Over the years there have been several poaching arrests on our local waters. As I was launching my boat several years ago I witnessed an older gentleman unloading a cooler into a car which was passing by; what seemed strange is that he continued to fish afterwards. Several days after while watching the news, I saw that several people were arrested in Stockton for poaching. They were caught with bags full of Bluegill and Striped Bass. As much as I’ve seen my fair share of anglers who seem to be taking more fish than they are supposed to, I’ve since kept my eyes open for obvious violations, especially this time of year. The following information was taken from the California Department of Fish and Game website: “If you witness a poaching or polluting incident or any fish and wildlife violation, or have information about such a violation, immediately dial the toll free Cal TIP number: 1 (888) DFG-CALTIP 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Delta Report:
The tough bite continues for largemouth bass fishermen. Striped bass are really starting to bite on the outgoing tide. Anglers fishing for stripers are jigging 1 oz. Hopkins jigs, trolling broken back rebels, or drifting live bait. Remember the limit is two striped bass per person, per day, and they must be over 18 inches long. Largemouth bass are still being caught on reaction baits but the bigger fish continue to elude anglers. Fishing the outside edges of deep weed lines are good areas to try right now. Bluegills continue to bite while fishing baby nightcrawlers off the bottom. A lot of nice size bluegill are being caught right now while fishing around the docks at Paradise Point.
New Melones Lake:
The trout bite is starting to improve; there are limits of trout being caught by those trolling as well as by anglers fishing off the bank. Anglers trolling for trout are finding them between 15 and 25 feet deep while trolling spoons. Bass fishing is picking up as there are a lot of bass chasing the schools of shad that are found all over the lake right now. Launching is still very difficult as there are no courtesy docks or paved ramps.
Lake Don Pedro:
There are still very few anglers fishing the lake right now due to the low water conditions. There is still one paved launch ramp located in Fleming Meadows as well as a marina that is still in the water. Those anglers fishing for bass are reporting the fishing to be fair in the morning and tough during the day. Those fishing for trout are having mixed results while trolling spoons.
New Hogan Lake:
Bass fishing continues to be good for anglers fishing jigs and worms down to 40 feet. Fish are really starting to gorge themselves as they prepare for the winter ahead. Reaction baits are most effective while fishing wind blown points. The lake is currently 13 percent full making it challenging to launch a boat in but reports are that the Stripers are being found a lot easier as the shallow conditions have made it easier on them to corral the bait.
Lake Amador:
The lake is currently 51 percent from full making it very low. There is still one paved launch ramp available but it’s without a dock. This week 5000 pounds of trout were planted. With the current weather conditions combined with a lake full of freshly planted trout the fishing should really start to pick up. For those bass anglers, you can be sure that there are going to be some big bass cruising the shallows while looking to feed on trout.
Tip of the Week:
When I first started fishing I would never change my line until it mysteriously started to break. Since then I learned that line changes are necessary, especially when faced with different water conditions. When fishing stained dirty water like we have in the delta you can get away with a heavier thicker line. When fishing a lake where you can see more than 10 feet down, it’s recommended that you switch to a smaller diameter less visible line. Twenty pound test may seem small to some but it must look like a huge rope to a fish in clear water. Thicker line also gives off more vibration as water cannot pass through it. Lighter line casts further, is less visible, and more sensitive.
