Sacramento County Fishing Reports

Bass are active and catchable all over the Delta… but don’t expect a foolproof pattern right now. Fish are coming on chatterbaits, frogs, drop shot, Senkos, and topwater… it’s more about being in the right spot than what’s tied on. Water temps are 68–70°F with visibility ranging up to 8 feet depending on wind. High tide has fish tight to mats, grass, and tule edges... especially near current.

Topwater is picking up early, especially in calm pockets. Punching and slow plastics are drawing strikes from both spawners and post-spawn fry guarders. The bite is solid… you just have to keep moving until you find them.

Striper action is still consistent in the central Delta… live bait is doing most of the damage, especially for boats drifting through deeper channels and current seams. Bass anglers are also picking off the occasional striper while working reaction baits. Most are schoolies, but a few better fish are mixed in.

Steve Cooper’s latest In Deep on the Delta report highlights hot striper action between Ladds and Prisoners Point, especially during the first two hours of outgoing tide. Big glide baits like the S-Waver 200 are doing the damage... fished fast when it’s windy and slower when it’s calm. Multiple fish over 10 pounds are being caught, including a few pushing 20. Don’t wait for birds or surface activity... just keep casting and work those glides all the way to the boat.

Largemouth are in all stages of the spawn and the bite’s picking up fast. Tournament weights are rising, with multiple events seeing 20+ pound bags and some 9-pound kickers. Crankbaits, chatterbaits, Senkos, and punching setups are all putting fish in the boat.Target breaks, rock, and flats, especially in the afternoons as temps rise. Big rods and heavy line are a must...too many anglers are getting smoked by Delta giants on light gear.

Check out the video for more details.

Striper fishing in the California Delta has been good, especially around Sherman Island where fish up to 10 pounds are being caught. The bite is best on the incoming tide, tight to the tulies, as most of the mid-channel grass is gone. Though many fish have moved upriver to spawn, plenty remain in the area. Trolling deep-diving plugs near Eddos and Santa Clara Shoals has also been productive, while bait anglers are doing well near Hood, Clarksburg, and Garcia Bend using sardines in 12–15 feet of water.

Sturgeon are still being caught from Martinez to Rio Vista and into the Sacramento River, especially around Hood and Knights Landing (remember to release all sturgeon).

Bass fishing is turning on in the Delta as pre-spawn fish move shallow. Folks have been catching numbers on chatterbaits, Senkos, and flipping in just a few feet of water.