Anyone fishing the delta mendota canal? been using nightcrawlers for channels. I tried frozen sardines but no bites. Its stormy up here wonder if the fishing will pick up more? go get them big ones!!!!!!!

 

Fished the aquaducts last year for the first time and had lots of strippers as the weather got hotter. As soon as it got cold the bite died and fell flat over the winter .When they bite july to september we have caught up to 20 stripers an hour on shad , mostly around 12-20 inches. Still trying to figure out where the fish go in the winter. Went out on the mendota wensday , caught 3 stripers in 1 hour on a storm white shad lure at the gates near the I-5 & 132 intersection. Trying shad and lures after work today at the same gates . The gates seem to hold most of the fish .

 

Cool to see a fellow northerner fishing the mendota ducts. I fish Koster Rd. off hwy 132 alot i mainly get alot of cats on chicken livers and worms. Talked to a fellow fisherman fishing the calif ducts down the road a little big stripers on lures. I haven't tried shad yet, but thanks for the tips. I think the fish go south for the winter?

 

whats up im from modesto too, i fish there all the time, the delta mendota mostly have catfish, if u go down the road more on blewitt u run into the california aqueduct thats where all the big fish are, i seem to get more luck when the water is running, when the water is not running its pretty deaddd....

 

I have seen a couple of guys out at the end of bird road fishing the cali ,will try blewitt rd at the cali today as soon as the heat starts to settle down. What kind of baits or lures work best ? I usally use shad and soft swin baits that weigh about an ounce and a half . normally fish gates on the mendota and cali near westly with good striper action during the hot months . Looked at the gates on the way to the bay area yesterday and all gates were all the way up.

 

wellcome on board rhdjdmda6, and barnfield. i went to the ducts on sunday. checked out blewitt and saw a bunch of people fished past on the left sides. so i hit up bird where there is a manmake concrete bridge which is pretty cool because you can let set your pole on the sides of the bridge and wait for a strike. i took my little brother and let him fished it. we had alot of action in the beginning but never could hook em. i think they were stripers though cus if catfish it would of got it stuck down their throat. finally my brother got a decent strike and i was yelling at him, it hit it hit.... he set the hook a couple of times i think too much and pulled it it and said that he felt the fish and then my little brother gave it to me and i reeled it in and it felt heavy not normally what i get these little fish on. as i was reeling it in halfway the line tight and heavy action just gave way and the fish was gone.:frustrated: my little bro and i were devastated, so we tried throwing it in again and then it was empty nothing at all so called it a day, and plus it was freaking hot that afternoon... thanks for reading my rant. till next time. and good fishing to all of you and tell me how you guys do. hopefully better than me. hihi..

 

went out yesterday only a catfish in about 2 hours time on shad .Are you speaking of the bridge just upstream of bird road.

 

^ yeah, the one off bird rd. its an easy access thats what i like about it, but I don't know how good the fishing there is. maybe in the early morning or late afternoons or night is better? Im gonna go to the ducks tomorrow hopefully I will get better luck!

 

went out at 7:00 tonight and nailed a 23 incher in about 5 minutes on shad and 3 feet of leader behind a sliding sinker . words of wisdom from a guy that passed through while I was sitting there and fishing , he has used a surf leader and anchovies for 30 years and claims to catch a lot of stripers up toward Tracy area . Will try this set up soon and post results . have not fished much since last post.:drive:too much work

 

Went out again last night and the wife landed a 21 inch striper , used anchovies and shad . Had plenty of action on the anchovies and only one bite on shad.Tried the surf rig set up with the weight on the bottom and had good bites , will reduce the weights from 4 ounce to 2 ounce and possibly 1 ounce . California aquaduct on grayson road at 6pm and slow to building current.

 

^^Good to hear that you and the misses are catching some stripers. Keep us posting on you outings to the ducts when you have a chance, as I have not been able to fish since the last post. Will try to head out as the summers end is nearing. Been wanting to hit the Tracy area as I have never tried, thanks for the report.

 

Where are they catching the monster's at brother's

 

Re:guess im blind

hey guys whats going on im just getting started in fishing the canal after a co worker said something about it i live in the patterson area and grew up farming along the canal my whole life and never new about it was just wanting to know some more on how to fish it and what kind of gear to use any advice would help im a die hard stripper fisher but always went to the river or delta lived next to the canal for 23 years and never knew but anyways thanks again and any advice is appreciated

 

well im headed out tonight so well see how it goes if anyone has some advice id be more than willing to take them along to some spots that are a long walk that i can just drive to cause we farm next to it thanks

 

I don't fish bait so can't help you there but advise I give you is fish around the gates not open water more fish holding in those areas. I saw this guy doing really well with bait he would use a really small pinch on or flyline his bait only 12-15 feet out and walk along as his bait went down current he never got further that 50 yards befor he got a fish. Striper and catfish. I use flukes and LC128

 

welcome monstercatcher and peelerback , the areas we usally fish are an easy walk from the road, although I met a guy on a bicycle that cruises the cali aquaduct fishing the curves where fish are said to hold up. I beleive them too since the last 2 keepers were caught at grayson rd. in the curve that starts at the bridge and extends south,right about the middle of the bend with sliding sinker 4 foot leader , 2 hooks per leader,4 ounce weight and anchovie or shad on each hook . Have caught fish at all hours but right before sunset the bite starts getting heavy when the fish are there.will post more later ,will try to fish this afternoon Good Luck guy's

 

Well didn't make it out but stopped by Bass Pro Shop to pick up a bait fishing rig, 99 cents (are you kidding me ) and will try to catch some live shad at the gates .Figure the bait that's swimming around is most likely what they are going to eat. Good spot for lots of 16-20 inch striper (occasional 21inch plus)is McKracken road at the Mendota canal gates , if you don't catch on the down side move to the up side . Lots of nice 3-4 lbs. cats will hit anything you throw , but the striper mostly hit shad .Well worth a try. Good Luck

 

Any luck in the Mendota area lately??

 

Have not fished that far south in the aquaduct. Stripes in the canal will be falling off soon and the river run of striper is starting.

 

Well it's febuary and the water has been running nonstop all winter . Fishing tonight finally since forever it seems . Delta Mendota in Tracy at Mc Arthur blvd, will be using shad before the sunset. Located a spot with a lot of crazy bends .

 

Good action in the 40 minutes that I had to fish . nice cat around 3 pounds and missed a large striper bite just before the sun went down. Water is running good and the fish are still biting.

 

anyone in tracy??

I just moved to Tracy and am looking for some tips on how to fish the Aqueduct. I have read through some of these forums and followed a bunch of tips.. i.e.. fish the flood gates and bends.. but I have not even had one bite.. I am using 6 hooks with 3-4oz weights with either a slider or 3-way swivel with about a 2-3 ft leader. I am out there about 4 times a week so any advice would be greatly appreciated... Also.. If anyone wants to fish and is in the Tracy area... LET ME KNOW .. Thanks all for any advice

 

That Macarthur spot..

Is 2 blocks from my house.. LOL

 

it's illegal in Calif. to fish with more than 2 hooks at a time in freshwater.
shake.gif

 

Sorry #6 size hooks....

 

you might want to go up in size on the hooks -I will usually fish #2 -3/0

better hookup ratio