After last week’s column I was contacted by San Joaquin Bassmaster’s Fishing Club. The club is a charter club that is affiliated with The California Bass Federation and The Bass Federation. It’s open to youth anglers in grades 5 through 12 and is perfect for local youth that are wanting to give fishing a try, or even those who are experienced. There are many great things to say about this youth fishing club. Best of all, is that pretty much everything is provided for young anglers who want to get out fishing. Monthly meetings are scheduled on the last Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Manteca, upstairs in the Conservation Room. They also have a Facebook page (San Joaquin Bassmasters). I sure wish that clubs like this existed when I was in school, I was thoroughly impressed at the meeting that I attended and look forward to seeing the club grow.
Delta Report:
Fishing on the Delta continues to be tough for anglers targeting bass. It’s still worth getting out there though since those that are catching them are finding them bunched up. It’s important to make sure that your bait is on the bottom since a lot of the bass are sitting out of the current and staying close to the bottom. Jigs and chatterbaits hopped off the bottom seem to be the best option right now although there are some anglers who can entice bites while using jerk baits. Fishing for stripers has been slow, the month of February usually produces good results for anglers trolling around the Rio Vista area.
New Melones Lake:
There are very few reports of trout being caught on the lake currently. I was out on the lake last week and I saw very few anglers fishing for trout. Fishing for bass has improved. There are a lot of bass being caught by anglers fishing both deep and shallow. Ned rigged baits, jigs, and even underspins have been bringing in numbers of bass. Recently there was a 9-pound bass caught and released by an angler fishing with a swimbait.
Lake Amador:
Anglers continue to be pleased with the trout bite. Power Bait fished off the bottom is still the best method for catching trout at Lake Amador. There are several weekly plants going on which have put some of the lake’s larger bass on the prowl. Trout imitating swimbaits have been responsible for several nice catches recently.
Lake Camanche:
Trout fishing is good right now for anglers fishing around the North Shore area. Trout are being caught on Power Bait. Anglers are also doing well while fishing in the trout ponds the lake has to offer. Bass fishing has slowed some, jigs and small worms are working well while fished slowly around sunken island tops.
Lake Don Pedro:
Fishing for numbers of bass has been good lately for anglers that are willing to work their baits slow. Fish are being caught by anglers fishing at depths between 20 and 50 feet deep while using Ned Rigs, Senko’s, and Nail type baits. There are still bigger fish being caught on Glide Baits, but the bites have been far and few. Trout fishing remains very slow.
Lake Pardee:
Lake Pardee is scheduled to open February 14th.
Donations, Sponsors, and Boaters Needed:
The San Joaquin Bassmasters youth fishing club is seeking donations, sponsors, and boaters. As the club grows, it’s going to need help from the community. Help can be anything from attending a club meeting, and sharing a tip, donating tackle/raffle items, a monetary donation, or your time taking a member out fishing on your boat during one of our events. For more information you can call (209) 502-0258, (209) 380-7970, or email them at SJbassMasters@gmail.com.
