It was quite a change from catching rainbows on dries with a 3 wt yesterday, but a friend took me out in his boat today to try striper fishing on the delta. I must say it was great fun. I am tired from constant casting and stripping, but we had an excellent day. Both of us caught over a dozen fish, mostly stripers, but also several black bass and even one bluegill. I caught my biggest fish ever, a 10 lb striper that took my line to the backing. Funny, but that doesn't seem to happen to me at Putah. If you haven't fished for stripers before, I can confirm that they are fighters, definitely stronger than trout of equal size. I still love fishing small streams, but this is something I definitely want to try again.
Thats sounds pretty cool phil. I've caught alot of stripers on spinning gear, Largest 29 lbs. And I agree they are serious fighters. I can only imagine on a flyrod. Were in the delta were you guys fishing ? What fly worked for ya ?
We were down in the area of Frank's Tract, using clouser minnows in chartreuse and white, which seems to be a pretty standard fly. I was using my six weight rod with a sinktip line, so I can't imagine the fight a 29 pounder would give me on that.
Good report. Sounds like a great trip and great fish.
Were you fishing in calm , slow or no moving waters or were you fishing in some current ? If you were fishing in some current, did you need some weight to get the fly down or was the sinking tip line enough ?
We were drifting with the current, but it wasn't too strong. We started while the tide was going out, and finished as it came back in. We fished mainly in 10 to 20 feet of water, trying to fish dropoffs. I used my 8 wt with a fast sinking shooting head for a while, but it is heavy to cast and I am not very good at it. I switched early to my 6 wt with a T-130 sinktip which worked great. My friend Andan tied the flies with lead eyes, so they sink very quickly. He used a faster sinking line, but we both caught about the same number of fish. I have to credit him with my success, since he put us onto the fish all day and instructed me on the fine points of stripping to entice stripers.
I hear you on the effort needed to cast the 8wt and the shooting head, not only do you need a new rotator cuff after a day's casting, but if you not good at casting this set-up it feels like you should be wearing a helmet when that big, weighted fly is whistling by your head.
Did you get a chance to pull flies through a school stripers when then push the baitfish to the surface? I heard fishing the "boil" is unbelievable, pretty much a fish every cast.
I've had the chance to fish a huge striper boild twice, Once at the mothball fleet up on the shallow sandbar and once just outside the martinez marina, Was pretty amazing, There were baitfish jumping everywhere and the stripers would instantly hiy anything that hit the water. I probably know alot more about striper fishing then trout on a fly, and I always fish in water about 5 feet deep.
We didn't really find that kind of action, although my buddy was watching for it. We did have one double hookup, which is fun, and he had a shot at a big one at the same time I did, but was distracted advising me while I was landing my fish.
if you ever want info about delta strippers call al at american fly fishing on fair oaks blvd in sac, he is the master always have a 60+ fish day out there. he uses klousers which i know i spelled wrong but talked to him he knows what where and when to fish what, and trust me he will give you great advise.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
What size and color clousers were you using and was that the only fly? I have used flashtail whistlers in the past and done ok. It is good to here of someone throwing flys for strypers it is a lot of fun and a lot of work. But both are worth it.
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God does not subtract from your life the hours you spend fishing. Â Â Herbert Hoover.
i have never fished for them, i was sayin that al at american fly fishing does alot of fishing out there
__________________
Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Yes, Al is a striper fishing guru. I actually took a casting class from him back in 2004 when I started fly fishing. He is very helpful with advice. As to the clousers, they were 2/0 and 1/0 size in chartreuse/white. I'm sure there are other flies which will work, but those are the ones that Al and others have recommended and they seemed to be working. Al is very high on gurglers for topwater bass fishing and I have some but we didn't try that yesterday.
Sounds like fun. I'd like to try for stripers on a fly. I'm planning to put together my outfit soon. On casting and spinning gear I've caught hundreds. This year the hot lures are kastmasters and swimbaits, white, gold and silver. thanks for info too.
That's a great post Chemdoc! I have always wanted to fly fish for stripers in the delta. I was actually talking to Toby about a boat when he was working at the boat shop in Vacaville. I think that was when Putah was blown out for the whole winter. The best part is you didn't have to sling a 400 grain to catch them. The easiest way to catch the big ones is to use live anchovies, not as rewarding as using clousers though.
It sounds like a good trip Chemdoc. That 6wt. must have got a work out. Were you there on Friday or Saturday? I was out there on Saturday the 10th and had a similar day. Got into some double digit fish and plenty over 5lbs.
It's always fun to see even the small ones with a fly half their body length hanging out of their mouths. Definitely a change from sz 22's on Putah.
First trip of the season so I am sore from chucking T14 and stripping for stripers like a mad man all day.
We were out on Saturday, which was great weatherwise until afternoon. It was mild and overcast all day. I caught one striper that was 8 inches max and he took the clouser completely inside. I was concerned if I could even get it out without injuring the fish, but finally managed it. Thanks goodness for barbless hooks. When I caught that fish I thought I had some weeds on the fly. You can imagine the fight I had with that one! The 10 pounder definitely bent my 6 wt over, but that is much easier for me to cast than the 8. I am looking forward to another trip, but this week a 3 wt on Putah with dries will be a relaxing change.
I fish the delta a lot, but I've never used a fly rod there yet. Usually I catch them on live bluegill or rattletraps. You think i can get one on a 5 wt...lol
i have seen pics of al catching 6-12 lb strippers on a 3 wt but he is really really good at it, but anything is possible. iknow it would be a blast to get a 8-10 lber on a 3 wt
__________________
Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Theres a creek right down the street that I fish once in awhile for stripers, Have always used bait, But now I am waiting for the tide I want, Then it'll be on with the flyrod i think, Wooling buggers and some topwater bass poppers is what I'm gonna toss at em, Just gotta get that tide just right one evening. They come up into this little creek to chase bullheads at high tide. Most people are highly surprised when i tell em there stripers in there, You'd be surprised were you can catch a striper. Biggest mistake people make when fishing for stripers is they fish to deep, they feed on shallow flats, 5 foot depth is perfect, When it gets cold in the dead of winter then they will go deeper and slow down a bit, Thats when your gonna need to go 15 to 20 feet. Damn I'm starting to actually miss stripers a bit, HaHa. Pound for pound they ain't got nothing on a wild rainbow of ythe same size, In my humble opinion. Lilwhippersnapper, I do beleive using a live bluegill is highly illegal
pound for pound i have to go with small mouth pass on light tackle, 2lb test line and an ultra light rod and reel set up. maybe gonna have to try those on a 3wt and see what happens. i am down for some stripper fishin on my fly rod though. i got the 5wt and 6wt, so maybe ill have to swing down your way one day and try it out
__________________
Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
I got my 9wt outfit and am practicing for the stripers. Now I just need to learn how to motor over to frank's tract. Is it far from Brennan island ramp? Are there boating hazzards along the way?
