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Northern Aqueduct Fishing?

171K views 431 replies 33 participants last post by  barnfield11 
#1 ·
Hi new to the forum and have read alot of the aqueducts from you guys here, but mainly the southern ducts. Seems like you guys got some good fishing down there. Read striper bill website thanks really helpful and informitive stuff you got there. I used to live and work in the Bakersfield area for a couple of years and never knew about the aqueduct system was only 30mins from me. If I only knew back then, Oh well, at least I can still fish the northern ducts. Any of you on the boards ever fish this area, 132 Maze blvd near I-5 near Modesto, Ca.? If any of you do can you give me some pointers or areas where the big ones could be. I've gotten alot of channel cats there and 1 baby striper last Sunday I was using chicken livers and mini night crawlers thats what I got the striper on. Still looking for more stripers. Any info would be helpful im new to this and would help lots.


thanks.
 
#28 ·
OK, I was just introduced to this striper thing about 3 weeks ago. I've been out almost every day since. The bite around Los Banos has been slowly picking up. The bridge where I fish has been pretty good with an average overall catch of about 20 per day. They are ranging from about 15"-22". I am using a 3/0 hook, 3' leader and a 3 oz. sliding weight. Rumor has it that they will start spawning in a couple of weeks. I can't wait.
 
#29 ·
Yeah.. Thats about what I do.. Here is tracy I have fished just about every bridge and floodgate with the same setup but to no luck.. Im only out about 2 hours a day though.. Wish I could be out more...

When you are standing on the bridge to you just drop in straight down till it hits the bottom right in the middle?

Thanks dude
 
#30 ·
I cast out about 50 yards down current, let a little line out, then set. Normally I will see at least a nibble within the first 5-10 minutes. Went out this morning for about an hour and a half. Not even a bite.
BTW, has anyone ever tried casting a spook from the side and work the top water?
 
#31 ·
After a good day at Mc Arthur I took my dad a couple of days later and got skunked , we tried 4 spots in about 6 hours for only a couple of bites.The water has been muddy this winter ,wonder if this could be slowing down the bite.Caught in the summer using a blue rattle trap and white soft swim bait in the Westly area , used to fish Westly area a lot on the way home when I lived in Ceres and had lots of good fishing in the summer when the heat was crazy hot.Using all the same set ups and gear in tracy and waiting for the water to clear up.Using a larger hook 1/0 and slider with a 4 ounce weight ,have seen the weight at the end set up pull in fish too. The cali aquaduct has not been flowing much and the water looks cleaner , think i'll give it a try soon .
 
#32 ·
Let me know when you do.. I will gladly meet you out there.. I caught 5 keepers last night ranging between 22-26 inches and two throwbacks in about 4 hrs.. Not to bad and FINALLY... I have been fishing the bridge off Macarther and the flood gates off Tracy Blvd... I want my 30 pound beast though... :) Will post pics soon
 
#36 ·
Nice going but you should read the DFG regulations on striper limits before keeping 5 again. The limit is 2 fish max and minimum length of 18" (except for a few exceptions but your district is not in the exceptions). You are ok on the lengths but you are over the limit by 3 fish. Just an fyi.

5.75. Striped Bass.

  • (a) Open season: All year except for closures listed in special regulations.
  • (b) Limit: Two, except in waters listed in (d) below.
  • (c) Minimum size: 18 inches total length except in waters listed in (d) below.
  • (d) Exceptions:
    • (1) In the Colorado River District, the Southern District (except Lake Elsinore, and New Hogan, San Antonio and Santa Margarita lakes
      • (A) Limit: Ten.
      • (B) Minimum size: No size limit.
    • (2) Lake Elsinore has the limit and minimum size shown in (b) and (c) above.
  • (e) For the purpose of these regulations, any striped bass hybrid with white bass is considered to be striped bass.
 
#42 ·
Hey It looks like you stepped on those to get a extra inch or 2 hahahaha...Just kidding...hahah..well just to let you know the water lvl has dropped here in feather river around plumas lake...Me and my dad use to fish off the aqudcts also.. off the 4 near some bar and grill i think..good luck they said this might be a hot season...
 
#41 ·
What's up dodo?

Once again its how many fish per person per party.. I may have caught all of them but it is within the limit... DIDNT KNOW YOU WERE THE RAT ASS STRIPER POLICE... I will tell you what though.. I will catch 10 by myself and take them home cause I dont really care about the stupid law.. I live the NATURE LAW... They are there for me to catch.. PERIOD..
If you caught all of them it is not within the limit and you were poaching. It is not "fish per party". I was just trying to help in case you didn't know the regulations. I'm not the "RAT ASS STRIPER POLICE" but you are one dumb ass poacher and now you're mad you got called out on it. Sad that you know the regs and purposely ignore them and break them and by your own admission will continue to break them. You are also like those dumb criminal shows. You post where you fish for DFG to visit you. Brilliant!
 
#40 ·
Once again its how many fish per person per party.. I may have caught all of them but it is within the limit... DIDNT KNOW YOU WERE THE RAT ASS STRIPER POLICE... I will tell you what though.. I will catch 10 by myself and take them home cause I dont really care about the stupid law.. I live the NATURE LAW... They are there for me to catch.. PERIOD..
 
#43 ·
Yolo You are an idiot............. I will poach anything by the way... Its the law of nature not the law of man.......
If you have a problem with it... Than I would be more than happy to meet up with you and show you some of my techniques.... Maybe even shut your mouth for a bit..
Also.. Its 2 per person per party... They cant prove I pulled them all out..
So figure out the Law dipshit before you open your mouth...
BETTER YET.. KEEP YOUR RAT ASS OPINIONS TO YOURSELF....
 
#46 ·
nice catch , what kind of bait . looks like you found the school of the day . I haven't seen fish much bigger from the Tracy area,most of the large fish seem to come from south of san luis resevoir . the water was about 4 feet low yesterday,was the water low when you caught the fish. And were you fishing the mendota or california aquaduct?
 
#50 ·
Larger stripers can be had at Clifton court forebay. Guy next to me caught a 30 plus pounder in the fall using butterflied shad. Sturgeon are in there too and are caught as well as salmon during the run. Use a bait fish rig and you'll get shad from the shore for bait. Drive out to the point and fish off the end the water is deeper and the fish funnel through there before being screened out at the pumps that feed the cali aquaduct.
 
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