The Fish Sniffer

(Stockton) Anglers are starting to gain interest in striper fishing in the San Joaquin River system, but the best action by far is closer to the mouth of the river near Antioch. 

Chris Lauritzen of Lauritzen’s Yacht Harbor in Antioch said, “For guys who fish Sherman Lake, this is the time to be in there trying to hook a salmon or striper as duck season starting at the end of October.”

He added that Captain Bob Wright of Bob Wright’s Guide Service has been landing stripers to 14 pounds drifting live bluegill over the sand bars in the Antioch area. 

Further east, things are a bit different with Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, saying, “I wish I could find some better than average stripers on a consistent basis in the East Delta. There are schools of stripers from 15 inches to barely legal in the San Joaquin with an occasional 22 to 24-inch fish.” 

As a result, the search for larger fish is inconsistent with the schools of 3 to 4-pound stripers scattering quickly. For largemouth bass, Pringle said, “We are loading the boat, catching fish after fish after fish.” 

There is a top water bite throughout the day, and Pringle has been scoring with the ima Skimmer in calm conditions and switching to the ima Squarebill shallow running crankbait when the wind is blowing. The shad schools are thick and finding lures that match the bait fish is key. The ima Flit in Olive Herring is an ‘absolute killer’ with a slow retrieve with a pause. 

The water in the region from Potato Slough north is dingier, and Pringle is using the Timber Tiger DC 8 in bluegill, the Persuader Double Buzz Buzz Bait, or the 1/2- ounce Persuader E-chip jig in chartreuse/white with gold/silver blades when the wind is up and the water is off color.  

Fresh shad is abundant in Stockton area tackle shops, and the bluegill and catfish bite remain solid in the south Delta backwaters.