The
California Delta is a fisherman's paradise!
To find out where the fishing holes are,
go to our "Fishing
Holes" page. There are
also many places suitable for bank fishing
in the Delta, including two public piers
in Antioch, as well as parks with fishing
access. A number of marinas rent small
boats, and some of them are listed here
and under boat rentals in the Marina-Resort
facilities listing. Most area bait shops
can give you good advice on the tackle
and bait you need, and advise you on when
and where to wet a line with what in their
area.
There
are some grand derbies, some focusing
on a particular species such as sturgeon
or striped bass, and they are fun to
to compete in, even for amateurs. The
black bass tournaments in the Delta
are awesome, especially when you consider
that maybe over 300 boats will launch
at a given area. Consult our calendar for
these angling event dates.
STRIPED
BASS are
the most sought after fish in the
Delta. They run from two pounds to
over 50 pounds, but an eight- to
20-pounder is more typical. You can
troll for them, usually rigging with
a bugeye jig and a Rebel lure. A
keeper must be at lease 18 inches
in length. You are allowed two in
a day or two in possession. You can
use bait for stripers
— threadfin shad is a favorite
bait, but anglers also are successful
with sardines.
STURGEON are
awesome, an almost prehistoric fish.
Minimum size for a keeper sturgeon
is 46 inches. If you catch a sturgeon
over six feet long, these days you
must return it to the water. You are
only allowed to catch one per day or
have one in possession. Photos have
been taken of sturgeon that weighed
between 300 and 400 pounds. Most sturgeon
are caught using bait, some by anglers
after striped bass. Ghost shrimp is
a favorite bait. Some anglers practice
catch and release. For Sturgeon Fishing
Tips, check our page Delta
Sturgeon Tip Archives.
CATFISH are
the most dependable fish in the Delta.
Some say they also are the best eating.
This is a prolific fish and it is not
difficult to catch 20 or 30 of them
on one evening's outing. Typically
they weigh in at a pound or two, but
many tip the scales at 8 to 10 pounds.
Occasionally one weighing over 20 pounds
is taken. You fish for them off the
bottom using a sliding sinker arrangement.
Delta clams are the preferred bait,
but some anglers have caught them using
Vienna sausages.
BLACK
BASS has
become something of an elitist fish.
The Delta is becoming well known
for its excellent black bass. Anglers
who will tell you the truth say it
is not difficult to catch them. Some
very big bass tournaments are held
here in the Delta, some with as many
as 600 anglers competing for cash
and merchandise awards that can total
out to over $75,000 for one event.
All practice catch-and-release. In
a March 1998, two-day Western Buddy
Bass Tournament, 628 anglers weighed
in over 2,100 black bass, of which
only 10 died.
SALMON. Although
some species of salmon have been on
the threatened or endangered species
list, anglers will agree that partly
because of government efforts, the
salmon fishery in the Delta has improved
greatly in recent years. Although salmon
can be taken throughout much of the
Delta, best fishing seems to be on
the Sacramento River from below Sacramento
and upstream. The American River and
Mokelumne River both support good salmon
fisheries.
AMERICAN
SHAD. The shad
spawn in the spring, and provide
some lively fishing for a few weeks
in late April, early May. Usually
they are sought using shad jigs.
Shad size can go from about one
to three pounds and it is a real
fighter. This is a very bony fish,
and most anglers prefer to prepare
them by smoking. A long-practiced
method of shad fishing called "bump-netting"
is fading out. You bump-net at night
with a cone-shaped net on a long pole
out of an outboard-powered boat with
the engine raised just enough to thrash
the water, moving along slowly with the
net in the water. When you feel a "bump"
you haul in the net with (hopefully)
a shad. Favored shad waters are on the
Mokelumne River (especially above New
Hope Landing), on the Sacramento River
below the Freeport Bridge and across
from Four Seasons Marina, and on the
American River.
FLYFISHING. The
Delta As An International Flyfishing
Destination. The Delta has a growing
and highly-rated reputation with
fly fishermen and women worldwide.
And it’s for good reason. Noted
as California's Backcountry, (by
writer and acclaimed fly fisherman
Dan Blanton), the Delta's fresh and
tidal waters, and riparian scenery
are high on the list of the world's
fishermen for large striped bass
and bragging-size largemouth bass.
All taken on flies.
Striped bass, an anadromous fish which
winters in the rivers of the Delta, and
grows to over 40 pounds can be caught
on the fly. This fact enthralls those
of us who live in the Northern California,
and can call the Delta our home, as well
as those around the world who pursue
record-book catches and sheer quantities
of fish caught per day. Largemouth bass
are caught routinely by fly fishermen,
and they find themselves enjoying the
challenge of landing them on fly fishing
tackle, a very different experience than
bait casting or spin fishing provides.
The popularity of Delta fly fishing has
grown in recent years. Known for the
enormous quantities of fish produced
in its estuary for a hundred years, the
Delta is now known for its production
of sizeable fish which run and fight
hard when coaxed to a fly. Of course
with hundreds of miles of boatable water,
and the fact that striped and largemouth
bass can be found in most of it adds
to the appeal of the Delta as a fly fisherman's
destination.
Rental boats are available at various
Delta locations. Bethel Island tackle
shops near Franks Tract can provide the
novice or intermediate with marked maps,
productive fly patterns, sodas and a
smile as you leave the dock. Guides can
be arranged through several sources online.
Two great online
resources are Fish
First and Dan Blanton's
Outdoor Ventures,
where daily, fisherfolk
trade information
and discuss the fishery
and fishing in general.
Fish First! has online
information and fly fishing guiding services
available. Dan has online articles that
can be found at his website, as well
as pictures and directions on tying his
fly patterns, and links to guides he
personally recommends. A quick tour of
websites searched using an engine can
provide you with hours of reading at
your leisure. I hope you enjoy your tour
and when you visit, send us an e-mail
at Tracy Fly Fishers! Corey
Cate
CRAWDADS. The
crawdad (crayfish) is considered an
essential delicacy in Louisiana, and
is eaten in fine restaurants all over
the world. Many Deltaphiles feel the
same way about Delta crawdads, which
are tasty, grow to over eight inches
in size, and are easy to catch. You
need a fishing license, however. And
one or more crawdad traps, available
in area bait shops for around $25.
Perforated cans of cheap dog food make
fine bait. Place the cans in your trap,
lower it over the side of the boat
or from a favorite shoreside site on
a tether line and let it rest on the
bottom, preferably for overnight. The
next morning you might have a wriggling
mass of crawdads from six to 40 in
number. They are nocturnal feeders,
so if you must trap for them during
the daytime, do so in a shady site.
The best season is mid-May to December.
They hibernate in the winter. Crawdads
are shipped commercially from the Delta.
Just a few years ago, over a half-million
pounds of Delta crawdads were shipped
annually to Sweden. (Bob's
Bait Shop can ship you
fresh crawdads.)
Department
of Fish & Game License Fee
Information
Delta
businesses that can help you
catch fish.
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