California Delta Country Fishing Part Two Rigging

Bass or striper gear also suits catfish, the most reliable delta species, that hang out in backwater sloughs - dead end sloughs are particularly good. Think light. the minimum weight that will hold bottom improves results. Sliding sinkers suit backwaters, pyramid sinkers work in current. In rocky areas, special sinkers that rise on the retrieve cut costs. Channel catfish hold in slack water downstream from bars on the rivers as well. Always fish after dark during summer to improve results and avoid the heat! Recently deceased threadfin shad, softshell crayfish and night crawlers work better than stink baits and offer bonus bass and stripers.

The same rigs, with pile worms or sardine strips also take starry flounder or, with a float added, jacksmelt in the extreme West Delta.

Fly casters can do best with shooting heads - think steelhead rigs - and a variety of small streamers, big nymphs and the odd popper for topwater bass or swirling stripers. Do realize that when stripers and such corner schools of bait against berm or bank, fly, or for that matter, lure length is the most critical factor with streamers that can be "white and 'whatever." Shad and other baitfish early in the season might be only two or three inches long, but can be six or seven inches late in the year. Of course, when smolts drop back town to the ocean flies that replicate them work best.

With nothing showing up top, the best fly choices for bass include most crayfish patterns, small minnow streamers and big muddlers. Drop back to a 2" fly and you'll start to take panfish as well. Channel catfish do take flies, as do carp. In the first case, think striped bass. In the latter look for shallow areas where carp suck down all sorts of oddments.

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