[Water_news] 3. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATERSHEDS - 4/15/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

April 15, 2009

 

3. Watersheds –

 

Striper run has begun, sort of

The Stockton Record – 4/15/09

By Peter Ottesen

 

As long-time angler Tim O'Shea shouts when hordes of striped bass invade the Delta on the spring migratory spawning run: "It's show time."

 

Since their introduction from the East Coast in the late 1880s, striped bass have been making their traditional move from saltwater into the Delta, and sport anglers have been catching them. This spring is no exception.

 

The run is on, but not everywhere. Stripers seem to be loaded on the main stem of the Sacramento River, but are scattered and found in fewer numbers on the San Joaquin River side of the Delta.

 

"There's nothing much on the San Joaquin River," said Jay Sorensen, a founder of the California Striped Bass Association. "I did doing some television work on a Peripheral Canal documentary on Saturday and picked up a 21-incher off the mouth of Three Mile Slough on threadfin shad, but that was it.

 

"I haven't seen any of the larger females yet, just the smaller males. When the water warms to 63 degrees, that's when things will really pop."

 

There's no doubt the Sacramento River is the place to fish this week, especially for trollers from Decker Island all the way to Walnut Grove, and lower Steamboat Slough up the the shipping channel lanes to Sacramento.

 

"Everyone is catching striped bass, there are so many small 4- to 8-pound fish," said guide Mark Wilson of Sacramento. "I'm pulling mostly shallow-running Yo-Zuri lures about 41/2 miles per hour."

 

Wilson's exceptional catch was a 30-pounder. He confirmed the spring run probably will last another month and a half since females are so scarce right now.

 

Guide Barry Canevaro of Isleton took limits of stripers to 12 pounds by 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and said most of his catch averaged 5 to 8 pounds.

 

"The bite has been sensational since Sunday," said Canevaro, who has been trolling above the Rio Vista bridge, particularly in the Old Sacramento River. "The West Bank below Rio Vista has been hotter than a firecracker, but I like to avoid boat traffic, so I go north. I've even found bass between the straightaway in Steamboat Slough up to the Walnut Grove bridge. There appears to be fish in so many locations, but not many large ones."

 

Canevaro joined Wilson and Clyde Wands at the spring striped bass seminar last week in Isleton where they recommended trolling about 21/2 mph with deep-diving lures and 41/2 to 5 mph with shallow runners. Whether the chosen lure is a Bomber, Rebel or Yo-Zuri, they also recommended adding a white, six-inch plastic worm, which makes the offering about a foot in length.

 

For those who prefer to anchor and fish with bait, Sorensen said the trick is to buy threadfin shad in the fall and freeze it for use later.

 

"I put threadfin shad away and take care of it properly so I'll have bait when none is available at local shops in the spring," he said.

 

Fly fishers are hooking their share on the San Joaquin River side in the shallows of Frank's Tract, Mildred Island and Little Mandeville Island. They use heavy sinking line with a Clouser minnow fly to hook stripers to 11 pounds.

 

With so many stripers still holding in San Pablo and Suisun bays, the run to the fresh water of the Delta likely will extend through May. The bite only will improve as the pesky winds subside and the larger females move up the system.

 

Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait in San Rafael reported "loads of bass" moving along the shoreline at China Camp State Park in San Pablo Bay, but anything above 10 pounds is a big fish. Most are 18 inches to 6 pounds.

 

Said Fraser: "It's a banner run, with the best to come."#

 

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090415/A_SPORTS03/904150338

 

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