Delta water temps are finally falling

[JerryInLodi]

The water temperature in the San Joaquin at the mouth of the Mokelumne was 66 degrees this morning. A drop of almost three degrees! I tried a gurgler at about 8am and sure enough, even with the lower temperature, some bass were still tempted to smash the bug. Nothing big but it still amazed me that the supposed barrier of 68 degrees meant nothing to these fish.

I spent the rest of the morning looking for stripers. I should have stuck to the LMB.

[Hairstacker]

Hey Jerry! At this particular time of the year, I like to use flies and approaches that will entice both species. I have found that both LMBs and stripers will hit a very rapidly retrieved red/white Tap's Bug (deer hair popper) on the surface. I've also had luck catching both species while tossing chartreuse/white flashtail Clousers. I like this approach because it doesn't make me feel like I might be missing out if I'm tossing something exclusive to one species (although it does seem to me that LMBs should hit most things a striper would. . . .).

[JerryInLodi]

Hairstacker, I was using a chartreuse and white flashtail clouser, casting just to the outside of the weeds, working the shallow to the deeper water for exactly the reasons you said. It also works in the spring when the LMB are just turning on!

I fished the big water down at Santa Clara Shoals but still managed to find a few small LMB chasing the fly on retrieve. When the stripers arrive in number these fish will probably be their first victims. In fact, I have some flies I use for dorado that would make a pretty good LMB imitation and just the right size and color to match some of the juveniles.

I was running dead silent a lot of the time, not even the trolling motor on. I didn't graph any fish, at least when I was watching. I know there are some fish already in the system, just not very many yet.

[Hairstacker]

Jerry, good to know, thanks! I figure it should be any time now.

Hey Jerry,

Thanks for the report! I guess the stripers will be coming in when they are good and ready right ? Glad you can still coax a few largemouth into cooperating. I am hoping to maybe slip away a day off work before long to get the kayak down there. Still counting the days until November 4th!

Bill