THE WEEKLY SHORELINER'S REPORT
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 Summary:  No break from the winds at any time this week, and that has dulled the edge off of angling in the bay system.  Also, low water seems to have brought out the worst in crabs recently.   Hooks are coming back stripped clean.   The Delta is in full furnace these days and not worth fishing except at night.  That leaves the ocean for the best hope of reasonable fishing by day, and it's paying off in terms of perch, rockfish, and cabezon.  And possibly stripers and salmon, if the bait ever moves in close to shore.

STRIPED BASS:   Plugging with Kastmasters at Golden Gate Fields and Rat-L-Traps at Butler's Beach has been somewhat effective on the incoming tide or during the evening.  Pile worms have been responsible for most of the stripers picked up at Golden Gate Fields, Butler's beach,    and Point Isabel.  But it has been a slow week on this side of the bay.  Even Baker Beach has tapered off recently.  But they're still coming down from the Delta.

STURGEON:  A lot of fishing for sturgeon going on lately along the Napa River, especially in Vallejo, and some are getting caught from shore on shrimp baits.  Also some catches in Montezuma Slough, Cache Slough,  and even downtown Stockton.

PERCH:  The fishing is good to excellent by the sea.  Baker Beach has striped, rainbow, and barred perch in good sizes on pile worms and grass shrimp.  Fort Cronkite offers striped, barred, pile, and walleyed perch on pile worms.  The bottom of the tide has been best.  Also some good action reported at Muir and Stinson beaches.  The wind is not a problem outside the gate.

FLATFISH:  Halibut fishing has slowed down to nearly nothing at Berkeley Pier.  The veterans don't know why, and each days sees fewer of them even bothering to show up.  The boaters aren't doing too well either in the bay.  There is an outside chance of catching smallish halibut by Crissy Field or Baker Beach, but most of the there are undersized.  Still some action on lures like hair raisers and Rat-L-Traps at Butler's beach off the far rock wall in the late afternoon.

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES:  Lots of smelt at Berkeley Pier, especially in the small sizes perfect for live bait.  Bat rays are concentrated from San Quentin Point to Butler's Beach to Point Isabel.  Some sharks around but not many.  Rockfish and cabezon are biting by the usual rocky spots along the coast.  Pile worms, fish baits, and crabs are pretty workable.

FRESHWATER:  Trout plants at the following lakes:  Del Valle,  Chabot, and Shadow Cliffs.  Trout fishing is best at San Pablo reservoir, using a variety of powerbaits from rainbow, yellow, orange, or glitter chartreuse.   Nightcrawlers sprayed with attractant, rainbow and silver lures are also effective.  But the big story is a 19 pound catfish pulled in recently on shrimp.  Catfish provide the best chance of success in fresh water these days.

DELTA RUMORS:  The heat has killed the bite during the day for every species except black bass, who continue to slam into artificial worms and some spinner baits.  Find deep sloughs for the largemouth and work the typical bass hangouts.  Some stripers are still around in Cache Slough, Steamboat Slough, and the Mokelumne River south of Terminous, getting caught on fishy baits and trolling lures like rebels.  Crappie and bluegills can be found lurking under boat docks, waiting for minnows.  Catfish are still doing well up in Cache slough, White Slough, and down in the Whiskey Slough/Bacon Island area.  Clams are the most effective bait, followed by brine-soaked sardines and mackerels.  But night fishing is really the only way to avoid wasting time right now.