(Stockton) Largemouth bass action in the San Joaquin River remains outstanding as the water temperatures are above 60 degrees, bringing the fish into the shallows near the banks. The recent wind and rainstorms will bring out more muddy water, but the San Joaquin is always less likely to muddy up with heavy rains, as it features far less water volume with most of its watershed trapped behind reservoirs.
John Liechty of Xperience Fishing Guide Service participated with Dan Perkins Jr. of Angels Camp in Saturday’s Sonora Bass Club tournament out of Ladd’s Marina in Stockton.
He said, “We came in 2nd with a 24+-pound bag with the big fish at 9.70 pounds taken by Dan on a spinnerbait. We fished the wind-protected sloughs with reactions baits, and spinnerbaits, swim jigs, and crankbaits were all working in the heavy winds and rain.”
Alan Fong of the Fishermen’s Warehouse in Sacramento has finding solid black bass fishing on the San Joaquin, stating, “The water temperature is 61 degrees, and the fish are up tight on the banks. We have been scoring with Senkos or chatterbaits next to the banks, but the sea lions are thick in the river, even pulling the bass out of the tules inside of Frank’s Tract.”
Dan Mathisen of Dan’s Delta Outdoors in Oakley is preparing for his first bass tournament out of Big Break Marina on March 26th, and he reported a solid bite with orange spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or the Strike King XD6 in Chili Craw along banks at 8 feet in depth with access to flats.
“Stripers are starting to move in, and a 35-inch striper was taken off of the Antioch Fishing Pier on frozen shad. There have been lots of limits in the 18/19-inch range, and the Optimum’s Bubba Shad swimbait or hair raisers are the top producers,” said Mathisen.
Brandon Gallegos of H and R Bait in Stockton said, “Before the storms, a few stripers were taken near Grimes Road and Tracy Boulevard near the Tracy Oasis with flukes or white paddle-tail swimbaits.