LM On The San Joaquin River ?

[Guy Kelley]

Like a majority of the anglers, ( I think !? )

I spend most of my time fishing the inland waters and slu's of the

Central Delta. From Franks to the South and The Break, East up

Through Dutch and its dead ends, also up through Old River &

Holland. Sometimes up into the Hog, Beaver & Sycamore Areas as

well.

But I never seem to fish the main San joaquin river system, From

the docks at the marinas at Antioch & up through the main river !

I think its just from force of habit or lack of experience or both,

that I seem to fish my old haunts time after time, probably as a

comfort zone. I am trying to expand my areas and knowledge of the

Delta. I have seen in the past some fishermen throwing frogs in

the tulle's just off the banks in the main river but not much.

Is it due to the salt water intrusion that this happens or just that

the cover or lack of & main boating (large ships) causing huge waves into the

banks. That the angling pressure seems so light !?

I think that the over all population of fish should be good or

it looks that way to me and there seems to be very good cover and areas that the fish would seem to like.

For those of you who do fish these areas could you shed a little

light on this ? I am not asking for you honey holes, just general

knowledge as what to look for and what to stay away from.

On a calm day , those wakes from the 40 foot Carvers and major

ships are huge and serious damage can occur if I don't be careful

about it.

Thanks.

[MT]

I have a lot of spots on the river between Prisoner's Pt. and Stockton. Lots of rocky points and flats and flats near drop offs and cuts and breaks and docks. I usually don't fish these areas until summer and even more so in the fall. Anywhere the main river meets a slough, reach or other trib of some sort can be a good area to start. Like you mentioned though, it's like fishing on a freeway on the weekends in summer. MT

[optichamp]

While casting for stripers I have caught a LM west of Brannon Island on the Sac River, and I expect that gets even saltier than the San Joaquin.

I think the big thing is between stripers, steelhead, salmon, and sea lions, the bass have more predators/competition than in the quieter lagoons and sloughs. The ones that make it I bet hang out in the shallowest areas, where they are safer.

[Guy Kelley]

Hmmmmm?????

[miklanderson]

When I lived in Stockton, I regularly fished the San Joaquin river. There are a lot of fish on the rocks from Ladd's all the way into downtown Stockton. I've had some of my best days on the San Joaquin...

[ash]

My first DD was pulled off of the San Joaquin River toward Stockton. So I would say yes

[Dom]

You hit the nail on the head those huge wakes can get harry. I fished out of Ladds all the time I have fished from the Break all the way up thru Stockton. My trick was hit it early in the am the points and cuts adjustent to deep water will hold fish this time of year I would pull up on a cut or point early in the AM and burn a big double buzzer or reg buzzbait and keep moving as the traffic gets worst thats when I would move up 14 mile or back behind lost island,etc...

My buddy Jerry Roe turned me on to the 3/4 oz rattle trap bite off the main river look for flats that the fish will move up on and feed like a bend with good current and if you find real good current whip that frog to the bank and run it out just before the heavy current and the drop and kill it great summer pattern.

There are fish all over I have not fished further then the Antioch Bridge but have caught fish alittle ways past the pillers.

Hope this helps

Tight Lines Dom

[Guy Kelley]

it dose and thanks fellas for the input. its a great big river out there. and were to start is the puzzle