looking for some information

[medfly]

i have lived here in sacramento for four years, i have never been striper fishing, for shame!!!!!! i have the gear, but need a little assistance in getting out. can i get out there without a boat, or is that essential? and, when is prime striper months (now?)? a little info without giving it all away would be great, thanks!

[Mike Churchill]

Medfly,

I started chasing stripers 2 years ago in the Delta and caught a few in the American last summer. I know several guys who have caught them in the American while wading, but the Delta requires a watercraft of some kind. ("Hairstacker" successfully fishes the Delta for LMB out of an inflatable kayak that is not much more than an overgrown pool toy, but I don't think he chases stripers out of it.)

My introduction to the Delta was during a Kiene's Board fishout at which I was lucky enough to hitch rides with experienced folks both days. I then picked up a 12-foot boat with an 8-hp four stroke and started chasing stripes in the smaller parts of the Delta. (That boat is now for sale--see "boats" threads--because my dad moved up here and bought a bigger boat that I now use.)

Stripers appear to be around the Delta, Sac, American, and Feather more or less all year in varying concentrations. I think the most popular time to pursue them in the Delta is Fall and Spring, and in the rivers more Spring and Summer.

My fishing is currently cramped by a hectic work schedule, but if you shoot me an email at mchurchill@downeybrand.com, I will try and remember to invite you out sometime in the Spring. Others around here are also very friendly and helpful.

Mike

[Tony Buzolich]

Med ?

Stripers are pretty much up here starting in the spring to spawn and a lot of them stay around for a while all summer. Fall most of them are in the delta. Summer, most of them are out in the bay or the ocean. I'm really generalizing here I know as there are some fish elsewhere all the time.

This week they have started to dump the steelhead smolt in the Feather river and that usually starts the season for some serious fishing in the rivers. April, May and June are peak months in most of the inland rivers for stripers.

On March 10,2010 at 7:00PM I will be giving a seminar and power point presentation to the Solano Fly Casters Club in Fairfield on striped bass and everyone is welcome to attend. I will be covering the history of striped bass throughout all of Northern California and how to fish for them in most of the main rivers and the delta. Definitely a good way to get a started on fishing one of the finest game fish there is.
TONY

[WinterrunRon]

Medfly,

I'd jump on Tony's invitation and wouldn't miss it if I were you. He has the on-the-water experience to back up his seminar and presentation, especially around the spawning grounds section of the Feather and Sacramento Rivers a bit north of us. You couldn't ask for a more thorough introduction to targeting this local gamefish. Heck, I'm putting that date on my calander.

And to try and answer your questions, yup, a boat is almost essential for anywhere but the American. However, if you don't have one, you don't have one. If I were you, I'd do some treking about the banks of the Amercian and find the deeper water where there's room to cast. There's several places where you can wade out a bit and a few you don't even need to get your feet wet to cast to. In general, the bigger fish like the deeper water and the schoolie fish can be found in the current adjacent to the deeper water. I won't tell you where to go (the entire river holds stripers), but if you do your homework now and put in a little legwork, you'll find the spots. Get out every day in April!

I drift it in the Spring and Summer months for stripers. If you want to go, keep it in mind and contact me in April. I'm done with steelhead by then. Ron

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

We fished the American River all summer out of the boat for stripers, and some guys caught some good-sized fish (up to about 16 lbs, I think?). The peak is Oct - Dec in the delta, although this last season was quite a bit slower than previous years.

Talk to Andy at the shop... he can tell you where you'll be able to wade the American :thumbsup:.

[Darian]

Here's a second on attending Tony's presentation on 3/10.... :D As to availability of a boat, an outfitted bass boat can be rented at Sugar Barge Marina/Resort on Bethel Island (near Oakdale). I don't have any info about prices, etc., but you could call them or look it up on Google. There may be other marinas that rent boats as well. :D :D