American River

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Where are some good places to wade or do you need a boat?

What Bay?

What are the best months for Striper around Santa Cruz?

I guess you live there?


Spent a lot of my childhood in Santa Cruz in the 1950s, '60sa md '70s.

[ICE]

Hi Bill,
The fishing I am writing about would be surf casting. Here we are using 7-8wt (some fish 6wt). single and double hand (switch) rods fishing shooting heads or integrated lines.
This is wading with a stripping basket (necessity). Most of the beaches south of the Board Walk produce with Manresa State beach being very popular.
The Bay I am referencing is SF bay, though we have resident fish that get pushed out of some of our local rivers during the winter when the high flows blow out the river mouths.
Best months for stripers? July thru October. But the residents are hungry now and fish are being caught.
Being able to recognize the beach structure is very helpful and typically where you will find fish. Rips, troths, holes, nervous water, etc.
And birds, look for feeding birds.

J. Ice