Delta Structure?

[slimfishin's]

I had a chance to fish the Delta a couple days this week while I was back visiting my folks in CA. Looks like some other folks got out too - judging by the boat traffic out there. Seems there was a garbage can/laundry basket hatch going on as well.

I was having pretty mixed success out there, and was curious to get some feedback on what type of structure you guys like to fish out there. It seems that some folks like drop offs... or weedbed edges.... etc.

What type of habitat do you look for when chasing stripers? How much do you rely on your fishfinders?

Thanks
SF

[Ed Wahl]

I'm not an expert but I would concentrate on the open ends of the trash cans.

[Darian]

Ed,.... I'm a shopping cart guy, myself....

Slim,.... Primarily, I look for areas with current seams for Stripers. Next are drop-offs next to flats (shallows). I use my fish finder for locating fish but turn it off when fishing. Also, I look for water temp and depth.

Of course, if there's a strong wind, I look for quiet, sheltered areas that have hamburgers, etc.

[lee s.]

SF,
We only occasionally do stripers, so you may want to get out the salt-shaker as you read this.
We use fly gear so we generally preferr water less than 12' deep, but occasionally have to target water to 20' or more. Deminishing returns usually correspond with added depth due to the nature of the functionality of our gear. There is other gear much better suited to deep water pestering.
Stripes and LM's seem to use the same "structure" in the delta....LM's seem to hide IN it and ambush their meal (usually) and stripes use it to corral their meal from OUTSIDE it (usually).
The flats (near deep water), their weedlines and current seams, are a grand target area during low light (dawn and dusk) and often all day. Even as the fish go dour during the season, some fish seem to be on the flats very earl and very late daily. They are usually there for one reason.....to eat.
When necessary, deep water seems easier and more productive when targeted during lower flows.....tide ends or small tides. During some small tides, deeper channels seem to carry the necessary velocity needed to keep stripes interested.......maybe.
Not to worry about "some" success. Often your "success" for the day will be experienced in a few short "minutes" spans of frantic activity for the whole day. Hopefully enough sporadic activity can be gleaned the rest of the day to hold one's interest. Luckily we are EYEtalian, and it takes very little to keep us entertained!
.....lee s.

[paulegan81]

I look for moving water at or near drop offs of any kind, the most productive have been sholow flats 2-5 feet deep droping into 20-30 feet. I look for structure that would hold bait fish ie. rip-rap weeds and tollies near the dropoffs. I make sure that cast are made on to the flat near the structure and brought into the deeper water and also cast along the drop off edge in the deep water so the fly swims with the current just below the edge.
Bent rods to all
Paul......