VOL . 43 • ISS . 2
February 9 , 2024
15
GONE FISHING continued from page 2
couple of trips were similar , but then on November 21 the fishing busted wide open . My son Adam and his friend Wyatt joined me for a trip that was so action-packed that we couldn ’ t keep baited rods in the water . On consecutive casts , the boys landed fish at 9 , 8 , 16 , and 6 pounds , releasing the larger fish . Shortly after on November 25 , Casey Code of Vacaville fished with me and landed a twenty-pounder ! The season was turning epic , and little did I know that it was going to continue for more than another month . Winter typically brings cold , dirty water to the delta , Stripers move over to cleaner water on the San Joaquin side or up to the Port of Sacramento . Since this fall brought only weak storms and above average temperatures , the great fishing kept rolling . I never had a slow day until January 19 , when the water temperature dropped below fifty degrees . Despite this , we were still able to grind it out for limits of stripers during that trip . For whatever reason , anchoring with bait seems to out fish trolling during the fall and winter months . It could be that stripers hang in deeper water , or possibly go into more of a ‘ scavenger mode ’ versus chasing trolled lures as predators . Whatever the case may be , it allows you to enjoy calm tranquil fall and winter days without having to listen to the motor chugging all day . Let me run down my bait fishing setup . It is not typical , but I ’ ve found it to be both effective and fun . For starters , I use a long ‘ noodle ’ rod designed for crappie ‘ spider trolling ’. It ’ s the 10 foot B ’ n ’ M West Point Crappie Pole . These long flexible rods allow me to read bites with precision , while having just enough bend to allow fish to grab the bait
For the best results using circle hooks , park your noodle rods in a fixed rod-holder and wait for the tip to start pumping . When the rod tip has constant action , slowly reel until the rod loads up with pressure . Keep the drag tight enough so the fish can hook itself before the line starts to slip off the reel . Double rainbows , like the one pictured here , are optional .
Photo by Jack Naves , The Fish Sniffer
Adam Naves of Roseville tugs on a feisty striped bass on the West Delta on December 31 , while the author waits with the net . This photo illustrates how much fun you can have using big long crappie rods when bait fishing for stripers . Additionally , these rods allow you to expertly read bites when compared to stiffer or heavier rods used in either rod holders or balancers .
Photo by Gina Naves , Roseville and turn before getting hooked . I put the rods in fixed rod holders at a 45-degree angle towards the sky . Now for the important part - the hooks . I ’ ve settled on Gamakatsu 8 / 0 inline octopus circle hooks with a straight eye ( 265418 INLINE OCTOPUS CIRCLE SE ). I use a three-foot long 25-pound test P-Line CXX monofilament leader . I tie a snell knot , so the leader comes out of the eye on the same side as the hook point . This forces pressure towards the point when you hook a fish . I fish these leaders on a typical sliding-sinker setup using four to eight ounces of weight . The key with circle hooks is to never set the hook by yanking on the rod . Instead , slowly reel when the fish takes the bait until the rod is loaded and pegged to the water . Like trolling , you just pull the rod out of its holder and fight the fish without swinging a hook set . I instruct anglers on my boat to slowly reel anytime there is constant pumping at the rod tip . This indicates the fish has the bait and you just need to slowly pull the circle hook into the corner of its mouth . Now for the other important part - use chicken livers for bait . I too thought it was crazy , until a saw a YouTube episode of Informative Fisherman with Nick the Informative Fisherman and Doug from Team Mc Fishing Guide Service . I copied their technique and never looked back . I can honestly say that I ’ ve out fished every other type of bait using raw , un-cured , un-scented chicken livers wrapped with Atlas Mike ’ s Miracle Thread . Just be sure that the bait hangs from the hook bend and does not block the eye of the circle hook to get a proper hook set . I will issue some warnings about using chicken livers . First , you run through so much liver that tying the baits can be very labor intensive . Second , it is very messy , so a bucket or bin used to contain the mess is highly suggested . By the time you read this , the spring striper spawning run will be just around the corner . We usually start trolling after Valentine ’ s Day on February 14 in the Rio Vista area . Unlike the fall and winter periods , the pre-spawn stripers in the delta seem to move around a lot . Look to trolling as a great method for tracking down big schools of staging stripers waiting to head upriver to spawn . If you find a good group of fish , don ’ t be afraid to employ the same bait fishing techniques outlined above . This spring , look for me on the water anchored with a bunch of ten-foot crappie rods sticking out of my boat .
On November 12 , Kirby Desha of Lincoln showed off this lively 12-pound striped bass that was released immediately after the photo . This fish kicked off an epic fall striper season in the West Delta that produced double-digit fish on almost every trip for the author and his passengers .
Photo by Jack Naves , The Fish Sniffer