Delta Largemouth

[Ed Wahl]

Went after bass at Westgate Landing Park today with David. Trip started out well enough, got to hwy 12 in good time, then noticed a glitch in David's tube. It wouldn't hold air. Ran down a new innertube and off we went. David started out pretty quick by dropping a 4 pounder, then I had a few blow-ups without hooking. After that is was hours and hours of casting for a few small fish. Oh yeah, during the afternoon the wind really picked up too, started out in the am almost dead calm, by 3:30 it was hard going to cast or even hold position. So what's the story with delta bass? Do you have to be out there at 0 dark thirty to catch them? Is Westgate Landing a bad spot? Do bass really live in the delta? Took a few pics of the highlight of the trip, you drivers might recognize this place. http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/IM001369.jpg http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/IM001370.jpg http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/edfish333/IM001371.jpg

[David Lee]

So what's the story with delta bass? Do you have to be out there at 0 dark thirty to catch them? Is Westgate Landing a bad spot? Do bass really live in the delta?

Plenty o' fishes out there , they just weren't looking up :!:

New term to ad to flyfish lingo .... CATASTROPHIC TUBE FAILURE :evil:

Some days just suck -

David #-o

[jbird]

Excellent action photos guys! :D :D

I love the first picture with the grease monkey. The guy with the hat looks pretty rough too :D :D Sorry David, couldnt resist :) 8)

Sorry you guys had a tough go. At least you got out in the water in this hot weather. You guys and your wind stories!...

Jay

[Ed Wahl]

Jay, we've both noticed the wind angle in our stories. I don't know what causes it but me and David can bring on a windstorm anywhere, anytime. Hmmm, I think there's money to be made here. Wonder what it would be worth to the delta guides for us not to show up down there? Once our reputation gets established we could have guides from all over the state paying us not to show up in their areas. We could eventually go national. ..........Yep, better put the Bushmills down and go to bed now.

[Hairstacker]

You guys and your wind stories!...

We could eventually go national. ..........
:lol: :lol: :lol:

You guys crack me up! Wind is, unfortunately, often a fact of life on the Delta in the spring (especially) and summer.

As far as times, I have found Delta bass more time-flexible than any other location I've ever fished for 'em, although twilight can often be outstanding just like other places. On the other hand, there's the tide factor unlike any other place I've ever fished for 'em. I'm not familiar with Westgate Landing but I noticed it's on the Mok (which is not necessarily a bad thing). I would, however, suggest you try White's Slough the next time you get on Hwy 12 -- it's about the same distance as where you went. And let me know when you're going. :D

[David Lee]

Jay -

Get stuffed :P Ain't MY fault the freakin' wind blows everytime I walk out the door ..... Can't really say I mind so much , though . Better to have been out and windburned than stuck at the house doin' domestic stuff 8)

Ed -

Money ? In fishing ?!? It'll never happen ..... =;

Mike -

I'm having some issues w/ the tide stages - A rising tide has yet to be a problem , it just pushes the fish shallow (or up on the bank) . The falling tide has been a pain , to put it mildly ....

One would think (perhaps this is where I'm going 'wrong') that the dropping water level would push Bass to the weed edges/dropoffs on the flats . I've been following that idea in practice and it hasn't worked .... at all . The few times I've landed Delta Bass on a falling tide have been on the bottom of deep weedlines (out of a boat) . Guess I'll have to invest a few dozen more trips out there to sort thru all this stuff ....

It was still fun . All except for the ^%&$%$#@@@#@ wakeboarders that buzzed-by me .... waving and smiling while doing about 40 knots .

I'll bet they STILL can't figure out why I didn't smile or wave back .

David :\

[Scott V]

When the tide drops, I use to throw between the weeds and the shoreline and usually caught most of my bass as I got near the inside of the weeds. If I fished outside the weedline I would look for the drop off out past the weedlines, usually about 5-10 feet away from the weeds.

[Hairstacker]

David, your approach makes logical sense depending on the location, since many banks will indeed be left high and dry during a falling tide and certain flats will end up extremely shallow. On the other hand, many bankside rock walls often extend steeply into the water and will continue to hold good fish even during a falling tide, as Scott noted. Just fall out of a kayak sometime while you're getting into it and you may be surprised how deep the water can be a mere 5 feet from shore. :roll:

[David Lee]

Scott and Mike -

Yup , I'd have to agree w/ the space between the rip-rap and the weedline . I guess the Bass were just off that afternoon , since Ed and I beat the living hell out of that area (along w/ every other area we thought might make a nice hiding place for Bucketmouth ....) .

The beauty of using a float tube out there is ... I can get close - really close and hold position , no matter the wind/waves/tide . We picked-apart the whole damm bay , along w/ the first big island - I doubt there were few , if any places we missed .

Some days they bite , some days they don't .

BTW - I used a new coldwater Clouser line (9 wt.) on the 8 1/2 foot Fenwick 8 wt. . I didn't like the rig , at all . The line will be used on my RPLX 8 wt. (that stick just loves a heavier line ....) and I'll switch to a Mastery Bug 8 on the Fenwick . The line was limp as a cooked noodle , it'll probablly work better in spring/fall .......

Next time , I'll try an I line or sinker and fish streamers - I KNOW that'll get 'em :idea:

David :D