THE WEEKLY SHORELINER'S REPORT
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 Summary:  Rains have moved the sturgeon in but the cold and nasty winds have made the fishing unpleasant.  Late afternoon seems to be the best time to get out and catch something.
 
 
 

STRIPED BASS:  Diehards continue to fish for stripers in the Berkeley waters but it's a hard proposition.  There is still some action in the San Pablo Bay, but most of it is too far offshore.  The best nearby spots are Vallejo and Port Costa, using bullheads, grass shrimp, or anchovies. Otherwise, take your chances upriver, at places like Montezuma Slough or within the Delta. Be aware that mitten crabs are all over from the Carquinez through the Delta.
 

STURGEON: Sturgeon fishing is right on time.  The Carquinez Strait is good on the incoming and just after, and even better when the tide is bottoming out in late afternoon.  Strong current is a problem; so are mitten crabs.  But shrimp baits, anchovies, and pile worms will all work for diamondbacks.  Try Port Costa or Eckley Pier.  Along the Napa River is another good spot.  So is China Camp, Emeryville, and Bay Farm Island in Alameda.  This looks like a good season already.
 

PERCH: The ocean beaches have gone from challenging to pointless while the surf continues to be rough.  Inside the bay, however, the perch fishing is good.  Fort Point, Fort Baker, and Sausalito are all possibilities on grass shrimp and pile worms.  The rocks from Emeryville to Richmond have plenty of black perch on the same baits.

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES:  No changes. Some small flounder at Ashby/Frontage Road.  Leopard sharks by the Golden Gate and nearby beaches.  Kingfish are showing up at Berkeley Pier.
 

FRESHWATER: Trout plants in the following lakes: Chabot Del Valle, Shadow Cliffs,  Contra Loma, Lafayette, and Bon Tempe.  Nightcrawlers, Powerbait, and Kastmasters are effective at all lakes. Trout fishing is good now that the water is cold and the trout are closer to the surface.  Catfishing is fair on nightcralwers and chicken livers.
 

DELTA RUMORS:  All the delta fishing reports are notoriously optimistic.  There are many stripers in the system, but the truth is that you have to be in the right place at the right time. Yesterday's boom could be today's bust.  The schools are moving.  For shoreliners the best strategy is to note the trend and follow the crowds.  This week the stripers have been fairly thick from Franks Tract down to Mildred Island, and from Sherman Island to Isleton.  Start upriver and work your way down until you find the action.  Mudsuckers, bullheads, and shad remain the top live baits, with sardines, pile worms and anchovies following.  The water is pretty murky for any lures except the ones that make noise, like Speed Traps and Rat-L-Traps.  Sturgeon fishing is in full swing, with the best spots near Decker Island and Cache Slough.  Grass shrimp is the best bait.  Catfish are biting best in the South Delta on clams and mackerels.