Delta Mouse?

deltapigeon · Post by **deltapigeon** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:40 pm

So I live out here in the delta, Walnut Grove and I've been here for 5 years fishing the whole time started with no boat, moved up to a older bayliner trophy, that old force motor blew and now I'm in a newer (2000) procraft hopefully more reliable. I've been trying to keep my eye on tournament results see if I could make the cut. Occasionally I know I would do well, when I put 30 pounds in the boat but other times when I get skunked not so much. I know a few spots but the tide and the wind have to line up just right. Is there a book out on fishing the delta tides? If not someone ought to write one. I have a pass to Brannon island and when it's super windy I'll launch at wimpys although hogback is closest to me. I try and go out at least 4 times a week. I'm thinking about paying for a guide like Cooch or Barrack to school me up but I think I'll wait for next spring with a better chance at a 10+. Cause I still need that big fish here in the delta my biggest here is an 8, I've got a 10 out of a secret pond and a nine from new hogan. So for now I wanted to ask if anyone who's serious about bass fishing and who lives near wants to go out? My dad usually goes but his back is kinda roasted and he isn't really too serious when it comes to bass. Or maybe someone can load me on some tips or point me to a bass club in the area that has unpretentious members, I'm laid back just turned thirty. I'm not trying to hop to the top of any leader boards anytime soon, my primary hobby, Birmingham Roller Pigeons takes up too much of my time. I just want to do decent every time I go out. Make it seem worthwhile to my old lady that I spend mega bucks and hella time out there...and to myself cause I get to doubting when I get skunked or only catch one or two of mr peener mcgee. Thanks for reading if you can tell I really want to be an old delta rat and not a darn delta mouse ha!. ....- Paul

ripslips2 · Post by **ripslips2** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:09 pm

the delta can be a love hate relation ship but there are few things that will always catch fish out there 1 being a senko can never go wrong with a senko 2 texas rigged brush hogs or beavers or whatever u like to flip . Color of baits ive caught them on alot of different colors but u can never go wrong with green pumpkin or watermelon red as far as guides ive never used either one but have heard lots of good things about bobby barrack ive had friends that have used him . things to target sparce tullies on rock banks and tully islands summertime is the best time for the delta if u love top water i always keep a frog on the deck in summer i could go on for hours about what where and when but hopely this helps happy fishing and tight lines

deltapigeon · Post by **deltapigeon** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:36 pm

Close to a hundred pounds of senkos in my boat ha! Tulies eh? They are everywhere, no hint....it has something to do with tulies, 6-12 foot of water adjacent to just the right amount of current with grass beds and very shallow water less than 2 feet away....or something like that. And you can have all that and the wind will make that spot un-fishable. It's definitely a when and where deal. I hear a person is supposed to fish this big river like a small creek. Looking for the eddies and current breaks. Where can you get a real good second hand delta map I have navonics but it's hard to study. I want a used delta map with all the good spots marked and which tide to fish em on. I need the cheat sheet!

Oldschool · Post by **Oldschool** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:49 am

There are a few experts on the delta that can help you; Andy "Cooch" Cuccia by contacting him and reading his articles, Dee Thomas by reading whatever is available by Dee
You are fishing a river system where current is both tidal and wind driven, the bass have grown up in that system. No one specific lure will ever be a panacea for bass, the closet would be a jig n pig. Tules in the delta are related to bulrushes with heavy stocks and can be very dense difficult to fish, so fish areas where other aquatic vegetation has grown up against tules like pennywart or dollarwart. Millers tungsten punch rig is expensive, works good however penetrating heavy cover easily.
I would spend a few $$ and hire Cooch for a day, well worth the time on the water with a delta expert.
Tom

hawghunter · Post by **hawghunter** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:06 pm

My best advice to you would be to put in as much time on the water as possible. There is nowhere like the delta. There are so many variables it's not even funny but that's where time on the water will help you. Everytime you catch a fish you need to think about the scenario and store that info in your head. For example 1 hour into the dropping tide with a west wind on an east facing bank with the water temp at 60 degrees in 3 ft of water on a tule wall in an eddie. After a few months you will have a fish log in your brain that will help you, write it down if you have a horrible memory like me! delta fish like to be in current when feeding so the food comes to them but arnt going to sit in it an use up all their energy that's why they will be in those eddies. I can't tell you how many times I can call out my fish out here on the delta. You can pattern fish very well out here. If you catch a few on sparse tules let's say, chances are you can run the delta looking for similar scenarios and repeat those catches. However you can whack em 1 day and go back the next day and do the exact same thing and not catch a dam thing haha that's what makes this place unique. It's really tough to learn this place on your own. It helps to fish with someone that has knowledge and can share some tips. You'll never do good in tournaments if you don't enter them! If you think your going to start entering tournaments and get rich then your in for a rude awakening. Don't do it to make money do it for the fun of the sport with some good competition. Otherwise you will stress yourself out and not even have fun out there. Good luck and be safe out there.

Cooch · Post by **Cooch** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 8:25 am

Hey Paul, We've spoke in the past, glad ta see yer still yearnin ta learn, keep that drive buddy as it will be a never ending learning process on this River system! And fer that reason, there ain't no book on this place as it changes all the time, from the 70s to today, yer after year, ya write one thing, next year it don't work and the fish make adjustments to their conditions and we must do the same ta stay with em.

Three tips for ya in search of that 10 pounder here. First and foremost, yer gonna have to git away from that North Delta area and start spending more time off the San Joaquin River. Think of that SJR as the "main lake body" of this system, there are far more bigger fish, in, around and about that River and all its islands, oxbows and soughs, than anywhere else on the Delta system!

Secondly, and ya seem ta have some insight here, the big bass in this system, live in 8-16 feet of water. They only move shallower than that to either feed, or possibly spawn in the spring. They are Florida hybrids, they are lazy and obese, and they do not tolerate temperature drops, day in and day out, like those that we find occurring in the shallows below 6 feet. Most anglers fish 0-6 feet here ALL the time, simply cause that's where they've had their best results, but it is also their downfall on all them days they git skunked or catch very few fish. Those 0-6 foot fish, are shallow aggressive feeders, which are indeed the smaller percentage of available fish to be caught on the River at any given time.

And last, implement a 15-20 minute rule! If yer in an area, especially one where you have caught fish recently, if you ain't catchin em, something changed from the last time ya was there. You MUST change too! That can either be by changing tactics, baits, presentations etc, or moving to another location all together. Ya gotta do this, otherwise you keep doing the same old thing and continue to get paltry results. Making changes in our daily fishing routines, is by far the hardest thing for most anglers to do, we get so caught up in our "box", our comfort zone, that we're content to stay that same track, versus make some adjustments to the change where we indeed magically start ta catch em again.

If you can master these three things, Fish deeper, stay in the middle Delta and make adjustments, you will be capable of writing yer OWN BOOK!