Central California fishing report: Don Pedro trout and bass on the munch
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 action good, Steve Mitchell said. Shaver trout on a good bite, Dick Nichols reported. Eastman producing some large bass bags, and Millerton spots on a solid bite, Brandon Grimsley said. Don Pedro trout and bass on the munch, Monte Smith reported. McClure kicking out good numbers of spotted bass, Ryan Denner said.
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 2
The California Aqueduct remains slow overall for striped bass, and most of the success is coming from bait anglers with blood worms, pile worms, jumbo minnows, or anchovies on the bottom. The flows remain high with stained water coming out of the south Delta. The Delta should clear up within the next few weeks of clear weather, and fishing for both striped bass and catfish should improve.
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/DWR-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 3 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported some huge five-fish limits of largemouth bass within the past week led by Aaron Vang’s 29-pound bag throwing rainbow-trout patterned swimbaits from Hawg Hunter baits. Max Lee also landed a double-digit largemouth at 13.03 pounds. Big fish are few and far between, and it takes hundreds of casts to start to find success, but there are those who are willing to put in the time, effort, and patience. The window for big fish is early in the mornings. Grimsley added that there is a finesse bite, but anglers are slowly dragging large profile plastics such as 6- to 7-inch Roboworms on a drop-shot. Hensley remains very slow for largemouth bass with catfish or carp your best bets. Eastman rose slightly to 534.90 feet in elevation and 48% of capacity with Hensley also rising three-quarter feet to 476.43 feet in elevation and 20% of capacity. The Kerman Bass Club has tournaments at Eastman in February and March along with one at Hensley in March.
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 3 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing reported a steady troll bite for rainbow trout to 3 pounds working from the surface to 14 feet with shad-patterned spoons on 3 to 4 colors of lead core.
“The planters are plentiful, and we are looking for the grebes working the shad schools in the shallows,” he said.
“The trout are pushing into the shallows, and we are finding bait in the 10- to 15-foot range. On our last trip, we landed at least 20 rainbows to 3 pounds, releasing all but six,” he said.
Ryan Denner of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported the spotted bass are loaded with crawdads, and there is a solid jig bite with brown/purple or green pumpkin jigs with a matching trailer of either Yamamoto twin-tails or Keitech’s Flex Chunks. Most of the bass are spots, but there are more largemouth bass in the mix than nearby McClure. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake dropped slightly to 773.96 feet in elevation and 69% of capacity. With the status of New Melones uncertain, there are several bass tournaments at Pedro on the coming months with two in January, seven in February, and six in March.
Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake Isabella/Bakersfield
Bass 2 Trout 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 2
The lake basically held at 2,557.90 feet in elevation and 27% of capacity with water releases steady at First Point at 393 cfs. At Buena Vista Lake, a trout plant is scheduled for the week of Jan. 6 with periodic plants until April 23. An annual trout fishing season pass is $125 payable by debit or credit card as no cash is accepted at this lake. Trout plants from the Department of Fish and Wildlife are scheduled for Ming and River Walk this week. Trout plants are also scheduled in the Kern River Sections 4 and 5 this week with plants in Section 5 next week along with at Brite Valley Lake in the Tehachapi’s.
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
McClure Reservoir
Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Denner reported numbers of spotted bass are abundant with jigs in brown/purple or green pumpkin with a matching trailer. The bass are loading up on crawdads, but the largemouth bass are few and far between as spotted bass are dominant. Trout trollers are finding some action for holdovers trolling shad-patterned spoons at depths from the surface to 15 feet. The Reel Deal Market and Barrett’s Cove Marina will only be open on Wednesdays from 10 am to 2 pm during the winter months. The lake rose ½-foot to 803.76 feet in elevation and 63% of capacity. McClure will be busy in the coming months with six bass tournaments scheduled for January, six in February, and one in March.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 2
The last plant of 1000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows was three weeks ago, and the lake needs another plant. Shore action continues to be slow as the remaining rainbows have spread throughout the lake. Trolling is the best option with silver/blue Kastmasters, red Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a dodger, or blade/’crawler combinations. The river arm above the First Fence Line is a good place to start for trolling. The lake rose to 97% of capacity.
Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 3 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2
Grimsley reported a solid early morning bite with 9 fish landed within the first hour using plastics on a Neko-rig, Ned-rig, shakey head, or finesse jigs along the curve in the bluff walls around 25 feet in depth. He said, “The bass are holding just where the bluff plunges into deep water, but the bite shut off when the sun came overhead around 11:00 am. The lake rose 2.5 feet to 504.16 feet in elevation and 44 percent. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant rose slightly to 452 cfs. Millerton will also be busy in the coming months with six bass tournaments scheduled in January, two in February, and one in March. Trout plants are scheduled at Woodward Park in Fresno for the next two weeks. Sycamore Island will reopen its gates this Friday, Jan. 10th, and the park will be open every day from 6:00 am to 5:30 pm. The park is free Monday through Friday, and $9 per vehicle on Saturday and Sunday. Yearlong passes are available for $85. 2-person canoes and 1-person kayaks are available for rent on the ponds for $10 per hour with lifejackets and paddles included. The gate is at 39664 Ave 7½ in Madera, or you can hike or bike in through the entrance across from the Valley Golf Center.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Resetrvoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee
Boats that received a red quarantine ban on December 7 are eligible to launch on Jan. 7 at Glory Hole launch ramp. This is the only ramp open at the lake, and the rangers are on duty until 4 pm. Once the lake is reopened after the 30-day closure, boats must be off the water by 4 p.m. to receive a green tag to relaunch without quarantining or decontamination. The US Bureau of Reclamation remains in the process of putting a decontamination unit in place, but it is unclear if it will be operated by the marina or by the Bureau. Bank fishing is allowed along with boats that were previously moored at the marina. Trout trolling has been decent for boaters from the marina running plugs near the surface. Non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboards, may also be subject to inspection. The lake rose a foot to 1,038.18 feet in elevation and 77% of capacity. Downstream Lake Tulloch has been excellent for experienced trout trollers.
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 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported a slower bass bite, but there is still consistent action early in the morning, saying, “It is very important to get there early in the morning since the bite dies down when the sun comes out. Big swimbaits in trout patterns have been working for the occasional larger bass, and the past two tournaments have brought in quality largemouth kickers in the 5- to 6-pound range. The most consistent action is with finesse techniques of dragging a jig or plastics on a Ned-rig or drop-shot along bluff walls at depths from 25 to 40 feet.” The trout trolling bite has slowed down, but another trout plant is scheduled at the lake this week along with a plant at Avocado Lake. In the lower Kings River, limits of planted rainbows have been coming on inline spinners such as Mepp’s, Roostertails, Panther Martin’s, or small Rapalas when the water transitions from fast to slow. Interest has been high with all the plants, and plants are scheduled for the next two weeks along with a plant in the upper Kings River this week. Anglers continue to take trout out of the catch-and-release section, and citations have been a fairly common occurrence for fishing with barbed hooks or in possession of trout. 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 flows have dropped from 609 to 481 cfs at Trimmer. The lake rose 2.5 feet to 839.77 feet in elevation and 46 percent. There are four bass tournaments scheduled in January with three in February.
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 bank fishing remains decent for good numbers of striped bass from 18 to 28 inches with 5-inch flukes on a scrounger head, jumbo minnows, blood worms, or pile worms. Most bank anglers are concentrated around Dinosaur Point. Mesa said.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the bite has been sporadic due to the weather fronts going through the area. The lake is finally coming up , and the water temps are still hanging around a mild 58-59 degrees. I scouted alone last week and the fish were more active than they have been - and I released over 20 nice fish to 25 ½” working the main lake flats at 60 plus depths with Rapalas and Lucky Crafts in minnow colors . However I went back a couple days later and the fish were much tougher to catch and suspended. It’s been hard to get a steady bite lately. You have to work hard for the fish most days” , George said.
In the O’Neill Forebay, Mesa reported good action for both largemouth and striped bass with Senkos or plastic worms on a Ned-rig, but when the bass are chasing bait into the shallows, jerkbaits have been effective. The main lake rose to 70% of capacity balanced between water imports and exports while the forebay also rose to 90% 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 said, “The lake is coming up from the storms and more coming this weekend. Trollers continue to score with Rapalas are working for trolling at 1.6 mph when the fish are biting, but the bite has slowed down most likely due to the change in weather. Few anglers have been out, but it will pick up with the improved weather within the next few weeks. A few rainbow trout to 6 pounds have been landed, but these are few and far between. The best bank action is across from the Sheriff’s Tower with Power Bait in Rainbow Glitter with garlic scent. I am anticipating an awesome kokanee bite this spring.” A live webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1.
A trout plant is scheduled this week.
Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133
Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool
Kaiser Pass Road closed on the 1st with only snowmobile access available. Edison is at 29, Florence at 8, and Mammoth Pool at 27% 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
Trout 3. Kokanee 2
“Anglers fishing Shaver this past week have gotten into some nice trout,” said Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters. “Black Rock is the spot to be for a couple limits of yearling and trophy trout, and most are coming in on a variety of tackle including Trout Busters with a piece of nightcrawler and Rapalas from the surface to 10 feet down. “
On Thursday, Brian Klassen was out with his brother Evan and friends Brad Latham of Porterville amd Kyle Allen of Reedley and his 4-year-old son. They were on water just after 7 am to troll from the Sierra Marina towards Black Rock. They didn’t get a bite until arriving at Black Rock, but once they arrived, they had double, triples, and even a four-way hook up, landing over 25 trout within 3 hours. Four of the trout were over 22 inches with the largest at 24 inches.
Klassen said, ‘It didn’t matter the bait the fish were biting everything, but a standard dodger/Wedding Ring tipped with crawler, Ford Fenders with a crawler, pink Spinner Hoochies with matching pink dodger, orange Spinner Hoochies with matching orange dodger, green Apex lures with a chartreuse dodger, and a pink Apex with a pink dodger were all working. We tipped the hoochies and Apexes with pink and white corn scented with anise. All fish were caught between 17 and 31 feet on downriggers or 3.5 to 4 colors on lead core. It was just one of those special days that you get occasionally. All the trout were rainbows with no browns, and it worry some that we didn’t hook any kokanee. We did mark fish deep near the bottom on the finder, those might have been Kokanee but not sure.’The trophy trout are left over plants by the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.”
Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions before going up as the marinas are closed.
Pia Xiong, a regular Central Valley kayak angler, was at Huntington on Sunday, and he reported the lake is low and the surrounding shorelines are covered with several inches of snow. There are tracks where small aluminum boats have been dragged down to shorelines, but overall, fishing interest is left to the most dedicated brown trout trollers. Shaver is at 61 percent with Huntington dropping slightly to 49% 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 and will remain closed until the regularly scheduled reopening on Memorial Day 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
It’s Dungeness crab and sand dab time as rockfish season closed on Dec. 31. On the final day of rockfish season, the Ankeny Street posted 14 limits of rockfish, 6 lingcod, and 4 rock sole while the Riptide had three limits of rockfish. Since the rockfish closure, the Ankeny Street was out for sand dabs, and they returned with 250 of the small, tasty flatfish for 10 anglers. The Pacifica Pier remains closed until further notice due to high tides and swells. Information: https://www.cityofpacifica.org/departments/public-works/field-services/pacifica-pier.
Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith, Riptide (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, Queen of Hearts (510) 581-2628.
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Sand dab and Petrale sole season has started, and a boat out of Chris’s Landing in Monterey returned with 300 sand dab and 6 Petrale sole for 15 anglers on Jan. 3. From the beaches, Josh Mesa reported perch fishing is once again picking up from the Santa Cruz beaches after the huge swells of the past few weeks have dissipated. Surf perch in the 13- to 14-inch range have been taken on Charlie Brewer’s Crappie Sliders or Lucky 13 grubs in motor oil/red flake.
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, “As of Dec. 31, boat-based rockfish season is closed in all depths. Boating anglers can still go on the hunt for flatfish. Sand dabs adequate delicious, though small. Luckily, when you find the ‘dabs, there’s usually dozens around to bring home for a gourmet meal. Petrale sole can be in the same area of sand dabs. A very finely textured and delicate fish, Petrales can provide an equally fine dining experience. they are bigger, too, which makes catching them a bit more fun. Charter operations around Monterey Bay managed to get a few days fishing after the humungous swells experienced recently.
“J and M Sport Fishing in Monterey reported limits of 260 rockfish for the Chubasco on the final day of the season. Monday, Jane M’s Kahuna brought home 140 rockfish along with a bonus ling cod and Petrale sole. In Santa Cruz, Rodney Armstrong tied up the 2024 season on the 31st. Armstrong reported, “Last rock fish trip of the year was wide open yellows with a few widows mixed in. Hopefully next year we get to fish whatever depth for the season. Since we don’t catch quillbacks in our zone.” There is good news on the Dungeness crab front. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is easing restrictions for recreational crabbing as well as opening the commercial season for Dungeness in our area. Officials posted this info, “CDFW is lifting the temporary recreational crab trap restriction, beginning Jan. 2, at 8:01 a.m., from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to Lopez Point, Monterey County (Fishing Zones 3 and 4). So, we can use the bigger crab pots again, and go for the longer soaks, which means more crab for the efforts. The Santa Cruz wharf is shut down for the immediate future. The newly rebuilt Capitola Wharf, which was severely damaged by winter storms in 2023, is now fully repaired and reopened after a temporary closure during this last giant wave train event. Capitola Boat and Bait is back in business with bait, tackle, boat and equipment rentals available. Anglers fishing from the Capitola Wharf are catching a variety of perch including barred surf perch near the beach, and pile perch further out on the wharf. Using shrimp bits as bait seems to be the ticket. After the gigantic waves of last week, the ocean is calling down considerably, and the water is clearing. The big waves and heavy currents had quite an effect on beach structure, with many beaches scoured down to bedrock reefs while other beaches exhibiting radical sand bars, troughs and holes. Surfcasting for perch is going to get good really quick.”
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 shark 3 Sturgeon 2 Crab 3
Like the other northern California ports, it is Dungeness crab and sand dab season until the anticipated rockfish opener sometime in April. On New Year’s Eve, the final day of the 2024 rockfish season, a few party boats made it out, and the California Dawn 1 returned with 21 limits of Dungeness crab and rockfish while the California Dawn 2 posted 29 limits of Dungeness crab, 70 rockfish, and a lingcod. The commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border opened on Jan. 5 after a pre-soak beginning in January with a 50% trap reduction to reduce entanglement risk for humpback whales by decreasing the amount of gear and vertical lines in the water. Recreational crab anglers are also able to use crab traps now.
Inside San Francisco Bay, herring spawns continue to rise on occasion along the Marin shorelines near Sausalito and in the south bay near Oyster Point. The next set of tides are anticipated to be excellent for more consistent spawning. A dedicated group of anglers stay on top of the herring spawns, and they are ready to head out at the first sign of a spawn, whether from the shoreline or from a boat with cast nets at the ready. In the south bay, Captain Steve Gutierrez of Deadliest Kast Guide Service out of Oyster Point continues to find solid sturgeon fishing in the sloughs near Alviso. There is a seasonal sturgeon closure starting Jan. 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. Striped bass remain a strong possibility throughout the bay, but sharks and rays are the most common catches.
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 3
It’s boat maintenance and surf perch time on San Luis Obispo County coast as the final day for the 2024 boat-based rockfish season was December 31. Out of Morro Bay, the final rockfish trip for Virg’s Landing was on a 12-hour trip on the Rita G on Dec. 30 for 18 limits of rockfish and 12 lingcod.
The Endeavor, Avenger, and Starfire out of Patriot Sport Fishing also made their last trip of the year on Dec. 30, and a combined 64 anglers returned with near limits of rockfish consisting of 532 assorted, 38 vermilion, 40 Boccaccio, and 19 black cod. The next trips scheduled out of Patriot Sport Fishing at Port San Luis are on April 1. 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
Sturgeon fishing in Suisun Bay remains the best thing going as the Sacramento side of the Delta remains muddy from the recent rains. The next week of clear weather will improve the water conditions, and the high water along with the numbers of striped bass in San Francisco Bay this summer bodes well for an excellent spring starting mid-February. Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing out of Pittsburg was out with clients several times over the past few days, and he reported solid action except for a single sturgeon landed on Monday during the incoming cold front. Winter sturgeon fishing has been better than anticipated in the 49- to 52-degree water, and the number of sturgeon marked with electronics has been impressive. Sturgeon Report Cards are due Jan. 31, and information on returning your report card online or via mail is available at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fishes/Sturgeon/Report-Card. In the past, only 31% of capacity of report cards were returned, leading to a lack of angler-generated data.
Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors was in the north Delta near Liberty Island this week, and he found 53-degree water and a foot of visibility. Throwing lures in the shallows for striped bass, they found slow action overall, but his videographer, Denise Loo, caught and released a 16-pound lineside on a jerkbait. Fong said, “The water is much clearer in the
San Joaquin River near Stockton, and you can catch a limit of stripers on the anchor with fresh shad or frozen sardines. The water in the Sacramento is starting to clear up, and it is going to be outstanding this spring for striped bass.” With the cloudy water on the Sacramento side, striped bass are migrating to the clearer waters of the Port of Sacramento, but there is limited access to the port with only a single boat launch from the members only Washington Outboard Club. Non-members must make a 35-mile run through the Sacramento Deep Water Channel to reach the port. Largemouth bass fishing remains slow as the water temperatures range from 48- to 52-degrees throughout the San Joaquin side of the Delta. Few anglers have been targeting largemouth as the Florida-strain bass hunker down in the cold water. Jigs on a slow presentation have been the most effective technique with some action on umbrella rigs on the high tide into the start of the outgo. Several islands have standing water, and pumps will start to cloud up the main channel as the water is pumped off the islands through large cisterns. There was a dump of concrete blocks at the mouth of Fishermen’s Cut on the San Joaquin side of the river, and there are some areas as shallow as a foot on low tide. Boaters are advised to used caution in traveling into or out of Fishermen’s Cut into the main river. In the Stockton area, crappie and bluegill are attracting anglers to Telephone Cut off of Eight Mile Road.
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
Jan. 11
Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis Annual Tackle Show from
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free tri-tip sandwiches and drinks along with varieties of tackle on display.
Jan. 16-19
International Sportsmen’s Exposition – Cal Expo, Sacramento
Information: https://www.sportsexpos.com/attend/sacramento/.
Tournament results
Jan. 1
Pine Flat – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments Hangover
1st- Xong Her/Yohan Chang – 15.93 (Big Fish – 5.29); 2nd – Mike Alvarez/Andrew Cipolla – 13.37; 3rd – Diu Vang/Yue Lee – 11.33.
Jan. 4
Lopez – American Bass Association
1st- Louis and Troy Fernandes – 20.47 (Big Fish – 5.73); 2nd – Mike Maddus/Jeff Hodges – 18.35; 3rd – Patrick Touey/Tyler Day – 17.28.
Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)
Jan. 12
Millerton – Fresno Bass Club
Pine Flat – Kings VIII Bass Club
Jan. 18
Don Pedro – Christian Bass League
McClure – TriValley Bassmasters
Millerton – Kern County Bassmasters
Pine Flat – Sierra Bass Club
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments
Jan. 19
Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc.
Pine Flat – Kings River Bass Club
Jan. 25-26
Millerton – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Jan. 25
Nacimiento – Golden Empire Bass Club
Feb. 1
Delta/Pittsburg Marina – 18th Annual Diamond Classic Catch and Release Sturgeon Derby – Information: Pittsburg Marina (925) 439-4958.
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published January 7, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Don Pedro trout and bass on the munch."