A $20 Swimbait was the catch of the day.

[DeltaBassBuster]

I decided to do some thing differnet today that I hadn't done in 15 years. I pulled the old dip net out of the garage this morning about 3:00 a.m. and met a friend downtown to net some live shad. A nice morning to enjoy fishing with live shad on a slip bobber rig again. While we were waiting for the bobbers to go down (only undersize stripers cuaght today) we threw Rat-L-Traps for the salmon and largemouth bass. Again it was nice to see alot of salmon swimming around downtown, biggest one looked 25 pounds, but were not able to hook any this time(was palnning catch/release only). A few nice keeper size largemouths were cuaght by other anglers this morning.

Any ways the catch of the day was my 'Trap snagged some fishing line and up came the swimbait. When I got home I cleaned it up real nice with some SimpleGreen and put on a brand new treble hook. My friend Nick (The Informative Fisherman) got on the smart phone and researched it and found out it was a $20 lure. So, a cool catch for the day. Later this afternoon I plan to take a walk to the back end of 14 Mile Slough with my Okuma Swimbait rod and give this swimbait a try. I like the color pattern and the profile and so should the largies.

[trophyfish]

The lure you snagged is a Spro BBZ-1 4" shad it is available at many retailers typically around $19.00+ each. There are 3 models, floating, slow sink and fast sink (look on the belly of the lure to determine). It tends to spiral when casting as it is actually a 'light' swimbait compared to others so the floating and slow sink can actually be used on a med-med hvy 7'+ rod, while the sinking something a bit heavier. I have all three and they are all effective in the right circumtances, check out the product review on TWs site.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Spro_BBZ ... BZSFS.html

[D.B.COOPER]

Try a No.5 Blue Fox spinner on those salmon. You might be surprised! Years ago I used to destroy them in the Petaluma river with that bait. Up to 25lbs on light tackle. Chartreuse or orange bell and silver blade. They whack em! D.B.COOPER

[DeltaDan]

That Spro BBZ-1 is a really nice bait.

The seacret to it is reel it in as slow as you can - let it sink and give a suttle jerk back to you with a another small pause before you slow roll it once again.



The best bait in that size to me was the Castaic Hard Head in Blue Gizzard Shad - Why they stopped making that one ... I will never know.

[DeltaBassBuster]

I still have that one in it's origianal package, but still never tried it yet. This one has a diving lip attached to it like a crankbait.

[ash]

I think thats where i threw it that worthless POS bait - i got two more ill give you the next time i see you.

[DeltaBassBuster]

Do you luanch at Ladd's? LOL

[fish_food]

DeltaBassBuster,

How's the bait population in the Turning Basin/Downtown area now? I remember the last really big shad die off from ~3 years ago and was just wondering how well they rebounded after a few seasons have passed.

[Brian D.]

I think thats where i threw it that worthless POS bait - i got two more ill give you the next time i see you.

LOL Ash.. +1

[yjjustforme]

DeltaBassBuster,

How's the bait population in the Turning Basin/Downtown area now? I remember the last really big shad die off from ~3 years ago and was just wondering how well they rebounded after a few seasons have passed.

The shad population in Stockton is huge right now! That's why I can't believe the striper bite hasent been wide open yet.

[fish_food]

Good to know--thanks for the update. There was so much dead shad ringing the entire Basin and nearby waters after that big die off...

[gabuelhaj]

They diverted the sewage to go to the Tracy pumps directly thus sparing the shad in Stockton....

[fish_food]

[DeltaBassBuster]

The dip netting for shad from the bank was tough since there are no decent size stripers yet to push the bait around. Most of the shad was just going right through the net. I miss the fun of fishing with the large and jumbo size shad in the past. When/if the stripers ever show dip netting downtown should improve.