Central California fishing report: Delta stripers and sturgeon on hot bites
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 stripers and sturgeon on hot bites, Alan Fong reported. Isabella crappie active, Copes Tackle reported. McClure bass “ wide open bite”, Aaron Jones said. McSwain trout plants producing easy limits, Dave Hurley reported. New Melones trout and bass biting, Kyle Wise said. Pine Flat bass on a solid bite, Aaron Vang reported. Shaver trophy trout plants excites anglers, Dick Nichols said. Bass lake pumping out big rainbows, Mike Beighey 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 Clifton Court Forebay at the start of the California Aqueduct has been pumping out one or two legal striped bass per rod for those soaking bait. He added, “I haven’t heard much about the California Aqueduct as the flows remain very high.
Most local bank anglers are focusing on the south San Joaquin River from Mossdale upstream to Ripon. Striperz Gone Wild Annual Memorial Aqueduct Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, May 17th at Volta Road near Los Banos. The entry fee is 10 cans of unexpired food to be donated to residents of Merced County. In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported the warmer weather has brought out plenty of anglers and reports are indicating an improved bite for striped bass with cut bait, lugworms, or jumbo live minnows. Flukes on a jig head and jerkbaits are working for those tossing artificials. Largemouth bass fishing has improved with Roboworms, small baitfish- colored flukes, Roboworms, or curly tailed grubs in the slower waters around the eddies and curves. Catfish were reliable with Triple S dip bait, cut anchovies, or nightcrawlers.
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
Aaron Vang of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported the largemouth bass bite is in transition as the fish continue to move up in pre-spawn mode. He said, “The big swimbait bite has slowed down to some degree as the fish are moving into the shallows, but the bass continue to chase the planted rainbows on occasion. The most consistent bite has been on the bottom with plastics on a shakey head or with large profile jigs.” Hensley has perked up for bass, and there is a good bite in the shallows with jerkbaits or Senkos. Eastman rose 1.5 feet to 551.38 feet in elevation and 63 percent with Hensley rising 2.5 feet to 500.60 feet in elevation and 43%. Only one event is scheduled at Eastman through the end of April.
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 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
The Bass Angler Magazine Super 60 hit the lake on Friday and Saturday with the goal of making the final 10 for Sunday. Sean Minderman of Washington State was the leader going into the final day after landing a 12.92-pound largemouth on the first day on a sculpin imitation. Greg Gutierrez of Red Bluff started in second place on the final day, but he weighed in 18.72 pounds to take home the hardware and a top prize of $51,000. Gutierrez was focusing on the afternoon bite in the shallows with plastics on a nail weight. Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in reported an overall tough bass bite for most anglers with the best action on the bottom with plastics on the drop-shot while moving baits are starting to get some play. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said, “The bite has started out slow in the mornings, but the fish will bite eventually. On Saturday, my clients kept 10 king salmon out of 12 to the boat along with three rainbow trout. We were rolling shad along with Pro Troll E lures behind an 8-inch dodger, and the kings and rainbows wanted the meat as everything came on shad. I tried rolling an anchovy, but the fish didn’t want it. Both the kings and rainbows are close to the same depth at 30 to 35 feet, and we only saw a few bait balls and birds working on the surfaceLaunch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake has risen to 801.06 feet in elevation and 83%. The lake will be very busy with 9tournaments scheduled through the end of April.
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 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3
The lake rose nearly 4 feet to 2569.31 feet in elevation and 40%. Cope’s reported an excellent crappie bite as the slabs are moving into the shallows. 25-fish limits of crappie to 2 pounds have been taken on live minnows, 2-inch Keitech swimbaits, Get Bent baits in various colors, or paddletail swimbaits of similar size. and other paddle tails in the same size. The bass have also moved into the shallows, and glide baits are picking up some of the better grad. In the French Gulch area, bass have been showing on big jigs and Senkos in natural shad or smoke with no flake along with underspins or First Gen topspins with Keitech swimbaits. The trout bite is decent with Get Bent Baits, Hook Up Baits, spinners, or garlic- doused Pinched Crawlers. In the upper Kern, Copes reported a slower trout bite as it has been a few weeks since the last plant. Holdovers and natives along the 20-mile stretch have come on salmon eggs, minijigs, spinners, or crickets. It’s been a month since the last CDFW plant in the Lower Kern, and holdover trout have been coming on salmon eggs, trout jigs, GULP! Pinched Crawlers, or garlic-scented Power Bait. Bass action is solid and can be found throughout the lower Kern with Get Bent Baits, Senkos, jigs, or spinners.
The annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby is scheduled for April 12, 13 and 14, 2025. The upper Kern River are steady at 1447 cfs at Kernville while water releases out of the lake held at 421 cfs at First Point.
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 2
The lake rose over 13 feet to 654.63 feet in elevation and 41%. Cope’s reported the rising water levels complicate spring fishing as bass and anglers have to constantly adjust to the changing conditions. The bass are located from 5 to 30 feet deep with spotted bass spawning deeper than largemouth. Finesse baits, Senkos, or reaction baits will all fool fish during the upcoming spring bite. A trout bite occurred last week.
Success
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake rose 1.5 feet to 629.28 feet in elevation and 48%. Cope’s reported solid fishing as the largemouth bass bite continues to improve over . submerged offshore humps, points, or the willow trees with finesse baits in a variety of colors. Catfish are taken on Triple S dip bait or garlic nightcrawlers. The crappie bite kicked off near the marina with reports of good fishing on minijigs and small swimbaits.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 1 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
1250 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows were released last week, and trout trollers are finding decent action with shad-patterned spoons from the surface to 15 feet. Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported a ‘wide open’ bass bite with ‘anything you are throwing at them.’ Numbers of bass are found with Senkos, plastics on the drop-shot or Neko-rig, jerkbaits, or crankbaits in the main lake as the bass are moving into the shallows. Angler’s Edge Market in Snelling has closed. The Barrett’s Cove launch ramp is closed from April 3 to 6 due to a NICA bike race, but the McClure Point, Bagby, and Horseshoe Bend launch ramps will be open. The lake rose 1.5 feet to 823.30 feet in elevation and 73%. Six club tournaments are scheduled through the end of April.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 3
2500 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm trout were planted prior to this weekend’s Merced Irrigation District’s annual Spring Trout Derby on April 5/6. Registration is available at https://tourney.fishdonkey.com/#/tournament/15853/details. Limits of rainbow trout have been the story after the plant from the normal locations of the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula near the marina with garlic-scented Power Bait, Kastmasters, or nightcrawlers. 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 89 percent.
Call: McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2
Aaron Vang reported the lake is rising steadily, but spotted bass continue to move into the shallows. Plastics on a Neko-rig or drop-shot are working for numbers of small spots to 2 pounds. The lake rose to 5 feet to 539.01 feet in elevation and 67 percent. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant remain high at 1029 cfs. Sycamore Island is reopened, and the park will be open every day from 6:00 am to 5:30 pm. No tournaments are scheduled through the end of April.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3
Trout trolling improved considerably for Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service as he found some large rainbows over 4 pounds working deep water from 40 to 80 feet in the middle of the lake. He said, “It was quality over quantity in the deep water with Wiggle Hoochies, but we went into the South Fork for numbers of rainbows to 2 pounds with broken-back Rapalas or Wiggle Hoochies. I went on a bass trip with live minnows on Sunday, and we couldn’t keep the spotted bass off the live bait as they are moving into the shallows and feeding aggressively. We also searched offshore structure for crappie, but the action was only fair.” With the 30-day quarantine restrictions, there are few boats on the lake. Only the Glory Hole launch ramp is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm to obtain a red tag to start a 30-day quarantine period. Boats must be off the water by 4:00 pm 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 1.5 feet to 1050.65 feet in elevation and 83 percent. 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 3 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Aaron Vang reported a solid bass bite as the spotted bass continue to move into shallow water. A Saturday tournament was taken with 18 pounds, but most of the weights were in the 9/10-pound range. Numbers are taken on plastics on a shakey head along with a drop-shot or jigs, but there is a small window for swimbaits in the mornings and evenings. The crappie bite is ready to take off as the fish are moving toward nearshore structure. In the lower Kings River, limits of rainbows to 4 pounds have been taken, but the last plant was a week ago with no future plants on the schedule. Roostertails, Atomic Tubes, Joe’s Flies, small spinners, or nightcrawlers continue to work best, but the flows have risen from 1569 to 2023 cfs at Trimmer making it more challenging. 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 lake rose 7.5 feet to 887.35 feet in elevation and 66%. Two bass tournaments are scheduled through the end of April.
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
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported the troll bite has picked up in the main lake with P-Line’s Predator Minnows, broken-back Rapalas, or Lucky Craft Pointers. 1.75-ounce Duh! Spoons are working for school-sized striped bass while pile worms or anchovies are productive from the banks.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported a sporadic bite during the chaotic weather fronts going through the area.” I guided three guests during a small window of calm wind , on Saturday and we had to spend the first hour just covering water to try to find the fish in the main lake. We eventually found some deeper active fish in the 70’ and deeper depths when the sun came out. We got our fish trolling Rapalas early- then moving deeper in the sunshine. It began slowly but we released over 25 nice fish to 24” before the front hit- shutting the bite down completely. It’s a big lake right now and the fish are ready to go into spawn mode very soon.” George said
In the O’Neill Forebay, a smaller grade of striped bass is found on bait, rip baits, or flukes on a jig head. The main lake continues to rise with increased exports out of the south Delta, and it is now 89% while the forebay also rose to 86%. 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 3 Kokanee 0
Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing reported Miller’s Landing and the Forks Resort are now open for business. The lake continues to fill, and quality rainbows to 6 pounds continue to be the story for trollers working from Miller’s Landing to the Forks in the top 18 feet with orange Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with a nightcrawler behind a Big Blue Mountain Dodger or Rocky Mountain pink or orange Radical Glow Tubes tipped with pink maggots behind a Tsunami dodger. He added, “In addition to the possibility of a big fish, there are plenty of smaller rainbows to 14 inches.” Chris Counts of Fresno was out this week on a 9-hour tour for 9 trout to 17 inches, keeping three. He said, “I was using either Dick’s Trout Busters behind a Sunrise Dodger or pink Wiggle Hoochies tipped with Pautske’s Pink Corn behind a Mack’s 4-inch UV dodger at depths from 8 to 15 feet with a setback of 150 to 18 feet. The first 8 fish came before 1:00 pm.” A trout plant occurred last week.
Brandon Grimsley added, “Bass fishing is improving, but anglers are keeping the swimbait and glide bait bite quiet although limits in the 12- to 15-pound range have been the story.” 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. All lakes rose this week with Edison at 35, Florence at 12, and Mammoth Pool at 65%.
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 3 Kokanee 2
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols, reported, “The Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project made its 15th annual plant of trophy trout on March 24th with long-standing chairman Bob Bernier saying, “We decided to take advantage of the lakes’ excellent current conditions for this plant of 7000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows ranging from 3 to 7 pounds. The water level, temperature, and perfect weather conditions made this a great time for our annual plant.” Bernier is the only planting chairman in the organizations 2-decade existence of the SLTTP. Dave McGlothin of Clovis and I took a shake down trip this week, and within the first 45 minutes, we caught and released 2 planters, a 2-pound brown, and a 2-pound rainbow followed by a 7-pound rainbow caught by McGlothlin near the Point. Other fishermen reported getting into the trophies earlier in the week. We were targeting a 3rd-year kokanee bite using the orange Dick’s Mountain Tubes tipped with scented corn behind the new D-Mac Dick’s Mountain Dodgers on the down riggers at depths from 25 to 30 feet deep. On the side poles, we caught the brown and 2 planter trout on a Dick’s Mountain Texas Tea Trout Buster tipped with a piece of crawler behind a weighted Mountain Flasher with a setback of 100 feet. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will start their planting season in April, but they did release a trophy plant in early March from the Friant Hatchery. Both marinas will open by mid-April with full supplies and rentals.” Three generations of the Gill Family, Mike, Matt, and Bear from Paso Robles sent in this report, “We started at Black Rock around 11 am and landed a 16-inch trout right off the bat before heading over to the Fishermen’s Club toward Stevenson for no action. We worked our way back to the Boy Scout Island and started finding fish once again, including a couple of holdover golden trout. After finding no action at Edison Cove, we went to the Point and the dam for a hot bite with trophy trout on every pass along with small 8- to 12-inch 2nd-year kokanee running at 1.3 mph with a 90-foot setback. We released the kokanee to grow for the future along with some of the trophy rainbows. The kokanee were in the top 10 feet with the rainbows down to 20 feet.”
Check 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 to 72 with Huntington dropping to 34%.
Call:– Paul Brown 300-4001; 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 2
Boat-based fishing starts finally starts on Tuesday with deep water rockfishing more than 50 fathoms for the month of April. Few party boats out of this port have been willing to travel the more than 20-mile distance to deep water, instead opting for the shallow water season opening from May 1 through September 30. The ocean salmon fishery has been closed from April 1 through May 15 by the National Fisheries Service, and a decision regarding ocean salmon fisheries on or after May 16 will be made at the PFMC meeting on April 15. Rock crab and rockfish are possible from the North or South Jetty with surf perch from the beaches.
Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819;
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
From the beaches, Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle said, “You really must watch the swells since they have been up and down. When the surf is down, perch fishing has been excellent with Honey Badgers or Lucky 13 grubs. Most of the stripers are undersized at 14 to 16 inches, but a few keepers are coming near the mouth of the Salinas River with Duo Realis jerkbaits in size 150 or 160. Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “Only a few days wait now. The 2025 rockfish season will open next Tuesday, April 1. This first month of rockfishing will be limited to the deep waters only. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife prohibits any RCG take “shoreward of the 50 fathom (300 feet) Rockfish Conservation Area boundary line, which is a series of connected way points defined in Federal regulations (50 CFR Part 660, Subpart C). So, what’s the easiest way to get out on the water to look for your next limit of rockfish? Well, if your brother-in-law doesn’t have a boat, or your neighbor hasn’t invited you as yet just look up the charter fishing outfits around the bay. Buy a ticket, hop aboard and do what the deckhand tells you. You are almost guaranteed success.
We have a few big charter boats operating on Monterey Bay, including Stagnaro’s Sportfishing in Santa Cruz, with two boats that can handle 30 or more anglers. In Monterey, Chris’ Fishing and Whale Watching Trips runs two big boats as well. J & M sport Fishing launches from the old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey and has three fishing vessels that can accommodate from 25 to 40 anglers each. An advantage of these larger charter boats is they are very stable when the seas get bouncy, and they’re able to travel long distances comfortably to find the best fishing.
Several private charters are available as well. Taking four to six anglers out on smaller craft, these “six-pack” boats offer a more personal experience for their anglers. Many prefer the six-pack option to fish solely with their family and friends. It’s a bit more expensive, but very much worth it. In Santa Cruz, the leading six packs are Go Fish Santa Cruz, with Skipper JT Thomas at the helm and Rodney Armstrong’s Santa Cruz Coastal Fishing. Both provide top equipment, bait and tackle as well as decades of experience and expertise to get you on the fish and on the way to quick limits. On May 1, 2025, the deep-water areas shut down, and inshore fishing opens out to the 20-Fathom line. Many of the deepwater species such as vermilion and canaries can still be found in the shallower waters, as well as lingcod and halibut. For shallow water fishing the skiff rentals at Santa Cruz and Capitola Wharves are a very economical option for the “do it yourselfers” who have got the experience to seek and secure these inshore species. Monterey has the advantage of deep water within a few miles of the harbor, differing from the 20-plus mile ride to deep water from Half Moon Bay or San Francisco Bay.”
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 2 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2
Boat-based fishing outside the Gate started on Tuesday, April 1 for rockfish deeper than 50 fathoms through April 30 before transitioning to shallow water less than 20 fathoms from May 1 through September 30. With the heavy winds, few boats will be willing to make the long trek to the Farallons, Fanny Shoals, or Rittenburg Bank until the weather settles down. Inside the bay, striped bass provide the greatest opportunity for success, but the halibut bite is showing signs of improvement near the Alameda Rockwall. Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions put his clients onto limits of striped bass to 12 pounds anchoring with anchovies near China Camp in San Pablo Bay. Koyasako said, “When the tide got going, the fish started biting, and when the tide was slow, they had all the sharks and rays they wanted. The key is to wait until there is enough tide movement to allow the fish to pick up the scent.” There is a greater possibility that the ocean salmon season will open with a very truncated 12-day season with a 5400 fish quota, and the alternatives will be presented by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council during their upcoming meetings in mid-April.
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
Boat-based fishing started on Tuesday with the opening of rockfish season from April 1 through June 30 at all depths.
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 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2
Only the wind has been able to slow down the striped bass bite in the California Delta as the Sacramento side has gotten into the action along with the hot bite on the San Joaquin side. Trollers have been crowding in the San Joaquin from Prisoner’s Point to the Antioch Bridge, but with better water conditions on the West Bank of the Sacramento River, the pressure has been relieved. Chris Ditter of Head Rush Sport Fishing said, “The boat pressure has been very high on the San Joaquin, but everyone is catching fish. We continue to troll Yo-Zuri’s Crystal Minnows either shallow or deep, but we also went out to deep water and caught fish after fish on live minnows. This bite will only get better as the weather stabilizes, and I will stay on the Delta until May. That’s one of my favorite months on the Delta.”
Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo’s Sport Fishing out of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Oakley had a similar report, and he took his clients trolling on the Sacramento side for quality limits of striped bass. He said, “It’s really good right now, and although the Sacramento side remains stained, there are fish there and they are biting.”
Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoorsmen in Stockton, said, “The stripers are everywhere right now, the Sacramento, the San Joaquin, and the south Delta. Boaters are drifting live minnows in the south Delta, and there is also a crappie bite in Whiskey Slough for both bank anglers and boaters. The up-and-down weather has been the only deterrent, but once spring arrives, watch out.”
Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors has a similar sentiment saying, “Everything will bust wide open.” Fong has found good action in the shallows of Liberty Island with lures.
Even though most of the six-pack charters are leaving the Delta for San Francisco Bay, sturgeon fishing remains red hot out of Pittsburg. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg put a family of father, mother, and two young men onto 8 sturgeon out of 9 hook ups on Saturday, saying, “They were super-stoked after never catching anything over 8 pounds, but one of the sturgeon was pushing 150 pounds. Since the bite has been so good, and it will remain good throughout the summer months, I will run back and forth from the bay to the Delta upon request. These catch-and-release sturgeon trips are a lot of fun.”
Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, reported a challenging largemouth bass bite with his best action flipping plastics with the lightest weight possible to provide a waggle or tossing squarebill crankbaits through the weeds. He said, “The bass are holding tight against rock, wood, or grass, and you need to make accurate casts. Spinnerbaits are also working for small males. A 27-pound limit took our Delta/Wine Best Bass Tournament on Saturday out of Big Break Marina, and the winning team was working in the troughs between the rocks and weeds by flipping and punching. The second-place team came in with 25 pounds, and they were working bladed jigs.” In the south San Joaquin River around Lathrop, Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle reported a much-improved striped bass bite near Manteca, Lathrop, and Weston Ranch with anchovies, blood worms, or pile worms. Drifting live minnows in the Old River has also been effective along with trolling broken-backed lures.
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:
Don Pedro – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments Team Division– March 22nd: 1st – David Donatelli/Zac Tate – 22.33 pounds (Big Fish – 9.58); 2nd – Dean Miller/Darrell Masterson – 21.80; 3rd – Eddie Arant/Jared Gregory – 20.60.
Delta/Big Break Marina –Best Bass Tournaments Delta/Wine Division – March 29th: 1st – Mark Casey/Ed Christo – 27.03 pounds; 2nd – Tyler Bussart/Aaron Sapp – 25.53; 3rd – Kelly Oward – 24.95.
Don Pedro – Bass Angler Magazine Super 60 Final 10– March 28-30th: 1st – Greg Gutierrez –18.72 pounds; 2nd – Ty Manterola – 18.08; 3rd –Tyler Madden – 16.18.
San Antonio –Golden Empire Bass Club – March 29th: 1st – Wyatt Moore/Beau Dyson – 13.91 pounds; 2nd – Mike and Larry Merlo – 13.44; 3rd – Bryan Avila/Carmen Cummings – 12.85 (Big Fish – 3.80).
Delta/Big Break Marina – The Bass Hole Inc. – March 30th: 1st – Jesse Ochoa/Matt Soule – 27.41 pounds; 2nd ––Marcel Murray/Donniel Butler - 21.20; 3rd – Tony Vaughn/John Garrett – 20.04.
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.
March 28-30th –
Don Pedro – Bass Angler Magazine
April 3rd/4th-
Delta/B and W Resort – Bass and Badges
April 5th –
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Bakersfield Bass Club
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
Delta/Rio Vista Boat Launch – 4th Annual Barry Canevaro Memorial Striped Bass Tournament
McClure – Kings River Bass Club
Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
April 6th –
Delta/SJ Co. – Sonora Bass Anglers/Manteca Bassin’ Buddies/Valley Backlashers
Delta/Contra Costa Co. – California Bass Federation
April 8th –
Don Pedro – Mid Valley Agricultural Services
April 12/13th-
Don Pedro – Best Bass Tournaments
McClure – Fresno Bass Club
April 12/14th –
Isabella – Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce Trout Derby
April 12th –
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments Golden Mussel Event
Don Pedro – All American Bass Club/California Bass Federation
McClure – Kerman Bass Club
Eastman – SMART Local 104
San Antonio – American Bass Association
April 13th-
Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc.
Bass Lake – Kings VIII Bass Club
April 18th –
Don Pedro – E and J Gallo Winery
April 19th –
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
Don Pedro – Angler’s Press
Pine Flat – Central Valley Kayak Fishing
Bass Lake – Sierra Bass Club
Success – Bass 101
Lopez – Best Bass Tournaments
April 26/27th-
Don Pedro – Bakersfield Bass Club
Santa Margarita – Golden Empire Bass Club
April 26th –
Delta/B and W Marina – Central Valley Anglers Striper Derby
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – 17/90 Bass Club
McClure – MCFFA Local 1289
Bass Lake – Kerman Bass Club
April 27th –
Bass Lake – Kings River Bass Club
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 7:20 AM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Delta stripers and sturgeon on hot bites."