[StocktonDon]

“Attention to orders: You will proceed with all deliberate speed to produce and deliver a written set of instructions for Delta bass fishing suitable for classroom and field. Such instructions to include, at a minimum, specific gear, location, and technique information. Confirm wilco to courier.”

Captain knew The Admiralty meant these orders as a coup de grace, a public defeat to put Captain in his place. Before his talk with Crew (aka darn cat), Captain might have read his orders as the crushing defeat they were meant to be. But, not now.

The smug young staff ensign who had delivered The Admiralty’s orders was clearly waiting for Captain to signal defeat by affirming he would comply. Captain hid a smile when, instead of offering the expected “roger, wilco,” Captain silently handed the headquarter’s toadie a couple of pages titled “Delta Fishing Instructions.”

“You mean you already finished?” stammered the youngster. Captain knew the smarmy staff puke would be grilled by The Admiralty, who would be anxious to hear every sign of Captain’s discomfort as he faced what was meant to be days of work, each minute a humiliating defeat in payment for his earlier defiance of The Admiralty.

Captain offered the smallest of smiles to answer the ensign, “That is all, ensign, RTB.” It would not go well for the ensign back at headquarters.

“Delta Bass Fishing Instructions.”

Reread “Delta Bass Fishing”

Delta bass fishing can be easy, a wide-open 40-fish-plus-day funfest, where anything and everything works everywhere. But that is not likely.

Even the best-prepared angler will experience days where there is plenty of fishing but little or no catching. Consider approaching each fishing day as part of a lifetime of learning.

These instructions are specific to small boat angling, but express principles applicable to any form of Delta bass fishing.

These instructions are geared primarily to largemouth bass fishing but are applicable to the smallmouth fishing found in the clearer, swifter water areas of some of the rivers entering the Delta.

When things are not working according to plan, consider reversing everything in the rulebook. Do the opposite of the guidelines suggested here.

Gear: Any form of rod, reel, line, and bait, fly, or lure can be used for Delta bass fishing, including the simplest hand lines. Experienced anglers will often carry multiple rods and reels of various types, much like the clubs in a golf bag, optimized for various weights of line, lure, bait, or fly. The most efficient outfit to start with is the one you already have.

Conventional bait casting equipment and artificial lures are probably the best for this type of fishing day in and day out. While there are many variations, a bait casting reel that holds at least 100 yards of 12 pound test line, attached to a 6 to 7 foot fast action rod, can be used for most Delta bass fishing.

Similarly equipped spinning outfits will work. Lighter spinning gear is sometimes used, especially in tough winter conditions.

A 6-plus weight flyrod with a 4-foot-plus level leader of 10-pound-plus test fluorocarbon can be used for most Delta bass fishing. Bigger outfits are often used when fishing areas frequented by striped bass or for fishing floating critters in weedbeds, tules, or other heavy cover. Smaller outfits can be fun but you may find yourself overpowered.

Variations and specialty rods, like flipping and pitching sticks, are readily available to the enthusiast.

Location: You can fish for bass anywhere in the Delta. Reread “Delta Bass Fishing”

Structure and Cover

Experienced anglers look for locations that offer a variety of “cover,” and “structure.” Cover and structure are often used interchangeably in angling literature and discussions. For our purposes we do not care so much for strict definitions. Just learn that bass are ambush predators who prefer not to chase but to dart out to catch, or flare their gills and suck in, prey that has not detected their presence until it is too late. Think housecat not cheetah.

Look for weeds, wood, and manmade objects that offer bass places to hide next to, but not in, current and sunlight. (Some also consider deep water to be “cover.”) Better locations typically have a combination of two or more of these elements adjacent to each other, such as weeds and wood, weeds and riprap, wood and pipes, etc. The best locations may have three or more elements adjacent to one another, such as weeds, wood, and riprap, etc. (Some elements, like riprap, offer by nature differences of size, texture, placement, etc., so that by themselves they are complex.) Think complex variation not simple uniformity.

Depth Changes

Look for dramatic water depth changes that allow bass to move vertically up and down in the water column in a short horizontal distance. Steep banks, deeper cuts next to flat shallows, ditches or channels through levees or islands, and clear passages through weed beds, are all good examples. Some anglers think of this as “deep water access.”

Observation of a given location at high and at low tide, and use of fishing sonar, can help detect such depth changes. “Deep” is a relative term and subject of endless debate; let the fish tell you if it is deep enough.

Current Changes

Look for dramatic changes in current, whether created by tide, wind, or river flow. Narrow flows through small channels, levee breaks, ditches, pipes, etc. that enter larger calm water areas typically have eddies on both sides of the narrow flow. (The Delta often has relatively wide shallow areas that the tides fill and empty through relatively narrow deep areas.) Better locations are back eddies or protected pockets or corners next to the stronger flows.

Wind

Small boat anglers often find strong wind in the Delta inhibits their ability to fish. A common wind pattern is: relatively calm in morning, getting stronger through the afternoon, and calming again in the evening. Check the weather forecasts before fishing.

Given the prevailing west to northwest winds, look for parts of the Delta waterways near your launch area that run at right angles to the wind, are protected by taller trees or brush, or have a combination of such wind protection. Consider fishing areas that will be more exposed to wind early or late in the day, and areas more protected from the wind in the middle of the day.

Water Temperature

There can be dramatic differences in water temperature in relatively short distances in the Delta. Typically river inflow and ocean-influenced incoming tides on the main boat channels are cooler. Typically water just rising and falling at the back of either dead-end or loop sloughs, or flowing back out of shallow areas (like sunken islands or weedy back bays) as the tide goes out, is warmer due to exposure to sunlight. This is most dramatic in summer but can be significant in winter when there are sunny days.

Generally, the warmer the water temperature is the better the fishing in the Delta. Generally, warmer water flowing into cooler water is better than the reverse. Look for water flowing out with the falling tide from the back of either dead-end or loop sloughs, or out of shallow areas. (These guidelines may be reversed in the dead heat of summer when water is too warm.)