DELTA
The fall season is now here and along with improved fishing taking place out on the Delta waterways for both striped bass and salmon. Field scouts report they are seeing greatly improved fishing for Chinook salmon on the Old Sacramento River from its mouth north of the Rio Vista Bridge upstream into the American River at Discovery Park. Most of the salmon are averaging about 18 pounds up to 25 pounds.. Several anglers reported hooking and landing their one-fish limits in less than 30 minutes. Most of the salmon are caught while jigging and trolling homemade spoons, double-bladed Silvertron spinners and Brad’s Cut Plugs. Shoreline anglers fishing off the shoreline casting Mepps Flying C spinners in the Freeport section of the river are having some success. The salmon fishing season is now in full bloom and the fishing should be very productive in the next month. The daily limit is one salmon per day with the exception of the Mokelumne River’s north and south forks where there is a two-fish daily limit. Presently, about 50 percent of the anglers are catching their one-fish limit.
Further downstream at most of the river near Vieira’s Resort anglers are hooking and landing increasing numbers of bright salmon while trolling spinners and plugs. Information: (916) 925-0529, (916) 352-1200.
Anglers targeting striped bass are finding extremely good fishing on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers as of late with several field scouts reporting having hooked and released up to 75 stripers in one day while casting Fish Traps and S-Waver swimbaits. Trollers also having good success off the West Bank of the Sacramento River in 6 to 21 feet of water. Some of the fish weighed up to 22 pounds. Trollers are finding success with the deep and shallow running Yo-Zuri’s with a white worm trailer. On the San Joaquin River the action has been great on the lower section off the river near the Antioch Bridge upstream off the flats near Eddo’s Harbor upstream into False River, the mouth of Three Mile Slough and the upper and lower Santa Clara Shoals. Bait dunkers at anchor also finding success tossing cut baits and threadfin shad. For sturgeon fish the area off Snag Island downstream into the Pittsburg and Suisun Bay Area with eel strips, salmon roe or the basic shrimp baits. Whether it be salmon or striped bass now is the time to hit the water because the fishing can’t get any better.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY
Striped bass, halibut and shark fishing is still worth the effort along with some salmon showing off California City on the top of the high tides. In the South Bay the leopard shark fishing remains stable along with seven gill shark fishing off the Raccoon Straits and Yellow Bluff using squid and salmon bellies.
OCEAN
Salmon still making an appearance off the Marin coastline and up the coastline to Bodega Bay. Albacore fishing remains good about 65 miles out along with 10 fish limits of rockfish and two-fish limits of ling cod. Note: The Dungeness crab pot pulling season opens on Saturday, November 3rd two weeks before the commercial season begins.
Take time to go out and enjoy the great outdoors. Until next tide stay safe to fish another day.
JAY’S BEST BETS
San Joaquin River – (Striped bass, largemouth bass);
Sacramento River – (striped bass, salmon, sturgeon, smallmouth bass);
Mokelumne River – (striped bass, salmon);
American River – (Salmon, striped bass)
Feather River – (Salmon)
Suisun Bay – (striped bass, sturgeon);
San Pablo Bay – (Striped bass, sturgeon);
Ocean – (salmon, rockfish, lingcod, albacore);
San Francisco Bay (striped bass, halibut, salmon, sevengill shark, leopard shark)
San Luis Reservoir – (striped bass)
Amador Lake – (largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish);
Lake Don Pedro – (kokanee, trout largemouth bass);
Pardee Lake – (trout kokanee, catfish);
New Melons Reservoir – (trout, kokanee, catfish, largemouth bass)
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Go to bed. What you’re staying up for isn’t worth it.”
…….Andy Rooney
SAN LUIS RESERVOIR
The striped bass fishing is now taking center at the main San Luis Reservoir with landings of several big fish. The fishing has now attracted more boats and shoreline fishermen to fish this inland body of water. The best action is coming from the shoreline soaking anchovies and the trollers are beginning to score dragging large umbrella rigs along with 4 to 6 inch swimbaits in shad color patterns of the MC swimbait where the striped bass have really been whacking them. Most of the striped bass in the impoundment are beginning to school in the main lake at depths from 80 to 100 feet, and P-Line Predator Minnows or umbrella rigs have been most effective. Some anglers are tossing Super Flukes from the shorelines, and the re-arrival of jumbo minnows at the local bait shops boaters on the drift are working the minnows near the bottom where they are hooking good numbers of legal fish averaging 18 to 20 inch in length. The main lake has risen from 50 to 52 percent due to increased pumping out of the south Delta. The fishing will only improve as we approach the cooler months of the fall season.
Note: The California state record striped bass was caught in O’Neill Forebay in 16 feet of water by a boater tossing a Green Weeny. The weight: 67 pounds, 8 ounces.
UPCOMING EVENTS
GENERAL QUAIL & DUCK GENERAL PHEASANT HUNTING SEASON OPENER
November 10, 2018 – The general pheasant hunting season opens throughout much of the state. For more information, check out the DFG web site at
www.dfg.ca.gov.
71st RIO VISTA BASS DERBY AND FESTIVAL
October 12, 13, 14, 2018 – The Rio Vista Bass Festival takes place in the Delta community of Rio Vista, Ca. This three-day event is one of the oldest fishing derbies in the U.S. If you love fishing the Delta waterways this is a must attend event. For more information, call the Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce at (707) 374-2700.
FUTURE PRO LAKE
McCLURE BASS
TOURNAMENT
October 16, 2018 – You
are invited to be part of the west coast’s hottest bass fishing circuit by participating in the Future Pro event. For more information, call
Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938.
HUNTING
SEASON OPENER
October 20, 2018 – The general quail and duck hunting season opens throughout much of the state. For more information, check out the California DFW web site at
www.dfg.ca.gov.
FUTURE PRO LAKE OROVILLE
TOURNAMENT
October 20, 2018 – You are invited to be part of the west coast’s hottest bass fishing circuit by participating in the Future Pro event. For more information, call Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938.
SHASTA FALL TROUT DERBY
October 20 & 21, 2018 – If you like trolling for trout this is one event you won’t want to miss. Big trout and land-locked salmon offer some great excitement. For more information
about this exciting fall fishing event call (800) 953-4432.
GENERAL QUAIL
HUNTING SEASON OPENER
October 20, 2018 – The general quail hunting season throughout much of the state. Information: Check out the California DFW website at
www.dfg.ca.gov.
GENERAL DUCK
HUNTING SEASON OPENER
October 20, 2018 – The duck hunting season opens throughout much of the state. Information: Go to the California DFW website at
dfg.ca.gov.
NORCAL TROUT
ANGLERS CHALLENGE AT COLLINS LAKE
November 3 & 4, 2018 – The Normal Trout Angler Challenge Tournament of Champions will be held at Collins Lake. Information: (916) 768-0938.
NORCAL TROUT
ANGLERS CHALLENGE AT COLLINS LAKE
November 3 & 4, 2018 – The Normal Trout Angler Challenge Tournament of Champions will be held at Collins Lake. Information: (916) 768-0938.
SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL SPORTSMEN’S EXPOSITION
January 17 – 20, 2019 – Get ready for the big one, The Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Exposition at Sacramento’s Cal Expo. This event will have a four-day run which will offer attendees to see and learn about what’s new in the world of hunting and
fishing. This event will have hundreds of hands on vendors and will offer many hard hitting seminars covering the hunting and
fishing scene. For more information check them out online at
www.sportsexpos.com.
