Delta report for today, 3/8/06

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Well, I finally really figured out how to fish the Delta for Stripers.......just go with Dan Blanton. Then all you do is cast where Dan says to and hold on tight. We went to dozens of spots all over the Delta today and caught something at almost every stop. We boated well over 20 fish with maybe half being in the 4 to 8 pound class. We lucked out with the weather too.

I was bringing up a dink and an 8 pounder was after it or the fly hanging out of its mouth. It boiled 3 times on my little guy as it thrashed on the top. Dan slammed a fly right in there and took the large one right off the surface. It was unreal.

We also rolled up on one of Dan's 'high percentage spots' on a point and we got a double hookup of larger 6-8 pounders on our first cast. Some of those fish were very fat and very strong.

Now all I have to do is retire, buy a nice trailer to park at the Sugar Barge RV/Marina and get a nice 18' center console.

I think I will go down to the 7-11 and buy few lottery tickets tonight?

Thanks Dan for the great day on the Delta.

[flygolf]

Now the question; do you think you could have caught 100 on conventional gear?

[jbird]

Great report Bill! Glad you got out and let em have it!


Jay

[Don S]

Way to go ! You da man !!! Nice to finally see someone post a rpt

[FishyMe]

is Dan Blanton a guide???

[Katz]

Not to restart the Fly Fishing vs. Conventional debate, but 5:1 would have been hard to pull off on a day like that!!

Way to go!!! I am surprised to hear they are out there and eating like that with the water so brown and high! I guess as long as you know where your going, all is good. Thanks for the report, I'm inspired!

Katz

[Hairstacker]

Way to go Bill, what a great day! Sounds like Dan spoiled you for sure.

Fishyme, yes, Dan is a guide. You can reach him at www.danblanton.com, where you'll also find him hosting one of the most popular saltwater (mostly) forums on the left coast (although there are folks from around the world posting on there).

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Dan Blanton is a licensed guide (captain) and has a great setup down there. He has a nice big comfortable trailer that he keeps year round at the Sugar Barge Marina/RV Park on Bethel Island right on Frank's Tract.

He has his 18' center console boat right there in a slip so it is very convenient.

Dan has a place where 'out of towners' can stay right near the marina too.

I think Dan is pretty modest telling me that he only guides about 50 days a year in the Delta and that Mike Costello and Kevin Doran are the "commandos" who guide many more days than that.

I think that fishing with Dan is more than just a day with a guide because of his life long background in fly fishing around the world with many other fascinating fly fishers.

Dan did give me all the best shots but because I was invited as a guest he did fish too. He said when he guides clients he does not fish because he says that positioning the boat is a full time job.

Dan charge $475 a day for 1 or 2 anglers which is pretty much the going rate for the top Delta skiff guides. He pretty much guides daylight till dark which is a pretty long day but that gives you more chances to hit more spots.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The places we fished did not look anything like the rivers do now.

Visibility in some of the dead end sloughs we fished was as good as I have seen in the Fall. Some places did have less visibility but it was still not like the Sacramento River.

I was actually surprised at this myself.

On the way down I crossed the Sacramento River and it looked bad. I was thinking that it would be a waste of time.

Andy has been doing well for the past few weeks too.

I think if the sun comes out for a week, all hell will break loose.