Story & Photos
W T I N T ER S
he winter bite on the California Delta can
become a tough one to figure out. Quite
possibly one of the best ways to beat
slow cold weather fishing is to chase some stripers. It is also a great way to learn more about what the black bass do when the temperatures drop. Often the best bass bite can be found when chasing the bait foraging stripers.
BY DAN MATHISEN
Where they can be found striped bass won’t be far behind.
THE BIRDS
The biggest striped bass tip is all about gulls,
FINDING FOOD
cormorants and heron. During winter, birds are an excellent means to detecting the location of baitfish
On the Delta, winter striped bass fishing is a
and where there are baitfish, stripers are likely close
simple affair and easy to learn. Winter fishing is easier by. While sonar works well at detecting what is under
as stripers are more concerned with staying close
the water, the birds can lead you to the right location
to their favorite meal – threadfin shad –rather than
more often than not. Putting the time
seeking out cover.
and fuel in to chase birds will dramatically
Good sonar – like the many Lowrance options
improve your success.
– (our newest choice Lowrance elite
5) makes seeking food a simple
TOPWATER
task, but it is not
My most sought after bite – no
required.
matter the species – is the top water
Look for
bite. Typically, the best conditions for
main sloughs
this are low light, low water and low
and creeks that
current. The last two hours of outgoing
merge to the
tide and the first two hours of incoming
river channel and
are the best times, in most cases. With
the secondary
the right blustery or foggy conditions
sloughs to main
the same time period on the top tide
channels. Pay
change can also be effective.
attention to the
There are many choices for top water
movement of
offerings. It is often dictated by the way
baitfish like shad
the fish are acting. A new bait – the IMA
and BIRDS.
Little Stik 135 – is quickly becoming
choking
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