Tony Buzolich
06-06-2013, 08:32 PM
If you haven't been out lately you're missing some good striper action. Yes, I know, the whole population thinks they've all spawned and gone back to the bay. And obviously by the number of boats out and about around here there's hardly anyone who thinks differently. Well, I'm here to tell you, "They're Wrong". There are still plenty of new fish coming into the rivers that have YET to spawn. You heard me right. There are fish still coming in full of milt and eggs that haven't consummated their purpose for being here.
Now that I've said this, I also have to say that there are lots of fish that HAVE already spawned and are now heading back to the bay and delta. This has been a strange season mainly because of the poor water flows we've had. Some fish have come up early, the main run did show up as usual, and now there are still late arriving fish that want to spawn as well. I attribute this mainly to the weak water flows we've had this spring. We haven't had the heavy rains and flooding or the heavy snow pack that we often get which keeps the rivers flowing high. So, we've been having an unusual stretched out season of migrating fish.
With this stretched out season the fish are stretched out too and finding them takes a lot of searching. But, with a good boat and a full tank, you can find them.
For the last couple of days I've covered a lot of miles of water on both the Sac and the Feather. Yesterday I started on the Sac with my buddy Bob Bradbury and ended the day on the Feather with my client Len Alison, and then again back to the Sac today with Len for a second day of chasing stripers. And we found them.
Here are a few pictures of Bob and I yesterday morning. We took 11 "FAT" stripers still spilling milt that averaged 8 lbs. on the boga. We got a couple of small shakers too but most were good fish. Later yesterday afternoon, I picked up Len and we hit the Feather where he got his first couple of shad, took two more small stripers, and ended with a black bass. Quite a mix of fish.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/004-1_zps1c7622ea.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/004-1_zps1c7622ea.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/007-1_zps41a0bacc.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/007-1_zps41a0bacc.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/006_zps35591460.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/006_zps35591460.jpg.html)
This morning Len and I headed out again with just stripers on our mind. We hit a couple of known holes and wall only to find them empty. So we move. And we hit another spot and we move again. And we keep moving until we connect and get a hook up. We started out slow and only picked up singles here and there. I hooked one BIG fish that wouldn't budge and only wanted to head back to it's slot in the trees. It did finally come out from the wall and headed for the middle of the river, and I'm solid on this Mo bending my 8 weight deep in the water. She soon turned and headed back to her starting point crossing under the boat and then off. No sudden snap or line break, she just opened her mouth and let the fly loose. She was simply clamped down on the leader several inches above the fly :(
We continued on picking up a fish here and there till the end of the day. We made a pass along another wall and quickly got hooked up to a nice schoolie. Another cast, and another hook up. And then a third cast and another hook up. We found a small school as we're about to quit and it's almost noon. We made several more passes and picked up several more fish on each drift. What a great way to end the day :)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/010_zps24f02faa.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/010_zps24f02faa.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/011_zps3145041d.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/011_zps3145041d.jpg.html)
So if you get out there, plan on searching, plan on putting on some miles, and you'll find them but they don't come easy.
Good Luck, Tony
Now that I've said this, I also have to say that there are lots of fish that HAVE already spawned and are now heading back to the bay and delta. This has been a strange season mainly because of the poor water flows we've had. Some fish have come up early, the main run did show up as usual, and now there are still late arriving fish that want to spawn as well. I attribute this mainly to the weak water flows we've had this spring. We haven't had the heavy rains and flooding or the heavy snow pack that we often get which keeps the rivers flowing high. So, we've been having an unusual stretched out season of migrating fish.
With this stretched out season the fish are stretched out too and finding them takes a lot of searching. But, with a good boat and a full tank, you can find them.
For the last couple of days I've covered a lot of miles of water on both the Sac and the Feather. Yesterday I started on the Sac with my buddy Bob Bradbury and ended the day on the Feather with my client Len Alison, and then again back to the Sac today with Len for a second day of chasing stripers. And we found them.
Here are a few pictures of Bob and I yesterday morning. We took 11 "FAT" stripers still spilling milt that averaged 8 lbs. on the boga. We got a couple of small shakers too but most were good fish. Later yesterday afternoon, I picked up Len and we hit the Feather where he got his first couple of shad, took two more small stripers, and ended with a black bass. Quite a mix of fish.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/004-1_zps1c7622ea.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/004-1_zps1c7622ea.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/007-1_zps41a0bacc.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/007-1_zps41a0bacc.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/006_zps35591460.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/006_zps35591460.jpg.html)
This morning Len and I headed out again with just stripers on our mind. We hit a couple of known holes and wall only to find them empty. So we move. And we hit another spot and we move again. And we keep moving until we connect and get a hook up. We started out slow and only picked up singles here and there. I hooked one BIG fish that wouldn't budge and only wanted to head back to it's slot in the trees. It did finally come out from the wall and headed for the middle of the river, and I'm solid on this Mo bending my 8 weight deep in the water. She soon turned and headed back to her starting point crossing under the boat and then off. No sudden snap or line break, she just opened her mouth and let the fly loose. She was simply clamped down on the leader several inches above the fly :(
We continued on picking up a fish here and there till the end of the day. We made a pass along another wall and quickly got hooked up to a nice schoolie. Another cast, and another hook up. And then a third cast and another hook up. We found a small school as we're about to quit and it's almost noon. We made several more passes and picked up several more fish on each drift. What a great way to end the day :)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/010_zps24f02faa.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/010_zps24f02faa.jpg.html)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/011_zps3145041d.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/buzolich/media/011_zps3145041d.jpg.html)
So if you get out there, plan on searching, plan on putting on some miles, and you'll find them but they don't come easy.
Good Luck, Tony