Central California fishing report: Don Pedro and McClure bass action heats up
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
Delta sturgeon active, Steve Mitchell reported. Don Pedro and McClure bass action heats up, Ryan Denner said. McSwain plants producing trout limits, Dave Hurley reported. Pine Flat trout hitting, Corey Keller said. New Melones trout on a solid bite, Kyle Wise 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 2 Catfish 3
Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported continued slow action in the northern section of the aqueduct due to high flows from heavy water diversions from the south Delta. Only a few catfish or small striped bass are possible on bait, and it takes over 6 ounces to hold the bottom. Striperz Gone Wild Annual Memorial Aqueduct Tournament is tentatively scheduled for April 5 at Volta Road near Los Banos. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported decent fishing for smaller striped bass soaking lugworms or cut sardines after check gates. On low flow days, jumbo live minnows got the attention of striped bass, largemouth, or catfish. Catfish anglers also did well with dip baits or cut baits. Largemouth reports were on the slow side, but finesse techniques with a slow to dead stick approach usually get a few bites this time of year.
Aqueduct anglers are always advised to use caution as well as wearing a PFD as the water is swift, cold, and dangerous.
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
“Eastman continues to kick out a few big fish on rainbow trout-patterned swimbait, but most anglers are working the bottom with Brush Hogs or big plastics,” Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis said. Crappie are starting to show up in both lakes, but bass fishing at Hensley remains a challenge. Eastman rose 1½ feet to 541.31 feet in elevation and 54% of capacity with Hensley rising 2½ feet to 486.51 elevation and 28% of capacity. The only tournaments scheduled at Eastman and Hensley are single tournaments in March at both lakes by the Kerman Bass Club. A trout plant occurred at Eastman last week with a plant scheduled at Hensley this week.
Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; 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 2 Kokanee 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Ryan Denner of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported bass fishing continues to improve with umbrella rigs, Keitech’s tungsten’s jigs in brown/purple or green pumpkin along with plastics in green pumpkin on a shakey at depths from 20 to 30 feet. A limit pushing 17 pounds took a club tournament on Saturday. King salmon to 15½ inches are a strong possibility rolling shad or small anchovies along with Brad’s Cut Plugs, white hoochies, or Speedy Shiners at depths to 50 feet. Rainbow trout are another option with custom shad patterned spoons on side planers or on 3 to 5 colors of lead core. The salmon and trout are feeding on shad as well as the lake’s grebes. Finding the grebes is a method to locate the fish. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake rose to 784.53 feet in elevation and 74% of capacity. The lake will be very busy in the coming months with seven tournaments scheduled in March including the 3-day Bass Angler Magazine Pro/Am starting Feb. 28.
Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield area
Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3
The lake rose a foot to 2561.91 feet in elevation and 32% of capacity with water releases at First Point down slightly to 291 cfs. Cope’s reported crappie action has been hit or miss here with the best action in 20 to 30 feet of water near offshore structure with live minnows or minijigs. The bass bite continues to be slow with the best action offshore. Quality bites are coming on 3/8th- or ½-ounce football black/blue jigs with Rapala black/blue Clean up Craws or brown/purple jigs with Berkley’s Chigger Craws along with Heddon Sonars, spoons, or ice jigs. There is offshore catfish bite in the shad schools around 50 to 70 feet with vibrating jigs. Catfishing from shore has been slow to fair with cut baits, dip baits, or nightcrawlers. The CDFW has scheduled trout plant this week, and anglers have had decent action near Reds Marina on spinners, garlic scented Power Bait, or minijigs. Boaters can troll Needlefish, Tasmanian Devils, or Berkley’s Flicker Shad crankbaits around the dam for holdovers. The annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is scheduled for April 12, 13 and 14, 2025.
In the upper Kern, the flows have resided from the recent storms, and the river is very fishable. Get Bent Baits, salmon eggs, spinners, or trout jigs are working for recent planters while fly fishermen are tossing nymphs or streamers. Last week, the upper Kern River was stocked in Section 5, Fairview Dam to Lazy River Lodge with plants in sections 4 and 5 this week. In the lower Kern, the CDFW stocked trout in all three sections throughout the canyon; Section 1, Lower Richbar to Democrat Beach; Section 2, Democrat Beach to Sandy Flat; and Section 3, Sandy Flat to Isabella Dam. Trout have been coming on salmon eggs, pinched crawlers, garlic doused Power Bait, or minijigs. The lower Kern River bass bite is fair on crankbaits, jigs or spinners. Catfish can be found on dip baits, nightcrawlers, or cut baits.
The upper Kern River dropped from 1072 to 878 cfs at Kernville.
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 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 3
The lake rose nearly 3 feet to 643.26 feet in elevation and 33% of capacity. Cope’s reported fair bass fishing as the lake is a flood control reservoir, and local anglers understand that rapid fluctuations in water levels require adjusting techniques. Suspended bass took Senkos and vertical spoons in 15 to 40 feet of water. Deep diving crankbaits and jigs fooled fish holding rear rocky structure. Other reports were slow. The Kaweah River is rose from 175 to 789 cfs at Three Rivers. Trout plants are scheduled at Mooney Grove Park and Murry Park Pond this week.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake rose over 5 feet to 621.47 feet in elevation and 37% of capacity. Cope’s reported fair fishing with bass being the best bet with finesse techniques of straight-tail worms on the drop-shot, Hula Grubs, or Senkos for 1- and 2-pound bass in 10 to 30 feet of water. Catfish were reliable on SSS dip bait, or cut anchovies. the lake rose to 22% of capacity of its storage capacity, and bass anglers reported decent winter fishing with numbers taken on finesse techniques with a slow retrieve, but a better grade can be found with deep diving crankbaits or spoons took a better grade of fish. Catfish anglers used dip bait or chicken liver. There are no bass tournaments scheduled in February, but three are scheduled in March.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Ryan Denner of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported the lake has been solid for numbers of spotted bass with the occasional largemouth with umbrella rigs, Senkos, Keitech’s tungsten jigs in brown/purple or green pumpkin or Keeper Worm’s Green Mamba on a shakey head at depths from 20 to 30 feet. With the warming trend, the bass are moving up. Trout trolling is fair with shad-patterned spoons at depths from the surface to 25 feet. The Reel Deal Market and Barrett’s Cove Marina will only be open on Saturdays now from 10 am to 2 pm during the winter months. The lake rose to 816.24 feet in elevation and 69%. Four tournaments are scheduled in March including the 75-boat Angler’s Press event on March 1.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 3
About 2,000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm trout were planted Monday, Feb. 12, and another plant should be on the way this week as the lake has been planted every other week for the past month. Action from the shorelines was excellent within a few days of the plant with rainbow glitter Power Bait, garlic Power Bait, Kastmasters, or inflated nightcrawlers, but the bite has slowed considerably due to heavy fishing pressure along with remaining rainbows heading up the river arm. Until the next plant, trolling is most effective with red Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a dodger or blade/’crawler combinations in the river arm above the First Fence Line. The lake is at 92% of capacity. Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2
Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun reported the bass are starting to move into the shoreline, and he landed a limit pushing 10 pounds from the banks with spotted bass to 2.8 pounds on a shakey head. The lake is showing signs of life as a 6.92-pound bass was landed by Michael Pair during Saturday’s Sierra Bass Club tournament as part of his first-place limit. The spotted bass can be found shallow or as deep as 80 feet. The lake rose 1½ feet to 519.88 feet in elevation and 54% of capacity. One bass tournament is scheduled in March. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant rose from 561 to 638 cfs. Sycamore Island is reopened, and the park will be open every day from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A trout plant is scheduled at Woodward Park Pond this week.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee
Trout fishing has been solid for the most part with up to three limits running Rapalas or Speedy Shiners from the surface to 25 feet, but Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service reported slower action on Saturday with 13 trout to the boat including a 2-pound brown that was released. With the warm weather, bass will be heading into the shallows in the afternoons, but the best action remains off of the banks at depths to 40 feet with plastics on the Ned-rig, dart head, or drop-shot along with tubes are working on light line on spinning rods. With the 30-day quarantine restrictions, there are few boats on the lake. Only the Glory Hole launch ramp is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to obtain a red tag to start a 30-day quarantine period. Boats must be off the water by 4 p.m. to receive a green tag to relaunch without quarantining or decontamination. Bank fishing is allowed. Non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboards, may also be subject to inspection. The lake rose to 1,045.08 feet in elevation and 80% of capacity. Downstream Lake Tulloch is closed to boating due to the potential for invasive golden mussels.
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 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
For bass, Grimsley reported a swimbait bite early in the mornings before the bass back off into deep water by mid-morning as deep as 80 feet with small jigs or plastics on a Neko-rig. 17 teams participated in the Kern County Bass Masters tournament, and the winning weight once again was in the 13-pound range with a big fish at 3.19 pounds. Fresno-native, Corey Kellar of Hendrix Baits, reported a solid trout bite with threaded nightcrawlers or shad-patterned spoons at depths from the surface to 30 feet. King salmon action remains slow. In the lower Kings River, the last trout plant was a month ago, and combined with the higher flows, action is limited to a fish or two in the stained water. Roostertails, Atomic Tubes, Joe’s Flies, small spinners, or nightcrawlers remain the top offerings. 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. Citations remain a common occurrence for fishing with barbed hooks or in possession of trout. The flows dropped from 1,795 to 1,086 cfs at Trimmer. The lake rose 4 feet to 861.33 feet in elevation and 54% of capacity. Only one bass tournament is scheduled in March.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported drifting jumbo minnows or soaking pile worms or anchovies are the best bet in the rising waters of the main lake. The warming water conditions will clearly improve the action for striped bass
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that trollers are picking up a few fish working the main lake and the back of Portuguese Cove with minnow lures at 50-60 feet in Shad colors. “The bite just hasn’t broken loose yet, but I’m hoping this warmer weather will improve the reaction bite. Some guys are getting school fish soaking minnows at 30-50 feet in Portuguese Cove to 24 inches. I’ll be back out this next week- after knee surgery kept me down for the week.” he said.
In the O’Neill Forebay, the water is dirty, but largemouth bass to 5 pounds are found flipping Senkos or plastics on a Ned-rig. The main lake continues to rise with increased exports out of the south Delta, and it is now 80% of capacity while the forebay is at 77% 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 recently 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.
Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0
Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing reported the lake is filling up and some of the docks are in the water already. The Sheriff’s Tower is almost an island again, and the boat launch at the dam is ready. Quality rainbows are coming from the banks across from the Sheriff’s Tower on Power Bait. The best trolling is from the dam to Miller’s Landing with Dick’s Trout Busters or Dick’s orange tubes with a piece of crawler behind the weighted Mountain Flashers with a setback of 100 feet on the side poles or behind Mountain Dodgers on the downrigger. 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 closed to vehicle traffic with only snowmobile access available. Edison is at 22% of capacity, Florence at 9% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool rose to 47% of capacity.
Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station – 855-5355 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/sierra.
Road conditions 297-0706.
Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols, reported, “After a nasty weather week that kept most fishermen away, but beautiful weather in the 50s prevailed through the weekend. Even with nice weather, only a handful of fishermen took advantage of it. Brian Klassen and his friends hit the lake expecting to target the go-to areas of Black Rock and Stevenson, but they found sparse activity in those areas before moving into other areas, finding a good bite in the Edison Ramp area for trout to 15 inches and a young kokanee from the surface to 30 feet. Bank action is improving near the Edison launch ramp as C.J. Yoshimura of Brea scored a limit to 6 pounds using Berkley Power Bait in rainbow. The naturally spawned 3rd-year kokanee have been scarce so far as this year although a few 2nd-year fish are showing up, this year. A few years ago, under the same situation of a no plant year, Todd Wittwer of Kokanee.net Guide Service and I found larger kokanee from a very successful spawn of three years previous. Time will tell. Because of the change to targeting trout over kokanee, Shaver Lake Sports will host a fishing seminar at their store in June, and I will be presenting a 2025 fishing program. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will soon begin multiple trout plants, and the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project under the direction of long-time plant chairman, Bob Bernier, will make two plants of 3- to 6- pound trophies from the Calaveras Trout Farm in Snelling.” Richard Mendenhall of TNK Tackle reported good action for 5 kokanee to 15½ inches along with 13 rainbow trout from 12 to 21 inches in Stevenson Bay with various TNK terminal tackle behind dodgers at depths from 14 to 25 feet with a 100-foot setback at speeds from 1.3 to 1½ mph. the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions prior to arriving at the lake. At Huntington, fishing interest is left to the most dedicated brown trout trollers. Shaver rose slightly to 66 with Huntington dropping to 43% of capacity.
Call:– Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072; Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100;
Wishon/Courtright
Trout 0
McKinley Grove Road is closed, limiting access to both reservoirs. McKinley Grove Road will remain closed until the regularly scheduled reopening on Memorial Day 2025 Weekend, depending upon weather.
Road conditions – Sierra National Forest Ranger Station 297-0706.
Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361
Ocean
Half Moon Bay
Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3 crab 2
Captain Melynda Dodds of the New Captain Pete was out for 9 limits of Dungeness crab on Saturday, but Sunday’s current made for difficult crabbing. She will continue to run crab-only trips through March before heading to Hyde Street in San Francisco for halibut and striped bass trolling trips. Boat-based fishing is over until at least April except for Dungeness crab which is open until June 30. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches. The Pacific Pier has partially reopened after several weeks of closure.
Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819;
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Halibut 2 Striper 3 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
From the beaches, Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle reported perch to 15 inches are possible with Honey Badger’s or Mekini Baitz grubs along the Santa Cruz beaches. Striped bass to 29 inches are hanging out near the river mouths of the Salinas or Pajaro Rivers on ripbaits while the occasional halibut to 30 inches has been landed on swimbaits.” The big event soon is the sold-out Sand Crab Surf Perch Classic on March 8. Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, “In the Monterey area, with rockfish season closed, most anglers are going for Dungeness crab or the small flatfish. Sand dabs are limitless it seems. Catch as many as you care to take home with you. Bonus Petrale sole are out there as well and can be caught on the same rig as the ‘dabs. Most are using Sabiki rigs with #10 hooks and tiny squid bits for bait. Kayak anglers in the area near Pacific Grove are starting to scout for early halibut from the reef edges and near the shell beds closer to Monterey harbor in 80 feet of water. Out of Moss Landing, sand dabs and sole remain on the bite close to Moss Landing Harbor. Crabbers are doing medium well, dropping pots in 140 to 190 feet of water on the flats near canyon edges and giving a one or two-night soak for limits of legal males. At Santa Cruz, after the big swells, some crab hunters are re-locating their pots to the north of town in 180 to 220 feet of water with some limited success. The crab are on the move, but we received a few reports of jumbo limits this week from that north coast area. Boaters report lots of bait close to the deep submarine canyons. Anchovy and mackerel schools are thick in spots. The big charter boats are subsisting mostly on a diet of ‘dabs until rockfish season.”
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 2 Striper 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2
The optimism for the 2025 salmon season to end two years of closure took a gut punch this week when the preliminary estimate of adult fall-run salmon was released. A total of 99,274 adult fall-run returned to the Sacramento River Basin, well below the 2024 conservation and management objective of 180,000 fish. Hatchery returns totaled 26,834 adults and 8,301 jacks, while 72,440 adults and 10,864 jacks returned to natural spawning areas.
The Salmon Information meeting is the first opportunity for public engagement culminating in mid-May. The public is invited to attend via webinar as details, instructions for attendance, and informational material will be published in advance of the event on the CDFW’s Ocean Salmon webpage. This is the first in a series of events to allow public involvement into the process, marking the beginning of a two month long public process used to develop annual sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing regulations and informing the development of inland salmon fishing regulations later in the spring. Salmon Disaster Relief funds allocated in 2023 will finally be available for commercial and recreational charter boat operators with the application period from March 3 through June 1. 2023 funds are anticipated to be distributed by mid-July.
Fish Emeryville will be stacking out their crab gear within the week as interest in crab-only trips remains slow. Halibut trolling trips are starting March 1 at Fish Emeryville, and many party boats will be starting to seek halibut and striped bass during the month of March. The California Dawn out of Berkeley will start halibut trips around the second week in March. Striped bass action is fair with the Soleman out of San Francisco returning with 8 legal bass and a starry flounder for 6 passengers on Sunday. An occasional herring spawn pops up here and there, but most of the run is over for the season. In the south bay, Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast out of Oyster Point has been putting his clients onto 5 to 7 opportunities per trip success soaking ghost shrimp around the Dumbarton Bridge. There is a seasonal sturgeon closure from January 1 through March 15 within the following boundaries in San Francisco Bay: A direct line between Pt. Chauncy (National Marine Fisheries Laboratory) and Pt. Richmond, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and a direct line between Pt. Lobos and Pt. Bonita. Leopard shark are always a strong possibility on the anchor with a variety of baits.
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
Surf perch 2
Virg’s Landing in Morro Bay is holding Surf Clinics on March 1, 15, and 29, and you will learn how to read the ocean and pick the best fishing spots, Choosing baits and tackle, Mastering rigging setups, and improving your casting technique. Spaces are limited with sign up at virgslanding.com/sportfishing or 805-772-1222.
Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.
Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing
Others
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
There hasn’t been much to talk about on the Delta largemouth scene over the past several months, but the past two weekends are providing a glimpse of what is on the horizon. After landing a 9.17-pound largemouth bass on a double-bladed chartreuse/white spinner blade in the north Delta the previous week, Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors followed this up with an 11.75-pound female this week in two feet of water. Fong said, “The water temperature is creeping up, and it is already up to 58 degrees in the north Delta. Denise Loo and Debra Chin were out with me later in the week, and we caught plenty of bass with a limit over 18 pounds, but these fish didn’t have fanned tails like the two big ones. If it doesn’t rain in the next 10 days, the action will break loose. I went looking for stripers, but I have only been able to find one or two per trip. The Delta is full of muddy water and grass since the Yolo Bypass was opened to alleviate the high water on the Sacramento River, and when the bypass floods, the river is full of mud. Stripers may have headed either west or to the south Delta to find clearer water.”
40 boats participated in the Saturday’s Nor Cal Bass tournament out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton, and tournament director, Dave King, said, “We were on fish throughout the day, and our best action came on either chatterbaits in the grass or flipping around docks. The water temperature has risen to 57 degrees in the east Delta with water stained the color of dark tea.” All the sediment in the river will cause the water to continue to warm rapidly as the silt particles trap the sun’s heat. With the stained water, chatterbaits or squarebilled crankbaits have been working, particularly with increased water clarity on the high tide.”
The key to locating striped bass is to find the clearest water, and the Port of Stockton is loaded with threadfin shad, terns, and striped bass as the water is slightly warmer and a bit clearer. Spoons on the bottom have been working for linesides ranging from undersized to 30 inches.
The warming waters are just what the doctor ordered for sturgeon, and as the water clears, striped bass will be a definite option to create combination trips for sturgeon and stripers on the anchor. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’s Up Sport Fishing put his clients onto 5 sturgeon to the boat fishing out of Pittsburg Marina on Saturday, but Sunday was even better with a total of 8 sturgeon landed out of 10 hooked. He said, “We started outside of Pittsburg on the incoming tide for 4 sturgeon before heading to the Big Cut on the outgoing tide for three more hookups before the grass became too much. We found clearer water near the Middle Grounds to land a couple more before calling it a day. There was a total 37 sturgeon caught and released between five party boats out of Pittsburg on Sunday, and it’s only going to get better and better as the water warms up.” In the south Delta below the Mossdale Bridge, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle reported dirty water has limited striped bass action to a few fish in the 4- to 7-pound range on sardines in deep holes. Live bait action is limited due to the muddy water.
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
Feb. 26
10 a.m. Annual Salmon Information Meeting - Meeting details, informational materials and instructions for attendance will be published in advance of the event on CDFW’s Ocean Salmon webpage.
March 6-9
Cal Expo in Sacramento – Sacramento Boat Show and Off Road Exposition – information- https://www.sacramentoboatshow.com/
March 13-15
Kern County Fairgrounds – Sportsman’s Boat and RV Show – information - https://www.calshows.com/
Tournament results
Feb. 22
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
1st Tie– Lorenzo and Luca Rossetti – 20.77; 2nd – Obedie Williams/Clint Groenwold – 18.10; Dave and Alex Sanchez – 16.59. Big Fish – Jordan Padilla/Brayan Badali – 6.35.
Don Pedro – Christian Bass League
1st – Nick Sanches/Jordan Poytress– 16.72; 2nd –Vic Geis/Russ Pierson– 15.80; 3rd – Pao Saetern/Fred Castillo – 15.10.
McClure – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
1st – Dean Miller/Darrel Masterson – 17.66 (Big Fish – 4.76); 2nd – Tim Wells/Jeff D’Alessandro – 16.13; 3rd – Dave Coy/Dave Simpson – 15.96.
Millerton – Sierra Bass Club
1st – Michael Pair – 14.38 (Big Fish – 6.92); 2nd – Dave Bassett – 10.30; 3rd – Ron Orbaker – 10.17.
Pine Flat – Kern County Bassmasters
1st – Nathan Towes/David Childress – 12.78; 2nd – Bob Barter/Billy Moore – 12.03; 3rd –Shane and Jake Wilson – 11.41.
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.
Fe. 22
McClure – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Pine Flat – Kern County Bassmasters
Feb. 28-March 2
Don Pedro – Bass Angler Inc.
March 1
Eastman – Kerman Bass Club
March 2
Hensley – Kerman Bass Club
Millerton – Bass 101
March
March 8
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
Santa Cruz – Sand Crab Classic Perch Derby
Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Lopez – American Bass Association
March 9
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – American Bass Association
Success – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
March 15-16
Clear Lake – Sierra Bass Club
March 15
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Angler’s Press
Salt Springs – Tri Valley Bass Masters
Pardee – Kid’s Fishing Derby
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
Bass Lake – Kings River Bass Club
Murry Park Pond – City of Porterville Fishing Derby
Kaweah – Lahu Bass Club
Nacimiento – Kern County Bass Masters
Santa Margarita – Best Bass Tournaments
March 16
McClure – Fresno Bass Club
March 22
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Christian Bass League
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Bass Anglers of Northern California
Don Pedro – Kerman Bass Club
Success – Lahu Bass Club
Santa Margarita – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
March 23
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Bass Hole Inc.
March 28-30
Don Pedro – Bass Angler Magazine
March 29
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
Amador – 17/90 Bass Club
McClure – California Bass Federation
San Antonio- Golden Empire Bass Club
Santa Margarita – Bakersfield Bass Club
March 30
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Modesto Ambassadors
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Bass Hole Inc.
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing
This story was originally published February 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Don Pedro and McClure bass action heats up."