Central California fishing report, Sept. 18-24: Delta bass action is good, bigger trout coming out of Bass Lake and Pine Flat king salmon and Eastman Lake bass are good bets.

Sports Central California fishing report, Sept. 18-24: Delta bass action is good, bigger trout coming out of Bass Lake and Pine Flat king salmon and Eastman Lake bass are good bets.

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Best bets

Delta bass action good, Randy Pringle said. Bass Lake is producing bigger trout, Mike Beighey reported. Pine Flat king salmon and Eastman bass are good bets, Michael Crayne said. McSwain trout plants kick bite into gear, Dave Hurley reported. Isabella crappie on a tear, Copes Tackle said. Wishon trout biting, Kelly Brewer reported.

Valley/Westside waterways

Striper 2 Catfish 3

Omega Nguyen of Mega Bait and Tackle in Lathrop reported most local anglers are heading to Bethany Reservoir at the head of the California Aqueduct for catfish on anchovies, sardines, or pile worms. Striped bass fishing has been hit or miss at Bethany. In the northern sections of the aqueduct and the Delta Mendota Canal, fishing has been slow for striped bass with catfish being the best bet. Striperz Gone Wild Fall Derby will be occurring in the Los Banos area in October. Cope's Rod and Tackle in Bakersfield reported quality catfish are taken on Triple S Dip Bait, cut baits, or chicken liver in the south aqueduct. There is a topwater bite for striped bass in the early morning boils while cut bait, jumbo live minnows, or small white swimbaits are working around the check gates.

Aqueduct anglers are always advised to use caution as well as wearing a PFD as the water is swift, cold, and dangerous.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474 ; Cope's Tackle and Rod, Bakersfield (661) 679-6351; Bob's Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657 .

Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake

Bass 3 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported Eastman continues to be the top lake for largemouth bass with the best action in the mornings and evenings for the largest grade of fish. He said, "There are two good windows from 5-8 a.m. or from 7-9:30 p.m., and a number of presentations are working including big plastic worms dragged along the bottom, plastics on a Ned-rig or shakey head, large profile jigs, jerkbaits, or crankbaits. There is a topwater bite early or late, and anglers are experiencing action on a mixture of finesse or reaction baits." Hensley remains limited catfish or carp, and the carp are thick in the shallows. Chicken liver or dip bait continue to be best for whiskerfish, particularly at night. Both lakes are releasing water, and Eastman has held at 534.59 feet in elevation and 48% with Hensley receding 7 feet to 481.85 feet in elevation and 24%. At Eastman, no tournaments are scheduled in September with only one in October, the Sierra Bass Club on October 19. At Hensley, the next scheduled tournament is in mid-November.

Call: Eastman Lake 689-3255 ; Valley Rod & Gun, Clovis 292-3474 ; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hensley Lake Hidden Dam 673-5151 .

Lake Don Pedro

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 1 King salmon 2 Crappie 2

There are five bass tournaments scheduled through the end of October including a huge fundraising tournament 'Live Like Mason' Memorial for the family of Mason Ferrulli to be held at Fleming Meadows on Oct. 26 with a $200 entry fee. Ryan Denner of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported minimal change over the past week as the fish are holding in deeper water feeding on threadfin shad. Spoons or plastics on the drop-shot are the best presentations for the deep bass. Kokanee are well on their way to the spawn, and they are no longer a viable target. King salmon are found at depths from 80 to 100 feet with rolled shad or anchovies, Brad's Cut Plugs filled with an anchovy fillet, or white hoochies. The shad schools are thick, and both rainbow trout and the salmon are feeding heavily on the baitfish. Find the schools, and you will find the fish. Needlefish in black/chrome or Cop Car are your go-to lures for rainbows. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com . The lake is releasing water, and it dropped to 798.21 feet in elevation and 81% of capacity.

Call: Monte Smith, Gold Country Sport Fishing (209) 581-4734 ; Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

McClure Reservoir

Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Kokanee 0 Crappie 2 Catfish 2

Ryan Denner reported bass fishing remains a challenge with small fish being the rule along ledges or steep bluff walls with tubes, plastics on the drop-shot, or Senkos. There is a small window for topwater in the early mornings or evenings. Rainbow trout or king salmon are found around the abundant baitfish schools with similar lures and offerings to Don Pedro. There are no bass tournaments scheduled in September or October. The lake dropped over 31⁄2 feet to 820.44 feet in elevation and 71% of capacity. There are no bass tournaments scheduled in August and September. The Merced River dropped slightly to 1,235 cfs at Merced Falls downstream of Lake McSwain. The Reel Deal Market and Barrett's Cove Marina are open only on weekends and holidays through October.

Call: Central Valley Bait and Tackle (209) 312-9417.

Lake McSwain

Trout 3

Bank fishing improved from the normal locations of the Brush Pile, Handicapped Docks, or the peninsula around the Marina with Power Bait, inflated nightcrawlers, spoons, or spinners immediately after 1000 pounds of Calaveras Trout Farm trout were released. . A few fish per rod are possible, and the best bite window is early or late. Trolling blue/chrome Kastmasters or Ruby Red Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a flasher are effective for holdovers in the river arm towards the Exchequer Dam.

The McSwain Marina is open on only weekends or holidays through October. The lake held at 91% of capacity. The Lake McSwain Fall Trout Derby is scheduled for Oct. 5-6.

Call: Angler's Edge Market (209) 226-4416 ; McSwain Marina (209) 378-2534 .

Lake Isabella/Bakersfield

Bass 3 Trout 2 Crappie 3 Catfish 3 Bluegill 3

The lake is at 2,562.13 feet in elevation and 32% with water releases at First Point at 635 cfs. Cope's reported a great crappie bite both in the shallows and in deep water with dagger-style minijigs, curly tails, or 2-inch Keitechs in various colors. Bass are showing in great numbers with both reaction and finesse presentations, but the larger bass have been hard to find. Whiskerfish are showing later in the day and into the evening with Triple S dip bait, frozen shad, or nightcrawlers. There are still holdover rainbow trout in the lake, and bank fishermen are finding them in the cooler waters of the North Fork with floating baits and in deeper water near the dam. Tasmanian Devils, Needlefish, or Flicker shad continue to have great success for trollers. In the upper Kern, trout plants occurred last week in the 20-Mile Stretch at Section 4; Riverside Park in Kernville to Powerhouse #3; Section 5, Fairview Dam to Lazy River Lodge; and Section 6, Fairview Dam to Johnsondale Bridge, and a similar plant is scheduled the week of the 22nd. . In the Lower Kern, bass fishing in the canyon and at Democrat Beach is solid with Zman's or Crush City plastics on a Ned-rig, small crankbaits, or Roboworms on drop shot. The flows on upper Kern at Kernville dropped to 361 cfs.

Call: Cope's Tackle and Rod (661) 679-6351 ; Bob's Bait Bucket, Bakersfield (661) 833-8657 ; North Fork Marina (760) 376-1812 ; Golden Trout Pack Station (559) 542-2816 .

Lake Kaweah

Bass 3 Crappie 2 Trout 0 Catfish 2+

The lake is at 595.06 feet in elevation and 9% of capacity. Cope's reported good action for spotted bass with smaller finesse baits in reliable colors like green pumpkin, Ox Blood, or Tequilla Sunrise. There is a topwater bite at at first light, and jerkbaits took fish on points. Crappie anglers used minijigs to get it done, and catfish ate either Triple Dip Bait or chicken liver. The Kaweah River dropped to 72 cfs.

Lake Success

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Trout 2 Catfish 2

The lake is at 612.65 feet in elevation and 26%% of capacity. Cope's reported consistent action on a smaller grade of largemouth bass with plastics in watermelon red flake, The People's Worm, or Margarita Mutilator on the drop-shot, Ned-rig, or shakey head at depths from 10 to 20 feet in depth. Crankbaits and jigs took better fish near the trees. Catfish were reliable for night anglers soaking dip baits and chicken liver.

Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River

Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2

Michael Crayne of Valley Rod and Gun in Clovis reported continued slow bass fishing with nothing but small spotted bass on finesse presentations. He said, "You have to work for them." The lake should come back to life for spotted bass as the water cools and the boat traffic slows down. Chicken liver, nightcrawlers, or dip bait are producing catfish from the banks, particularly at night. The lake rose slightly to 513.76 feet in elevation and 50% of capacity. Sycamore Island is open once daily from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant dropped slightly to 414 cfs. Bass tournaments are scheduled on Oct. 5-6 and 19.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474 ; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Kokanee season is all but done, but there are guides who are targeting 12-inch second-year fish. The larger 3-year kokanee are well on their way to spawning.

Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Guide Service has been focusing upon rainbow trout and catfish, and he said, "The trout bite under lights hasn't been as good as I would like, but all of the fish are large, averaging 3 to 4 pounds with the occasional 6 to 7 pounder. We are doing better trolling Speedy Shiners or similar fast-trolling lures through the shad schools in the daytime. Catfishing remains excellent with whiskerfish to 10 pounds taken on beef liver in the shallows." Kokanee Power will double the amount of trout in their net pens in 2025 with an additional pen holding another 500 rainbows. For bass, Clara Ricabal of St. Croix Rods said, "It is still a tough bite, but I found some decent action for quality spotted bass free-falling the new 31⁄2-inch Yamamoto Yamatanuki fished weighless on a 3.0 EWG hook over structure. The lake is releasing water, and it dropped slightly over a foot to 1037.48 feet in elevation and 77% of capacity.

Call: John Liechty, Xperience Fishing Guide Service (209) 743-9932 ; Kyle Wise, Headhunter Guide Service (209) 531-3966 ; Alex Niapas, Catching California Guide Service (209) 728-4225; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734 .

Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River

Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 0 King salmon 3 Catfish 2 Crappie 2

Crayne reported most anglers are targeting king salmon or rainbow trout, and kings to 31⁄2 pounds have been landed by trollers working deep water with rolled shad or anchovies, Brad's Cut Plugs with an anchovy fillet, or white hoochies. The best trolling action has been either early or late. Like the other low-elevation lakes, there is an abundant supply of threadfin shad, and both the rainbows and salmon are found feeding on shad. Bass fishing has been fair at best, but the best action is taking place around deep ledges, brush piles, or steep bluff walls as the flats are not holding fish. In the lower Kings, a plant occurred last week with another plant scheduled for the week of the Sept. 22 With the low water, the planters are holding in the deeper pools. The flows at Trimmer have dropped to 287 cfs. The lake held at 824.76 feet in elevation and 40% of capacity. One club tournament is scheduled in September, none in October, and two in November.

Call: Valley Rod & Gun 292-3474 ; 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle 515-6273.

San Luis Reservoir and O'Neill Forebay

Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2

Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill said, "It's been a transitional time on the big lake as most anglers are soaking pile worms, blood worms, anchovies, or frozen grass shrimp from the banks.

Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the bite has been sporadic for most trollers and reaction anglers working the shore. "Rising water , thick algae and a coming full moon are all keeping the fish off balance it seems . One day the fish are active then they suspend. I took out a regular guest last Friday and the bite was slow on schoolfish - but he hit the lottery on big fish- releasing a huge 44-inch, 32 pound new personal best, then following it up with a 41 1⁄2-inche, 29 pounder for a two fish total weight of 61 pounds.

He hooked the 32 pounder within just 5 minutes of starting while working the 50-foot level in the main lake. We used the Seaqualizer release tool on both fish." George said.

In the O'Neill Forebay, kayak anglers are finding good action with River2Sea Rig Walkers which are a 6-inch swimbait. Working the swimbait on top of the grass or around the grass lines has been effective for school-sized striped bass." The main lake continues to rise with increased pumping out of the south Delta, and it is currently at 49% of capacity while the forebay also rose to 89% of capacity.

To check the real time wind conditions on the lake - use windfinder.com/forecast/san_luis_reservoir .

Call: Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711 , Roger George, rogergeorgeguideservice.com (559) 905-2954 .

High Sierra

Bass Lake

Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 0

Captain Mike Beighey of Bass Lake Fishing has called it a season, but he reported that there are more rainbows in the 4- to 5-pound range that they landed this year.

He said, "We had a very good trout year with some hefty bows. Again, the kokanee didn't show, but I saw plenty of signs that we will be back into kokanee next season". .

Call: Mike Beighey, Bass Lake Fishing 676-8133 .

Edison/Florence/Mammoth Pool

Edison remains the best of the Kaiser Pass lakes for both bank anglers and trollers, but the action has been limited. The Kaiser Pass lakes continue to release water, resulting in an increase at Millerton. Road conditions are available at the High Sierra Ranger Station – 855-5355 or . Fire danger is extreme in the high country. Edison to 60% of capacity, Florence to 44% of capacity, and Mammoth Pool to 19% of capacity.

Road conditions 297-0706 .

Call: Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake 259-4000

Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake

Trout 2 Kokanee 2

Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Dick's Fishing Charters, said, "The lake continues to drop, and it has gone down significantly. The water is cooling, and it is currently at 69 degrees. The kokanee are mostly scarce, but several have been marked on the fish finders, but they are apparently not in a striking mode as most are heading for inlets to eventually spawn. The remaining kokanee are scattered at depths from 50 to 70 feet. The trout should be heading toward those inlets for kokanee egg meals, and most trout can be found in Stevenson Bay, Tunnel Creek, Boy Scout Cove, Black Rock, the island, and Dorabela Cove at depths from 20 to 30 feet. Dick's Trout Busters in Shaver, Stevenson, or Texas Tea tipped with crawlers behind weighted mountain Flashers with a 100-foot setback are your best bet for the holdover rainbows. Shaver Marina has had to do some dock changes to accommodate the dropping water level. The Edison ramp remains in water, but it is unknown for how long. At Huntington, the kokanee are also in spawning mode, and they are heading for Rancheria Creek and other inlets. Small kokanee can still be found with hoochies tipped with corn behind dodgers at depths from 25 to 35 feet. Shaver held at 62% of capacity with Huntington dropping to 88% of capacity.

Call: Todd Wittwer, Kokanee.net Guide Service 288-8100 ; Tom Oliveira, Tom Oliveira Fishing 802-8072 .

Wishon/Courtright

Trout 3

Kelly Brewer of the Wishon RV Park and Store reported continued outstanding trout action at Wishon as the lake is full due to the draining of Courtright. Trolling remains excellent at depths to 50 feet with Rapalas, spoons, Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of nightcrawler, or blade/'crawler combinations. Bank fishing remains solid around the dam with nightcrawlers or various colors of Power Bait. Courtright is being drained to allow work on Helms Powerhouse Intake and discharge gates. Access to the reservoir is restricted, and on Oct. 1, the gate at Courtright Way just past the turnoff for McKinley Grove Road will be closed and remain closed until the regularly scheduled reopening on Memorial Day 2025 Weekend, depending upon weather. Boats are not allowed to launch at Courtright, but fishing access is allowed although it is a long walk to the shoreline. The lake is extremely low. The Wishon RV Park and Store will close for the season on Oct. 7.

Road conditions – Sierra National Forest Ranger Station 297-0706 .

Call: Wishon RV Park 865-5361

Half Moon Bay

Rockfish 3 Striper 2 Halibut 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3

The weather window shut down the ability to run offshore for albacore or bluefin tuna for the past week, but improved conditions are expected to arrive by Wednesday. Albacore action at the start of the week slowed to a crawl with several boats coming home empty, but there have been more and more bluefin tuna either landed or observed . Coastal rockfishing remains outstanding with the returning with 12 limits of rockfish including 3 cabezon, 6 lingcod, and 2 bonus California halibut on Sunday. The rockfish season transitions to deep water more than 50 fathoms on Oct. 1, and few Half Moon Bay boats will be heading out to the deep. The will start running Dungeness crab/rockfish trips starting on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Call: Captain Melynda Dodds, New Captain Pete (512) 825- 8225; Captain Chris Chang, Ankeny Street (650) 279-8819 ; Captain Bill Smith, Riptide (650) 728-8433 ; Half Moon Bay Sport Fishing, Queen of Hearts (510) 581-2628 .

Monterey/Santa Cruz

Rockfish 3 Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch

From the beaches, Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in Morgan Hill reported the striped bass are moving up north up the coastline, and the action has slowed down in the Monterey area.

He said, "The numbers are getting less and less every week, but there are still fish to be caught in the early mornings with darker colors of Duo Realis jerkbaits, particularly the 160's or 170's in midnight black, white with a pink back, or Mazumi Sardine. Perch fishing remains good, but anglers are transitioning over to Berkley Gulp! Sand Worms. Once the fish see something for a long time, it seems they want something else. Honey Badger or Lucky 13 grubs in motor oil/redflake remain a solid possibility."

Call: Chris' Landing (831) 375-5951 ; Allen Bushnell, Santa Cruz Kayak and Surf Casting (831) 251-9732

Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay

Halibut 2 Albacore 2 Striper 3 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 3

The weather put a kibosh on albacore fishing for several days, limiting boats to staying inside the bay over the weekend into Monday. Several boats went albacore fishing on Monday, and after several days of outstanding action, Pepe Le Pew reared its ugly head with nearly all boats reportedly being skunked. The weather window opens again by mid-week, and a few brave souls will be searching around to see where the albacore have moved. Bluefin tuna may be a greater possibility once the weather window opens. The weather kept the boats inside the bay from Saturday through Monday, and fortunately there are a few large schools of striped bass still holding in the central and San Pablo bays.

Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions out of San Francisco put his clients onto limits of stripers in San Pablo Bay in bumpy conditions on Sunday, saying, "There is a decent grade of stripers, but it is not wide open by any means. I have seen some very encouraging signs of white seabass, and I will take a more active interest in finding where the ghosts are in the coming weeks. There have been some big fish over 70 pounds landed by commercial anglers so far in the past few weeks. Once the weather window opens, the boats will target coastal rockfishing until the nearshore season takes a break during the month of October. Deepwater rockfishing more than 50 fathoms will take place during the months of October and December, and the action at Rittenburg Bank is downright incredible if the weather allows the long run.

Call: Captain Ron Koyasako, Nautilus Excursions (916) 704-4169 ; Captain Jerad Davis, Salty Lady (415) 760-9362 ; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook'd Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736 ; Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388 .

San Luis Obispo

Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3

It's all about rockfishing, and half-limits to near-limits are possible on 1⁄2-day trips out of Morro Bay or Port San Luis. The best scores are always on the full-day, 12-hour, or overnight trips where the boats can run further from the local reefs. .

Call: Virg's Landing (800) 762-5263 ; Patriot Sport Fishing (805) 595-4100 ; Morro Bay Landing.

Delta/Stockton

Bass 3 Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3

Largemouth bass fishing has been solid for numbers but finding the larger fish continues to be challenging. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, said, "We had a great time this past week, catching and releasing 54 bass to 4 pounds, and everything came on either the ima Squarebill or Dep's crankbaits in Red Craw or shad patterns. The key is using line like 15-pound Big Game monofilament since it floats and can be dragged over the weeds. Fluorocarbon line will sink or stay neutral, and it is far less effect. Short casts are necessary since you don't want to drag a fish through the heavy weeds. We are working shallow water, and the best action has been from the high tide through the outgo as the water clears up." The topwater action remains slow, but there is a good jerkbait bite with shad patterns, particularly off island points with access to deep water. Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors is looking forward to the coming weeks for punching the weeds and flipping as the largemouth bass become oriented to wood or structure.

Striped bass fishing remains best in the western part of the Sacramento Delta from Collinsville toward Pittsburg, but most of the linesides have been local fish in the 20- to 21-inch range. There are two large schools of striped bass remaining in San Francisco Bay, and they should be heading upriver soon. The larger stripers present in the Delta a few weeks ago may have headed back to the bay with the large minus tides or moved upriver to find cooler waters. The wind remains a factor as whitecaps have been present on the Sacramento side of the Delta most days in the 20 to 30 mph winds. Nor Cal Bass will be hosting tournaments this weekend out of Ladd's Marina in Stockton with the Delta Series on Saturday, followed by the Lake Series event on Sunday.

Oct. 1 is the anticipated day for sturgeon fishing to be reopened within for catch-and-released only, no harvest.

Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260 ; Captain Steve Mitchell, Hook'd Up Sport Fishing (707) 655-6736 ; Vince Borges, Vince Borges Outdoors (209) 918-0828 . Soo Hoo Sport Fishing (925) 899-4045.

Kokanee Power's 14th Annual Dinner and Awards – 5 p.m. Nov. 9 p.m.

Evelyn-Bishop Hall in Ione – information: .

Sept. 14

Lake Isabella – Central Valley Kayak Fishing

1st – A. Sanchez – 76.25 inches; 2nd – J.Lopez – 73.50 inches; 3rd – Pia Xiong – 71.75 inches.

Sept. 21-22

Delta/B and W Resort – Fresno Bass Club

Delta/B and W Resort – California Bass Federation

Delta/Russo's Marina – Sierra Bass Club

Sept. 21

Delta/Ladd's Marina – Nor Cal Bass Delta Series/Sonora Bass Anglers

New Hogan – Manteca Bassin' Buddies