DaiLy Trips
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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 !
3706
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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Capt . Chris Ditter 3710