Aqueduct Oasis Rd, Pinon Hills 6/18 Father's Day. Use your jerkbait and comb the area. Delta stripers are fans of split tail and jacksmelts for bait. There are certain times of the year this method will out fish artificial lures. You want to let active stripers hone in on the sound and vibrations from your lure. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I have caught stripers at all times of the day as I dont get out there much at night. On the West Coast, they travel as far north as the Umpqua River on the central Oregon coast, feeding on anchovies, then head into the bays and river systems to spawn. Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted. Make Short Casts. The move came after Gov. From the Sacramento River delta east of San Francisco, the California Aqueduct runs south through the San Joaquin Valley and over the summit of the Tehachapi Mountains, a distance of 440 km (273 miles). The northern and central parts of California have several lakes that offer the adrenalin rush that comes from catching a big striper. Youll catch stripers pretty steadily. Now that you know where and how to get started at the California Aqueduct, go out and try it for yourself. Full limits of Stripers at the Aqueduct!!! By Ken Schultz 01/21/2022. Please feel free to post pictures, tips,and add friends happy fishing Can you use crawfish as bait in California? Dont set the hook until the line starts peeling off the reel. Stripers are present, often in good numbers, with striped bass commonly in the 6- to 10-pound range and fish over 20 pounds not uncommon. Search out the ends of jetties to find more deep-water access. Castaic Lakes water temperature ranges from low 50s in the winter to upper 70s in the summer. Sometimes cover such as weed edges or the occasional sunken car can concentrate fish in this expanse of water. Stripers will linger just below the turbulent waters for disoriented or unsuspecting prey. Thats great news. Keep heading up to Stockton. Some days can be epic, while others can be a total bust. You want to find the pylons with high concentrations of baitfish. Hit that area before sunrise or just before sunset to increase your chances. Monster catfish are also caught here often. Within a decade, stripers had become prevalent enough to support commercial fishing. My legs began to cramp up as I made another 20 yard dash along the road. 7. These gates control the flow of water and when there's disturbance from the flowing water, it creates a feeding opportunity for predatory fish. Thats what Im here for. Theres actually a detailed post about how to use that technique. Striped Bass: 43 pounds, 1 ounce, caught by Robert Flaata, February 2004. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Stripers are in good numbers, and the flatheads are waiting for the same baitfish. With miles and miles of canal water to cover, it can be an intimidating area to fish. If you are the server administrator. The use of minnows for bait is prohibited in all major trout areas. Sometimes these stripers, especially in the afternoon hours, like to relate closer to the bottom. Castaic Lagoon Largemouth Bass: 19 pounds, 3 ounces, caught by Butch Brown, March 2008. If the school of stripers are there, youll see them swarming your lure as you retrieve it in. Here's why California aqueduct fishing is worth a try. Following the migration patterns of anadromous stripers, well start in the winter. Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brent grew up spending his summers out on the water, exploring the many rivers, streams, and lakes of the region. When I first started fishing the duct I thought the stripers there would be the ones in some of our lakes, Pyramid by Gorman, Castaic, Silverwood or Diamond Valley but trust me, they are not the same. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers meet just up from Middle Grounds, with stripers holding here, waiting for the spawning run up the Sacramento. Rian Grell (left), 7, of Tehachapi, caught this 10-pound catfish at Lake Isabella on April 18 while fishing with his grandfather Ben Stephens of Tehachapi and cousin Caiden Grell, 10, of Bakersfield. Just outside Ukiah, northwest of famous Clear Lake, Lake Mendocino can be an ideal spot for a family getaway. Its crazy how they boil like that sometimes. From here to Ferguson Lake on the California side, there are several significant fishing areas, though the main river in this area has less traffic than the lake. Use plugs, spoons, and jigs in double setups. Always worth trying out. The most sought after fish are striped bass. Just know that when you get tired of catching stripers, there are always flatheads and record-setting redear sunfish to look for. 12210 . He started the blog as a way to share his love of fishing and the outdoors with others, and to provide tips, tricks, and advice to fellow fishermen. Now Im fighting the winter bite and trying to read as much as possible and pick up everything that people are saying that works. They can attract predatory fish because it provides cover for smaller fish. Is there any particular spots that are good to try this time of year? Bluegill is also found in the aqueduct and is a popular game fish that is often used as bait for bigger fish like catfish and bass. At last check the lake record is 31 pounds, just waiting to be broken. Stripers are very predatory feeders that hunt mainly for smaller fish. Try to hit it when there is a strong incoming tide. Sometimes youll see more than one fish following a striper you just hooked up. A lone pylon not only creates cover but it also provides a break from the current for the bait fish. Can you use live bait in the California Aqueduct? Try that area. The California Aqueduct flowing near Huron, CA in the San Joaquin Valley. This is a great search technique because it allows you to cover a lot of water in a short period of time plus your lure will be in the water the whole time. Great views of valley floor and the mountains to the south. Land . Theres actually a detailed post about how to use that technique. My fav lures are mostly top water ones. The California Aqueduct is a 444 mile long canal managed by the Department of Water Resources. Anyone interested in fishing California Aqueduct or waters within the wider area around Hesperia should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. California has been converted into a farming state due to the rivers flowing and accumulating in the aqueduct. The number of fish caught in the West Delta will be lower than some areas, but the size will be much more significant. With bait, a lighter weight with a large red hook is recommended. Orange-Fish River Tunnel: South Africa 82,800 m (51.4 mi) 1972 Longest continuous enclosed aqueduct in the Southern Hemisphere (22.5 m 2 cross section). California Aqueduct. Hey Mongo, Top water lures are the most exciting lures to use. The entire California Aqueduct remains in the top picks, but especially the Antelope Valley stretch, which has just been on fire for both stripers and catfish. Awesome Michael. The Aqueduct is about 110 feet wide at its widest width and 32 feet at its deepest depth. One of the behemoth stripers caught had a 2lb largemouth bass inside of it along with several other smaller sized baitfish. Swimming in the aqueduct is illegal. Any change in water flow will concentrate fish. Nightcrawlers and meal worms are favorite bluegill baits at Castaic Lake, and they bite readily all summer long. Prepare for success with accurate data about the type of fish that are caugh in California Aqueduct, learn what baits are used, and fish smarter with weather forecasts. Gavin Newsom suspended key environmental laws. Stripers know there are baitfish relating to these areas. The sites are generally in remote areas with limited accessibility. Great Striper Fishing in California Aqueduct. Is fishing with corn illegal in California? Welcome to Southern California Aqueduct Fishing hosted by Striper Bills daughter Amy Rini. Of course I panicked and half-committed to a set, jumping the lure a yard or two. l How do you catch big brown trout at night? Ive seen boils in the summer but wasnt able to hook up. The rivers temperature can vary from temperate in the shallows to near-freezing in open water. A hungry striper will hone in on a lure for an easy meal. You can fish all day and all night at the duct. Anglers have caught stripers on hotdog chunks here, so they are obviously not terribly finicky. in Zoology from OSU, he worked in fish hatcheries and as a fisheries research technician at OSU, Iowa State, and Michigan State. Or catching a lot if you're in the right spot! Stay out of the southern end of the lake on boats. Pretty near everyone that fishes at San Luis Reservoir targets striped bass, because its full of them. The ideal times for fishing these locations are right before sunrise and sunset. With the cooler weather, recently I had been receiving calls from my buddy Zoli telling me that I need to get down there because the striper bite was wide open. The delta smelt make a home here as well. Munz Ranch Road Site, Avenue S Site, 70th Street West Site, 77th Street East Site, and Longview Road Site are all access points to the aqueduct. Check gates can be some of the most productive therefore most popular locations to fish at the California Aqueduct. The immediate answer: Big, angry, attacking stripers. Open water are areas where theres no cover for the fish to relate to, just a vast stretch of water. Welcome to My Page Aqueduct Fishing with Striper Bill. There are several places for finding these elusive fish but they have consistently been caught at these locations regardless. Predatory fish also feed on sculpins and shad that populate the region. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Striped bass are nomadic fish. While lake-bound stripers arent on average as big as anadromous bass, its not unheard of to catch a 20- or even 30-pounder. But fishs stomachs are , Use large-sized baits such as dead bluegill, live chubs, water dogs, crayfish and frogs when seeking larger catfish. These species American shad, Chinook (King) salmon, steelhead trout, striped bass, and white sturgeon are popular with anglers and eaten by many Californians. There are a lot of anglers I know that fish the north ducts. Feel free to look around and don't forget to leave a comment in the comment box. Mark This Forum Read View Parent Forum; If youre up in one of the sloughs, rig up a lightweight rig with several bait hooks and go after them with worms. Get a Head Lamp with White and Red Light. Not only is it legal to fish in the California aqueduct, but there are 16 California aqueduct fishing locations designated on a map provided by the Department of Water Resources. Along the way it also diverts water west and east of the Central Valley. Ive never fished these places before and have seen it on the highway when traveling from San Luis Res / Highway 5, is there a particular place that we can park and walk? Located along Long Beachs Rainbow Harbor, the Aquarium of the Pacific is Southern Californias largest aquarium and a must-do Long Beach activity for all ages. Diamond Valley Lake has some pretty fantastic fishing opportunities. Women ages 18-45 and children ages 1-17 should not eat Channel Catfish or black bass species. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. A steel head was recently caught and confirmed by two DFW officers as the angler reeled it in. There are several camping options in the area, so plan ahead and reserve if possible. Stripers are constitutionally required to eat injured baitfish. Picacho State Recreation Area is up next, with great boat camping and excellent striper fishing. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. There is also a healthy population of black bass, catfish and carp that anglers target. I was using a xrap Rapala minnow. Several piers around the bay provide excellent striper fishing. Trolling from the Middle Grounds upriver or back into the bays can be decided based mainly on water temperature. Anyone interested in fishing California Aqueduct or waters within the wider area around Mountain House should consult with local resources before heading out to fish. Itll be worth it, they said. I find I get more bites if I peel the skin off the mackerel/anchovies before putting the bait on my hook. Subscribe to our Newsletter and get all the information you need to learn, plan, and equip for your next fishing adventure. This is one of the best fishing spots in Kern County. May not help you much but try everything until you find out what works. Catfish . Welcome to legendary Striper Bills Fishing memorial website, Striper Bill with his 30lb Striper from the aqueduct, Welcome to Southern California Aqueduct Fishing hosted by Striper Bills daughter Amy Rini. 16 catches are logged on Fishbrain. Not a lot of fish are found in the middle. These gates control the flow of water and when theres disturbance from the flowing water, it creates a feeding opportunity for predatory fish. He has since expanded the blog to include gear reviews, fishing reports, and even recipes for cooking up your catch. Several species of panfish such as bluegills, crappie, perch and redear thrive here as well. There are conveniences and a boat dock here. Most of the strikes usually happen a few seconds after my retrieve starts. The Aqueduct is roughly 450 miles in length. The bait they chase balls up, so they do too. Do you like this content? Half Moon Bay. Some of these have fees to use, though there are several that are free of charge. As we left the bait barge and . What locations did you guys hit today? Both largemouth bass and crappie are also fished in the California Aqueduct by anglers, although they are not as common and do not grow as big as the other, more popular, species. They are huge curved metal gates that stop or . Ten-pound-plus largies and 20-pound-plus stripers are not entirely common. Target every weed line that drops off into deeper waters and throw crankbaits that look like the baitfish. The Big Island, Portuguese Point, and Putah Creek Inlet are popular fishing areas as well, especially for catfish! If youre not the type that likes to sit n wait, casting jerkbaits such as SpeedLures, Duo Realis or Luckycrafts will get the job done. It can be difficult to just target one species through this area. Simply cast out and walk down with the current, without letting your line get pushed all the way to the side. Rod Tips up and Tight Lines. Give bridges a try, theyll produce for you when the school moves into that area. Thats just how the winter bite is. Catfish tend to bite when the flow is calm. The aqueduct carries stripers along with the water it transports from the Sacramento River Delta into SoCal. Its pretty frustrating. Ive noticed stripers lie in ambush inside the cutouts. It's a sight to excite any angler. There are several ways to fish these areas. Be it a 20-pound striper or a 20-pound carp; they are both hanging out at Lake Skinner. If youre out there for the first time, give these locations a try. Summer can be a difficult time to target sea-run striped bass. In the striper world, anadromous fish are the big guys. We didnt go today but yesterdays morning run we started at 145 pump and worked our way down the 3 bridges to the main road. Is it legal to use bluegill as bait in California? Where does the California Aqueduct start and finish? Monster catfish are also caught here often. Check gates can be some of the most productive therefore most popular locations to fish at the California Aqueduct. Hold up in stronger currents, drop anchor, and fish in 5-15 feet of water. Anglers who are familiar with California Aqueduct are asked to suggest changes using the link above. 1243. These striped bass will compete with each other for an easy meal. The inlet is known to be a great fishing area. Check current regulations before heading out. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 12210 Aqueduct Road, Houston, TX, 77044 $2,000,000 . Of course he sent me several pictures of his recent catches via texts, which were very nice. The California Aqueduct, which begins in the north at Banks Pumping Plant and ends in the south at Lake Perris, is a 444-mile long, concrete lined canal built to convey water to its many destinations. Bridge pylons are great examples of this and heres why. depending on the flow) with mackerel or chicken liver will usually do the trick. By hooking into a fish, you sometimes inadvertently turn the fish on, creating a feeding frenzy. However, we ran into a school of stripes that was blitzing almost. As for the crank/jerk baits I use bombers long as and lucky craft ghost minnow. Glad you hooked into a big one. January 9, 2023 california aqueduct Fishing Report. With the water flowing, stripers are sure to return when they begin to feed. If you decide to hit this area in the morning, I like to use a top water lure. I like to sneakup on a grate and throw my swimbait or fluke at an angle across the grate. CDFW Fishing Guide and Stocking Information CDFW Fishing RegulationsNational Weather Service forecasts. Located in the northernmost part of the San Joaquin Valley, Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area is a popular place for water-oriented recreation, especially fishing and windsurfing. Cast your lure where the shadow of the bridgemeets the sunlight. Soak some bait for a few minutes, and if theyre around, youll soon be catching. Estuaries and entrances to the bay are great targets as well. First off let me be straight up with you, California Aqueduct Fishing can flat out be a pain in the butt to catch fish out of.
