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Delta Salmon, Striper and Sturgeon Trips!
24 April 27- May 11, 2018
FRESHWATER
VOL. 37 • ISS. 10
Fish Lake Tahoe!
DaiLy Trips
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3705
My Favorite Striper Technique: Casting Krocodiles or Flies
Last time we were waiting for the stripers to kick in, even though many were being caught, a few released and it wasn’ t half bad fishing. But I’ m guessing most striper anglers have a favorite technique. When you have to catch fish like many guides do, you’ ll fish what is working. When out with a friend or newbie, you’ ll try to catch fish, but the plan isn’ t always focused on results. As you venture out by yourself or with someone who doesn’ t care how you fish, a totally different approach takes the helm. Way back about the time telephones went wireless, my 8-hour approach was to catch fish, regardless of technique. When I fished for fun, did it completely differently.
The spring striper run on the Sacramento occurred during the heart of the shad run. My folks would show up for a day of flyrodding for shad about 5:45 to 6 AM. My day started at about 4:30 AM as many mornings the stripers would be feeding off the Feather River sandbar in the dark.
My fave? Sneak into the mouth of the Feather and hold until hearing the splashing sound of feeding fish. Cut free without starting the outboard and slowly drift towards, but not into, the feeders. Tossing a 3 ounce Krocodile with a bright white feather tail was the hot ticket. When necessary, we kept one medium sized fish for a few breakfasts.
Or, rig up my 7 wt flyrod with a 5 inch white streamer and repeat. I didn’ t catch near as many fish this way as it took so long to land them and I was alone having to run the trolling motor as well as duel with a 10 + pound fish. But, that was my choice and my favorite techniques at work.
When others were in the boat, this wasn’ t an option, so we used the more traditional techniques seeking a striper while jigging a Barber Pole for shad. A few anglers could efficiently cast a level wind with a plug, so we did that off of the bow.
We often fished cut bait close to the boat
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with moderate success. As much as I hated to give up a hot shad spot, when it became clear a huge pod of stripers were working our area, we’ d start trolling and forget about the shad, if the anglers so chose.
On the few occasions the grab was so wide-open, we limited on one pass between the mouth and what was then Verona Joe’ s at the bend in the river. Drifting live minnows wasn’ t much of a game changer back then. A few knowledgeable anglers caught 6-8 inch hardheads near submerged fallen trees and used them as live bait, but at anchor mostly, not free drifting.
Trolling has become a huge factor in more recent years, possibly because there are so many more anglers. Even then, approaches had to change with technique adjustments. In water 10 + feet deep we ran our broken back Rebels 40-50 feet back and caught fish.
Adding a rubber worm to the lure in bubble gum pink would have gotten us laughed off the creek, until about 12 years ago. Spoons were pulled on downriggers about 40 feet back.
We didn’ t consider running 4-5 feet of water right next to the shoreline until a few trollers determined how to make it work. The plus is it does work. However, the minimum trolling distance is about 100 feet, with many boats running at 120- 140 feet with a very shallow running floating stick bait with a 10 inch rubber worm attached.
The plus again: it does work, if you don’ t mind returning back to where your lure is hung up on a bush, tree or rock and can only be worked free from below the direction from whence you came. Whew.
And just for what it’ s worth, there’ s only one of the three hooks on a rear treble that allows the trailing rubber worm to work correctly. Anyone want to go back to the number 10 Eagle Claw bait hook and a home grown earth worm?
YUP, sometimes I do. Whatever one chooses to do or technique is a favorite, enjoy it. This request always falls on deaf ears, however please don’ t use small bait hooks which many small stripers swallow and then die after having it ripped out.
A 3 / 0 will still hook
3204 tiny fish, but more times than not, it isn’ t inhaled, making it easier to release undersized fish. Thanks. Next time will be shad time, with more striper stuff intertwined. Seeya then and Tight Lines!
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FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 17
of rainbows and the CDFW planted 1000 pounds of rainbows the week of April 9.
The weather has been cold in the mornings but warming up to a comfortable temperature in the 60s by the afternoon. The water temperature on the lake is around 54 degrees.
The bass fishing is also picking up in the Arroyo Ponds. Greg Gabbani of Pleasanton caught and released eight largemouth bass while fishing in the Arroyo, reported Joe Sullivan of the East Bay Regional Park District.
Fishing in the Arroyo Ponds requires both an EBRPD daily fishing permit and a CA state fishing license. Only catch and release with barbless hooks and artificial lures is allowed. Float tubes only are allowed
SHASTA LAKE
Anglers Land 13.5 & 7.8 Pound Browns On Single Shasta Trip!
REDDING-“ Well I called it. I had a feeling I was going to do it any day. I had been fishing fast but today I slowed things down to 2 mph and also switched to pulling big Rapalas,” reported Captain Kirk Portocarrero of SacRiverGuide. Com.
“ At 11am an 8 year old angler on my boat hooked and landed a 13. 5 pound monster brown. A second brown that weighed 7.8 pounds hit next. We continued fishing and landed and released 2 other big females. I’ ve been guiding on Shasta for 25 years and I’ ve never seen it this good for browns. Remember slow trolling works for big fish. Big fish do not want to burn a lot of energy to chase something down,” Portocarrero advised.
For numbers of rainbows and smaller browns in the 2 to 5 pound class, most trout anglers are pulling shad imitating spoons at Shasta. The main body and lower ends of the arms are the places to look. From the surface to 30 feet deep is the depth range.
Bass fishing has been fantastic at Shasta as the lake’ s spots move into a pre-spawn mode. Look for the bass holding off prominent points in 15 to 40 feet of water. There is some reaction bite
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SHADOW CLIFFS LAKE cont.
action on crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but overall soft plastics are the way to go for consistency. The average spot goes about 13 inches and ranges up to 4 pounds. Anglers are hooking as many as 40 fish per day.
Shasta is less than 20 feet from the top and rising about a foot per day as of press time.
At Whiskeytown the hot kokanee action is still on track with anglers landing salmon up to 15 inches long. Paulina Peak spinners and hammered dodgers are doing the damage. The fish are spread out in the top 20 feet of the water column.
Now Booking Sacramento & Feather River Stripers!
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This beautiful 7 pound striper was landed during an April 4 West Delta trolling trip with Captain James Netzel.
Photo courtesy of TIGHT LINES GUIDE SER- VICE, Loomis.
Cpt. Jerry Lampkin – 25 years of experience fishing Salmon, Steelhead, Stripers, Trout & landlocked Kings on the Feather, Sacramento, American Rivers and Folsom Lake
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