Tough Delta Fishing 3/28, 3/30

Made a couple trips out for stripers recently to give it a go. Saturday morning I took my friend Dana out who has just recently moved back to Sac from Virgina for the past 4 years. He's done a lot of

trout fishing with me before, but he's never caught a striper. We got on the water around 0600 and ran down looking for some top water action. First few spots we hit didn't produce much action. Dana managed to get the first blow up on a super spook, but it wasn't what we were looking for.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Dana's first ever bass so that was pretty sweet. Nice 3lber or so. Kept pushing on looking for the stripers. Didn't have any more action on top, but we did stick quite a few fish throwing the jerkbaits. We ran all around the Delta Loop catching bass practically everywhere we went, but just couldn't find the stripers. We stuck it out until 1300 when the wind blew us off of the water. Didn't get what we came for, but it was a great day catching up with an old friend and catching fish.

Back again on Monday with Nan, hoping for some better action. First area Nan gets a really nice blowup on his Katch plug, but it doesn't stick. Still not a lot of action, but a few more miles down river I managed to Katch one throwing my 6.5 Rainbow trout plug. Smaller schoolie, but it felt great to get a fish in the boat and any top water fish is a good one. Made it all the way out to the SJ looking for fish. Tossing the jerkbait around without much love for a while before we stick anything else. We did manage to stick a few nice bass again in the hunt for our stripes.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Action wasn't great, but we were putting a few fish in the boat so can't complain to much about that. Made our way back up river after the tide change and on the way Nan stuck a pig of a striper. As I saw him set the hook we could immediately see the silhouette of a DD striper, but just as our hearts skipped a beat in excitement it sank as his line went slack and the fish came unbuttoned. Damn, that hurt to see that fish get away. Kept tossing up river and we even slow trolled a bit on the way back up for a few missed hits and one more schoolie striper. Off of the water around 1300 again for another good morning out on the water.

Till Next Time
Mark

Delta Run 3/24

Launched out of Wimpy's this morning a bit later then intended. Lazy ass slept in, got on the water just after 0700 and ran down to the hunting grounds. The second I got there there was a boil happening, but ended the second I got on the deck. First cast, threw the wood for nothing, second cast with a jerkbait had a schoolie follow it all the way to the boat and take a swipe at it, rookie mistake I swung too early and screwed that up. 3rd cast with the jerkbait stuck a shaker and it came unbuttoned right at the boat. No more action from this school, kept pushing along looking for more action. At my second point I had a boil pop up right behind me. Threw the box at it without a tap. Threw the jerkbait more as the sun came up and ended up sticking several greenies, but no stripers. I even saw one more boil and again threw everything at it for nothing, couldn't believe it.

Around 0800 the sky got a little cloudy that kept my top water dream alive, but that's all that it was, a dream. Threw the wood all the way down the river until 1100 for only 2 swirls. The first was right against the boat and missed then the second caught me off guard and I swung too soon. I kept running and running looking for fish. I made my way all the way down to the SJ looking for fish. Nothing though. I wanted to search the SJ more, but the wind was just killer here, I didn't want any part of it. On the run home I tried the spots I saw fish at earlier now that the tide has turned, but noting was interested in biting. Decided to try trolling for a bit since I couldn't get anything to bite while casting. Slow trolled an Alabama rig in an area where I knew there were some fish. Gave it an hour or so for one good hit. I picked up the rod felt the weight of a decent fish then, nothing. Brought the rig back in with just some scales on the hook. Damn it is just not my day. Trolled all the way back to the ramp for one more hit on the A-rig that was gone by the time I got to the rod.

Threw the jerkbait on the way back as well just to get something to take a picture to prove that I can catch fish.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

I couldn't get a striper in the boat, but at least the bass were willing to play and keep me entertained today. Post front conditions made it rough and made for a very humbling day on the water. I had my chances though that's for sure. Just wasn't able to capitalize on them. Still a great day on the water.

Till Next Time
Mark

Striper Fishing 3/26/15

Had plans to fish this morning with my Coworker, but he had plans and had to

bail out so back at it solo again for another morning run. On the water just before 0630 and made it to the fishing grounds in prime time.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Threw the wood right off of the bat and it took a little while, but I did manage to Katch myself an 18 incher.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x1820.

Kept throwing and I did get one more follower that swirled on my plug twice, but never got stuck. Played the run and gun game during prime time trying to find active fish that would be willing to get on my wood. On the run down I ran into Cptn. Craig and crew of Doug and Marv. Chatted with them for a quick minute, they said they hooked into a few nice fish. Cool to here they were having some good luck.

I kept pushing on trying to find active fish on top, but with blue bird skies above me today that window faded away very quickly.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

After my topwater window closed I slowed way down and hit some of my favorite points and worked em over with the jerkbait. I started getting hits pretty much right away. Got onto a small school of shakers and schoolies.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x1820.

My first keeper of the day.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Kept working my way down looking for more fish after the action from my school died off. For about an hour I would find a fish here and find a fish there. Mostly bass though, but with a couple stripers mixed in.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x1820.

My heart break of the day I hooked into something decent on my jerkbait and shortly after the hookset I saw about a 5lb bass on the end of my line. I'm not targeting them, but that's a nice fish I would love to land anyday. Then the second after I saw him he turned and dove down then my line went slack. Damn, can't win em all.

After plugging for a while I tried slow trolling some swimbaits around a few area's that I knew were fairly productive. The action wasn't hot, but I did manage to get a few bites.

Can't resist the CALabama rig!

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Another bass that was willing to play today

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Catching stripers with Jack.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Headed back in a call it a day around 1230. The sun was taking a beating on me, man was it hot out there today.

Still a little slow, but I did a lot better then Tuesday that's for sure.

Till Next Time
Mark

Striper Fix 3/19/15

 Needed my fix so I ran out to Tyler Island road in the morning to do a quick bank run. Started at the mouth of Georgianna and worked my way up. Very run and gun style is what I wanted to do today. Get to a spot make 3 or 4 cast and move. I keep working my way up river before sun break and at my first point I get my first blow up and I got a fish in the box.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x1820.

Worked the area over a bit more thoroughly since I caught one here, but wasn't able to get another bite. Kept working up river plugging along working my Katch bait all around targeting points and bends in the river. I got one more swirl about a half mile up river that didn't commit to the bait. I tried to follow up with a jerkbait, but it wasn't mean to be. I kept plugging a long working a few miles up river, but nothing else happened. Called it at 0800 when the sun got high.

Back for the evening bite, dragged the boat out to Wimpy's for an evening session with Daniel. Dropped the boat in the water just before 1700 and went on the hunt. Started the search throwing jekrbaits and rattle traps. Pretty quickly into it I strike first blood with a solid fish. Fish bit like a small bluegill pecking at the back of my lure, but she fought like she was a 20lber.



Took me almost 5 mins. but I got the skunk off with this healthy girl.



Kept

chunking down the bank and I was able to get into one more good fish. Similar sized fish falling for the Jerkbait.



Only been fishing for about 30 mins and I've been able to put two solid 8+lb fish in the boat, life is good.

Kept working the jerkbait along the banks without anymore luck. 1800 the wood came out and we started walking the surface. We were getting a lot of fish following the baits or even small ones making a swirl on it, then nothing. The fish just wouldn't commit to really going after the bait. Has anyone else been having this issue chucking wood recently or is it just me? I might switch back to the Super Spook one day here soon to maybe try and see if there is a difference or not.

Finally while working a tule line Daniel sticks a chunker on his DWB.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Fish gives Daniel one hell of a fight and gave us a bit of a scare as she ran right next to a big tree and almost got caught up in it. Daniel saved it though and we got her in.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

31 inch fish probably around 12lbs or so.

Super stoked to see our average fish is around 10lbs this evening. Kept running around looking to see if we could get on a serious school.



We were very consistently getting followers and swirls on the top water plugs, but the fish just wouldn't stick. It was very exiting, but made for a super frustrating evening. Kept at it until after the sun went down for over a dozen swirls, but no more connected fish. They are there we just couldn't get them to stick.

It was a great evening though with some nice fish to show for our efforts.

Till next time
Mark

Delta Stripers 3/4/15

Got the invite from Rick to head back out to B&W with him after work and I was game to give the delta another shot after our last outing which could have been better. On the water just about 1500, first spot I made was able to make short work of getting the skunk off of the boat with a little greenie on my jerkbait.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 640x852.

Nothing else working here though so up the river we went looking for the striper schools. Found a rock wall holding fish and Rick was able to get the first keeper size fish in the boat.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Rick threw the swimbait and I tossed a jerk bait around and we weren't on any hot action, but we had a pretty steady pick of some smaller schoolies on each bait for a little over an hour.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 640x852.

The jerkbait seemed to be getting a few more bites, so Rick switched up and we continued to rip a few more schoolies and some shakers out of this stretch. After we had our fun there we went a little further up river looking for more fish. We didn't find many, but Rick managed to stick our best of the day on his jerkbait here.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 1024x576.

Didn't have a scale with us, guy maybe ran 6-7lbs.

Further up we were both able to get our first fish on new Katch baits.

This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 640x852.

Rick's TW fish came unbuttoned right before we could get a picture but he got his on the rainbow trout colored plug.

Called it a night around 1830 as it got dark. Very good and fun outing for a few hours on the delta and had a lot better action from the last time we came out. Probably put about a dozen fish in the boat with missing a few more in between.

Great afternoon on the water thanks for taking me out Rick!