Fishing by Jay Sorensen courtesy of Cecile Giacoma and the River News Herald!

SAN FRANCISCO
The good news out on San Francisco Bay is the fantastic halibut fishing that is taking place. Charter boats are putting their clients into limits and near limits of flatfish along with good numbers of striped bass while on the drift with live anchovies. Take for instance Captain Jim Smith aboard the Pacific Dream took 20 anglers out for the day and returned with 55 halibut averaging 10 to 13 pounds along with 11 striped bass. The New Huck Finn reported that on the last seven trips they boarded an amazing 385 halibut. Last Sunday the Huck Finn returned with 50 halibut and striped bass for 26 anglers.

OCEAN
The rockcod and ling cod fishing remains solid off the coast of California. The vessel Sea Wolf took 30 anglers for 30 ling cod to 22 pounds, and 30 limits of rockfish. As a bonus Dungeness crab pot pulling is still providing quality crab limits.

SAN JOAQUIN RIVER
The striped bass fishing on the San Joaquin River is continuing to provide 2 fish limits, especially those who are drifting live minnows and spooning with P-Line Laser Minnows. On some days they are hooking and landing over 20 fish per outing with about half of them being 18 inches or better. Most are averaging about 4 to 8 pounds, up to an occasional 10 pounder or better. Most of the fish are males with about half completely spawned out. The best action is taking place from the Antioch Bridge upstream into the Old River Flats and the Sounding Board. The fishing will remain pretty solid for the remainder of May into the month of June.

SACRAMENTO RIVER
The sturgeon fishing is still on a hot bite, but very little interest in fishing for them. Most have headed into the bay for the hot bite on halibut. Good numbers of diamondbacks are holding in

the Big and Little Suisun
Cuts with salmon roe and grass shrimp providing the best action There has been a lack of striped bass in the Rio Vista area. It has been determined that most are further upstream and very shortly they will be returning on their spawning journey as they return to the bay and the action should pick up along the West Bank up into the Collinsville area. Further upstream into the Freeport and up into the Feather River, the American shad fishing is now in full swing. The shad are hitting grubs instead of Shad Darts since they can’t set up with a sinker on the bottom like a surf rig with two grubs up the line, because it has been necessary to put 4 to 5 ounces of lead to stay down right now due to the heavy snow melt off. During this time period a good number of shad are the larger females. The American shad fishing should remain solid throughout the month of June.

NEW MELONES
RESERVOIR
As if someone turned on the light switch the kokanee fishing action took off this past week, attracting some of the top kokanee fishermen in the state to reappear at this impoundment. The kokanee have been good sized up to 16 inches in length and the bite has been very consistent trolling pink UV or Clown hoochies behind a Gold-Plated Crushed Glow Dodger in both 4 inch tear drop or Peak Performer along with another hot dodger called the Peak Performer Moon with pink/purple scale. Garlic corn dyed orange has been very successful as well. The best action is near the dam from 30 to 52 foot depths. The lake is now at 82 percent of capacity.

CAMANCHE LAKE
The final trout plant of the year took place on May 3rd with 1800 pounds released at the North Shore Marina. Trolling for trout at this popular impoundment is taking place in deeper

waters near the dam. Trollers have been
consistently pulling some quality rainbow trout in the 7 pound bracket while using Speedy Shiners in the triangle from the river channel to Big Hat Island and Little Hat Island near the dam. Camanche is now at 78 percent of capacity.

PARDEE LAKE
A trout plant of 1000 pounds was placed into the impoundment last week as part of their weekly plant. The waters at Lake Pardee continue to be very cold and with these conditions the trout plants will continue for the coming months. Recently, a 17.76 inch kokanee was caught by Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service. This is the largest kokanee reported in northern California anywhere this season. The lake is now at 101 percent of capacity and spilling.

FRESH THREADFIN
IS AVAILABLE
H&R and Tackle located on Charter Way in Stockton is receiving about 70 pounds of shad weekly. If into the bait fishing at anchor for striped bass this is by far the best bait to fish for them.

Take time to go out and enjoy the great outdoors. Be sure to check weather conditions before venturing out into the big waters.

Until next tide stay safe to fish another day.

JAY’S BEST BETS
New Melones Reservoir – (trout, kokanee, largemouth bass)
San Joaquin River – (striped bass, sturgeon, largemouth bass)
San Luis Reservoir – (striped bass)
Suisun Bay & Big/Little Cuts – (sturgeon);
Feather River – (striped bass, American shad)
Sacramento River – (striped bass, sturgeon, American shad)
Pardee Lake – (kokanee, trout, largemouth bass);
Camanche Lake – (trout, largemouth bass)
San Pablo Bay – (striped bass, sturgeon, halibut)
San Francisco Bay (halibut, striped bass, white sea bass)
Ocean – (rockfish, ling cod, Dungeness crab)
American River – (striped bass, American shad)

FUN FACT:
COCA COLA BOTTLES
According to TheFactSite.com if all the Coca Cola bottles in the world were stacked end to end, they would reach the moon and back more than 1,677 times.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The more things change, the more they stay the same”
. ….French novelist Alphonse Karr

SALMON FISHING
SEASON REOPENS
The ocean salmon fishing season has been closed since May 1st and will reopen on Saturday, May 18th. The salmon fishing season ends on Thursday October 31st, and minimum size requirements will be 20 inches in length for the remainder of the season.

Note; When fishing the big waters always check the weather conditions, and don’t forget to wear your Personal Floatation Device (PFD).

UPCOMING EVENTS
SACRAMENTO’S
FISHERMAN’S
WAREHOUSE
SCHEDULE OF
SEMINARS

Fisherman’s Warehouse Sacramento store will be conducting a number of seminars scheduled for each Thursday in May 2019.
Here for your information are the remaining dates and subject matter and the presenters:

May 23, 2019 – Landlock Salmon fishing with Brett Brady
May 30, 2019 – American Shad Fishing with Roland Aspiras (Fish Sniffer)
All of the above seminars start at 6:00 pmsharp! The
Sacramento Fisherman’s

Warehouse is located at 9035 Folsom BlvdFor more information call (916) 362-1200

KOKANEE POWER WHISKEYTOWN LAKE TEAM CLASSIC
June 8-9, 2019 – At this event you have a chance of hooking big trout and kokanee along with winning some awesome prizes. For more information call Gary Coe at (916) 985-4043.

KOKANEE POWER MELONES RESERVOIR TEAM DERBY

Saturday, July 13, 2019 – Catch some big kokanee and win some awesome prizes. For more information, call Gary Coe at (916) 985-4943.

ULTIMATE FROG
CHALLENGE ON THE CALIFORNIA DELTA
July 27-28 2019 – This only frog lure fishing tournament for largemouth bass has always been fun to fish. For more information, call Vince Harris at (916) 768-0938.