Rigging Advice

[Bill B]

Looking for some rigging advice...I'm living everybody's dream right now....at least I think so....   I have the Sacramento River right behind my trailer...I know there are striper, catfish, bluegill and sturgeon in the river.....how would you fish this?  I have access to the docks and bank but no boat...would you fish chunk bait (sardines) whole dead anchovies, or throw softbaits?  I have conventional and spinners available...and could use 1-2 oz lead to fish the bottom of the main channel....and 1/2-1 oz to fish between the docks and bank.....Bill

[Ron Jones]

I fished the Colorado when I was a kid whenever the salt was turned off. If I were you, I float fish up some small bluegill and cast them 1/3 the way across the channel with just enough weight to hold bottom with a sliding sinker. The cats and stripers will be there. If the stripers are boiling then your swimbaits or spinnerbaits will knock em dead.
Ron

[Capt Ahab]

I would try everything twice - best thing is to figure out what the prevailing bait is


If you can find docks with lights (or any light over on shining on the water) fish those shadow lines at night - stripers like the ambush-ability (new word!) of sitting on the dark side of a shadow line and hitting prey as it comes across.

I would fish bombers, large Husky Jerks and the light in any area less then 10 feet deep  - fish these baits slooooooow just enough to make them wiggle


For cats - live bluegills and such (as was posted above the stripers like them too!)


If during the daylight soft plastics worked on the bottom BKD's and hollow body swimbaits like a Money Minnow or Fathead texas rigged on a 6/0 or larger weighted hook


Large top waters as well in the early morning and just as it gets dark


Look for areas that have current breaks and structure  - bulkheads, log jams, etc. 

[Bill B]

Thanks.....sounds good....the fuel docks are well lit at night...will toss some plastics there tonight.....and will try to get some bluegills also....

[Todd Jacobsen]

Looks like a nice place to fish and also looks a little familiar. We have used in the Delta the sliding sinker set up along with using shad, anchovies, sardines for bait. We use shad and cut the head off at an angle right behind the dot. We rig our hook to come under the belly and through the middle the turn the hook so the shad has a little twist. This allows the shad to spin. Not sure if I explained this very well but it is very effective. We also use chicken livers as the stripers hone into this if its slow going then switch to shad when the bite starts. Using 7/0 hooks there not hook shy.

[erikpowell]

I think I know right where that is!
If you need some casting distance try Bill Lewis Rattletraps ... the silver with black back!
Striper candy.  ... or Black back jointed Rebels.

[Bill B]

Thanks guys....hopefully the river will be a little quieter after the fourth.....this is the Sherwood Harbor Marina..

[Todd Jacobsen]

Just sent you a pm asking how you did should have read down a little further lol. Going out this evening to Iselton for awhile will see how it goes. If nothing else I will get out of a few honey dews lol

[smnaguwa]

Where in the Delta are you? The baitshop in Isleton gives pretty good advice about locations, bait, tackle,etc, and what's currently biting.

[Bill B]

Isleton is about 30 miles south on River Rd....been soaking whole sardines and anchovies....a little luck, but mostly short stripers and small cats.....been too hot to make much effort the last couple days, but gonna start throwing 3" grubs around the docks and boats...threw a couple crawdad traps out and catching a few, but I think the water is too warm right now...