California Delta Fishing Overview
“The Delta”, as referred to by locals, contains over 1,100 miles of waterways and roughly 200 islands. The Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and several other tributaries join to form the largest estuary on the West Coast. The Delta ultimately flows into San Francisco Bay. High numbers of striped bass enter the Delta, beginning in the fall. Many are in the 10-15 pound range, some reaching up to 50 pounds. They are present through the spring when they migrate into the upper stretches to spawn. Resident largemouth bass up to 15 pounds are also...
“The Delta”, as referred to by locals, contains over 1,100 miles of waterways and roughly 200 islands. The Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, and several other tributaries join to form the largest estuary on the West Coast. The Delta ultimately flows into San Francisco Bay.
High numbers of striped bass enter the Delta, beginning in the fall. Many are in the 10-15 pound range, some reaching up to 50 pounds. They are present through the spring when they migrate into the upper stretches to spawn.
Resident largemouth bass up to 15 pounds are also abundant in sheltered areas such as shoreline weeds and underneath docks. Largemouth are most active in the spring but will remain active through November.
Smallmouth bass, although only growing 1-2 pounds, are hard fighters in the Delta. Found within a few feet of the banks, they mostly inhabit the Sacramento River portion and are most active from June through August. Spotted bass in the 2-3 pound range are found in similar areas to the smallmouth but prefer cooler and more oxygenated water. Thus, they are more active at colder times of year.
Chinook salmon enter the Delta in multiple runs, with the fall run being the most prolific. Timing varies each year, although the fall run generally occurs from August to November.
Channel catfish, white catfish, bullheads, and some giant blue catfish exist in the Delta. They enter shallow water near the banks in the springtime.
White and green sturgeon averaging 25 pounds make a spawning migration in the winter months. Green sturgeon must be released immediately if caught.
Dozens of public parks, launch ramps, state fishing access sites, and campgrounds are present. It is important to bring a GPS when boating as it is easy to get lost in this massive water system.
- Largemouth Bass: 18.62 lb
Other Nearby Reports
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...
Bass are moving up, with pre-spawn fish pushing into the shallows as water temps warm. Males are already tight to the bank, and big females are easing in slowly behind them...
California Delta Weather
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