THE WEEKLY SHORELINER'S REPORT
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 Summary:  It's all about striped bass now.   The problem is getting to them from the shore.  A lot of green seaweed mucking up everything in the San Pablo Bay, plus voracious crabs, plus the fact that there is so much bait in the water the stripers aren't even moving much up to the Delta.  A further consideration is the fresh/saltwater line is extended all the way west of Bay Point.  Striped bass may be in our area for quite some time to come during this autumn.

STRIPED BASS: Stripers have settled in along the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge, in a large rectangle with these four points as borders: Brooks Island, Paradise Cove, the West Marin Islands, and the Brothers Islands.  Boats are limiting out in short time, then catching and releasing until the anglers and skippers are tired.  For the shoreliner it's tough knowing all those stripers are out there, almost beyond reach, feasting on schools of anchovies.  Bait fishing is so-so except for near the Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael.  Bullheads are the most effective bait.  The best bet is to get well stocked in Hair Raisers, Kastmasters, and Rat-L-Traps and then cover the shoreline adjacent the four points mentioned.  Sooner or later you'll hit that school and have a blast.  Other places for striper action include the Napa River, Crockett, and various spots in the Delta mentioned below.

STURGEON: Some sturgeon have been caught from the shore in Marin at China Camp and near San Quenitn Point.  Other possibilities include Rodeo, Crockett, Montrezuma Slough, and Cache Slough.  Things are starting to improve.  Grass shrimp is the best bait.

PERCH: No change.  Berkeley Marina is good for black perch on pile worms at the last hour of the incoming tide to about the first hour of the outgoing.  Sausalito remains an excellent choice for large black, striped, pile, and the occasional rubberlip perch on worms and grass shrimp.  By the sea, things are very good between Muir Beach and Slide Ranch for large striped perch.

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES: No change.  As soon as the incoming tide peaks, there are plenty of jacksmelt around from Ashby/Frontage Road all the way to Richmond.  Anchovies and pile worms will work just fine.  Nice action on Salmon with Mepps spinners at the Rodeo "hotwater" area and also at Benica, but it comes and goes.

FRESHWATER: Trout plants in the following lakes: San Pablo, Del Valle, Contra Loma, Chabot, Lafayette, and Shadow Cliffs.  Catfish planted at Lake Temescal.  Cool nights have helped consderably.  Trout fishing is good on nightcrawlers, powerbait, Rapalas, Kastmasters, and Krocodiles, and Mepps.  Black bass are taking plastic worms.  Catfishing is still okay on the usual baits.

DELTA RUMORS: Shad are still abundant in the Delta, so that's what the stripers are feeding on.  However, live bullheads and mudsuckers, cut sardines and anchovies, and even grass shrimp are all good baits--when you find the striped bass.  They are spread thinly all over the Delta right now.  Best bets are Georgiana Slough, White Slough, Isleton, and the Mokelumne River in the north; Holland Tract and downtown Stockton in the south.  Salmon are hitting Blue Fox lures and similar above Isleton.  Catfishing is fair to good on clams and fish baits along Middle river and Old River in the south; Cache Slough and Georgiana Slough in the north.  Black bass fishing is fair.