THE WEEKLY SHORELINER'S REPORT
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 Summary:  Cold spells, hot flashes, calm days, windy afternoons and a flat tide.   Nothing's settled, everything is changing--and that makes the fishing exciting once again.  There is a very good chance at catching something anywhere you want to go.  Be mobile and innovative and you will dine on fish.
 
 

STRIPED BASS: Since the stripers are heading up to the Delta in full force now, the hot spots are subject to change at any moment.  Here's what's been going on this week.  Berkeley Marina in the morning on Hair Raisers, Golden Gate Fields in the evening on Rat-L-Traps and Kastmasters, Point Isabel on grass shrimp and pile worms (slowing down but still possible), and the Contra Costa side of San Pablo Bay during the day.  San Pablo Bay is good on both baits and lures, but it is a good idea to keep in mind that mitten crabs are still around to steal bait and ruin a good mood.  Most of the stripers seem to hold steady in the 3-8# range so far.
 

STURGEON:  They are jumping all over the Bay System lately.  Might be that they are starting to move.   Spots like Emeryville, Fleming Point, Point Pinole, Rodeo, and anywhere in the Carquinez Strait are worth investigating.  Boaters are catching them on the napa River up from Vallejo, and there has been some good fishing action at Sherman Island.  Time to get your rigs together.
 

PERCH: Still great black perch fishing in the East Bay on the incoming tide.  Pile worms and grass shrimp will get you a bucket full of male pogies.   White, walleyed, silver, and striped perch are available on the surf.
 

MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES: Kingfish are returning.  Smelt are still around.  Shark and ray action has dwindled.  Halibut are still getting caught in small sizes.  Salmon are chasing spinnerbaits in Rodeo, Benicia, and Suisun City.  Rockfish can be found from Fort Baker, around the Golden Gate, and all the way up to Bodega Bay.
 

FRESHWATER: Trout planted at San Pablo Reservoir. Channel catfish planted in the following lakes: Contra Loma, Shadow Cliffs, Del Valle, and Chabot. Trout fishing remains very slow except for fair fishing early morning and evenings on PowerBait.  Crappie and bass bite is picking up.  Catfishing is still good on nightcrawlers and chicken livers.
 

DELTA RUMORS: There was a spell of cooler weather and calmer winds this week, and it helped turn on the fishing.  Sturgeon have been taking shrimp baits at Sherman Island by the power lines.  Some of them are so huge that anglers haven't been able to get them in. Stripers are flowing into the Delta and taking Hair Raisers and top water baits as well as live and frozen shad, cur baits like anchovies and sardines,  pile worms and grass shrimp.  Best area extends from Antioch through Rio Vista, mostly on the Sacramento River side, and some flurries of activity in the south near Bacon Island.  Catfishing holds steady on typical baits.  Black bass have taken a vacation recently for unknown reasons.  Panfishing is fair to good.  Some salmon coming through and taking lures between Rio Vista and Isleton.