I have a son who’s always telling me that instead of buying cheap or generic brands, that I should buy quality, more proven brands. He’s right, I’m sure we’d all like to buy the best without thinking of the cost. The problem is that often the less expensive, identical items, are too good of a deal to pass up. Some would even call others cheap for buying non original items. I’m always looking for a less expensive alternative. Recently I ran out of glitter for making baits. Usually I order my glitter online from a tackle making website. Not wanting to wait for an order to be processed, I took a chance on glitter that was being sold at a local craft store. To my surprise, the glitter worked just fine, and for a fraction of the cost. Similar situations have happened to me over the years when searching for specialty items. Often, there are less expensive, identical alternatives outside of a specific hobby market. Excited about my recent discovery, I told my son about it. His response was “you should have bought quality.” He just got his first part time job, so my response to him was this Christmas I expect a “quality” gift from you.
Delta Report:
The bite on the Delta is a little tough right now. A lot of anglers are reporting catching bass while fishing the outside weed edges. Crankbaits and jigs are working well for those fishing the six to eight-foot range. Stripers are being caught by anglers fishing around Mildred Island but not in the large number like most would expect for this time of year. Anglers catching them are swimming Fish Trap lures. As the water temperatures drop a little more the bite should pick up considerably. Duck hunting season is opening so be on the lookout for duck blinds.
New Melones Lake:
Fishing for trout has slowed down to the point where two local guides reported of only catching one trout a day. They’re not sure when the trout are going to start biting again. Usually once the fall weather settles in the trout start to become active again. Bass fishing is tough for a lot of anglers. Many of the anglers trolling for trout are catching an occasional spotted bass from 30 to 50 feet deep. A lot of bass are suspended or being found around schools of baitfish making them tough to catch.
Lake Pardee:
Lake Pardee is currently scheduled to close on November 3rd so if you’re looking to get out one more time on Lake Pardee you have till sunset on Nov. 3 before it closes until February. Recently trout fishing has been slow for anglers trolling. Those catching fish are catching them while trolling down to fifty feet in the early morning hours. They have planted the lake with 1,000 pounds of trout making the launch ramp cove a hot spot for those fishing off the bank. Bass fishing is fair for anglers working the shoreline in the morning hours and moving out deeper during the day.
Lake Don Pedro:
There’s a great trout bite right now on the lake. Anglers are doing well while trolling Speedy Shiners at 60 feet deep. Copper and gold Speedy Shiners covered in scent have been working well. Bass fishing is fair for anglers fishing a variety of baits as the bass are scattered. Fish are being caught from the shoreline down to 50 feet. Some anglers are even having luck while dropping a spoon through schools of fish.
Tip of the Week:
As our weather has begun to change, this is the time of year when anglers are the least prepared for the worst. Our days are a lot shorter and temperature swings can happen without much warning. If you’re planning on being out on a boat all day, you should have an extra set of clothing, and something to snack on in case you have engine failure or come across someone stranded on the water.
