Throughout the years there have been significant changes, improvements, and new inventions that have changed the way we fish. If you were to examine the basic tackle that’s been used to catch fish for thousands of years, hook, line, and pole. Two of the three have had significant changes over the years, while the other hasn’t changed much in 40,000 years when it was first carved out of bone. If you guessed the “hook,” you’re right. That’s all about to change thanks to Trapper Tackles “Trapper Hook.” Former Bassmaster Elite Pro, and local angler Vince Hurtado has been testing the hook out for the past year locally and the hook has passed all the tests. Vince and I have been fishing together since we were 12 years old. When he first told me about this new product, I had a hard time believing that our current hooks could get any better. Trapper Tackle did just that as the hooks’ unique design makes it nearly impossible for a fish to shake the hook. It also makes rigging a bait, and keeping the bait straight once on the hook, easier than ever. Honestly, I was skeptical until I actually saw the hook for myself in action. Just this week Trapper Tackle was awarded Best in Show for terminal tackle at ICAST. These hooks should be hitting the market soon. For more information you can check out their website at trappertackle.com.
Delta:
Shade is the most important factor when fishing for bass on the Delta right now. Really pay attention to the banks and look for any shade pockets. This past weekend the bigger bass being caught were caught on Sweet Beavers on the shady side of isolated islands. The top water frog bite has remained excellent for those willing to toss it all day. Anglers are catching frog fish in both open water and above matted vegetation.
New Melones Lake:
Anglers are starting to catch trout but have to go deeper in order to catch them 50-60 feet deep. The kokanee bite has remained great for those fishing the right depths. Anglers are reporting that the kokanee are being caught fairly shallow during the morning hours and between 45-80 feet deep during the midday. Bass fishing has been great for smaller fish on just about anything during the day and top water lures early morning and late. Catfishing has been really good for night fishermen fishing just about anywhere on the lake right now. Bluegill and crappie are also cooperating as many anglers are doing well fishing the backs of coves with minnows or worms under a bobber.
Don Pedro:
Fishing for kokanee has been good. Jenkins Hill, Graveyard Bay, and Fleming Bay have all been producing good catches lately. Kokanee can be found at 50-80 feet while trolling Uncle Larry’s spinners, Vance’s Sockeye Slammers, or Pink Shasta Tackle Kok-a-Nuts. Bass are feeding on shad schools throughout the lake. Senkos, drop-shotting or split-shotting plastics in or around the schools of bait is producing numbers right now. A favorite bait of mine this time of year is a white Zoom Fluke worked around the shady side of large rocks or any brush found along the shoreline.
Lake Pardee:
The hotter it gets the better Pardee becomes for smallmouth bass. Crickets are a must for sheer numbers of smallmouth bass. Rig and fish crickets just as you would a split shot rig with a smaller hook of course and get ready for some action. Bigger smallmouths are usually caught by those who anchor and drop a line over the side and wait them out. The nice thing about using crickets is that you have a chance at catching just about anything that swims in the lake. Kokanee fishing continues to be very good for anglers fishing early in the morning and trolling between 30 and 60 feet deep. Many anglers are being rewarded with limits of kokanee once finding the schools of fish.
