Ken Baccetti’s November 24, 2021 Fishing Report

My name is Ken Baccetti. I’m the President of the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Isleton-Delta Chapter. As a lifelong fisherman, fishing the California Delta, San Francisco Bay and Ocean waters, I will be your fishing reporter. Now on to the fish report for November 24, 2021.

The striper bite in the Delta can only be described as very inconsistent as told to me by Captain Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo Sportfishing. Captain Jeff tells me that some days it’s easy limits of stripers for his clients (see the attached photos), while other days he really has to work for limits to near limits. Captain Jeff continued to tell me that he’s still drifting live minnows and mudsuckers West of the Antioch Bridge up to 3 Mile Slough. Legendary Delta fisherman Mark Wilson echo’s Captain Jeff’s assessment. Mark has given up trolling for bait fishing. He’s been locating his fish in the Sherman Island area down to buoys 14 to 5. His bait of choice has been shad in 27 to 30 feet of water in these areas. Most of his fish are averaging from shaker size to 6 pounds.

If you prefer to cast for stripers, then Don Paganelli of Paganelli’s Bass Fishing Experience is who I would recommend. Don tells me that he’s been fishing the San Joaquin River on the flats near Stockton, Turner Cut and outside of the Mokelumne River, and San Andreas Shoals for good action on stripers (see the attached photo). His clients have been casting Pencil Poppers and S-Waver Swimbaits.

The sturgeon bite, on the other hand, has been good to excellent of late. On Saturday, November 20, 2021, the California Striped Bass Association-Isleton Delta Chapter held a sturgeon derby out of the Pittsburg Marina. We again partnered with Fishermen’s Catch Bait & Tackle for a very successful derby. The target length was 56.5 inches, and the 5 anglers who placed closest to the targeted length were pleased to receive their winnings (see the attached photo). Captain Chuck DeLucci of Delta Fishing Charters, whose clients fished the derby, tells me he’s been finding good to excellent action at Chain Island, Buoys 6 & 7, and all the way down to Port Chicago. His bait of choice has been salmon roe (see the attached photos).

Now down to the Bay and Ocean. Some keeper halibut are still being caught in the bay according to Captain Don Franklin of Sole-Man Sportfishing. Captain Don tells me that halibut are still being caught on the backside of Alcatraz Island to the Berkeley Flats. Capt. Don recommends catching your own live bait, go to Loch Lomond Live Bait House in San Rafael, or drift tray baits. Capt. Don further told me that the leopard shark fishing in the South Bay continues to be the most productive fishery in the bay now. He recommends using salmon bellies or salmon roe for the leopards (see the attached photo). Another recommendation from Capt. Don is fishing at anchor in San Pablo Bay for stripers using bullheads for bait. He’s been concentrating in close to shore at “The Brickyard”.

Crab fishing seems to be very popular with anglers these days. The recreational Dungeness crab season is open statewide, however under the new regulations CDFW Director Charlton Bonham has the authority to prohibit the use of traps in the fishery to minimize entanglement risk from lines and buoys typically used with trap gear. A crab trap gear prohibition would also prevent the use of crab traps in the rock crab fishery. Use of hoop nets and snares (crab loop traps) are not affected by these new regulations and can be used to catch Dungeness crab. One charter boat captain fishing hoop nets for Dungeness crab as well as rockfish is Captain Craig Hanson of Argo Sportfishing. Captain Craig tells me he’s currently running Dungeness crab/coastal rockfish trips from his berth at Fishermen’s Wharf. He’s been getting limits of crabs for his clients (see the attached photo), and half limits of rockfish off the Marin Coast.

If you would like to book a trip with any of these Captains or Guides, just Google their business name(s) for their contact information.

If you would like more information about the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), go to our website (www.striper-csba.org). You will be able to access all the information related to the 5 CSBA Chapters. New members only pay $25, that includes a one time $5 initiation fee. After the first year of membership the annual dues are only $20. Your membership helps to strengthen our mission to protect striped bass and our fisheries. Some Chapters will give you a free gift just for joining. The Isleton-Delta Chapter gives all new members a free Chapter decal and hat as a thank you for joining our Chapter. Membership forms are available for each Chapter on the website. Just click on your Chapter of choice and go to the membership page, fill out the application, print it and send your application and payment to the address listed on the application. The Isleton Chapter now accepts credit cards online on the website as well. The website also has Chapters’ newsletters, photos, interesting articles and useful links that will help you plan your next fishing trip.

Until next month, I would like to wish you all tight lines and a Happy Thanksgiving…..