Delta Stripers.....

[Declan]

First of all, thanks to everybody for giving me all this free entertainment and information on this board, and thanks to Bill for providing it and running a great shop. Thanks to Terry for getting me some flies and line shipped to my house by Friday so I could try my hand at Delta fly fishing for the first time. Kiene’s always lives up to the hype and I’m glad to be able to support it whenever I can.

Anyway, just got my dad’s 21’bay boat for the summer and went out for the first time on Saturday, I caught 1 large mouth (small) but no stripers. We spent the day in Frank’s Tract as we were new to the water and wanted to acclimate ourselves s before venturing too deep. Tons of Bass guys practicing for the upcoming tourney so lots of traffic. We were using 8 and 9 weight rods with no. 3 and 8 sinking tips and big chartreuse clousers and bluegill flies (provided by Terry), but no stripers. Sometime in the coming weeks I’ll get a guide so I can really learn this stuff but in the mean time, I figured this would be the best place to get some general info. So…. Any help? I launch from the Sugar Barge so anything reasonably close to Franks Tract is easily accessible.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks for the good feedback "Declan"

You might 'hook up' with Kevin Doran who is a top Striper and black bass top water guide.

http://www.deltaadventures.com/

Also if you go to Dan Blanton's message board there is a lot of chat about the Delta there as well.

http://www.danblanton.com/bulletin.php

Lot of variables in the Delta like time of day, tides and location.

Good luck and keep at it.

[Darian]

Hey Declan,.... Sounds like you're getting a good start. Can't help much with the Stripers but, according to Dan Blanton (from his BB), the bass tourney guys dump all of the catch back into Piper Slough after the weigh-in. If I recall correctly, that's the slough in front of Sugar Barge Resort. :D :D :D Soooo, it looks like you're launching in Black Bass central..... 8) 8) 8)

[Declan]

Thanks Darian, I'll hang out right there after the weigh -in!

[JerryInLodi]

The tournament this weekend has a purse of over $125,000 and close to 100 boats are entered. Further, the whole thing will go on for FOUR days. I figure by that time these hot shots will have gathered every bass over eight pounds up and will have deposited them in the vicinity of the Sugar Barge.

I drove through the area on Sunday evening and quite a few of the boats were prefishing the tournament. Some of the swirls in the water from big fish almost spun my boat 360!

[Declan]

Any idea what the name of the tourny is?

[JerryInLodi]

Not really, Something about the California National Guard series possibly. Lots of corporate sponsored boats.

[paulegan81]

It is the FLW tournament and it has 200 boats intered and yes they will weigh in at russos. all the big boys are in town it is neet to watch where they fish.

[lee s.]

Declan,
You mention sink tips. Are you referring to integrated 24'-30' tip lines or the 15' tip/floating remainder style?
When you do the guide thing, notice the speed of retrieve when targeting stripers. :wink:
Welcome to the addiction. :lol:
.....lee s.

[Declan]

Lee,

I have the rio shooting head system with the 30' sink tips attached to the running line. So far I think I have been getting down pretty deep with this system. While I was writing these messages from work on Monday my father in law boated his first striper, it was about 24 inches. He is hooked!