturgeon on all recent trips to go with fish both above and below the slot limit. There are numerous fish holding in the upper Suisun area, and the bite is extremely light as the fish get adjusted to the cold water.

Ly Tu of Ly's Fishing Goods said the majority of his Delta anglers have been traveling from San Jose over to the Clifton Court Forebay to fight the crowds lining the banks for a chance at some big fish. The striped bass will gravitate to the slightly warmer waters in the south or east Delta as long as there is a food source. Also in the east Delta, J.D. Richey of Richey's Guide Service said prior to the storms, striper fishing was as good as it has been all season with every trip yielding at least 30 fish and over 50 wasn't out of the question. He will continue to find stripers on swimbaits or top water lures if the water temperatures stay above 45 degrees; if the temperatures drop below this, they will switch to spoons. Call: Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388; Randy Pringle 543-6260; Kevin Yost, Lucky Strike Fishing (707) 301-8050, Mark Wilson Sport Fishing (916) 682-1630, Fin Addict Sport Fishing 367-4665. DELTA MENDOTA CANAL

There has been little interest in the local canals and sloughs in the past weeks with the cold weather and good trout bite on the lower Kings and the San Joaquin Rivers. A 30-pound striper was taken on the California Aqueduct near Tracy on a Huddleston. Pete Cormier of Bob's Bait in Bakersfield said striper action in the southern portion of the Aqueduct continues to an attraction with bait producing better than artificial with the colder water. Lug worms or anchovies are the best baits with a few fish taken on RatLTraps.

NEW MELONES RESERVOIR/TULLOCH

Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said anglers willing to brave the cold and rainy weather have found red hot trout action from the banks for fish to 2 pounds. The recent plants and colder water have turned on the bite. Rainbow glitter Power Bait, marshmallow/night crawler combinations, Kastmasters or Roostertails are all working from the banks at Glory Hole Point, Angels Cove and under the Highway 49 bridge. There is very easy access to the bank spots. The troll bite should also be good with sideplaners hugging the shorelines. Bass fishing is fair with anglers catching and releasing numerous spotted bass in the 1- to 2-pound range with a few larger fish to 5 pounds found from 5 to 50 feet in depth with Carolina-rigged or split-shot crawdad-patterned plastics or greenpumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hawgs in the creek beds. Spoons, jigs are top water lures are all working in low light conditions. Catfishing, crappie and bluegill are all slow at this time of the year, but a few large catfish continue to be landed weekly. The lake came up 1406 acre-feet from upstream sources to 47 percent of capacity. Call: 736-4333, Monte Smith 581-4734, Danny Layne -Fishn' Dan 586-2383, Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.