Lake Del Valle Fishing Report

Largemouth action is rock solid at Del Valle right now, especially for anglers working tight structure along the shoreline. Tules, wood, and weed lines are all holding fish as they pull tighter to cover as the water temps warm. Topwater baits are getting strikes early, while shallow cranks and soft plastics are getting the most fish once sun’s up. Aim for more secluded, tight pockets with cover over the most obvious zones. If you're on foot, the West Swim Beach area offers a decent starting point, but the best fishing spots come from pushing farther along the East Shore Trail or the long stretch beyond the marina up to Swallow Bay.

The striper scene has been slow, but a near 20-pounder was caught last week, and another 15 pounder the week before (bait and Keitech swimbaits). Smallmouth bite is still available, but is fading. Small swimbaits are best near depth transitions. Carp are thick in the weedy edges, so if you want some easy action, throw on some corn and hold on.

Trout are still around at Del Valle, especially early morning at East Swim Beach, but the window is short—once the sun hits, they move off fast. If you miss the morning bite, check deeper, cooler zones past the Narrows or on shaded banks. Bass are getting more aggressive as water temps rise. They can be seen cruising the shallows near the inflow and tucked into coves, and the bite should only get better as the spawn kicks in. Smallmouth are showing too, usually holding 5–10 feet deeper than the largemouth. Striper action is hit or miss, but the bite is quietly building as shad schools thicken. Soaking anchovies or sardines from shore can work, or try working swimbaits from a boat for better reach.

Del Valle is fishing very well right now, reports Chuck Wolf of Western Outdoor News, with a mix of trout, crappie, bass, and the occasional striper. Another 1,000 pounds of Lassen rainbows went in lasts week, on top of back-to-back CDFW plants. Trout limits have been common around the East Swim Beach, especially on MiceTails in pink/white or orange/white. Spoons in orange or red/white are also producing. Largemouth are cruising the shallows, and smallmouth are starting to show up too, hitting swimbaits along the shoreline or while trolling across from the marina. A few stripers have been picked off with cut bait or paddle tails in deeper water.