THE WEEKLY SHORELINER'S REPORT

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 Summary:  The Delta continues to be the best choice for fishing.    Jet skiers are a nuisance and it's better to work on large, open bodies of waters with mudbars--or back sloughs that the yahoos haven't found yet.  But it is nearly a sure thing that you'll come back with a stringer of fish.  Lake and pond fishing are also very good.  And most saltwater fishing isn't too terrible if you can get out of the wind.  April has really turned on the bite.

STRIPED BASS: Most of the legal bass seem to have moved on.  This week was considerably slower than last week.  A great many small stripers are pecking away inside the bay system right now.  Blood worms have been successful at Ashby/Frontage Road, and shrimp baits are okay in San Pablo Bay.  More stripers are on the way from the Delta.

STURGEON:  No change recently. Mitten crabs are so bad that shoreline fishing for sturgeon is difficult from San Pablo Bay past the Carquinez Strait.  San Quentin Point is a possibility.  So is Martinez, along the railroad tracks. Still some luck at Montezuma Slough by the bridge.  Ghost shrimp is the best bait.  Grass shrimp is available now.

PERCH: The hard part of perch fishing inside the bay is avoiding shiners.  But there are black, white, and pile perch to be found on the rocky shorelines from Oakland to Richmond and across to Sausalito.  Some striped and rubberlipped perch are getting caught from Sausalito to Fort Baker and across to Fort Point.  The beach remains the best bet for good sizes in calico and redtail perch.  Pile worms are choice bait.

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES:  There are shiners all over the bay right now and halibut are right behind them.  Right now, however, most of the halibut are undersized.   Some keepers have been caught at Berkeley Pier on live shiners. Still some flounder straggling San Pablo Bay.    Kingfish have moved well upriver, tracking the brackish water, and are pestering anglers all the way to Suisun Bay.  Shark action is slow.

FRESHWATER: Trout plants in the following lakes:  San Pablo, Temescal, Lafayette, Chabot, Contra Loma, Shadow Cliffs, Del Valle, Bon Tempe, Lagunitas and Phoenix.  Now is a great time for trout fishing.  The water is clear and the moon is dark.  Power Bait in chartreuse, green and rainbow, marshmallows, nightcrawlers, and small spoon lures are all effective.  Black bass fishing continues to improve, with dark or blood-colored plastic worms, green or white spinner baits, and small crankbaits working nicely.  Catfish are holding firm on mackerel and other fishy baits.  Some nice crappies and bluegills caught on minnows, red worms, and mini jigs around pilings and structure.

DELTA RUMORS:  For striped bass and sturgeon the best place to be is Sherman Island on the Sacramento River side, near the power lines.  Lots of small stripers to wade through but there are keepers in the 7-12# range.  Sardines, anchovies, and blood worms are good baits.  Bombers, Rebels, and Rat-L-Traps are good lures.  The Mokelumne River from Terminous to Jackson Slough is worth trying.  To the South, action occurs by the Old River and Stockton.  Black bass fishing is terrific on spinner baits and plastic worms, anywhere you can find weed beds and tules.  Crappie fishing is good near bridges and structures on minnows and mini jugs.  Catfishing is very good almost anywhere you go.  Clams, mackerels, and sardines have been working well.  If you don't catch anything else you will catch the whisker fish.