Striped bass in the California Delta are the kind of fish that keep guys coming back year after year. These linesiders move through the maze of sloughs and cuts with the tides, hanging near structure and waiting for the right conditions. The water colors up different depending on the flow, and you work everything from deep channels to shallow tule edges. It's that combination of current, cover, and open water that makes the fishing interesting.

You get the thrill of the strike and then the battle as they use the Delta's layout to their advantage. Nothing beats watching the rod load up and feeling that head shake. Local knowledge helps big time when you're trying to find where they're holding on any given day.

Captain John Richardson runs Here Fishy Fishy and he's been all over it out there. With dates filling quick, now's a good time to hit him up and set up a trip while there's still openings.