Report Date:
http://californiadelta.orgDELTA
Salmon continue to trickle into the Sacramento River, and the recent trend of larger fish along the Marin coastline is contributing to a larger grade of fish traveling into the system. Anglers casting Mepp’s Flying C spinners abovee and below the Freeport Bridge have been taking choreme bright fish in the 20 to 40 category this past week. Trollers are also findingg suchss dragging Silvertron or similar spinners while others are jigging with P-line Laser Minnows or Slammer Minnows below the Freeport Bridge. Salmon also showing in the Old Sacramento River from Isleton to Walnut Grove. Note: The Nimbus fish hatchery on the on the American River opened the fish ladders on the facility on November 2 at 10:15 a.m. Now is the time to view this once-a-year event. Once again the San Joaquin River is off limits to salmon fishing. Salmon fishing is also closed from the mouth of the Mokelumne up to the south side of the Mokelumne River bridge on highway 12. Move over to the south Delta at Clifton Court Forebay there have been a number of fishermen targetting salmon within the past week, and it is illegal to keep a salmon out of the forebay. Anglers poaching salmon have been ticketed by Fish and Game Wardens and some have had their vehicles impounded along with their fishing gear. So beware.
Striped bass are spread throughout the Delta with most being taken at anchor tossing thread fin shad, mud suckers or live bluegills. The big fish of the week weighed in at 20 pounds at the Power Lines off Sherman Island on a mudsucker. Trolling expert Mark Wilson has been trolling the shallows in Montezuma Slough and near the Rio Vista Bridge where they boated 3 keepers to 22 inches along with 8 shakers. Striped bass showing at Liberty Island, the Sacramento Deep Water Channel, Steamboat Slough into the Port of Sacramento. Expect a good number of undersized bass before hooking into a legal 18 inches or better. Be sure to take plenty of bait with you on your next fishing adventure.
The sturgeon fishing off the Pumphouse has improved. Keith Fraser of Loch Lomond Live Bait in San Rafael said, “ they are jumping like mad but nobody is fishing for them.” Everything is at anchor and the best bait is either grass, ghost or mud shrimp. Outgoing tides best especially the last 2 hours of the tide. Striped bass are thick but most measure 10 to 16 inches in length. A 5 pounder would be cause for headlines.
The salmon season closed on Monday, October 31 with nary a charter boat venturing outside the Golden Gate. Recreational crab pot pulling opened on Saturday, November 5 - a full week before the commercial fleet hits the water. Conditions permitting the rockfish and lingcod are viable options in the shallows along the Marin coastline. At bodega bay private boaters will find the launch ramp at the West side closed for the crab opener. Look for alternatives.
The first trout plants of the year came to Lake Amador on Friday, October 28th with 1600 pounds of Mt. Lassen Hatchery rainbows arriving at the lake. The concessionaires at Lake Amador will be the first in the area to stock rainbow trout as the water temperatures have dropped below 70º at this small impoundment. The plants will continue on a regular basis until the temperatures rise once again close to the end of May 2017. The lake has risen to 22 feet from spilling with inflow from the first storm the season, and the moving water in Jackson Creek and the remaining drainages have cooled the overall lake temperature. This year’s plants will arrive from Mt. Lassen, but the local hatchery may reopen in the future on a smaller scale than in the past to raise the Donaldson trout - a combination of cutthroat and rainbow trout.
Nearby Lake Camanche will be holding off for a few more weeks before starting their planting program, also from Mt. Lassen Hatchery, as the water temperature remains in the mid-70’s. Plants are expected to begin by mid to late November. but there are still a number of holdover rainbows from last season’s heavy plants holding in the deepest part of the lake by the dam.
Catfish have been the story at both lakes in the interim period of time, and a 25 pound whisker fish was landed in the South Shore Pond at Camanche on Friiday, October 21 by James Estes Valley Springs. The catfish in the pond are remnants of plantings that took place several years in the past. Lake Amador has also seen catfish to 16 pounds within the week. Catfish have been the story of the week with 2 big whisker fish to 25 pounds taken in the South shore Pond. Trout plants will start around mid to late November from the Mt. Lassen Hatchery as the water temperature remains in the mid 70s.
TAKE TIME TO GO OUT AND ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS. UNTIL NEXT TIDE STAY SAFE TO FISH ANOTHER DAY. BE SURE TO CHECK WEATHER CONDITIONS BEFORE HEADING OUT INTO THE BIG WATERS.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The public has a chance to hunt pheasants on private land November 12 thru December 4 under a cooperative program operated by the Stockton Sportsman’s Club. More than 3,000 birds will be released during the season with plants on Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day. Check station located at 3455 McMillan Road, with access from Airport Way , south of Highway 120. Special hunts for veterans, women and youth. Information: Bob Holloway: (209) 612-3229 or website: stocktonsportsmansclub.com.
November 13
Last day of recreational ocean salmon season, horse mountain to Point Arena
November 30, 2016: Last day of recreational red abalone season
November 16, 2016 - Capt. Stan Koenigsberger of Quetzal Adventures will present a seminar focusing on salmon trolling on the Sacramento River. The seminar is free and will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the Veteran's Hall, 610 St. Francis Way in Rio Vista, Ca.
Hundreds of birding enthusiasts are expected to attend the Central Valley Birding Symposium, perhaps the best event of it’s kind in the West that runs November 17-21 at the Stockton Hilton off March Lane in Stockton. Special guests include expert birder David Yee, photographer Bob Steele, ornithologist Kimball Garrett and biologist Ed Harper. The event offers a non-stop series of workshops and demonstrations.
Resgistration: $25 to $100. This includes field trips, opening night reception, art displays and an interactive bird identification panel.
Information: cvbsreg.org; (916) 448-6302.
November 30, 2016 Last day of recreational red abalone season.
December 25, 2016 - The general pheasant hunting season closes throughout much of he state. For more information checkout the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website at dfg.ca.gov
January 19 - 22, 2016 - This is the big one. Come on out and view what's new in the world of hunting and fishing. The Sacramento ISE show boasts hundreds of vendors and offers dozens of hard hitting hunting and fishing seminars. The event takes place at Sacramento's CalExpo. For more information visit sportsexpos.com
