The Fish Sniffer

(Sacramento) Striped bass fishing remains a challenge in the Port of Sacramento, Deepwater Channel and Sacramento River, due to cold water temperatures. However, expect the water temperatures and fishing success to rise as the weather warms up from the record cold spell.

“A couple of anglers reported really slow fishing in the Port this morning,” said Dennis Phanner of Sacramento Pro Tackle. “However, the fishing has been better other days when anglers locate concentrations of shad. The key is finding the bait.”

Boat fishermen are jigging Blade Runner Duh Spoons and Kastmasters, drifting live jumbo minnows and trolling with Bombers, Rebels and wormtail jigs. Shore anglers are tossing out jumbo minnows, mudsuckers and shad. 

“A few sturgeon are hitting in the Sacramento downriver at Courtland and upriver at Grimes and Knights Landing, but we haven’t weighed in any fish at the shop over the past two weeks,” reported Jimmy Perez of Broadway Bait Rod & Gun. “Anglers are hooking both legal and oversized fish while using pileworms, bloodworms and lamprey eel.”