by Jack Naves Spring is just around the corner, and stripers will soon be flooding into the California Delta in large numbers. During the spring run, stripers tend to be scattered out, so anchoring and soaking bait can be a … Continued
by Jack Naves Five o’clock Saturday morning in the hills of Amador County, I was zigzagging through windy roads in the dark. The “Historic Main St. Jackson” sign offered a point of light to contrast the dark twisted highways in … Continued
by Jack Naves I often find myself driving through Downtown Sacramento on Interstate 5. I never pass up the opportunity to peer over the rail to see if any boats are anchored up on the river. When I see groups … Continued
by Jack Naves Adam hurled a cast towards the middle of the clear still waters. I instructed him to prop the rod up against my backpack so he could detect a bite. As he positioned his setup, the rod … Continued
by Jack Naves One of the appeals of fishing is the virtue of optimism it breeds. We are always just one bite away from turning a slow day into the trip of a lifetime. This gift of hopefulness keeps us … Continued
by Jack Naves Using bait is a great way to put fish into the boat when fishing for striped bass. Soaking bait works, but the biggest issue some anglers have is timing when to set the hook. They typically set … Continued
By Jack NavesI looked up to check my striper rod, but it stood frozen against the clear blue sky. I spooned a mess of cured salmon eggs onto a square of netting. As I attempted to form a salmon roe … Continued
by Jack Naves Smoke was spotted somewhere in the Sacramento Area. Luckily it was not a wildfire, but instead smoldering alder wood chips. The sweet smell of sugar-cured smoked salmon will soon delight some lucky soul. Will it be you? … Continued
by Jack Naves For some folks, late summer and autumn kokanee fishing can be intimidating. The fish go deep and often reject typical trolling methods. For me, it’s my favorite time of year to target these pigmy landlocked sockeye salmon. … Continued
I had just landed a nice kokanee and was trying to get my line back in the water. “Kirby…right there” I uttered while pointing to his rod. I dropped my rod to grab the net, only to see a rod … Continued