Fishing report for week of Feb. 5-11: Bass biting at Don Pedro and Lake McClure

Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a former Olympic-class decathlete at Fresno State and striper record-holder at Millerton Lake and who now guides in the greater Fresno area. Telephone numbers are in 559 calling area unless noted.

Best bets

Delta sturgeon and striper action good, Alan Fong said. Pine Flat bass, king salmon and trout bites lead Valley, Jake Figgs reported. Southern aqueduct stripers active, Pete Cormier said. McClure and Don Pedro bass biting, Ryan Cook reported. Sycamore Island trout and bass hungry, Sarah Parker said.

Valley

In the northern section of the aqueduct around Los Banos, Jake Figgs of Valley Rod and Gun said, “The action is picking up with Rage Swimmer or Kei Tech swimbaits as shore fishermen have been transitioning from the main San Luis Reservoir to the aqueduct and the O’Neill Forebay.”

In the southern section of the aqueduct in Kern County, Pete Cormier of Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield reported continued good striped bass action throughout the stretch of the water conveyance system, and he said, “Minnows have been very popular, and we have been loading up with all sizes of minnows as jumbos and extra-large minnows have been flying out of the shop for the aqueduct. Lures such as jerkbaits, flukes and tube baits in shad patterns also continue to work for the linesides.” Catfish are found on anchovies, sardines, mackerel or Sonny’s Dip Baits.

Call: Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis 559-292-3474; Bob’s Bait Bucket 661-833-8657

The bass action at Don Pedro and McClure is starting to heat up slowly with better numbers at McClure but a larger grade at Don Pedro. The Merced Bass Club held a 47-boat event on Saturday, and the team of Elabio Garcia and Jeff Edding took first at 18.00 pounds with the second-place team of Christian Ostrander and Ronnie Heil coming in with 16.50 pounds. These weights are much larger than the typical 11 to 12 pounds which has been the rule at McClure.

Ryan Cook of Ryan Cook’s Fishing was on both lakes this week, and he said, “We have been averaging between 10 and 20 bass at Don Pedro per day with most found between 20 and 40 feet over island tops and main lake points with some bass in the creek channels. Plastics on the Ned-rig, Senkos or 3.5-inch Dry Creek tubes are all working, but the key is to slow down. You have to fish slow, and we have landed four bass over 5 pounds at the lake this week. There are bass popping bait on the surface, and a few bass are taken on umbrella rigs.”

Trout fishing is started to pick up with a few trollers starting to score with shad-patterned spoons. A heavy plant of fingerling king salmon and kokanee this spring should pay dividends in the future.

The lake held at 80%.

Call: Monte Smith 209-581-4734; Kyle Wise – Head Hunter Guide Service 209-531-3966; Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing 559-691-7008

At McClure, Cook said, “The bite is good, and you can catch plenty of numbers, but the winning weights in the tournaments continue to be around the 11- to 12-pound range. The bass can be found fairly shallow to as deep as 50 feet, and it has been the same deal with 3.5-inch Dry Creek tubes on a quarter-ounce dart head along with G-Money jigs, or Senkos on a shaky head or drop- shot. The bass are holding on main lake points along with island tops. As the lake has yet to turn over, the reaction bite remains slow.”

Steve Marquette at the Lake McClure/McSwain Recreation Company reported a few trout trollers have been out on the lake, and they are picking up a few rainbows in deep water around the dam.

McClure held at 62%.

Call: Ryan Cook – Ryan Cook’s Fishing 559-691-7008

Marquette said, “The lake is still waiting for another trout plant, and trollers are only finding a rainbow or two with blade/’crawler combinations in front of the Handicapped Docks, the dam, the marina and off of the cabins. Drifting small balls of trout dough bait has been the most productive method by boaters. Bank fishing remains slow with the lack of plants.” Lake levels remain high.

Call: McSwain Marina 209-378-2534

The largemouth and spotted bass bite continues to improve as the water is warming up. The reaction bite is showing some signs of life, and Alex Niapas of Angels Camp found a few quality bass on swimbaits on Sunday; however, the techniques of plastics on a Ned-rig, drop-shot, or dart head continue to be most effective at depths from 15 to 35 feet as the bass are starting to move up. Trout trolling remains slow, but there is the opportunity for an occasional trophy rainbow on spoons such as Speedy Shiners or Needlefish in shad patterns or a Rapala.

The bass bite has improved considerably within a week as the water temperatures are starting to climb to 55 degrees in some sections of the lake. Trout fishing remains a challenge with only a few large rainbows taken on big plugs as the rainbows remain out in open water.

The Angels Cove launch ramp is closed, and the fish cleaning station remains closed at Angels Cove with water line breaks interfering with operations.

New Melones held at 83%.

Call: Glory Hole Sports 209-736-4333; Monte Smith 209-581-4734; John Liechty Xperience Fishing Guide Service 209-743-9932

San Luis Reservoir remains on its rapid rise with increased pumping out of the south Delta, and the bait has moved off of the shorelines in response. The shoreline bite has slowed down considerably within the past few weeks in the main lake, and most shore fishermen are finding solid action for numbers of undersized striped bass along the Highway 33 side of the O’Neill Forebay.

Figgs said, “We haven’t heard too much about the big lake, but there is a good night bite in the forebay with ripbaits or umbrella rigs for numbers of undersized stripers, but you can cull through the numbers for a legal limit.” Gilbert added, “Storm swimbaits are working for stripers in the 16- to 22-inch range, and there is some good action in the northern section of the California Aqueduct.”

Mickey Clements at Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill said, “San Luis is slowing down as the water is being pumped in and the bait has moved out into open water. If you have good electronics, you can find a school and either drop down 1.75-pound Duh! Spoons in lime green or rainbow trout along with jumbo minnows, but after picking up three or four stripers, you will have to move on and find another school as they scatter. It is a ‘run and gun’ right now.” The Highway 33 side of the forebay in the narrows has been the best location for stripers with blood worms, pile worms, or anchovies, but live grass shrimp is working very well. Most of these stripers are undersized at 13-14 inches.”

Roger George of Roger’s Guide Service said, “San Luis is still fishing harder than normal for this time of year with lots of anglers telling me they are finding fish, but they are inactive and suspended. I’m even having minnow fishermen tell me they are putting their baits right into the middle of a school, and they’re lucky to get a bite. The trolling bite has improved a little, but it’s the same problem with finding active biters. I fished with three guests on Friday and I had to keep moving all over the lake getting one fish here and there. We ended up with 21 fish with most in the 22-inch range topped by a 25-inch striper trolling Lucky Crafts, Smithwicks and Rapalas from 50 to 75 feet in flats areas and over deep humps. Portuguese Cove produced a few fish, but the West Bank and Romero areas are worth checking out, too. Moving to another spot is key if the fish won’t bite, and it is important to keep moving till you find some. The water temperatures have come up in the last few days with the nice weather but the predicted cold front is going to change that quickly. The warmer-than-normal clear water is still coming up around 4,000 to 5,000 acre-feet per day and has now reached the 1.5 million-acre-foot mark for the lake which is 43 feet from the top.”

The lake rose from 73% to 75%.

George has set two dates for his Downrigging 101 for Stripers class: March 5 at the Fresno Sportsman’s Warehouse and March 12 at the Visalia Sportsman’s Warehouse. Each class starts at 6 p.m. Preregistration is required as there is limited seating. The cost is $50 per student. Info and registration at 905-2954.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle 408-463-0711, Roger George, 559-905-2954, rogergeorgeguideservice.com

Half Moon Bay private and party boats are filling in the time between the end of the 2019 rockfish season and the start of the 2020 rockfish season on April 1st by either settling for boat maintenance or taking out light loads for sand dab/crab combination trips. The good news is the crab limits remain the rule as the pots are filling up once again with the longer soaks and the decrease in commercial pressure.

Half Moon Bay along with Monterery Bay is one of the best locations to score sand dabs and petrale sole along the coast, and Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat is scheduling these trips depending upon interest and weather conditions.

Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat Captain Tom Mattusch of the Huli Cat said, “On Friday, we went on a sand dab and crab combo, 14 miles west of Pillar Point Harbor in 280-ft of water. The Ahi Sand Dad Rig produced dabs to 11.5 inches for Jeanne Tognoni from Belmont and Mike Sieczko from San Francisco. We ended up with 112 sand dabs and 60 crab for 6 anglers in breezy ocean conditions.

Out of Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, the party boats will focus on nature trips along with whale watching in the interim months before the rockfish and salmon seasons are anticipated to open in April. Captain Jerad Davis of the Salty Lady will also be running whale watching trips on Saturdays and Sundays through April.

Dungeness crab are still available from the commercial boats in the harbor.

Further north in Pacifica, rock crab along with the occasional Dungeness crab are taken on snares loaded with squid, anchovies, or sardines at the Pacifica Pier. The pier remains one of the most popular locations for crabbing from the shoreline in northern California, and it is open daily from 4:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m., weather depending.

Perch fishing from the beaches both north and south of Half Moon Bay is getting some play, particularly with the increased popularity of surf perch fishing due to tournaments such as the upcoming Sand Crab Surf Perch Classic out of Santa Cruz on Saturday, March 14th. The overall numbers of perch have been less, but there are quality barred and redtail perch taken on Lucky Craft Flash Minnows or Berkley Camo Worms

Call: Captain Dennis Baxter, New Captain Pete 650-576-3844; Captain Tom Mattusch, Huli Cat 650-619-0459

Chris’s Landing in Monterey went whale watching for California Gray Whales on Saturday on the Star of Monterey while the Check Mate took out 13 anglers for plenty of sand dabs and 57 Dungeness crab. They are running the popular crab/sand dab combination trips weather and interest depending. The gale conditions over the next few days will keep the boats tied up to the docks.

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak and Surfcasting Guide Service said, “Big breaking waves inhibited surfcasting. Not just the massive amount of water moving through the surfline, but mostly the inevitable kelp and seagrass that makes retrieves a tug of war, and smothers your bait so it’s not really fishing at all. And, it looks like another large swell is forecast for this coming weekend as well.

Still, there are spots where anglers can find clean water. A little beach hopping might be necessary, but it’s worth the effort to satisfy the need for feeling that tug again. Anglers are doing fairly well perch fishing from the Capitola Wharf. Using a standard Carolina rig with GULP! sandworms, or shrimp bits is a sure bet. Try to cast just behind the surf line for the barred, walleye and calico surfperch. Farther out on the wharf where the water is deeper, a dropshot rig or the multi-hook Sabiki rigs with shrimp bait work well. In the deeper water, anglers are more likely to catch one of the big seaperch, like the pile perch, rubberlip or black perch hanging around the pilings for the wharf. We’ve also heard of a number of rockfish caught from the Capitola Wharf this week, in the small to medium size range. Any of the methods mentioned above can work for the rockies, as can whole anchovies, or whole squid on a larger hook or a shrimp fly jig. While rockfish season is closed right now for boaters, it is legal to catch them year-round from shore or man-made structures such as jetties and piers.”

Call: Chris’ Landing 831-375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting 831-251-9732

The 36th Annual Foundation Sportsmen’s Club Original Sturgeon aka, “Super Bowl” Derby out of McAvoy’s Boat Harbor in Bay Point arrived with great weather on the first day of the competition as there were several sturgeon within 4.75 inches of the huge 58-inch target length. However, after experiencing great weather on Saturday, the wind came up with a vengeance on Sunday morning, and the size of the sturgeon weighed in dropped considerably below the target-length. With a target-length so close to the slot limit of 60 inches, there isn’t much room on the upper end to bring in a sturgeon, and the Saturday’s winning sturgeon came in 5 minutes before the midnight limit, and the 57-inch sturgeon knocked the other’s placing down a notch.

The improved weather during this year’s event brought out 736 participants, 150 more than the 586 during last year’s weekend of high winds and constant rain; however, participation in the derby is down after a high point of 1041 fishermen in 2018.

As a result of the increased participation over 2019, the top prize money rose nearly $1000 to $4600.00 from $3,662.00 last year. Anglers went out in search of the 58-inch target length starting at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., and many participants fished throughout the entire 30 hours of the event.

Tony Lopez of Benicia Bait said, “The wind was tough on Sunday, and we had only 7 sturgeon brought to the weighmasters with the 7th place sturgeon nearly 16 inches from the 58-inch target after the top seven places were within 2 inches on Saturday. Overall, it was a very successful derby.”

The Foundation Sportsmen’s Club started with a group of anglers in Bay Point who needed a place to go, and they rebuilt a dilapidated bait shop for their clubhouse. According to the club’s history, shortly after the club was formed, a young man named Johnny Filbeck lost his battle with cancer, and since he was a huge football fan, the club members formed a 501 (c) 3 foundation to establish a scholarship fund in Johnny’s name to help high school students from the Bay Point area who participated in sports during their four years of high school to attend college. Major funding for the scholarships come from the ‘Super Bowl’ Sturgeon Derby.

The local bait shops prepared with plenty of live ghost shrimp, grass shrimp, and pile worms, but with the inclement weather limiting participation, there was plenty of live bait left in the tanks after the derby weekend.

This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Fishing report for week of Feb. 5-11: Bass biting at Don Pedro and Lake McClure."