Fishing Notes:
- Striped Bass - Good trolling in both North Fork and South Fork from San Joaquin upstream to New Hope Landing September through November before heavy rains or cold weather begins. Drifting with live mudsuckers effective in lower reaches below Staten Island. Good fishing throughout area from November through January, depending on water temperature. Jigging can be good while drifting into confluence of two channels. Always look for bait concentrations. Plugging points, piers , and downed trees good early to mid fall. Some fishing above Thorton, but access is severely limited.
- King Salmon - Trolling effective throughout lower reaches of both forks early to mid fall. Some fish can be taken jigging through deeper runs. Some fishing with spinners, roe, or Kwikfish type lures above I-5 when flows are good. Look for deep runs and channels near shorelines where salmon can rest and move upstream.
- Catfish - Good throughout area. Look for dropoffs and deep holes. Best fishing on ebb and flow of high tides when water is moving.
- Largemouith & Smallmouth Bass - Both are found throughout the region. Work piers, trees, and weeds for largemouth; look for smallmouth near rocks and concrete pilings.
- Fish Sniffer Hot Tip! - Work backwaters of Beaver, Hog and Sycamore Sloughs (off South Fork between Walnut Grove and Highway 12) by following shad schools or birds. Use lures such as Zara Spooks, Tor-P-Dos, Rat'L'Traps, and other stick and propeller lures for schooling stripers. Mudsuckers and bullheads will often take larger fish.
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