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Amador Lake Map Feature

MADE IN U . S . A

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Our 40th Year

Since 1982

Catching big striped bass on artificial lures is the ultimate test of an angler ’ s skill .

Photo Courtesy of Roland Aspiras

he near-record rainfall we ’ ve experienced this year has delayed , but not canceled , our spring striper run in the delta . While we normally start looking for fish the week after Valentine ’ s Day , this year we have been in a holding pattern because of high and muddy waters . With visibility improving and temperatures rising , now is the time to break out your rods and head down to the ‘ Big D ’ for some springtime striper action ! When targeting springtime stripers on the California Delta , trolling is a consistent bet . The fish are constantly moving , and trolling is an effective way to track down large schools of traveling fish . On April 24 , I made my first trip of the season to the delta employing both trolling and bait fishing techniques for striped bass . After a prolonged closure of the Brannan Island State Recreation Area , it was finally time to return to the familiar site since the State secured a new park operator . My neighbor Mike Stratton joined me for the early-morning trip . Mike catches and releases trophy stripers on the American River using plugging techniques , but he had never fished the delta before our trip . I notified him that we probably wouldn ’ t be catching any monsters in the delta , but we could

expect to have consistent action on schoolie-sized stripers . We started out near Threemile Slough on the San Joaquin River . I instructed him to play out one hundred feet of line and place the rod into the rod holder with the clicker on . The reel was engaged , not in free spool , so I checked the drag to make sure it wasn ’ t too tight . I said we wanted the drags loose enough so fish could pull line and the clickers would indicate

’ ve never been one to enjoy writing how-to articles . I feel like that ’ s been done many times over by guys way more accomplished and experienced than myself . So if that ’ s your thing , I ’ m not your guy . But what you will get from me are connections - how fishing , family , and life are all intertwined . And I hope my articles provide inspiration for those that have felt the weight of the world the last few years . These days , my fishing trips are a mixture of things : un-planned , short , few and far between , filled with sunset pictures . More skunks than catching . I even smashed my brand new boat into a rock wall trying to navigate fog in the Delta . Yes - I ’ m that guy . But I ’ m not afraid to fail . I ’ m not perfect . Though , sometimes life and some luck align perfectly , as was the case on my latest fishing trip on the California Delta on April 23rd . On this expansive body of water , tides play a major role in everything . It influences feeding patterns . It forces you

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Mike Stratton of Roseville holds up a feisty striped bass that hit a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow Deep Diver trolled on the San Joaquin River on April 24 . Be sure to use a grip tool like the one pictured here along with needle-nose pliers to avoid the treble hook danger zone when removing hooks .

Photo courtesy of Jack Naves

FRESHWATER REPORTS Feather / Sacramento Rivers - Bullards Bar Lake ..... 6 Berryesa Lake - Lake Camanche ............................... 7 Clear Lake - Collins Lake ........................................... 8 Davis Lake- Eastern Sierra ....................................... 9

Folsom Lake ......................................................... 12 Los Vaqueros - Lake Oroville ............................... 13 Pyramid Lake - Rio Vista / Delta ............................ 14 Shasta Lake ......................................................... 15 Trinity River .......................................................... 16 Truckee River ....................................................... 17 SALTWATER REPORTS Fisherman ’ s Wharf / Berkeley Marina - Half Moon Bay ......................................................... 21 Monterey Bay ........................................................... 22

Where ... When ... How ...

GO FOR IT : Staff ........................................................ 4 MAP FEATURE : Dan Bacher ................................ 10-11 SPOTLIGHT ON CONSERVATION : Dan Bacher ....... 20

Ernie Marlan fished for striped bass on the Feather River with Barebones Guide Service . He used a 7 ’ Kevin Van Dam Team Lew ’ s Signature Series rod with a line rating of 10-17lb . He caught and released several stripers while using a Strike King 3.75 inch Rage Swimmer in Pearl color .

Paul Kneeland fished Lake Camanche with Brian Garcia of Alta in the Fish Sniffer 21 ’ Rogue Jet Coastal . They caught rainbow trout to 20 inches and 3 pounds using Daiwa DXS 8 ’ light action IM-7 graphite trigger stick rigged with the new Daiwa Lexa 100 Line counter reel loaded with 8 lb test Yozuri Topknot line . They trolled firetiger and Red Racer Speedy Shiner spoons off the Canon Downriggers 10 to 30 feet deep at 2.5 mph .

Dan Bacher fished for trout at Pardee Lake . He used a Berkley Ugly Stick GX2 6 ’ 6 ” medium action spinning rod , teamed up with a Shakespeare GX235 spinning reel filled with 6 lb . test P-Line CX Premium Flourocarbon Coated Line . He fished with garlic chartreuse Berkley PowerBait , 1 / 8 oz . gold and black Panther Martins and 2 / 5 oz . gold / red stripe Little Cleos .