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This weeks California Hot spots

17K views 33 replies 3 participants last post by  kichigai1 
#1 ·
Castaic Lake

THIS WEEK'S HOT SPOTS

STRIPED BASS: Castaic Lake has been kicking out quality stripers to 13-0 for anglers fishing anchovies or sardines from 40 to 100 feet deep. Most fish are weighing from 2-0 to 6-0, but plenty of bigger fish are showing. Lake Silverwood has been kicking out fair numbers of stripers from 2-0 to 4-0 on anchovies. The bite has been better for boat anglers fishing the deeper waters near the inlet, spillway, and dam. The California Aqueduct from Bakersfield to Hesperia continues to pump out fish with minimum fishing pressure. Best times to target this area is early in the morning or late in the evening due to high temperatures. On the Colorado River, striper fishing broke open at Mohave and Mead. Weekend boat traffic has still been heavy and slows the fishing, so the best fishing is reported around mid-week or at night.
 
#27 ·
STRIPED BASS: Fair striper fishing continues at Silverwood, Pyramid, Skinner and Castaic. The best action has been on anchovies drifted through metered schools of fish or on small swimbaits at all of these lakes. At Castaic, a few good catches have been made the past two weeks on bloodworms instead of anchovies. Most of the fish are from 3-0 to 4-0, but fish to 8-0 reported at all four waters. No whopper fish reported on big, trout-like swimbaits, but all four of the lakes are being planted with rainbow trout right now, which usually translates into a few big stripers after the plants. O the Colorado River, there is a fair bite on schoolie-sized stripers to 4-0 at Mead, Mohave, and Havasu and most of the fish are being caught on cut anchovies. No big fish reported anywhere in the system.
 
#28 ·
STRIPED BASS: The striped bass bite is starting to take off again in the California Aqueduct near Taft. Several fish over 20 pounds have been reported in the past week, and a lot of 3-0 to 5-0 bass are showing on lug worms. For Southern California waters, Silverwood and Skinner have consistent bites on small fish, and Castaic and Pyramid are also starting to come out of a month-long lull. The best bets are still on the Colorado River. Lake Mead and Lake Mohave have good bite on smaller fish from 1-0 to 3-0 with some to 12-0 reported. Mostly, this action is on anchovies. There is a decent small fish bite in Havasu.
 
#29 ·
Delta
On Saturday, the third salmon of the season that began July 16 was weighed at Vieira's Riverside Bait in Isleton. The 10-pound king fell to a Blue Fox spinner on the Old Sacramento River. There also was a 21-pound striped bass logged, taken at the Isleton Bridge on a broken-backed Rebel with a plastic worm trailing.

At Rio Vista, it seems like striped bass, from less than 18 inches to 13 pounds, are responding in greater numbers to shad minnows dunked at Decker Island and Sandy Beach Regional Park. The striped bass bite is anything but wide open, but at least a few more fish seem to be trickling into the system. Hap's Bait hasn't weighed a salmon this season.

At Lodi, Martini's Bait weighed in two striped bass this week, a 16-pounder taken from Beaver Slough and a 20-pounder from the Meadows on the Mokelumne River South Fork. Shad was the ticket. Anglers report hordes of shakers, bass measuring less than 18 inches, above and below Wimpy's. No salmon reported on the Mokelumne River.

In Stockton, two striped bass, 17 and 18 pounds, were weighed at Larry's Bait. The stripers hit shad minnows on the Sacramento River. In addition, there were four largemouth bass, 4 to 6 pounds, claimed on nightcrawlers by shoreline anglers off Eight Mile Road. Jolly's Bait reported an increased number of striped bass on the San Joaquin River, from the mouth at the Deep Water Channel downstream to Mossdale. Bass weigh 8 to 18 pounds and prefer shad minnows or a fillet of anchovy.

Note: Bait shops have good supplies of fresh shad minnows. Information: (916) 777-6662 (Isleton); (707) 374-2372 (Rio Vista); (209) 333-1692; (209) 473-2239; (209) 948-6344


Lakes
Hogan - Striped bass continue to feed on the surface, early and late, but the action can occur any time during the day. Bass measure 16 to 28 inches. There's a zero limit on stripers at this impoundment, reports the good folks at The Outdoor Sportsman, so toss Zara Spooks, jigs and assorted leadheads, and keep what you can. Information: (209) 957-4867
 
#30 ·
LAKES
San Luis Reservoir/O'Neill Forebay: Striped bass have been making frequent appearances
on hooks in the main lake along Highway 152 and Portuguese Cove.

BAY & DELTA
Isleton: The striped bass run is dying down, but an angler can
still catch a couple between the Rio Vista and Isleton bridges.
Most fish are biting on raw shrimp, sardines and pile worms.
Riverside Bait (916) 777-6662.

Benicia: The shoreline has been alive with salmon, although
few anglers have been able to get them onto their lines and
out of the water. High winds have made the water very murky
and difficult to fish. Upcoming tides will probably deliver
much clearer water and better fishing conditions. Benicia Bait
and Tackle (707) 745-4921.

San Pablo Bay: Halibut has been plentiful and boats have been
finishing with limits on most trips. The striper bite has
improved just as the mass amounts of sturgeon have begun to
taper off. Loch Lomond Bait Shop (415) 456-0321.

San Francisco Bay: A school of stripers has returned to the
area from San Francisco International south to Coyote Point.
Anglers have recently seen the massive school of fish in about
14 feet of water. Emeryville Sportfishing (510) 654-6040,
Berkeley Marina Sportfishing (510) 849-3333, Bass Tub (415) 456-9055,
Miss Farallones (925) 689-0900, Oyster Point Bait & Tackle Marina (650) 589-3474.

OCEAN
Pacifica: Striped bass bite in the mornings and evenings on the beaches and off the pier. Rusty Hook (650) 355-8303.
 
#31 ·
STRIPED BASS: For Southern California waters, Castaic, Skinner and Pyramid are the top picks with a number of two to five-pound class fish showing on swimbaits, shad, anchovies, and sardines, with the odd double-digit fish. Silverwood has had a decent bite, also on smaller fish, mostly on cut baits but there were few reports from here this past week. On the Colorado River, Mead has been spotty but a few good fish reported, spurred on by massive trout plants, and quality fish are always possible at Willow Beach or the upper reaches of Lake Mojave. A few small stripers to four pounds are showing in Havasu in a spotty bite.

The DFG's Web site is www.dfg.ca.gov
 
#32 ·
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The striped bass bite has been good, with a lot of keeper fish over the 18-inch minimum size. The best action has been on blood worms, sand worms and shad-like crankbaits or Gitzit-sytle lures, but a 33-pound striper was caught Wednesday this week by Roy Shepherd, Bakersfield, fishing anchovies. He said it was the first day he's been fishing in 34 years. Only a few catfish showing, but more and more anglers are reporting largemouth bass on Rat-L-Traps here
 
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