Yep, should be fine for the delta...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jcolin
My family inherited my uncles 14Â’ valco aluminum boat recently, and am interested in taking it out to the delta for stripers, largemouth and/or kings. Have never been out to the delta and am a total newb to stripers, have only caught a few schoolies from cuttings wharf fishing from the pier when i lived in napa county. Not asking for secrets but any suggestions on where to launch in the delta for stripers? Is it best fall and spring? My brothers also interested in gear fishing for kings, wondering if the lower sac salmon run in the fall would be better than the delta; also not sure if the boat is safe for the lower sac. Its a v-hull shape and has a mercury outboard motor, no oars, but lower to the water than a drift boat. Thanks for any suggestions or advice.
I have a 14' portabote, almost same characteristics as your Valco. For bass (largemouth and stripers), my suggestion is around Frank's tract or Discovery Bay. One thing to keep in mind is to try to pick areas where the water fleas (aka jetski/water skiers) are less likely to be. Also places that are not in the shipping lanes. You can catch largemouth year round. Stripers are good in the spring and fall. You didn't mention carp, but there are a ton of those and a blast on a fly rod (think poor man's bonefish!).
King salmon can be caught in the Delta, but it's not realistic. It's better to fish in the main channel or up near Sactown, where the fish are concentrated.
You don't mention having a trolling motor. I don't have one either, and it's a limitation that you will need to overcome. Many good spots require good boat positioning; I've had to make do by sculling with oars and a DIY powerpole (14 foot long bamboo). Also make sure you have some sort of platform where you can stand. Those Valco's have sloped floors, which can make standing difficult. I've had to fabricate floorboards out of treated plywood for my bote.
Regarding the lower Sac, I've also asked on this board whether taking my portabote out of Redding or Red Bluff is a good idea. I haven't done it, but I think you can; you just need to know your boat's limitations and your own limitations. One thing to keep in mind is the draft while fully loaded. On my portabote, my maximum draft is 4" fully loaded. As a safety factor, my comfort zone is at least one foot of water (8" of safety margin). My hull is made of polycarbonate plastic, which flexes and can take a beating, which also adds to my safety margin. There is one large set of rapids right out of Bonnyview that can get dicey. So I intend instead to launch out of Anderson, taking out of Ball's Ferry. I'm also going to ensure the flows are at a minimum of 8000cfs to ensure there's enough water. As I said, I haven't done this yet, but I plan to, as soon as I feel comfortable using Uber/Lyft again as a shuttle.
I should also mention that I've floated the Sac numerous times. That's perhaps the biggest advice I can give, is to hire a guide first to show you the river. Moving water is not something to be trifled with.