Internet Striper report:4/20/09

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Sacramento:

The striper action like the weather is heating up fast and the peak of the spring spawn is just around the corner. On Monday 4-20 Uncle Larry Barnes at Elkhorn Outdoors in Rio Linda said striper anglers are "Going nuts" with a great bite from Verona to Knight's Landing on baits such as anchovies, pile worms, blood worms and sardines. The water is still cool between 54 to 57 degrees, so the trolling bite is still a bit slow.

There are still sturgeon in the river with all of the traditional baits.

Mike Searcy at Star Bait in Marysville confirmed the hot striper bite in the Sacramento River from Grimes to Tisdale. He counted 65 boats out on a recent trip, and he has sold 400 jumbo minnows within a day and a half. There is a big derby out of Lovey's Landing next weekend, and some anglers have already reserved 25 dozen minnows. Wow!

Sturgeon fishing is best in the high stretches of the river from Colusa to the Chico Straits. One angler went through five legal sturgeon in an evening on a catch and release mission.

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The big spring Sacramento Rvier Striper run is on now. May is a big month.

[OceanSunfish]

Much too much boat traffic on the river to the point that as soon as the sunlight hits the water, the bite is ovah. Live bait is the only thing that may get a fish wth so much pressure and boat noise.

Also, not many hens up high on the river.

Tisdale ramp parking lot was overflowing today by 7AM. I believe there are 40 or so spaces for trailers. Catch rates were very poor.

IMO, it's the only 'game' in town, therefore, the reason for the pressure. Same goes for the "west bank" below Rio Vista. Trollers parking lot.

No rockfish season, no ocean salmon season, and slow halibut bite and VOILA, everyone trying to catch the same fish.

[OceanSunfish]

After reading my reply I want to state that I didn't mean for my post to be so negative or harsh. And, by no means, was I trying to make Bill look bad, etc. I was just trying to bring some realism to all the 'reports' that are being distributed, etc. especially after I went out to see 'it' for myself.

If you're a regular contributor to this BB, PM me and I'll be more than happy to share with you what I saw and know of the fishing on the river of late.

Kind regards.

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

Thanks for the report Bill!

Although, it does appear that the bait guys are faring better than the fly rodders....

Scott, Paul and I went out Sunday morning, and the only fish caught was by Scott, and I'm not even sure it was a keeper size... We stopped in Grimes to use the facilities,and there were several bait guys at the sinks cleaning MORE than their legal share of 3-8 lb'ers.

I guess a couple more club members were out farther up river from us and got skunked on Monday, too.....

Very disappointing after a great week last week...

Paul and a fellow club member are out there today... We'll see how they do today.

[Jgoding]

Maybe they thought AB1253 passed already??

[Mrs.Finsallaround]

Maybe they thought AB1253 passed already??

Good one!

[Double_Haul]

In the Delta

[OceanSunfish]

In the Delta

There ya go!

Go find your own quiet waterway and fish to boot!

Now if you had taken that picture up on the river, by the time you had put that fish back in the water you would've had a lot of company. <grin>