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Fall 2019
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Bends and curves in the river and what the tide is doing all play a role in where stripers will be positioned on these shoals. Pringle says it is not as simple as just fishing every point you see.
“It is a lot like trout fishing in a stream; you need to do a 180 from where you are and see where the water is flowing from to see where it is going on the shoal,” he said. “Where the current is hitting will be the sweet spot. It might be on top of the shoal, or to one side or the other, and it changes at every spot you come to and during each tide.”
Eight-feet or less is where he places much of his attention when out fishing for fun or when guiding clients who are paying him to put them on the stripers. This depth range is where he says most of the fish congregate.
“The stripers are up eating baby bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie and everything else,” he said. “I have a pretty simple selection of baits to target these fish – swimbaits, topwaters, and glide baits are must-haves.”
FIND THE SWEET SPOT
With a tidal fishery like the California Delta, the current is always a big piece of the puzzle.
Pringle likes to fish shallow shoals, and each one of them has a uniqueness depending on where they are located.
TAIL KICK FOR NUMBERS
Fishing a swimbait is one of best ways Pringle knows to put his clients on significant numbers of stripers.
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