Fishing report, July 9-16: ​Delta bass on a tear. Don Pedro kokanee are fat and sassy and the Shaver Lake kokanee bite is up and down.

Compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.

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Best bets

Best bets Delta bass on a tear, Dave King reported. Don Pedro kokanee are fat and sassy, Monte Smith reported. Shaver Lake kokanee bite is up and down, Dick Nichols said. Bass Lake trout are active, Mike Beighey reported . Wishon/ Courtright are kicking out trout limits Kelly Brewer said.

Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother

Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 2

In the California Aqueduct and Delta/Mendota Canals, early mornings or late evenings are the time to go with the triple-digit heat. Catfishing remains best with chicken liver or anchovies. In the south aqueduct in Kern County, tube baits or Flukes dragged on the bottom or sardines on a Carolina-rig after the check gates are best for stripers, and there is a topwater bite in low light conditions. Catfish with chicken liver or Triple S Dip Bait on a Carolina-rig, particularly at night. Aqueduct anglers are always advised to use caution as well as wearing a PFD as the water is swift, cold, and dangerous.

A map of the 16 designated fishing locations on the California Aqueduct can be accessed through this link:topwater also took bass early in the day. Catfish are taken on cut baits on a Carolina-rig, dip bait, or chicken liver.

A map of the 16 designated fishing locations on the California Aqueduct can be accessed through this link: https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/What-We-Do/Recreation/Files/230424_SWP-Fishing-Guildines-Locations_Online_FINAL.pdf.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; Cope’s Tackle and Rod, Bakersfield – (661) 679-6351; Bob’s Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657.

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported a typical summertime bass bite at Eastman with lipless crankbaits, deep-diving crankbaits, 8-inch plastics on a shakey head, or dragging 10-inch plastics on the bottom. Isolated rockpiles, near the face of the dam, or flats with deep water access are holding bass. An algae bloom is starting to form. Hensley remains loaded with carp along with the occasional largemouth bass to three pounds. Catfish are another option. Eastman dropped 3½ feet to 556.92 feet in elevation and 68% of capacity with Hensley dropping nearly two feet to 502.90 feet in elevation and 46% of capacity.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 3 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

Kokanee Power’s Team Kokanee Tournament is this coming Saturday, July 13, and pre-fishing will be heavy toward the end of the week. Monte Smith of Gold County Sport Fishing reported an excellent kokanee bite at depths from 45 to 90 feet with Pro-Troll Kokanee Killers or smaller profile hoochies.

“The kokanee are fat and healthy, and we landed 20 kokanee to 17 inches by noon. These are just butterballs,” he said. “The fish are in the open water along with along the shorelines.”

Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service has been on Don Pedro all week long, and we are finding fish at 65 to 105 feet. For bass, Ryan Denner of Central Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported few anglers have been on the lake with the triple-digit heat, but there is a topwater bite with Choppo’s or walking-style baits in the early mornings or evenings before dropping to the bottom with jigs. The Blue Oaks launch ramp has reopened, and launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. The lake is releasing water, and it dropped 2½ feet to 817.79 feet in elevation and 92% of capacity. There are only two club tournaments on the schedule through August.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

McClure Reservoir

Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 0 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2

Denner reported very quiet bass action at McClure due to the excessive valley heat, but there is a topwater or jerkbait bite in the early mornings or evenings before dropping into the shade lines with jigs. There are no bass tournaments scheduled through the month of August. The lake dropped 2.5 feet to 856.58 feet in elevation and 93% of capacity. The Merced River is steady at 2002 cfs at Merced Falls downstream of Lake McSwain, and it remains high for this time of year.

Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake McSwain

Trout 2

The Splash and Dash is the main feature on the lake during the summer months.

Information: https://mysplashndash.com/see-whats-new-in-2024/. Few fishermen are trying in the triple-digit heat, but the best chance for a holdover is up river arm for trollers in the deepest and coolest portion of the lake. The lake dropped to 85% of capacity.

Call: Angler’s Edge Market (209) 226-4416; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534.

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne reported finding the bait balls is the key to success for spotted bass as the fish are schooling. There is a topwater bite in the early mornings or at night, but during the day, the fish have gone deep. Recreational boat traffic remains extremely heavy. The lake dropped five feet to 558.42 feet in elevation and 83% of capacity. Sycamore Island is open once daily from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant are stable at 462 cfs. The Sierra and Fresno Bass Clubs are holding two-day tournaments the weekend of July 20-21.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 3

The kokanee remains close to the bottom between 90 and 110 feet in depth, but Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service posted four limits of a mixed grade by 8:20 a.m. using micro-hoochies or Paulina Peak’s Platinum Skinny Flutter Bugs. Big kokanee to 18 inches remain a possibility, but most of the fish are a smaller grade. Rainbow trout under lights at night is another possibility.

For bass, Ryan Denner reported working island tops with topwater lures such as the Berkley Choppo or similar walking baits in the early mornings or at night.

“The bass have gone deeper for sure,” Denner said. Recreational boating pressure is heavy on the weekends. The lake is releasing water, and it dropped a foot to 1,051.46 feet in elevation and 83% of capacity.

Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966; Alex Niapas, Catching California Guide Service (209) 728-4225; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734.

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 0 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne reported a decent bass bite, but the smoke from the Basin Fire has been particularly intense at the lake. Trout fishing is best for trollers up the river arm. Recreational boating remains intense as parking has eased slightly since the lake is dropping steadily. In the lower Kings, a trout plant occurred two weeks ago, and flows on the lower Kings at Trimmer have dropped from 2,120 to a more manageable 1,489 cfs. The lake dropped 9.5 feet to 921.82 feet in elevation and 83% of capacity. The Kings River Bass Club has a tournament scheduled this Saturday followed by a Fresno Bass Club event on Aug. 18.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273. Sequoia Fishing Co. 539-5626.

San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2

Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported bait fishing with anchovies has been the best bet with anglers out early in the mornings or fishing in the late afternoons. He said, “Few people are going to San Luis, and we didn’t have jumbo minnows, pile worms, or blood worms in the shop this week.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service said that he scouted on Saturday in sweltering weather with Sonny Johansen for over 20 schoolfish to 25” trolling Lucky Crafts - topped by a 33-inch, 14 pounder that Sonny released.”

The forebay has been limited to bass fishing with topwater lures or Senkos along the grass lines as it has been hard to fish with the growing weeds taking over the shorelines.” Information on the wind stations - https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30713. The main lake has dropped to 49 with the forebay at 81% of capacity.

To check the wind conditions on the lake - use windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir.

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711, Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 0

Trout in the three to five- pound range are found from the Sheriff’s Tower to in front of the Forks from the surface to 25 feet with orange or pink Dick’s Trout Busters tipped with a piece of nightcrawler behind a Dick’s Mountain Dodger,” Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Guide Service said. “The best bite is 6 to 8:30 a.m. The water temperature is 75 degrees.” For bass, Crayne reported a decent bite with plastics on a Neko-rig or shakey head, chatterbaits, crankbaits, or topwater lure sin the early mornings along the shade lines or under docks before the boat traffic starts.

Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133.

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Kaiser Pass Road is fully open, and the Vermilion Valley Resort is hosting the first annual High Sierra Trout Rodeo at Lake Edison on Saturday, July 13.

Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station, 855-5355 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/sierra. Fire danger is extreme in the high country. Edison has risen to 76% of capacity, Florence at 95% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool at 87% of capacity.

Road conditions 297-0706.

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000.

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Dick Nichols of Dick’s Fishing Charters and Mountain Tackle said, “There is still a better than decent trout bite, but the kokanee bite is like a roller coaster with scores down to an average of three kokanee per boat. I fished with Roger Glaspey, his son-in-law David Norman, and his 12-year-old grandson Hunter Norman of Fresno.

Hunter was the only one manning the rods, and he landed 13 trout and three kokanee using pink or orange Dick’s Mountain Tubes or Mountain Bomber Hoochies along with pink Mountain Hoochies tipped with pink scented corn behind a Captain J or Orange Scale Dodger at 33 feet in the 73-degree water.

Guide Paul Brown of Fishing with Paul Guide Service had similar results for his guests collecting 21 mixed fish on pink or gold Sierra Gold or Dick’s Mountain Bug in pink and white behind dodgers. The ratio of trout to kokanee is 5 to one on average. The lake is full, but the debris has diminished. The kokanee bite should improve within two weeks. At Huntington, the July Fourth weekend did not have the impact with recreational boaters that Shaver experience, and maller kokanee and catchable rainbows make up multiple limits for trollers with the best action at 30 feet.”

A webcam of the Shaver launch ramp is at sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html and for Huntington at http://www.shaverlakewebcams.info/huntington.html. Shaver has risen to 84% of capacity with Huntington also rising to 98% of capacity.

Call: Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100; Jerad Romero, Jrods Guide Service 392-6994; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072.

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 3

The roads to Wishon and Courtright remain open despite the growing Basin Fire, and Kelly Brewer of the Wishon RV Park and Store reported great trout action at both lakes with limits being the rule. He said, “I tested this out myself with a Wedding Ring tipped with a nightcrawler behind a flasher. Bank anglers are scoring at both lakes with pink Power Bait, salmon eggs, or nightcrawlers.

Road conditions: Sierra National Forest Ranger Station 297-0706.

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361.

Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

Rockfishing south of the harbor remains outstanding, and good weather conditions over the weekend allowed Captain Melynda Dodds of the New Captain Pete to head out for 8 limits of rockfish and 2 lingcod on Sunday. There is optimism for the upcoming weekend weather for those wanting to head offshore in search of bluefin tuna. The few boats that tried over the weekend found little life offshore, but the ocean most likely needs to settle down after six weeks of heavy northwest wind. . Striped bass to 46 inches have been landed at night for those throwing big plugs in the surf from Half Moon Bay through Pacifica and up to Ocean Beach in San Francisco.

Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819; Captain Bill Smith, Riptide (650) 728-8433; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, Queen of Hearts (510) 581-2628.

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Rockfish 3 Halibut 3 Striper 3 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 2

Josh Mesa of Coyote Bait in Morgan Hill reported a continued outstanding striped bass bite from Marina south into Monterey. He said, “Several big stripers in the 36- to 38-inch range have been landed, and our co-worker, Tom Niccum, caught and released his personal-best at 42 inches on a jerkbait. Topwater lures and jerkbaits such as Duo Realis 120, 140, or 160 in red head/white body or Mazumi Sardine have been working for the big fish. We almost ran out of a big order of Duo’s within a few days. The Santa Cruz beaches have been solid for perch along with stripers in the 22-inch range.”

Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service said, “We’re in the full swing of summer now, and most representative species are on the bite. Squid spawns have started back up again in spots, mostly near Monterey. Big anchovy schools can be found in the deeper, more central areas of the bay.

Local Monterey angler Pat Kuhl reported the halibut bite is still going strong from Lover’s Point and up to Sand City. Anglers are fooling the big flatfish by drifting live baits, or bounce-ball trolling bait or lures. Kohl added “The good news is, squid are back. The big net boats are switching from anchovies to market squid this week, with giant blooms near the red can buoy off Pacific Grove.” Rockfishing is steady for boats in the Monterey area. As usual, the bigger fish are located farther from the harbor. . Rockfish remains the staple for anglers in Santa Cruz as well. Private boaters and the charter operations are having no problem puling limits of fish from the reefs inside of the 120-foot boundary. Halibut are on the bite as well near Santa Cruz. Though we’ve received reports of halibut from the West Cliff area and the near the Mile Buoy, the best bite is further into the bay, from New Brighton down towards Manresa. Surfcasting is getting better and better.”

Call: Chris’ Landing (831) 375-5951; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732.

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Halibut 3 Striper 3 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 3 Sturgeon 2

We talked about ‘Epic’ fishing in the bay last week, and this week even surpassed last week’s action as the boats were able to make it outside the Gate to work the North and South Bars for big halibut. Captain Chris Smith of the Pacific Dream out of Berkeley had a banner day on Sunday with 17 limits of big halibut and 7 striped bass. His brother, Captain James Smith of the California Dawn 2 has been loading up with big halibut every day, and Monday was no exception with 20 limits of halibut to 27 pounds, two striped bass at 18 and 20 pounds released, six lingcod, 7 brown rockfish, and a 40-pound soupfin shark. His partner boat, the California Dawn 1 also found spectacular action with 11 limits of halibut to 30 pounds, 3 striped bass to 18 pounds, and three lingcod. The Coastal Conservation Association has an introductory bay potluck charter on the California Dawn I on August 24 – Information and reservations - https://ccacalifornia.org/It doesn’t get better than this, but many of the party boats remain tied to the docks with minimal business. .’

Inside the bay, early limits of halibut are the rule for the six-pack boats, and after finding great action on the interior beaches for striped bass. Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco found the lineside on the rockpiles on Monday. Limits of stripers in the 8- to 10-pound range are the rule inside the bay.

Call: Captain Ron Koyasako, Nautilus Excursions (916) 704-4169; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388.

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 2 Surf perch 3

Rockfishing remains from just over a half to two-thirds limits of rockfish with three boats out of Morro Bay Landing returning on Sunday with 424 rockfish and seven lingcod for 67 passengers while the Fiesta out of Virg’s Landing was on a recent half-day trip with 26 passengers for 120 rockfish and a lingcod. Out of Patriot Sport Fishing in Port San Luis, two boats carried 42 anglers on Sunday for a total of 276 rockfish and 4 lingcod. . Rockfishing below Point Lopez from July 1 through Sept. 30 are limited to 50 fathoms inshore while from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, the regulations are from 50 fathoms offshore.

Webcams of many of the coastal locations are available at https://805webcams.com/.

Call: Virg’s Landing (800) 762-5263; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100; Morro Bay Landing.

Others

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

Thursday July 11 is the last day for recreational harvest of white sturgeon. Several six-pack boats have returned to Pittsburg Marina for the final week of harvest. The California Fish and Game Commission approves white sturgeon as a candidate species for listing under the California Endangered Species Act, and fishing for white sturgeon will close on July 12 as a candidate species for listing under CESA are granted full protections while the candidate review process takes place. There is a possibility of a catch-and-release fishery as recreational fishing for white sturgeon may continue during the status review process under California Fish and Game Code Section 2084. This will be addressed during the Commission’s meeting on Aug. 14-15, but after July 11, no fishing for white sturgeon is allowed until further notice.

Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing will be out on Wednesday and Thursday with room on board to take advantage of the final days of harvest. Sturgeon action remains outstanding as Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service was out on Sunday, and they brought 7 sturgeon to the boat out of 9 bites using cured salmon roe near the Martinez Bridge and Buoy 2.

It’s frog season in the California Delta with the upcoming specialty tournaments of the Ultimate Frog Challenge on July 27-28, followed by the original frog tournament, the Snag Proof Open, on Aug. 3- 4. Both tournaments are held out of Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island. Fresno-native, Vince Borges of Vince Borges Outdoors, and his partner, Chad Frie, came in second during the Thursday Night Shootout out of Tracy Oasis. Borges said, “We went out to practice of the frog tournaments, and I threw a rod with a chartreuse spinnerbait in the boat. There was a lot of small bait in the south Delta, and since I couldn’t get a reaction bite with chatterbaits or by punching, I broke out the spinnerbait and landed multiple bass to three pounds, losing another estimated at five to six pounds. .”

Frogs have been good for Dave King of Nor Cal Bass who found a great bite using Snag Proof’s Phat Frog in the I smashed them on frogs and spinnerbaits in the east Delta north of Stockton in the 82-degree water. I have been throwing the Snag Proof Fat Frog in the Duckling pattern.

“One big bass busted through the hydrilla to smash the frog. Danny Berbena has been scoring with Snag Proof’s Perfect Frog in Alabaster,” King said. Nor Cal Bass is hosting a tournament out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton Saturday, July 13.

Johnny Wang, manager of Turner’s Outdoorsman in Stockton, reported limits of stripers to seven pounds in Mildred Island for those drifting bluegill.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook’d Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828. Soo Hoo Sport Fishing (925) 899-4045.

Events

July 10, 17, 24, 31

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Wednesday Night Shootout

July 12, 19, 26

Tulloch – Friday Night Shootout

July 13-14

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Best Bass Tournaments

July 13

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Nor Cal Bass

Don Pedro – Kokanee Power Team Tournament

Pine Flat – Kings River Bass Club

Edison – High Sierra Trout Rodeo

Success – Central Valley Kayak Fishing

Isabella – Golden Empire Bass Club

Santa Margarita – 805 Bass Addicts

July 20-21

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Kern County Bass Masters

Delta/San Joaquin County – Yak ‘A Bass

Amador – Modesto Ambassadors

Millerton – Fresno Bass Club/Sierra Bass Club

July 20

Salt Springs Reservoir – Manteca Bassin’ Buddies

Tulloch – 17/90 Bass Club

Isabella – American Bass Association/Bakersfield Bass Club

Nacimiento – San Luis Obispo Bass Ambushers

July 27-28

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Ultimate Frog Challenge

July 27

Pardee – Nor Cal Bass

New Melones – Food Allergy Kayak Bass

July 28

Delta/Ladd’s Marina – Valley Backlashers

August 3-4

Delta/Russo’s Marina – Snag Proof Open – information - https://www.bestbasstournaments.com/

Upcoming tournaments (dates and locations subject to change)

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