The good news is that there are plenty of striped bass in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. Now comes the bad news! Most of the fish are less than 18 inches in length. There are a few exceptions where trollers have taken a few from 5 to 7 pounds, but the shakers have been too numerous. Trollers dragging YoZuris or P-Line Predators have been working about 14’ of water with the outgoing tides best to the first part of the incoming. For the chance of hooking up with a double digit fish, head to the West Delta to Honker Bay or Suisun Bay and toss fresh shad, mudsuckers or a live splittail at anchor. Don't rule out Montezuma Slough either. The month of October has always been a great producer of some quality striped bass.

Sturgeon have been making an appearance in Cache Slough, Ryer Island and Liberty Island from 40 to 60 inches in length. Shrimp baits and salmon roe getting most of the pulldowns.
The King salmon continue to push through the lower portions of the Sacramento River with some taken at the mouth of the Old Sacramento River, Isleton and the Walnut Grove area. The most popular spinner continues to be the double-bladed Silvertron model with either red or chartreuse beads. For better results put a 2 oz. drop sinker about 3’ behind the spinner so that it will bounce along the bottom. The current surface water temperature is about 71º.