Central California fishing report: Pine Flat bass, king salmon and trout providing lots of action
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
Best bets Delta sturgeon and stripers hitting, Alan Fong said. Pine Flat bass, king salmon and trout providing lots of action, Brandon Grimsley reported. New Melones bass bite is good, John Liechty said. Don Pedro bass and trout on solid bites, Monte Smith reported. Isabella crappie action red hot, Copes Tackle said. McSwain plants ignite rainbow bite, 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 2 Catfish 2
The northern section of the California Aqueduct continues to be slow, but there have been striped bass to 22 inches taken on occasion despite the fast water movement. The water in the South San Joaquin River is clearing, and the aqueduct flows are less dirty than they have been for the past month. Striperz Gone Wild Annual Memorial Aqueduct Tournament is tentatively scheduled for April 5.
In the southern section of the aqueduct, Cope’s Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported both lures and bait are working for striped bass. Bait fishermen are scoring on the bottom with sardines, anchovies, or blood worms after the check gates while the lure of choice has been a Magnum Fluke on a jig head. Goby-imitation baits are also working on a lift-and-drop technique. Cut bait, Triple S Dip Bait, or chicken livers are working for catfish. Largemouth bass action is best with finesse presentations such as plastics on a drop-shot or shakey head in addition to Rat-L-Traps on either side of the check gates.
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
Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported big bass continue to come out of Eastman as Jeremy Sierra caught and released a 10½-pound largemouth on a large profile jig.
“Big plastics or big jigs dragged on the bottom are working, and there continue to be swimbait fish as well,” he said. “The early morning seems to be the best time for swimbaits, but there was a 7½-pound bass taken on a swimbait in afternoon in the shallows near the launch ramp. There is a slight algae bloom forming in the coves and along the shorelines in certain areas of the lake.” Hensley remains low and slow for largemouth bass. Catfish and the ever-present carp continue to be the best bets. Eastman held at 535.11 feet in elevation and 48% of capacity with Hensley rising slightly to 477.26 feet in elevation and 21% 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 solid troll bite for rainbow trou
“The bite is not an early morning happening with the 53-degree water, but we caught and released a dozen rainbows with three generations of the Brown Family from Valley Springs,” he said. “Blair Brown, 3, and Kennedy Brown, 5, did all the catching. We were trolling custom shad-patterned spoons on lead core line in the top 20 feet. You can run a nightcrawler or grub behind a flasher for success, but with the clear water, I am running my lures without a dodger or flasher. We are working the shorelines and dead-end coves where the grebes are hanging out. There was between 75 and 100 grebes diving on the shad schools in one area, and we watched the bait and fish on the Live Scope. It’s a matter of fast trolling and covering lots of water to find them.” Bass fishing remains very good with large profile jigs, tubes, or plastics on shakey head at depths to 40 feet. The fish are up into the shallows in the mornings before heading back to deep water. Brandon Grimsley of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis added, “There was a 27½-pound limit at Pedro this week on swimbaits, and no fish was smaller than 3 pounds.” Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake held at 774.00 feet in elevation and 69% of capacity. As the status of New Melones is uncertain, Pedro will be very busy in the coming months with ten tournaments scheduled in February and five more in March.
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 2 Bluegill 2
The lake held at 2,557.8 feet in elevation and 27% of capacity with water releases rising from 385 to 451 cfs at First Point. The big news in the Bakersfield area has been the phenomenal crappie bite in the canals around Corcoran. Thousands of crappie have been removed within the past three weeks, and anglers are leaving with 25-fish limits on a routine basis. At Isabella, the crappie bite is also red hot, and Cope’s reported the slabs are gorging themselves on the huge schools of shad at depths from 15 to 40 feet over submerged structure. There is a decent wintertime bite for largemouth bass with black/blue jigs with Rapala’s Clean Up Craws or brown/purple jigs with Berkley’s Chigger Craws on a ⅜- to ½-ounce football jig heads. Rocky Point, Engineer’s Point, and Piney Point remain productive areas for largemouths, and there is some action for large bass on big rainbow trout-patterned swimbaits. Triple S Dip Bait, nightcrawlers, or cut mackerel continue to work for catfish, and when the bite slows, adding a chartreuse tail can generate a bite. No bass tournaments are scheduled on the lake through March.
In the Upper Kern, Cope’s reported limit-style trout fishing with the best action coming at the easily accessed points along the 20-Mile stretch with salmon eggs, live crickets, minijigs, or nightcrawlers. The upper Kern is to be stocked once again in Sections 4 and 5 for the next two weeks. In the lower Kern, Cope’s reported a fair bass bite with crankbaits, jigs, or spinners while catfish are taken on Triple S Dip Bait, nightcrawlers, or cut bait. The lower Kern is running at 291 at First Point. At Buena Vista Lake, periodic plants will continue 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. Cope’s Rod and Tackle is hosting the 1st Annual Bakersfield Kid’s Outdoor Fishing Derby at the River Walk on Feb. 8 from 6 am to noon. There will be 25 tagged fish with the top prize at $1000. Entry is $20. Trout plants are scheduled for Ming and River Walk next week.
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 is at 621.51 feet in elevation and 20% of capacity. Cope’s reported fair fishing as both largemouth and spotted bass are holding in deep water. Finesse techniques are best with a dead stick approach with plastics or jigs at depths from 20 to 60 feet. The warmer weather has enticed some bass to move into the shoreline, and Senkos on a weightless presentation is working for the shallow bass. Catfishing is best with sardines, anchovies, or Triple S Dip Bait. The Kaweah River at Three Rivers has dropped to 130 cfs. A trout plant is scheduled at the lake this week. Trout plants are also scheduled for Mooney Grove and Del Lago Park ponds this week in the Tulare area. Only a single tournament is scheduled in February with one more in March.
Lake Success
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2
The lake is at 606.11 feet in elevation and 20% of capacity. Cope’s reported decent bass fishing at depths from 5 to 40 feet with finesse presentations, spoons, or deep-diving crankbaits. Largemouth bass are found along main and secondary lake points with crankbaits while plastics on a Ned-rig or drop-shot are working for the deep bass. Spoons are effective over deep structures. Anchovies, chicken liver, or dip bait on a Carolina-rig are fooling catfish. A trout plant is scheduled this week. There are not any bass tournaments in February, but three are scheduled in March.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 3 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
The spotted bass bite continues with the pattern of bass in the shallows in the mornings before backing off into deeper water around bluff walls, main lake points, or secondary points at depths to 40 feet.
Finesse jigs, plastics on a shakey head, or tubes on a slow presentation are working for numbers. A few quality spots to 4 pounds have been in the mix as the larger bass are chasing rainbow trout. Few trout trollers are on the lake, but there is an opportunity for a limit running shad patterned spoons on lead core to 20 feet in the coves and along the shorelines. 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 held at 803.94 feet in elevation and 63%. McClure will also be busy in the coming months with two tournaments scheduled this coming weekend, six in February, and three in March.
Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.
Lake McSwain
Trout 3
About 3,000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows and Lightning trout were planted last Monday, and the action was outstanding from the shorelines within a few days of the plant. Limits were the rule at the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula near the marina with rainbow glitter Power Bait, garlic Power Bait, Kastmasters, or inflated nightcrawlers. After a few days, the remaining trout started migrating toward the river arm, and bank anglers found their best action near the mouth of the river. Trolling is also 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 93% 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 3 Crappie 2
Bass 101 held a tournament on Sunday with the winning limit coming in at 11.60 pounds with a big fish of the event at 3.72 pounds. These results are very similar to last weekend’s Fresno Bass Club tournament.
“It’s all about finesse presentations with small profile jigs or plastics on a Ned- or Neko-rig at depths to 40 feet” Brandon Grimsley said. “The fish are up shallow in the mornings before heading deeper by mid-morning. A good clue that the fish are going deep is that the number of fizzing needles sold has increased.”
The lake rose a foot to 506.04 feet in elevation and 45% of capacity. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant dropped slightly to 392 cfs. Millerton will also be busy in the coming months with one more tournament in January, three in February, and one in March. Sycamore Island reopened its gates a few weeks ago, and a trout plant is scheduled next week. There have been several quality largemouth bass to 6 pounds landed since the park reopened. The park will be open 6 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily.
Admission is free Monday through Friday, and $9 per vehicle on Saturday and Sunday. Yearlong passes are available for $85. two-person canoes and one-person kayaks are available for rent on the ponds for $10 per hour with lifejackets and paddles included. The gate is at 39664 Ave 7 ½ in Madera, foot traffic can enter across from the Valley Golf Center.
Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 3 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1
Boats have been able to access the lake if they have completed the 30-day quarantine. The marina will be operating the decontamination unit for a fee within the near future. John Liechty of Xperience Bass Fishing Guide Service reported the lake is fishing well for 35 to 40 bass per outing with most of the action on jigs or plastics at varying depths from 2 to 30 feet.
“Nearly all of the bass are spots, but they are in excellent shape in the 2½- to 3-pound range,” he said.
Trout trollers are running Speedy Shiners or similar spoons near the surface for up to limits, working along the shorelines and the coves. 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 held at 1,039.55 feet in elevation and 78% of capacity. Downstream Lake Tulloch continues to be excellent for experienced trout trollers. There are two bass tournaments scheduled in February and another four in March, but these are subject to change.
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 3Trout 3 Kokanee 0 King salmon 3 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
Brandon Grimsley reported the consistent weather over the past few weeks has led to a consistent bass bite with finesse jigs or plastics on the drop-shot.
“The best bite window has been in the mornings, but lately, there has been some good bass action in the afternoons. The larger fish have been coming into the shallows early, and there is an opportunity for swimbaits after the trout plant a few weeks back,” he said.
Trollers are finding up to limits of king salmon with a few rainbows in the mix running a variety of tackle at depth around 40 to 50 feet. In the lower Kings River, trout plants are scheduled the next two weeks along with a plant at Avocado Lake this week. Interest in trout fishing has been high as limits of planted rainbows remain possible with spinners such as Mepp’s, Roostertails, or Panther Martin’s, small Rapalas, Berkley’s Atomic Tubes, Power Bait, or inflated nightcrawlers. There have been rainbows to 6 pounds taken out of the river within the past week.
Anglers continue to take trout out of the catch-and-release section, and citations have been a 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 to 392 cfs at Trimmer. The lake rose two feet to 843.72 feet in elevation and 47% of capacity. There are five club bass tournaments scheduled in February with one more 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
Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported the main lake continues to rise, and bank anglers are scoring at Basalt or Dinosaur Point with pile worms, anchovies, or jumbo minnows.
“A larger grade of striped bass has been found in the late afternoon into the evening with large glide baits in bone or shad. We have a large grade of jumbo minnows in the shop, and they are also effective,” he said.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that the overall reaction bite is sporadic ,with a later morning bite the better bet for trollers.
“We just went through a very bright clear full moon phase that shut the fish down for awhile, but the bite is slowly coming back a bit as the water level rises,” George said. “I took out a Grandpa and his 13-yr-old grandson and things started slowly, and then picked up around noon for us working flats in the main lake trolling Rapalas at 50-75 foot plus depths. We ended the tough day with 16 released fish in the 21-24-foot range. The water is very clear around 10 feet, so the fish can see better than normal. I’m pulling the lures at about 2½ mph right now. We’re hoping the bite gets a little easier,” he said.
In the O’Neill Forebay, a small grade of striper from 16 to 18 inches is coming from the banks with bait along with white flukes on a scrounger head. The main lake rose to 74% of capacity while the forebay rose to 85% 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 dropping like a rock, but anglers continue to land quality rainbow trout from the shoreline near the Sheriff’s Tower with rainbow glitter Power Bait. The weather is cooperating, and there are still anglers out their trying.” 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 26% of capacity, Florence is at 9% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool at 25% 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 2 Kokanee 1
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters reported that the recent clear weather has brought out trout anglers, and the bite remains decent with a couple of limits being the norm for trollers working around Black Rock in the top 25 feet with Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a weighted Mountain Flasher at a setback around 100 feet. Chris Counts and Bruce Kalkowski of Fresno picked up a couple of limits by 1 p.m. on pink spinners and hoochies, Kalkowski said, ‘It was not a hot bite.’ Nichols added, “It’s a little scary as no one is reporting any kokanee. And since the Department of Fish and Wildlife did not plant kokanee in 2022, we have to rely on a natural spawn from that year. The department predicted second year kokanee should be larger than normal due to the lack of competition for food. If we don’t pick up some significant snow over the next few months, I doubt Southern California Edison will hold back on the water level going into spring. The Sierra ramp is good to go.”
Check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions Snow and rain is possible this coming weekend.
There hasn’t been any additional snow along the shorelines at Huntington, and fishing interest is left to the most dedicated brown trout trollers. Shaver is at 60 and Huntington at 47% 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 2 crab 3
Captain Melynda Dodds of the New Captain Pete is running these trips based upon demand for $155/angler. Crab only trips or crab/sand dab trips remain the story until at least April. When the weather cooperates, it is limits of Dungeness crab are the rule, but as the commercial boats are working, obtaining limits may become more challenging. Surf perch action is picking up with grubs when the swell cooperates. According to the city’s website, the Pacifica Pier remains closed until further notice due to high tides and swells, so anglers are seeking crab with snares from the surrounding beaches. 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
From the beaches, Mickey Clements reported phenomenal surf perch action with his co-worker, Tom Niccum, landing quality perch on Lucky 13 grubs in motor oil/red flake. The crew from Mekini Baitz was on the Monterey side, and they found great action with their grubs. Honey Badger’s grubs are also effective. Out of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey, a boat was out on Saturday with 10 anglers for 500 sand dabs and 10 Petrale sole, following up Friday’s trip with 12 anglers for 600 sand dabs and 15 Petrale sole. It’s bucketloads of sand dabs right now.
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, a common adage for surfcasters and shore anglers regarding the best time to fish is two hours before high tide until two hours after high tide.
“This makes perfect sense and is most often the best rule of thumb to follow. High tide means deeper water closer to dry sand. Deeper water holds those fish we’re trying to catch,” he said. “There are a couple notable exceptions to this rule. Times when fishing from the beach is actually better during low tide periods. This week’s minus tides provided a couple excellent examples wherein going against the customary opinion paid off in spades. A minus tide occurs when the ocean low-water level is lower than the zero point. When the sun, moon and earth are in alignment, we experience the largest tidal differences between low and high tides. King tides are exceptionally high tides and occur when the moon is in its full or new (dark) phase.
“ Gravitational alignment increases the tidal flow. For every king tide, there is a corresponding minus tide. These negative tides are a great time to go “tide pooling,” exploring the ecosystems of rocky reefs and observing nearshore marine creatures normally obscured with a foot or two of water, even during normal low tides. Minus tides are also the best time to go poke poling, an adventurous and productive method of pulling fish from the cracks, crevices and caves hiding in the rocks of the tide pools. A bamboo rod, old fishing pole, or even a stretched-out wire coat hanger can serve as a poke pole.
“Tipped with a very short leader of heavy fishing line and a baited hook, the angler pokes around into the rocks until a fish bites, then pulls them out of the hole. Simple. Productive. And really fun, especially for the kids! Many small rockfish are hiding in these areas, and we would recommend releasing these small-fry to go on their way and grow to spawn in the future. There are some big ones, though. Surprisingly big fish in these same areas can provide a great meal for the family. The monkey-faced eel is not really an eel, but rather a “Prickleback” fish. They look just like a nasty eel though, but don’t get turned off. The monkeys filet up cleanly and are delicious, cooking up with a firm white meat. The other big, ugly bruisers of the reef are cabezon. Part of the RCG complex (legal to take all-year round for shore anglers), cabezons are prized for their tasty mild filets. The cabbies have a huge mouth and head, and many prefer to cook them whole rather than filet, to take full advantage of the fish’s yield. Any other surfcasters out there who have been getting skunked or, at best, catching one or two fish per outing these days (like me) just might want to try taking a good look and a nice walk during minus or dead-low tides this week. Surfcaster reports indicate several of the bigger, broader beaches between Aptos and Seaside are sporting incredible structure just offshore.”
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 Crab 2
Crab only and crab/sand dab trips have been few and far between with party boat operators participating in the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Exposition over the weekend. It’s boat maintenance for most party boats, but a few will stick around for the trips. The commercial crab season has been challenging for most working boats. Inside San Francisco Bay, herring spawns continue to rise up throughout the Marin shorelines near Sausalito.
It’s a matter of time and place, and you have to be there when the herring are close to the surface. Kayaks, boaters, and shore anglers are tossing cast nets for bucketloads of herring when the spawns are thick. The daily limit on herring is 10 gallons (approximately 10 pounds or 520 fish). Sturgeon anglers continue to find encouraging action in the south bay or San Pablo Bay. There is a seasonal sturgeon closure from 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. Leopard shark and striped bass from the shorelines are the constant while sturgeon action has improved in the south bay.
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, whale watching, nature cruises, and surf perch time on San Luis Obispo County coast. The next party boat trips will take place in April for rockfish. 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 3
The waters of the California Delta continue to clear up, and the San Joaquin side has the clearest water in the system. High and muddy water is just what sturgeon want, and party boats out of Pittsburg continue to catch and release from five-to-seven diamondbacks per trip. Cured salmon roe remains the top bait, but ghost shrimp and frozen shad is also working. With the high water, sturgeon are migrating upstream into the Sacramento River, and the banks around Merritt’s Landing, Clarksburg, and Hood have been productive for catch-and-release. The 18th Annual Diamond Classic Catch and Release Derby is Saturday, Feb. 1st at the Pittsburg Marina, and this derby is unique in weighmasters are on the water to verify each sturgeon, and a successful catch is rewarded with a raffle ticket. The derby runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with specific boundaries in Suisun Bay, and each raffle ticket is placed into a hat, so each successful catch has an equal opportunity for the payouts running for the first five places.
Entry fee is $25 cash, and anglers can register at either the Pittsburg Marina at 51 Marina Blvd. (925) 439-4958 or the Fishermen’s Catch Bait and Tackle at 27 Marina Blvd. (925) 267-2535. In addition to the 100% payout for adult anglers, the derby is designed for youth participation. Youth 5- 12 are invited to participate in the free Kid’s Derby 9 a.m. to 2:30 pm on Feb. 1 at Riverview Park Jetty, 2 River Park Drive, Pittsburg.
Rods, rigs, and bait are available, and youth must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to sign a photo release. Registration is required in advance, and participants can register by phone at (925) 439-4958 or the same venues as the Diamond Classic. All youth will receive a prize/award at the Award Ceremony.
Entry to the Diamond Classic includes the Friday, Jan. 31 pre-derby seminar 6–8 p.m. a large raffle to raise funds for youth prizes along with presentations by local six pack captains. The tournament award ceremony will be held at the Pittsburg Yacht Club at 5 p.m. Feb. 1.
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.
Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors continues to work in the north Delta, and he reported the water around Liberty Island remains cloudy with only two inches of visibility. He has been scoring school-sized striped bass using plastics on a prototype head from Blade Runner Tackle.
“The head reflects the signals from Forward Facing Sonar, and it is easy to pick up by my electronics,” he said.
Fong advised staying on the San Joaquin side for striped bass with frozen shad or mudsuckers from Three Mile Slough upriver. Limits of schoolies are possible.
Largemouth bass fishing remains challenging, but there were limits over 18 pounds including a big fish pushing 9 pounds during Sunday’s Bass Hole Tournament out of Russo’s Marina. The winning teams were very experienced Delta anglers who have cashed numerous checks over the years, so the bite is challenging for the weekend angler. There really isn’t a pattern developed yet, but anglers can expect around a bite per hour with reaction baits in bluegill patterns along with finesse presentations. If the weather pattern continues, the striped bass and sturgeon action should explode in the coming weeks as the water warms up and clears.
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
Jan. 18
McClure – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies
1st- Fred and Emilio Ruiz – 15.90 (Big Fish – 4.25); 2nd – Jason and Jake Hopper – 14.45; 3rd – Willie and Rick Higle– 12.50.
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments
1st- Tim and TJ Sharpe – 14.97; 2nd –Tyler Day/Troy Fernandes – 14.69; 3rd – Tray and Jerry Williams– 14.21.
Jan. 19
Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc.
1st- Hunter Schlander/Christian Ostrander – 18.46; 2nd – Jamond Andrews/Harvey Pulliam – 17.28 (Big Fish – 8.63); 3rd – John Clark/Dan Fonte – 16.39.
Millerton – Bass 101
1st- Rod and Scott Burns – 11.60; 2nd –Charles/Jonny – 10.49 (Big Fish – 3.72); 3rd – Sharif/Robert– 9.93.
Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)
Jan. 18
Jan. 25-26
Millerton – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Jan. 25
Nacimiento – Golden Empire Bass Club
Feb. 1st
Delta/Pittsburg Marina – 18th Annual Diamond Classic Catch and Release Sturgeon Derby – Information: Pittsburg Marina (925) 439-4958.
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Kerman Bass Club
Feb. 2
Millerton – California Bass Federation
Feb. 8
Don Pedro – Sonora Bass Anglers
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments
Pine Flat – Bass 101
River Walk in Bakersfield – 1st Annual Cope’s Rod and Tackle Bakersfield Kids Outdoor Fishing Derby from 6 am to 12 noon.
Santa Margarita – American Bass Association
Feb. 9
McClure – Best Bass Tournaments/Kings River Bass Club
Millerton – Kings VIII Bass Club
Feb. 15
Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments
Don Pedro – Bay Area Bassbusters
Eastman – Kerman Bass Club
Pine Flat – Golden Empire Bass Club
Nacimiento – Best Bass Tournaments
Feb. 16
Delta/Russo’s Marina – The Bass Hole Inc.
Don Pedro – California Bass Federation
Feb. 22
Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass
Amador – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies
Tulloch – Outlaw Bass Club
Don Pedro – Christian Bass League
McClure – Cen Cal Elite Bass Tournaments
Millerton – Sierra Bass Club
Pine Flat – Kern County Bassmasters
Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers
Feb. 23
Don Pedro – Riverbank Bass Anglers
Pine Flat – Fresno Bass Club
Feb. 28-March 2
Don Pedro – Bass Angler Inc.
March 1
Lake Pardee- Westside Bass
Eastman – Kerman Bass Club
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published January 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Central California fishing report: Pine Flat bass, king salmon and trout providing lots of action."