Fishing report for May 14

Lake Don Pedro

The kokanee and king salmon action slowed after Thursday’s hail and thunderstorm, but the bite was back on Monday with Danny Layne of Fish’n Dan’s Guide Service taking out Ken Linquist of Sonora and Kent McVey of Merced for mixed limits of kokanee, king salmon and rainbow trout in Fleming Bay. Layne said, “We found all three species at depths from 45 to 85 feet with the kokanee in the 12-, 13-inch range and rainbows from 14 to 16 inches hitting Uncle Larry’s spinners, Glitter Bug’s hootchies or plastic-scented grubs in green or brown. All of our lures were tipped with shoepeg corn scented with vanilla. The king salmon averaging 2.5 pounds were falling for shad brined in Pautke’s Fire Dye at 85 feet in depth.” The kokanee schools were scattered into small groupings after the storm, but they have reassembled within a few days. Kokanee Power will host its annual team tournament at the lake on May 30. For largemouth and spotted bass, large minnows are still the top technique from the banks. The launch ramp is limited to one lane at Fleming Meadows. There is a courtesy dock and a long dock in the water, and patience is a necessity to launch on the weekends due to high interest in recreational boating and fishing. Best Bass Tournaments is holding a Mother Lode Circuit event this Saturday. The lake dropped slightly to 705 feet in elevation and 41 percent of capacity. Call: Monte Smith, (209) 581-4734; Danny Layne-Fish’n Dan, (209) 586-2383; Gary Vella, (209) 652-7550; Bait Barn, (209) 874-3011.

McClure Reservoir

The North Barrett Cove Launch Ramp is still operational with the lake at 11 percent of capacity. The lake rose 4 feet again during the past week to 623.61 feet in elevation for a rise of 8 feet in the past two weeks. A variety of lures are working for spotted bass, but jigs or plastics on the drop-shot or dart head are the most consistent artificials. Live medium to large minnows or crawdads are another good option. A-1 Bait in Snelling is again open under new ownership and is running various hours. Anglers are advised to call for hours. The launch ramp will only be open for a limited period of time and is accessible from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boats have to be off of the water by 4 p.m. There is a long walk to the parking lot unless you arrive early in the morning to find one of the few spots near the bottom of the launch ramp. Information on the launch ramp is available at (855) 222-5253.

McSwain Reservoir

The trout plants are limited to catchables from the Department of Fish and Wildlife due to the recent closure of the Calaveras Trout Farm in Snelling due to a lack of a cold water supply. Bank fishing has been best from the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks or campground with bright colors of trout dough bait. Call: McSwain Marina, (209) 378-2534.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

The bass bite remained solid at New Melones, but the launch ramp situation has limited the number of anglers placing boats into the lake. John Lietchy of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp said, “The last couple of weeks the bass have been biting, but the springtime spawn is pretty much over and the fish are in a post-spawn stage. Many fish can be caught on chuck, and wind-type baits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits and swimbaits are all good choices. Once you find a productive section of water, you can slow down and pick it apart with slower-moving, soft plastic baits. There is a short window of opportunity to get a few topwater bites, too.” Lietchy took out Jin Hayashihara of Japan, who landed his personal-best largemouth at 8.02 pounds on a green pumpkin Senko – as well as another 40-fish in the boat. The trout bite continued to be solid for trollers working the main portion of the lake at depths to 20 feet with shad-patterned spoons on a long line between 150 to 200 feet behind the boat. Lietchy recommended adding Pro Cure’s Bloody Tuna or Threadfin Shad to the lures to increase the opportunities. Night fishing under submersible lights is improving with live minnows, and since the fish are near the surface, the light only needs to be lowered a few feet. Kokanee action has been solid at depths from 40 to 60 feet with hootchies, spinners or small spoons in pink or orange behind a watermelon dodger on a short leader. Catfishing has been very good with large fish over 20 pounds cruising the shorelines. Lietchy added, “Due to the low water levels, we expect to see a handful of 20-pounders this summer.” Frozen shad, mackerel or sardines are the top baits for Melones catfish. The Glory Hole Point Launch Ramp is on the gravel, and a four-wheel-drive tow vehicle is necessary to put a boat into the lake. There are two lanes available, but there is no courtesy dock. New Melones dropped more than 2 feet to 852.72 feet in elevation and 20 percent of capacity. Tulloch held at 504.73 feet in elevation and 89 percent of capacity. Call: Glory Hole Sports, (209) 736-4333; Monte Smith, (209) 581-4734; Danny Layne-Fish’n Dan, (209) 586-2383; Sierra Sport Fishing, (209) 599-2023.

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

In the main lake, wind was the story during the past week, limiting boat access. Shoreline fishermen are finding good action at night with swimbaits, Duo Realis jerkbaits or Lucky Craft Pointer 128’s near Goosehead Point, Romero Visitor Center or Dinosaur Point. For boaters, the stripers continued to be deep, holding from 60 to 80 feet around submerged structure. The Trash Racks and the mouth of Portuguese Cove remain the top locations for trollers or minnow drifters. In the Forebay, Check 12 remained the top location for small striped bass with pile worms or blood worms. Small swimbaits such as 5-inch K-Techs or 4-inch Storm swimbaits have also been effective. The main lake continues to steadily release water, and it released 4,159 acre-feet on Monday to drop to 59 percent of capacity. Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle, (408) 463-0711, Roger George of Roger George Guide Service, (559) 905-2954.

Delta/Stockton

The Delta is rapidly transitioning to its role as a summertime location for lazy river cruises, houseboat ventures and water skiing, as the stripers are on their way out of the river system after doing their business up in the Sacramento River. There will always be a resident population of striped bass and sturgeon, but interest in fishing for both species has waned. However, J.R. Waldron of Northcoast Outfitters said, “Not so fast. Don’t put on your water skis yet, as the striper action has not slowed down, and there are new fish still showing up on a daily basis.” Waldron went out Monday with Bob Wright of Wright’s Sport Fishing, and they found stripers on spoons and swimbaits despite fighting the 25-mph wind. Shad action has heated up at Freeport and Clarksburg, and Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento said, “The shad bite has been wide open, and there are 25 boats lined up at the pipe across the river in Freeport drop-shotting or tossing 1-inch champagne grubs on a 1/32nd jig head or shad darts.” Bank fishermen are also lined up along the shoreline access areas. Clarksburg is another good location for shad, and there is far less boat pressure in this area. Striped bass are either heading upriver to spawn or running back quickly into the warm water of the bay after spawning. J.D. Richey of Richey’s Sport Fishing was on the Sacramento and San Joaquin side of the Delta this week, and he reported massive amounts of meter marks in the river, but they are in the shape of Christmas trees, which is a sure sign of fish on their way to the spawn. He said, “You go through a huge group of fish and only hook one, but the good news is they should be hungry once again soon.” Shallow trolling expert Clyde Wands found good striped bass action on the Sacramento River system early in the week, turning loose linesides at 13, 13 and 17 pounds on shallow-diving P-Line Angry Eye Predator Minnows, Yozuri Crystal Minnows or RatLTraps. Unfortunately, a marauding sea lion snatched all of the released fish, making Wands and the rest of us sick. They landed eight keeper stripers for two limits to 7 pounds. He said, “The fish bit pretty well despite the big tides, but the stripers have vacated the San Joaquin River after being there last week.” Ping Chanhnow of Delta Tackle and Bait in Stockton confirmed the big schools of striped bass in the Rio Vista area, stating, “Boaters are reporting that their electronics are lighting up with fish, but they have been reluctant to bite. Trollers are finding better action by coating their lures with shad gels and trolling faster at speeds to 6 mph.” Delta Tackle and Bait is a new shop off on Hammer Lane west of Interstate 5. Sturgeon interest has been limited within the past several weeks, and Do Doung of Dockside Bait in Pittsburg said, “Mother’s Day limited the number of fishermen out on Sunday, but there have been a few sturgeon landed at Collinsville, Broad Slough or Chain Island, but most of these fish are undersized.” They once again have a supply of grass shrimp, which had been scarce for months. Construction began this past week on the temporary rock barrier on False River, and area boaters have to reroute through Fishermen’s Cut to reach the main San Joaquin River from Bethel Island. Captain Stan Koenigsberger of Quetzal Adventures out of Bethel Harbor made his last trip through False River on Thursday, and he put Bob Sawyer of Angels Camp onto nine stripers for a limit to 6 pounds. He said, “False River is now closed to through boat traffic from the mouth of the San Joaquin River to a few hundred yards east of the Stucco House. I tried fishing at the Stucco House, but we got chased out by workers. They had moved the ‘Do Not Enter’ signs since my trip on Wednesday. There are three signs indicating no passage through False River. They are killing one of the best fishing spots in this part of the Delta.” Boaters have to be cautious for barges moving rock through Fishermen’s Cut and in the San Joaquin River. Steve Santucci of Steve Santucci’s Guide Service reported on Lost Coast Outfitters, “Stripers are a little harder to locate but still some big fish in the system. Smallmouth fishing is very good, and you can easily catch good numbers of fish. Largemouth bass are starting to hit topwater flies, and the Delta is continually clearing and returning to its normal color.” Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, continues to find phenomenal largemouth bass action despite the high winds. He said, “The tide was great during the past week with a morning incoming to the high and the switch to the outgo later in the day, and we have been able to use the ima Squarebill crankbait in chartreuse/black in dinghy water conditions or red/black in clearer water, and we have had no problem catching fish.” Their top day was 75 bass with limits ranging from 22 to 29 pounds. The Persuader Rattlin’ Blade spinnerbait is another solid option in the off-color water with the rattle chamber creating noise to attract the bass. He has been ticking the tops of the weeds with the lure on the incoming tide against the banks. In the south Delta, bluegill and catfish action is best near Big Break, Orwood, Bethel Island, Brannon Island and Holland Tract with clams, anchovies and frozen shad. Crappie can be found west of Stockton from the Eight Mile Road access areas with small minnows or crappie jigs. Call: Randy Pringle, (209) 543-6260; Captain Stan Koenigsberger – Quetzal Adventures, (925) 570-5303; Intimidator Sport Fishing, (916) 806-3030.

This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 6:33 PM with the headline "Fishing report for May 14."