The Napa Valley Fishing Report: It is best to get your Delta repair now | Sports activities
Striper Time … in the delta. Check out this dandy 9 pound striped bass caught by St. Helena angler Eric Titus. It was in the avant-garde of 45 fish they caught that day. He said the conditions were perfect: clear, warm and weak wind.
* Jeff Soo Hoo told us that the West Bank Strip was holding. His client caught and released a 20-pound striper on a rat L-trap in shallow water. Sometimes it was difficult to fish this stretch because a lot of boats came there. Johnny Tran of New Romeos Bait in Freeport reported that garlic spray-coated pileworms, bloodworms, or sardines caught both men and women.
* Get your Delta Fix before the hot weather. The holiday months bring large numbers of recreational boating and high winds that can make the main rivers just too dangerous to fish. The hot days inland create a chimney effect that pushes large amounts of air upwards and draws the sea air directly over San Francisco and through the gaps – directly into the delta. I learned this firsthand from famous professional bass angler and Delta expert Dee Thomas. Stefano Particelli and I fished with Dee in the delta on a hot June day. Dee said, “We’re going to stick with the little cross muds today – those winds will make the big rivers dangerous.” I will never forget this advice.
Clear sea bass … Well, finally, after over a year without water, my fishing partner Doug Roberts and I went bass fishing earlier this month. A few tough little weather events and water temperatures below 60 degrees made it difficult. But our pro guide Bob Myskey (274-0373) put us on 29 fish for our two-day trip. We had to dig deep into his tackle box for these fish; needed Carolina Rigs, Ned Rigs, Drop Shots, and Live Minnows to get the job done. That is the subtle hallmark of a top guide – his willingness to keep trying different baits, baits and locations.
