Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3806 Mar 1-15 2019 | Page 22

20 FRESHWATER March 1 - 15, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 6 Arming Yourself For The Spring Striper Blitz < In a few weeks, striped bass of all sizes will push up the Delta and into valley rivers in preparation for the spring spawning season. When the spring run shifts into high gear, limits will be the rule for anglers using a variety of different fishing methods. presents O Spring Striper Preview ur beloved stripers are out there right now. Some of them are cruising the flats of San Pablo Bay, others are chilling in the deep channels of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers and there are some big monsters holding in small sloughs hunting in shallow tule studded water. Come March when the water temperature inches up into the middle 50’s those bass are all going to be on the move as they push up the system to their spawning grounds way up river. That’s when striper action will explode throughout the Delta and valley river systems. Let’s explore how you can take advantage of it! Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows are the favorite among Delta trollers. You’ll want an assortment of shallow and deep running Crystal Minnows. In terms of colors and finishes, minnow plugs in rainbow trout, chrome/ blue, chrome/black, chrome/ chartreuse, metallic gold and red head/white body will all put fish in the boat. With an assortment of plugs in hand, you’ll need to pick up a package of white 6 to 8 inch straight tail plastic worms. You’ll use these for tipping the rear hook of your minnow plugs. Once you hunt down the tackle we just discussed you’ll be ready to hit the water in search of stripers and that’s where the concepts of speed and depth come into play. In the eyes of Delta trollers there are three kinds of stripers. There are shallow fish, deep fish and fish that are too deep to target. Shallow fish hold from right next to the bank to about 10 feet deep. Deep fish are found in water that is about 11 to 16 feet deep. Fish holding much more than 18 feet deep become difficult to target and generally the bass that are holding beyond the 20-foot mark aren’t as active as the shallower fish. Your shallow running minnow plugs are the bait of choice for fish in 6 to 10 feet of water. To attain the correct depth with these lures you’ll want to troll them a specific distance behind the boat in a specific speed range. You’ll want them 140 feet back In 11 to 16 feet of water you’ll need to employ your deep running minnows. With these baits, you’ll want to troll at 2.5 to 3 miles per hour. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want your deep runners 100 feet behind the boat, but that can vary depending on the depth. Your goal no matter what the depth is to have your plug working right above the bottom. If the water is on the deep side, FISH SNIFFER HOW – TO by Cal Kellogg ^ Trolling is the most popular approach when it comes to hooking spring stripers in the Delta. This angler was all smiles after landing a handsome spring bass during a trolling adventure with Captain David Hammond. Yo-Zuri Crystal minnows like the one shown here tipped with a white finesse worm are the favored lure of spring trollers. ^ Kenji Nakagawa tempted this big March striper with a topwater plug. The handsome fish was released after the photo was taken. Plugging with both surface and subsurface lures is the most exciting way to target stripers during the spring. < Spring stripers will gobble a variety of baits including filleted shad, pile worms, bloodworms, sardines and chicken livers. Whatever bait you settle on, be sure to spike it with Pro-Cure. The more scent you get into the water the more bass you’ll draw to your fishing area and the more hookups you’ll enjoy. On The Troll For this work, you’ll need a modern lightweight rod that combines a sensitive tip with plenty of backbone. Your rod will be in a holder as you troll, the sensitive tip, displays the action of the plug. If your plug picks up a weed or a piece of grass, it kills the action and you won’t get any strikes. A sensitive tip allows you to constantly monitor your plug’s action insuring that you have an effective lure in the water at all times. The rod should be matched with a high capacity level wind line counter reel loaded with 30-pound test braided line. After threading the braid through the eyes of your rod, put a large bead on the line and then tie on a swivel using a Palomar knot. To the swivel attach a 4 to 6 foot leader of abrasion resistant 30-pound monofilament and tip the leader with a medium size lock snap. Once you’ve set up a pair of rod and reel combinations, it’s time to start thinking about lures. Minnow plugs, jigs and vibrating crankbaits are the basic offerings employed by successful Delta trollers. CONTINUED ON PG 21