Yesterday was the 2012 Striperfest on the Delta. My brother and I went out on his boat and flogged the river for a bunch of small Stripers and Largemouth. It was a beautiful day out on the Delta with hardly a breeze and boat traffic was light everywhere we went. Fish were on the small side but it was still great to be out. The highlight of the day was getting shortlined by a really nice fish right at the boat. High teens maybe better but it wasn't meant to be. We worked that area over hard for only dinks but fish like that keep me thinking about the next cast all day. We got over to Bethel Island for the Fest in the evening and had a great time and some good grub! Striperfest raises funds for the protection of our Striped Bass fishery in the SF Bay/California Delta..It is the war chest funds that the Striperfest raises that help the front lines fight off private interest groups from steeling precious water from our California Delta. It's an on going battle with much work to do but it seems we are making ground.
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Beautiful day on the Delta!    |
Today I spent the day Carpin..A few hot days and they were back in business. First lake gave up a couple of 5 lbers and went dead..Moved over to another reservior that usually gives up better quality and camped on a qtr mile long flat and took the shots it gave me. I was able to feed three and land two. All good quality Carp, including the one I missed. Hard fighting healthy fish. The sweet spots on the flat had some depresion or small inlet channels that led to deeper water. Ocasionally a good one will pull up in the skinny water pockets those small channels provide and browse around. Couple of them got there day wrecked! At some point things will cool off and the fish will pull off the flats for the season. At this point I have another month of good sight fishing so I might as well take advantage of it.
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Where once was water...   |
6 comments:
So are you having to go smaller and more discrete with the flies or did that pass like a phase?
Well, the biggest issue was with the river fish. I checked them a week or so ago and they were still really tough. Our streams close Nov 15 - last Sat in April so I will give them another go before it closes.
Lake fish are aggressive right now with water temps still in high 60s low 70s. There were a few false spawners in the back of coves. Not sure they are actually spawning or just going through the motions,
All too great. The Delta sure has seen it's woes, good people like you are trying to help. Sort of like late summer/early fall here but soon to change. Stripers could live in our larger reservoirs but are not part of the species mix I think unfortunately.
Gregg
I would go nutso if my river closed over the winter. Not much stillwater to be had, for all species once we get lids on the lakes. Fly fishing just don't work though a hole. Or so I hear.
What I call a river is not on the scale your used too. Thise are smaller watershed streams leading to SF bay. The lower reaches are tidal and all of them flow north at least in the south bay where I live. Winter on them is poor fishing so the closure is actually something I look forward too. It gives the resource a break and spring emerges with un pressured fish and high anticipation from me.
Lots of coastal streams open as these smaller native steelhead and salmon grounds close cor the fall winter spawn so the oppertunity for fishing isn't lessened to much.
I would be in your camp if this were a colder climate with hard water all winter though. Colorado is one of my favorite places though your blessed with so many amazing places.
Amazing looking Carp as usual brother! and the Striper as well. I have yet to fish the Delta, only the deep water channel in sacramento but definitely in the future. happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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