My hat is off to anyone that was out fishing this past weekend. I spent this past Saturday and Monday fishing. I haven’t been that cold in a long time. To make things worse, I had a hard time catching a decent fish. This time of year is like that, there’s no telling when the fish are going to start biting. You just have to get there as much as you can. This weekend I have a tournament on Lake Don Pedro. I was able to practice on the lake for three days before the lake went off limits. There’s something about that lake that I struggle with. From the reports online, it seems like everyone’s catching fish. Not me, I’m not the best at catching them in practice. I’m best when I just go fishing, like how I was as a kid. I fished without any inhibitions. There was no worrying about the right conditions, for a certain presentation or bait. I just picked up what I had, tied it onto my one and only fishing rod, and fished with 100 percent confidence. That’s my plan going into Saturday’s event. I’m also hoping that this is the weekend that the bite finally turns on for me.
Delta Report:
Bass fishing has been tough for a lot of anglers recently. The full moon combined with the drop in water temperature has caused the bite to turn off for many anglers. The water is also very dirty in much of the delta making it difficult for anglers. My recent trip to the delta was out of Stockton and the only clear water that I found was in the back of Whites Slough. With the water temperature not quite in the 50 degree range the bite was nonexistent. Striped bass fishing is okay for anglers trolling but anglers fishing with live or cut bait are having the most luck.
New Melones Lake:
Shore fishermen are still doing good while fishing with Power Bait for trout. Last week there were several trout over five pounds caught off the bank. Anglers fishing the bank are also starting to have luck while tossing lures such as Kastmasters and Rooster Tails. Trollers are also doing well while trolling from the surface down to 30 feet deep with shad patterned lures. Bass fishing has started to pick up as many fish are starting to make their migration towards the shallows. Swimbaits are still the lures of choice for those seeking a trophy bass. Anglers are also catching bass while fishing with jigs, worms, and brush hogs.
Lake Don Pedro:
The bite for trout remains good. Trout are being caught in the Tuolumne river arm, Woods Creek and Upper Bay near the flume. Anglers trolling are trolling from the surface down to 20 feet deep. Bass fishing is starting to pick up as plenty of fish are being caught on small plastics right now down to 40 feet deep. In a recent tournament there was a 20-pound limit of fish weighed in that were all caught on jigs that were fished as deep as 40 feet.
Lake Pardee:
Fishing on the lake has been slow lately as the lake has been flooded with anglers in search of one of the many big fish that inhabit the lake. Lake Pardee is no longer a secret making for tougher than normal conditions. Recently, while on the lake there was an abundance of surface action out over deep water but no visible action up in the shallows. Trout fishing is good right now around the ramp area as many anglers are hooking up while using power bait. Bass fishing is slow as the fish are believed to be awaiting the next full moon.
Lake Camanche:
Trout are being stocked at the North and South shore launch ramps as well as the South Shore Fishing Pond. Anglers trolling have been finding rainbows while trolling white grubs or Rapalas in the main body of the lake, around Big Hat Island, and up in the Narrows. Bank fishermen are scoring with night crawlers or Power Bait. Bass fishing is picking up as anglers are doing well while dragging small jigs and worms from the surface down to 30 feet deep.
Weekly Tip:
One of the first things to get cold are your feet and hands. Knowing this, I always keep an extra pair of socks and gloves in my boat. On more than one occasion my hands or feet unexpectantly got wet, having an extra pair of gloves or socks can end up saving the day.
