Topwater Dreamland.

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rjones
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Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

When looking for topwater areas, what should I look for?

Outside of birds diving and mid-range schools pushing bait up, it seems that some of the bigger fish are "loners". If that is the case, what are the right ingredients I should be looking for?

Thanks everyone,

RJ
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Burke
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Location: Woodland, CA

Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Burke »

I like to use my electronics to find an area next to an island where the water is about 10-15 feet deep and the bottom is fairly flat. Nearby, the bottom drops off into deeper water. There should some water movement.
yjjustforme
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by yjjustforme »

X2 on flats next to deepwater drop offs. And also look for inlet areas for current to be flowing by like out at Mildred when the tide is changing you can bet they are sitting in those " doorways or inlets" just waiting for bait to be sucked in or out works in mouths of sloughs also :D
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

have any of you fished flats on the main river? Someone told me that flats are an excellent place to throw top-waters early and late in the day for stripers.

RJ
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

yjustforme,

what does X2 stand for?

RJ
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Burke
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Burke »

RJ -- X2 (times 2) means he agreed with what I said.

I've fished the flats on the San Joaquin River near the entrance to Franks Tract and have caught stripers using 3/4 oz Rat L Traps. Haven't tried top water in that area.
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

Just read a report from Randy Pringle, he was going to check out Monatzumea slough. Have you guys ever fished that area? If so, what should I look for and what should I throw?
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Burke
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Burke »

I launch from the public launch near Grizzly Island. My buddy and I don't start fishing Montezuma Slough until we go pass the slough that leads to Little Honker Bay. The water is only about 10-15 feet deep in that area. We have a lot of success trolling 1.5 oz Rat L Traps and Rapalas.

I've thrown my top water stuff but have yet to hook a striper. That's probably due to the fact that my buddy isn't patient enough when it comes to tossing top water lures so I only get about 15-30 minutes a trip to toss them.
yjjustforme
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by yjjustforme »

The best lure for me for years has always been a white suspending jerkbait along any riprap wall like the north side of franks or the east side. Some of my biggest stripers have come of this technique. :D
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Burke
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Burke »

My favorite all time lure is a 3/4 oz Rat L Trap in a color that they call Diamond Dust. That is a real good universal lure. I've caught all my personal best fish on that one lure: black bass (9.6 lbs), striper (27 lbs) and salmon (27 lbs). My all time favorite spots for catching stripers and salmon is the back 1/3 of Sycamore Slough or Hog Slough using that lure. However, I've hear that the back part of both sloughs are full of weeds and the water is almost unfishable.

I've caught my share of stripers off the East wall in Frank's, but nothing in size compared to what I've caught in Hog and Sycamore. I fish alot with my cousin Gene and he caught his personal best striper (33 lbs) on a 1/2 oz spinnerbait in Hog.
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

I am looking for a striper of 20lbs this year! I will take a pick and release it to catch again!
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

burke,

When is the best time to fish those sloughs for stripers and salmon?

RJ
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Burke
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Burke »

I love fishing those sloughs in the fall/winter months (Nov/Feb) when the water temp starts to drop and the water temp is in the 50's or lower. I've fished days when the air temp is the low 30's and the water spray from your line freezes on your reel/hand and caught some real nice fish. Because they are dead end sloughs, the water in the back 1/2 is usually still stained, but not as muddy as the main river or open-ended sloughs.

I also fish Hog Slough (another dead end slough) during those months. Go all the way to the back to the bridge and fish both areas before and after the bridge. Especially the 100 or so yards before the bridge because it's flat and wide open -- you'll know you're there because during "salmon catching" days you'll see a bunch of boats with guys jigging for salmon. One year, we pulled up to the area (guys were jigging but weren't catching anything) and started cranking our Rat L Traps. Within 10 minutes, we caught 2 and lost a couple. Then everybody started to watch us to see what we were throwing.
Cooch

Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by Cooch »

RJ,

A lot of them 20 pounders, indeed are schoolies, yet the number in the classroom is typically lower, maybe 3-6 fish. Them 25-40lb fish, are definately loaners, just not a lot of them where many of us find them in big schools of any sorts when they move inland. I've had fairly consistant success finding fish in this class size just inside the flats beyond an opening that leads out to a main channel. Sherman, Big Break and Franks provide a lot of this type of areas. I'll work the points of the opening from the deep water first, then move in along the tulles edge and fish for a 100 yards or so, then move to the next one.

If yer going out in August or September, definately focus on the big shallow flats in Honker Bay, Sherman Lake and Big Break. Ya don't neccessarily need to focus on the opening for these giants, but way in the backs of the bowls on the south and north sides. Year after year, that south bowl in Big Break, kicks out some monsters! Linberty Island can be a good area too, but they don't really start showing up in that area, until we see them in the other three places I mentioned first.

It's gonna be a crap shoot for ya until they move in, but once they do, you'll be there when they come if ya stick with those areas!
rjones
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Re: Topwater Dreamland.

Post by rjones »

Thanks Cooch!

Question, do you ever fish the main San Juaquin, say from Big Break to Stockton? If you do, what do you use and what is the best way to approach the main channel? I like the main channel, feel safe out there, when there isn't the summer crazy's.

RJ.
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