Central California fishing report: New Melones kokanee and bass bites top draw

Fishing report compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

Best bets

Don Pedro multi-species feast going, Monte Smith said. New Melones kokanee and bass bites top draws, Aaron Jones reported. Pine Flat bass and rainbow hitting, Tas Moua said. Kaweah and Lake Success bass and crappie bites good, Copes Tackle reported. Bass Lake trout on the prowl, Mike Beighey said. Wishon limits the rule, Kelly Brewer said. Delta bass going strong, Dave Hurley reported.

Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother

Unless noted, area code is 559

Valley/Westside waterways

Striper 3 Catfish 3

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported Storm Wild Eye Swim Shad swimbaits are working for anglers casting into the current and working it back on a steady retrieve. Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle reported much improvement for both catfish and striped bass with bait near Patterson Pass Road. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported great catfishing for both numbers and grade as a whiskerfish weighing nearly 15 pounds was reported. mornings and evenings are best with cut sardines, mackerel, chicken liver, or Triple S dip bait on a Carolina-rig. There is decent striped bass action with cut bait or jumbo live minnows while walking topwater baits or jerkbaits in white or Aurora Black are effective during low light conditions. Roboworms in Oxblood or green pumpkin on a drop-shot or Texas-rig are working for largemouth bass.

A map of the 16 designated fishing locations on the California Aqueduct can be accessed through this link: https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DsWR-Website/Web-Pages/What-We-Do/Recreation/Files/230424_SWP-Fishing-Guildines-Locations_Online_FINAL.pdf.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Cope’s Tackle and Rod, Bakersfield – (661) 679-6351; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

At Eastman, Tas Moua reported a continued short window for reaction baits such as crankbaits or lipless crankbaits in the early morning before the bass move out into deep water. The topwater bite remains slow, but jigs, and plastics are working once the bass orient to deep structure. There is still the possibility for big 6- to 8-inch swimbaits in solid white or shad patterns to work in low light hours in the late afternoons into evening as the larger bass are feeding on crappie. At Hensley, Moua reported jigs or plastics on a Carolina-rig, shakey head, or drop-shot are effective as the bass are moving toward main lake points with the dropping water levels. Both lakes are releasing water, and Eastman dropped 5 feet to 531.59 feet in elevation and 45% of capacity with Hensley dropping 3 feet to 489.29 feet in elevation and 31% of capacity. Only one more event is scheduled at Eastman through the end of June.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 3 King salmon 3 Crappie 2

Kokanee, king salmon, and rainbow trout keep on coming as Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing found great action on Sunday for his three clients running Pro Troll’s Kokanee Killers behind a Mac’s pink dodger at depths from 55 to 70 feet. He said, “The fish came up and are feeding shallower, but we did land kokanee between 80 and 85 feet earlier in the week. The kokanee remain in very good shape averaging 15/16 inches with a few up to 18 inches. He said, “They are in there, and you just must find them. We started out hot on Sunday with a king and a rainbow on within the five minutes. Both the kings and the rainbow are feeding on small one-inch shad, but I did have a king with a 3-inch shad in its belly. For bass, Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle reported topwater lures are working throughout the day as the bass are scattered from the surface to suspended to the bottom. Walking baits such as Berkley’s Choppo 90’s, Whopper Ploppers, or Poppers are effective while jigs are taking the best grade. Plastics on a drop-shot are working for numbers, and suspended fish can be found with jerkbaits. A medium diving crankbait is effective for covering water. Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle participated in the 72-boat Ryon Mora Memorial Kayak tournament on Sunday, and he reported the best action with Magnum Spoons tossed at depths to 20 to 30 feet in 100 feet of water as the bass were chasing the spoons down before striking them. The bass are feeding on the larger shad, and they are relating to structure. Recreational boat traffic is heavy on the weekends, and patience at the launch ramp is necessary. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake dropped a foot to 823.03 feet in elevation and 96% of capacity. The Blue Oaks launch ramp is currently open. The lake will host 5 tournaments scheduled through the end of July. A self-inspection is required for launching.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area

Bass 3 Trout 2 Crappie 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3

The lake dropped a half foot to 2,585.79 feet in elevation and 64% of capacity. Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported excellent fishing conditions with the water temperatures rising between 70 and 74 degrees. They reported a ‘phenomenal’ bass bite off Rocky Point, Engineers Point, the “3 Crosses” area, and Lime Dyke at depths from 6 to 20 feet of water with a variety of baits. Creature baits in green pumpkin, green pumpkin jigs, purple worms, craw-pattern crankbaits, Rapala jerkbaits in shad or blue hues, chatterbaits, or big swimbaits have all been effective in drawing strikes. The crappie bite remains strong, especially at depths from 20 to 30 feet near submerged brush and dock structure with minijigs, small swimbaits, and live shiners. Using electronics to locate the schools of slabs is important. Catfishing is best in the evenings and at night in the deeper coves and creek channels with cut bait, nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or clams. Trout fishing continues to hold up in the mornings near the Cemetery and the North Fork area with Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or spoons drawing strikes. Bluegill are active in the shallows near the French Gulch Marina and can be caught on small worms or insect baits. In the Kern River, Cope’s reported fishing continues to be productive throughout the 20-mile stretch due to regular trout plants, providing opportunities for both stocked and wild trout. Salmon eggs, crickets, or Panther Martin spinners on a light spinning outfit with light line is best while fly fishermen are scoring with attractor nymphs, streamers, or dry flies during the late afternoon hatches. Section 3, from Sandy Flat to Isabella Dam in the lower Kern, is scheduled to be stocked the week of June 29. In the lower Kern, trout are taken on salmon eggs on a split-shot, chartreuse garlic Power Bait, or small spinners. In addition to trout, bass are active and responding well to soft plastics, jigs, or small crankbaits. Catfish are also showing up on cut baits or nightcrawlers. The flows in the upper Kern River dropped from 1743 to 1143 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake are steady at 1388 cfs at First Point. Four bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of July.

Call: Cope’s Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816.

Lake Kaweah

Bass 3 Crappie 3 Trout 2 Catfish 3

The lake dropped eight feet to 704.80 feet in elevation and 89% of capacity. Cope’s reported continued solid fishing despite the dropping water levels as largemouth bass are hitting topwater lures, underspins, or a variety of small plastics along bluff walls, rocky points, or in the submerged brush. Minijigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small live minnows are working for crappie, particularly in the major coves with submerged structure. Triple S Dip Bait is most effective for catfish. The Kaweah River dropped from 910 to 433 cfs at Three Rivers, but the flows are still high and dangerous. No additional bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of July. Trout plants are scheduled at Hedrick Pond for the next two weeks.

Lake Success

Bass 3 Crappie 3 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake dropped 2 feet to 650.73 feet in elevation and 97% of capacity. Cope’s reported good action for multiple species as largemouth bass are holding in submerged brush or trees, and weightless Senkos, plastics in Oxblood or green pumpkin on the drop-shot, or small swimbaits are effective. The topwater bite is improving. Crappie are found on small minnows on a slip rig or minijigs while catfish are inhaling dip bait or cut bait on a Carolina-rig. Trout plants are scheduled at Tule River, South Fork, Middle Fork #2; Tule River North Fork, Middle Fork #1, Balch Park Upper and Lower, and Big Meadows this week.

McClure Reservoir

Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2

Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait in Modesto a topwater bite throughout the day with Poppers, Berkley’s Choppo 90’s, and Whopper Ploppers while jigs continue to locate the larger fish. Participants in the Yak A’ Bass kayak tournament on Saturday found steady action with topwater lures worked through saddles and over rockpiles. Trout continue to be taken on blade/’crawler combination, spoons, or spinners at depths from 30 to 55 feet. The Reel Deel Market at Barrett’s Cove is now open for the summer. The lake dropped a half foot to 855.03 feet in elevation and 91% of capacity. Tournament action has slowed down with only 4 tournaments scheduled through the end of June.

Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake McSwain

Trout 2

Fishing interest is limited to bank anglers hoping for a fish or two in the early mornings from the banks as the lack of plants since early April have led to extremely slow fishing. Trollers continue to have the upper hand above the Second Fence Line with Rapalas, Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler, or spoons at depths from the surface to 15 feet have been effective for a few quality holdovers. The Splash and Dash is the main feature at McSwain during the summer months. The Reel Deal Market at McSwain is open on summer hours. The lake is at 83% of capacity. https://mysplashndash.com/knowbeforeyougo/#hours.

Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 2 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Tas Moua reported the best action continues to be in the river arm with underspins, jerkbaits, plastics on the drop-shot, or shakey head. Recreational boat traffic dominates in the main lake. The lake rose slightly, and it is at 572.69 feet in elevation and 95% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant have dropped from 292 to 196 cfs. Sycamore Island is open every day from 6:00 am to 5:30 pm. No addition tournaments are scheduled through the end of June, and there is one in mid-July.

Call: Fresno 559 Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3

Kokanee fishing remains outstanding with experienced trollers picking up limits to 17 inches running a variety of gear at depths from 50 to 75 feet. Live scope is a big advantage as trollers are following the kokanee moving downward to locate the lures. Several different spinners or J-Pex type lures are working including Paulina Peak’s Wiggle Bug behind a 5½-inch Paulina Peak gold dodger. For bass, Aaron Jones reported similar action to the other Mother Lode lakes with a solid topwater bite, and anglers are reporting 40 to 80 fish days with a variety of baits including crankbaits, jigs, or plastics on the drop-shot. The bass are holding at varying depths from the surface to suspended to the bottom. A decontamination unit is available at the New Melones Marina on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting May 20. Boaters are advised to schedule a decontamination via https://musseldecon.com/ with a deposit of $60. Costs will vary from a minimum of $60 to $180 up depending upon the size and complexity of the vessel. Boats not making a reservation will be charged as much as $180. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the Glory Hole and Tuttletown ramps are open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. From Monday through Thursday, only the Glory Hole ramp is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Downstream Lake Tulloch established the 30-day quarantine process to allow boating for inspected boats after the quarantine period is completed. The lake dropped over 2 feet to 1038.42 feet in elevation and 77% of capacity with Tulloch at 97% of capacity.

Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 3 Trout 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Tas Moau reported a good crankbait bite along with plastics on a Carolina-rig. He said, “One customer reported landed a 5-pound spotted bass and a 5-pound largemouth bass working main lake points.” Bass are holding on primary and secondary points with rock while the baitfish schools have gone deep. Brian Klassen of Reedley said, “Pine Flat is definitely a sleeper as the bite is as good as it gets.” He was out with his Evan along with Lee Volkman of Armona, Kyle Allen and his son Mark of Reedley, and Aaron Kimberling of Sanger, and they were on the water early with lines in at 5:20 a.m. at the Power Lines. Klassen said, “The hot trout bite continued as we immediately started picking up rainbows from 12 to 15 inches running Dick’s Jimbo Trout Busters blade/’crawler combinations, blue/chrome Speedy Shiners, or pink wedding rings tipped with crawlers behind dodger at depths from 30 to 40 feet. The action was fast and furious. Later, we fished towards Windy Gap for a solitary 21-inch king salmon rolling shad behind a dodger at 70 feet. The bite was incredible as we netted 30 rainbows and a king by 9:40 a.m.” Jim Tartaglia also reported a wide-open trout bite with pink, orange, and chartreuse Sierra Gold or ExCel spoons tipped with nightcrawlers on a 6- to 8-inch leaders behind a large 6-inch dodger at depths from 25 to 60 feet at varying speeds from 1.75 to 2.25 mph. Tartaglia said, “Bait balls are finally showing up in the main lake as the shad have been spawning. The bite will improve as more shad move into the main body of the lake. King salmon are showing in small numbers all over the main body as I hooked a 3-pound king, and in the coming months, I believe the king bite is going to be awesome. We hooked Kings from 65 feet deep to 125 deep. For now, the bite is best 100 to 130 but it’s much harder to hook one at those depths.” In the lower Kings River, the flows dropped from 3284 to 2241 cfs at Trimmer, and the flows are dropping steadily. Trout plants are scheduled for the next two weeks. Trout action is picking up with Roostertails, Panther Martin’s, Joe’s Flies, salmon eggs, or Power Bait in the transition from fast to slow water. The catch-and-release section is located below the Alta Weir (also known as Cobbles Weir) extending downstream to the Highway 180 bridge. This area is considered a zero limit, catch-and-release zone where only artificial lures with barbless hooks are allowed. The lake dropped 9½ feet to 910.83 feet in elevation and 78% of capacity. No tournaments are scheduled at Pine Flat through the end of June, but there are two in late July.Call: 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported the main lake continues to drop rapidly, and trollers are running P-Line’s Predator Minnows at depths from 60 to 80 feet with the striped bass holding off the bottom on the flats. Bank anglers are soaking anchovies or pile worms while lure casters are working Duo Realis 130’s in Chartreuse Shad along with one-ounce Rat-L-Traps.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the recent high winds and cooling temps put the fish off the bite for a couple days. “ The winds up to 40 mph shutdown the lake for a few days- as well as the bite. I fished with three guests on Sunday and the fish were not active most all day – with most anglers reporting few bites. We managed a couple fish to 23 ,“ but hopefully the warming weather will kick things into gear soon. “ George said.

In the forebay, bank fishing is the story with sardines, anchovies, or pile worms, and most of the shoreline areas remain fishable without excessive weed growth. However, Check 12 is getting a bit grassed out. The main lake dropped to 54% of capacity while the forebay rose to 87% of capacity. Boat inspections at San Luis Reservoir, O’Neill Forebay, and Los Banos Creek Reservoir in Merced County are required when exiting these lakes to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. At O’Neill Forebay, golden mussels were detected. Boats leaving these San Luis Recreation Area lakes will not be granted a “clean boat” tag. After boating in waterways, always remember to clean, drain, and dry to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species. To check the real time wind conditions on the lake - use windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir. A harmful algae bloom warning has been established at Los Banos Creek Reservoir.

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

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 2

Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake reported, “The lake is producing large loads of rainbow trout, and a couple of Kokanee have been seen in the dam area. There are still some trophy rainbow trout from the derby plants in early May, and a Lightning trout was also landed this week. The best trolling location has been from Miller’s Landing to the dam with orange Dick’s Trout Busters, Fin Reaper spinners, orange Wiggle Hoochies, pink Radical Glow Tubes, or orange mini squids tipped with corn behind a Dick’s Mountain Dodger in blue, silver, or gold at depths from 15 to 30 feet at 1½ mph. The water is warming up, and the trout are heading into deep water. The recreational boat traffic has been heavy. Buoys have been moved in where the kokanee will be showing up, and the buoys are in the way for trollers in the dam area, allowing speed boats to go in there. This is dangerous for trollers along with interfering with the kokanee spawn.” Tas Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported solid bass action around the grass flats with watermelon plastics on a drop-shot or flukes, but the recreational boat traffic is very heavy and affecting the ability to fish peacefully. A live webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1.

Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Kaiser Pass Road is open, and Edison is producing some brown trout near the dam. Edison rose to 71% of capacity, Florence dropped slightly to 90% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool dropped to 89% of capacity due to snowmelt. A trout plant is scheduled at Hume Lake this week along with consecutive plants at Portal Forebay and Ward Lake for two weeks. Southern California Edison (SCE), in partnership with the Sierra National Forest are rehabilitating the boat launch and campground. According to the Sierra National Forest’s press release, “The campground and boat launch have recently been turned over to SCE’s control to begin the rehabilitation work. To complete this work, SCE will need one year for the boat launch-related work (until May 2026), and two years for the campground (May 2027), keeping in mind that given the elevation, there is only a limited window of time to complete this type of work during the year. Forest Order 05-15-51-25-06 covering SCE’s rehabilitation work will be released soon.” Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station – 855-5355 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/sierra. Hume Lake, Ward Lake, and Portal Forebay are all scheduled to be planted this week.

Road conditions 297-0706.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Mountain Tackle, reported, “Shaver Lake experienced a slight slowdown this week following weeks of fantastic 2nd year kokanee fishing. I took Doc Barb Stewart out this week for a mid-morning trip, and we fished much of the lake picking up one here and one there with the best action at Eagle Point. We released a couple of limits of kokanee out of around 25 hookups fishing at depths from 30 to 40 feet with Dick’s Mountain Tube’s or Candy in pink and orange tipped with pink corn behind Doc Barb and D-MAC Mountain Dodgers on the downriggers. On our side rods, a Texas Tea Trout Buster tipped with orange corn, behind a weighted Mountain Flasher at setback of 100 feet will get down to 20 to 23 feet down. David Geil, David Sr., and son Owen of Sanger hit the lake a day later and supported my report of slower action. They released 6 kokanee and 4 trout, including a 5.4-pound rainbow caught by David Sr. along with 2 two yearling sin the 2-pound class.The Geil’s found most of their action from Black Rock to Eagle Point at depths from 30 to 35 feet with Dick’s Shaver Trout Busters or pink Mountain Candy behind D-MAC or Watermelon Mountain Dodgers. There was a trout plant by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife last week prior to the annual Greg Marks/Shaver Trophy Trout Youth Derby. The weather has warmed up with a surface temperature at 68 degrees.“ Jordean Chase of Clovis made a quick trip to Shaver on Saturday, and he and found an abundance of mixed fish, saying, “I found the recent plant of trout, and within three hours, I released 15 rainbows and 7 kokanee using Dick’s Mountain pink Koke Busters behind a pink Mountain Dodger,” Both ramps are open. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. At Huntington, a recent trout plant has improved bank fishing with Power Bait or nightcrawlers near the mouth of Rancheria Creek. Trolling is producing unlimited numbers of small kokanee and rainbow trout. Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions. Shaver rose to 88 with Huntington at 98% of capacity. A trout plant is scheduled for Huntington, Tamarack Creek, 10-Mile Creek, and Beasley Creek this week with a plant at Shaver next week.

Call: Paul Brown 300-4001; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100.

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 3

Kelly Brewer of the Wishon RV Park and Store reported both Wishon and Courtright continue to produce limits of planted trout, and there have been more fish in the 14- to 16-inch range. Inflated nightcrawlers are working best from the banks while trollers are rolling blade/’crawler combinations. Trout plants are scheduled at Courtright and Dinkey Creek the next two weeks with a plant at Wishon next week.

Road conditions – Sierra National Forest Ranger Station 297-0706.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361.

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife released a press release on Monday afternoon regarding the remainder of the 2025 ocean salmon season: “The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates 9,165 Chinook salmon were taken statewide by 10,505 anglers aboard both charter vessels and private skiffs, achieving the summer fishery harvest guideline of 7,000 Chinook. On recommendation from CDFW and industry, the National Marine Fisheries Service took in-season action today to close the remaining summer dates of July 5-6, July 31-Aug. 3, and Aug. 25-31. Like most salmon seasons, the majority of catch and the greatest number of anglers originated from ports in the greater San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. Nearly 100 CDFW and partner-agency staff participated in dockside data collection activities over the opening weekend at major boat launches and sport fishing centers statewide, counting anglers and their fish and collecting heads of hatchery-origin fish to recover coded wire tags containing life history information. The recreational ocean salmon fishery is set to reopen Sept. 4-7 under a separate fall harvest guideline of 7,500 Chinook in waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur. If the harvest guideline isn’t reached, the season will continue Sept. 29-30. If any fish remain after this date, the fishery will continue in waters between Pt. Reyes to Pigeon Point on Oct. 1-5 and Oct. 27-31. The use of harvest guidelines and in-season management in California’s ocean sport fishery management is new this year. The guidelines were developed as part of the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s pre-season process using catch and effort information from prior years along with expected performance this year. The guidelines serve to ensure that impacts from the fishery to stocks of particular concern - namely Klamath River fall Chinook and Central Valley Spring and Sacramento River Winter Chinook, are minimized. In-season management, including use of in-season monitoring and harvest guidelines, is a new objective identified in California’s Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future released in January 2024.”

Until September, rockfishing will be the primary focus out of this port, and limits of coastal rockfish along with the occasional lingcod is the rule. The Riptide produced 13 limits of rockfish and a lingcod on a recent trip. Rough ocean conditions have limited surf fishing for striped bass and perch, but when the conditions are right and safe, the best action has been pre-dawn until first light for striped bass on the beaches at Mussel Rock and Linda Mar. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches. Dungeness crab season ends on June 30.

Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819;

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Rockfish 2 Halibut 3 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Monterey Bay area anglers enjoyed the shot at king salmon last weekend. Limits were fairly common, and the fish were of high quality, mostly in the teens with some fish over 20 pounds. Saturday was called “wide open” by many, but the bite withered on Sunday. Luckily, rockfish is still going strong out to 120 feet of water. Charter boats were getting half to full limits of cod and one to 10 lingcod per outing last week, and the bite is improving as conditions improve. Wednesday’s trip on the Kahuna from J &M Sportfishing in Monterey reported 111 cod for 12 angers aboard, a whisker away from full limits. On the north side of the bay, Santa Cruz Coastal Charters maximized the fun using light spinning gear to catch some big rockfish, including one gargantuan lingcod that weighed in at 33 pounds on Monday’s trip.

Halibut fishing is hitting stride as the water warms. Water temperature in the bay is averaging around 3 degrees warmer than “normal” this season. Monterey anglers reported good halibut catches from Del Monte Beach up to Sand City. Many were in the 20- to 30-pound range. From Moss Landing, halibut hunters are heading north towards Pajaro and doing very well for big flatties in 40-60 feet of water. Halibut fishing is strong near the Santa Cruz Harbor and especially around Capitola and New Brighton Beach in 30-60 feet of water. Wednesday’s trip on the beautiful Miss Beth was dedicated to halibut fishing. At an “unknown location,” Skipper JT Thomas hooked his clients up with limits of big halibut up to 25 pounds. We would like to visit that spot soon, if we can figure out where the heck it is.

After this latest south swell calmed down, surfcasting got better and continues to improve daily. From Pacifica down to Monterey, the chances of finding, and catching striped bass has greatly improved. Multiple catches and limits (two per day) have been reported along this entire stretch of coastline. Wind is still a factor, as most days saw strong winds by late morning that continued past sunset. The night-fishers are doing particularly well on striped bass. Surf perch are getting bigger and more numerous. Finding a good steep beach with active sand crab colonies is almost a guarantee for catching limits of barred surf perch. We’ve also seen good incidents of walleye and calico schools on the beaches from Half Moon Bay down to Monterey. The southern San Mateo Coast is a very good bet right now for perch and striped bass. One angler came home with a striper and a bonus starry flounder this week while fishing in that area..”

Call: Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Halibut 3 Striper 3 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2

Tides continue to dominate San Francisco Bay fishing as the past week featured some small tides, and the halibut scores climbed in response. Captains reported the best halibut action of the year during the past week as the Captain James Smith on the California Dawn 2 posted 19 limits of striped bass to 18 and 19 limits of halibut to 29 pounds on Friday while the Happy Hooker, also out of Berkeley Marina, posted 31 limits of striped bass and 45 halibut. The halibut scores slipped to just over a fish per rod on the big boats over the weekend as the tides became larger, but limits of striped bass remain the rule. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Berkeley put in limits of bass in the 8- to 12-pound range for his clients along with limits of halibut. Limits of striped bass remain the rule, and the best action is in the central bay deep water spots such as Alcatraz Island, Angel Island, Red Rock, Buoy 2, and Buoy 4. Captain Trent Slate of Bite Me Charters out of Paradise Cove stayed in the north bay on Saturday for a handful of halibut before catching and releasing up to 60 striped bass on the anchor near Red Rock. Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco also sat on the anchor near Angel Island for limits of striped bass for 9 anglers within 10 minutes before drifting and trolling live bait for halibut. Better tides will arrive next week, and the halibut scores should climb.

Few boats have been heading up the coast for rockfish, but when they do, limits of rockfish and a healthy lingcod count is the story. More boats will focus on rockfish as we move toward the end of the month of July. Shallow water rockfishing less than 20 fathoms lasts until Sept. 30.

Call: Captain Ron Koyasako, Nautilus Excursions (916) 704-4169; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388.

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3

Rockfish continue to hold center stage out of the San Luis Obispo County porta, and Sunday produced decent counts for both Port San Luis and Morro Bay. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Lui two boats were out with 36 anglers on Sunday for 212 assorted rockfish, 9 vermilion, 2 Bolina, one Boccaccio, and 6 lingcod. Two boats were also out of Morro Bay Landing on Sunday with 40 passengers for 346 assorted rockfish, 27 vermilion, 15 copper, 12 Boccaccio, and 9 lingcod to 15 pounds. The local rockfish season below Point Lopez is open at all depths through June 30.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

The California Delta is moving into summertime mode as recreational boating is heating up, particularly on the narrower San Joaquin side. A major boat collision between a speedboat and a sailboat took place last weekend near Hog Island, resulting in critically injuring two passengers of the sailboat. Extreme caution is necessary at all times, especially during the summer months. The Sacramento side remains best for striped bass, and chatterbaits in the shallows continue to work inside and around Liberty Island. Boaters have to be familiar with this area in order to go into the island as shallow water and low tide will ground a boat for hours. The cooler waters of the Sacramento River are best for striped bass from Rio Vista to Collinsville, but high winds have been plaguing the ability to troll the popular West Bank. Largemouth bass remain the top species, and the bite for larger fish should improve as the females recover from post-spawn. A winning tournament limits is around 20 pounds with the mean limit in the 11-pound range. Chatterbaits, crankbaits, or underspins are working best, and the frog bite should improve as the air temperature increases into the normal triple-digit range. The big frog tournaments of the Ultimate Frog Challenge and the Snag Proof Open will be held out of Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island the final weekend of July and the first weekend of August, respectively. Upstream on the San Joaquin River above Mossdale, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported a plethora of undersized striped bass on anchovies, sardines, or pile worms during the day, but live bluegill or minnows are producing stripers in the 22- to 29-inch range from dark to 10 pm. The central Delta remains very slow for legal striped bass, but there are loads of undersized linesides from 6 to 17 inches.

Call: Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828. Soo Hoo Sport Fishing (925) 899-4045.

Events

Tournament Results:

June 21

Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc. High Rollers Division

1st – Marc Young/Kelly Oward – 20.96 pounds; 2nd- Hunter Schlander/Christian Ostrander – 20.76; 3rd – Joe and Joey Skym – 20.30 (Big Fish – 7.79).

Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc. Low Rollers Division

1st – Johnny Coats/Mark Perrone – 17.84 pounds (Big Fish – 8.24); 2nd- Steven Gellar/Garrett Stover – 17.34; 3rd – Brad and Jack Soto – 17.26.

McClure – Central Valley Kayak Fishing: 1st – Joseph Silva (Big Fish – 19.50 inches); 2nd – Damian Thao; 3rd – Pia Xiong.

McClure – Yak A’ Bass

1st- Joseph Silva – 86.00 inches; 2nd – Dana Remy – 84.25 inches; 3rd – Damian Thao – 83.25 inches.

Santa Margarita – Best Bass Tournaments Coastal Division

1st –Jason and Cody Domingos – 25.06 pounds; 2nd- Jason and Geno Lazzerini – 23.31 (Big Fish – 7.94); 3rd – Jay Short/Damon Meeks – 19.77.

June 22

Don Pedro – Ryon Mora Memorial Kayak Tournament

1st – Damian Thao – 95.50 inches; 2nd – Reed Frazier – 94.75 inches; 3rd – Joseph Silva – 92.25 inches.

Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)

Note – tournaments scheduled for New Melones, Camanche, Tulloch, or Pardee are subject to change and will not be listed

June 28

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

June 29

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

July 11, 18, /25

Don Pedro – Lake Tulloch Friday Nights

July 11-12

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

July 12-13

Millerton – Fresno Bass Club

July 12

Delta/SJ County – Yak A’ Bass

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Tri Valley Bass Masters

Amador – Modesto Ambassadors

Don Pedro – Kokanee Power Team Tournament

Don Pedro – Riverbank Bass Club/Bay Area Bassbusters

McClure – 17/90 Bass Club

Isabella – Bakersfield Bass Club/Golden Empire Bass Club

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo County Bass Ambushers

July 19

Salt Springs – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

McClure – Oro Madre Bass Club

Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club/Kings River Bass Club

Isabella – American Bass Association

July 20

Delta/B and W Resort – Best Bass Tournaments

Isabella – American Bass Association

July 26-27

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Ultimate Frog Challenge

July 26

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – NorCal Bass

For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.

This story was originally published June 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: New Melones kokanee and bass bites top draw."