Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3822 Oct 11-25 | Page 21
Oct 11 - 25, 2019
FRESHWATER
VOL.38 • ISS. 22
19
FRESHWATER REPORTS:
CONTINUED FROM PG 15
EAST DELTA
Top Water Lure Produces 31
Lb. Striper
LIVERMORE –George Wight of Antioch,
one of the charter members of the
California Striped Bass Association in
1974, caught and released a 31-pound
striped bass on a topwater lure on
Wednesday, September 25.
After losing my first hook up, I didn’t
think I would get hit again, but there
is nothing like landing a big fish on a
topwater lure. I had to work to revive the
fish, but she swam after fine after a few
minutes,” said Wight.
The wind was blowing hard on Thursday,
and the pros and amateurs in the Costa
FLW Delta event had to fight the wind but
Blake Dyer of Walnut Creek held the first
day lead in the 3-day tournament with a
limit at 27.3 pounds followed by Jason
Borofka of Salinas at 25.8, and Mike Birch
of Oakley at 21.5. The wind was not kind,
and it is expected to blow again on Friday.
Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor,
said, “The key to the Delta right now is to
downsize in order to catch numbers. Many
fishermen are doing what they want to do
and going after large fish, but choosing
this option will only work for one or two
larger bass. The Delta bass are very
susceptible to weather changes, and the
transition from 100 to 60 degrees has a
dramatic effect on the largemouth bass.
“I have been downsizing to 8-pound
test line on spinning rods with plastics in
natural patterns on a Zappu head. The
Berkley Bottom Hopper or heavy weight
General are working best with Max Scent,
and it is best to target rockwalls with
weed clumps or voids. Chatterbaits or
crankbaits are also effective, and you can
find the better fish on the outside edges of
the weed lines,” stated Pringle.
Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors
is looking forward to targeting large
striped bass in the Delta with topwater
plugs or the Optimum Double AA swimbait
in shad patterns, and he said, “My next six
guide trips are for striped bass, and the
shad is schooling up in the 69/70-degree
water. I am going to start throwing hollow
belly swimbaits in shad patterns such as
the Double AA paddletail. Some anglers
have been finding them in the morning
on topwater lures, but I was out with Joey
Gamez on my last trip, and we didn’t get
out until the afternoon so we were sticking
with swimbaits. The bass are starting to
school up. For largemouth bass, with the
hot temperatures earlier this week, you
can still punch the weeds.”
- Dave Hurley
EASTERN SIERRA
Expectations Run High For A
Great Fall
Nestled between
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Los Vaqueros
Brentwood
Reservoir Reservoir
and Livermore
off Vasco Road
Nestled between Brentwood
and Livermore off Vasco Road
First Time Anglers Welcome!
Beautiful Spring Wild Flowers
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FEATHER RIVER
Fish Hatchery
Ladder Opens As
Salmon Move Into
River
OROVILLE – The fish
ladder at the California
Jeb Bunker landed and released this huge 8 plus pound
Department of Fish and
largemouth while fishing Clear Lake on September 15.
Photo courtesy of JEB BUNKER, Sacramento. Wildlife’s Feather River
Hatchery opened on
September 16, signaling the
start of the Chinook salmon
deeper water. Bait anglers did the best
spawning season on the Feather River.
with inflated crawlers and garlic PowerBait
Anglers are catching increasing
while the trolling seemed to be the best
numbers of salmon while fishing roe and
with small Rapalas and night crawlers.”
plugs below the Themalito Afterbay Outlet
“The Twins are also still a little bit hit
and while anchor fishing with Brad’s
and miss but some anglers are reporting
Killerfish, Silverton spinners and other
some really good days with some fish
lures in the Yuba City and Nicolas areas,
also going nearly 6 pounds. The best
“CDFW hatchery workers took more
reports we’ve received have come from fly than a half-million eggs during the first
anglers fishing sinking lines and stripping
week alone in an effort to ensure the
streamers like seal buggers, mini leeches
successful spawning of the returning
and soft hackles. I was told yesterday
salmon,” according to the CDFW. “The
that the kokanee are starting to stage to
salmon run will continue until mid-
spawn near the inlets, this typically will
November. Hatchery operations, popular
bring trout into the neighborhood for some
with the public and numerous school
easy meals,” he stated.
groups, will take place every Monday
“There have been some good fish
CONTINUED ON PG 20
caught by anglers trolling Thomas
Bupyants and
captain
Rapalas as well
JAMES
as some fish
NETZEL
being caught with
Full Time
PowerBait, Mice
Guide
Tails, inflated
“I’ll
make
you
a
better
Hooker!”
crawlers and
pinched crawlers.
As with the other
waters in the area,
as the temperatures
drop, the fishing
should just keep
getting better,” said
Reid.
3615
“The West Walker
$50 OFF
has kicked out
for
some good fish
Veterans!
this week, now that
WWW.FISHTIGHTLINES.COM
BRIDGEPORT - There are some good
trout being caught in Bridgeport area
waters, but overall the action has been
fair at best. The
fishing is expected
to ramp up soon
when overnight
temperatures drop
bringing surface
temperatures down.
“Bridgeport
Reservoir was a
little hit and miss
this week with
some anglers
reporting some
decent numbers of
Now Catching
fish up to nearly 6
pounds while other
STRIPED BASS
anglers struggled
TROUT
to get more than
CATFISH
just a few fish each
• SALmON • TROUT
LARGEMOUTH
BASS
day,” reported
Jim Reid at Ken’s
• STRIPED BASS
The New Marina
Sporting Goods in
• Building
CATFISH
Bridgeport.
& Boat Rentals
“There are still a
• NOW
LARGEmOUTH
BASS
OPEN!!!!
few Sacramento
perch being
$25 boat
caught on the
rentals
troll while most of
every
the rainbows are
Monday
Los Vaqueros Recreation Co.
being caught up
thru Friday
9990 Los Vaqueros Rd.
in the channels in
(non
holidays)
Byron, CA, 94514
Buckeye Bay and
www.NORCALFISHING.COm off of Rainbow
Point in a little
2907
A Contra Costa Water District Facility
3125
it is being stocked every
other week the fishing has
improved. Fly anglers are
getting into some fish with
hopper/dropper rigs, as well
as drifting small buggers
and attractor nymphs on the
bottom. There have been
been some good fish caught
by anglers fishing with
Panther Martins and Rooster
Tails and drifting crawlers,
eggs and Power Eggs has
been productive too. The
water is low and clear,
so you’ll need to try to be
sneaky so as not to spook
those fish,” Reid concluded.
Now booking
Sacramento River
SALMON!
888-975-0990
3810
Under New Management
GREAT Fishing for:
Trout • Kokanee • Catfish
Large & Smallmouth Bass
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