I am often asked what kind of water I look for when I am fishing the Delta and why? The first thing that comes to mind when this question comes up is how many different answers I could give. What time of year would probably be the first thing that enters my mind. Many would think I would respond to the same question you hear over and over again and that is “do I like to fish low tide or high tide?”. I think learning about water movement is more important to understand and will help you find fish quicker all year round. I am going to try to explain myself and answer the question above which I believe will help you the most when starting out fishing on the Delta. All of the questions above are very important to your success on the Delta, but I think that the information I will share with you will get you started in the right direction.
What I look for when I am fishing on the Delta during the spring is water that moves up and down more than water that moves left and right. What I look for in the summer and fall is water that moves left to right more than water that moves up and down. To find these areas let me explain to you how to start. To begin you must picture in your mind the capital letter “H” flat on a table. If you look at a map of the delta try to find areas of water on the map that look like a capital letter “H”.
The long arms (vertical lines) of the “H” are the areas of the water that would be moving left and right or main river channels. The long arms are the current or the faster moving water, which is what I look for in the summer and the fall. The closer you move towards the middle of the “H” the slower the water moves until you reach the center. The middle part of the “H” would be where you would find the water moving up and down with no current or very little current, and is the ideal location in the spring. This condition creates and ideal place for the bass to spawn. Because the water is moving up and down in these areas it stays cleaner and there is less slit to cover the eggs from the spawning fish. Look for the bass to typically spawn around the bank, so your focus should not only include the bank, but all areas near and around the bank. When fishing a big flat shallow area the fish could be spawning all over the flat. Move carefully and look for holes in the weeds. If there is any deep water around this location you now have a staging area for pre-spawn and post-spawn fish.
My favorite method to use in the spring that entices big females on their beds, is fishing a Snag Proof frog on my Okuma seven foot, heavy action, guide select rod paired up with an Okuma 6.2:1 V System low profile reel. My choice of line is P-Line Spectrex fifty pound braid. This is a great line for sure hook sets and power, especially needed when pulling big fish out of cover or off their beds. Make long casts over the shallow water for bedding fish and work the frog slow. This will catch the females that are spawning and or the males guarding the nest. Fish the frog over the deep water the same way. The staging fish are either getting ready to spawn and want to eat, or they are tired from spawning and moving slowly, presenting an easy meal.
It is important to remember that the middle of the “H”, where the water moves up and down, is also a place in the winter where the water temperature really fluctuates. This is important to know because in a twenty four hour period the water will be cold for a majority of the time, and will warm up quickly only for a few hours during the day. That is when I move and look for slow moving water that goes left to right. This little bit of water movement will keep the water temperature more consistent and will create a better environment with more opportunities for bass to feed.
In the dead of winter I drop shot, or throw jigs in the slow moving water. This is when I use the P-Line Halo Fluorocarbon line in eight to ten pound test. This line is without a doubt the best line for disappearing in the different color waters that you will see all year long on the Delta. I also like how tough it is and the fact that it also has very little stretch, which is great for hook setting. Bass in the winter are not going to chase a meal like they would in the summer or fall. Because of the cold change in the water temperature, the bass’ metabolism slows down, and they become less aggressive. When selecting your fishing area in the winter think about the water movement and the color of the water. It maybe too fast or too off color.
During the summer and fall I tend to fish in and around the long arms of the “H” because I am looking for current. When I am fishing current I know that the bass are located there for a reason. The water temperature is going to stay consistent in the summer and the fall, creating a comfortable environment for the bass. Anytime I am fishing in current I know the bass in this moving water will want to eat and are not lazy but aggressive.
In the summer and fall I have several ways to catch aggressive bass. My number one bait for fishing current is a Rodstrainer spinner bait. I throw a half to three quarter ounce spinner bait to get down to these fish. I like throwing chartreuse and white skirt with a gold willow and silver Colorado blade. There are other color and blade combinations that work real well, but this is the best combination year around. I think it is important to have a trailer attached because I want a big profile going through the water. When I am fishing current the heavier spinner bait will help you get down to the deeper sections of the water. The heavier spinner bait will also help you with your casting control especially in the wind. Remember when the spinner bait hits the water you need to get those blades turning right away. I use an Okuma guide select, seven foot, medium action rod. My reel of choice is the Okuma V System low profile 6.2:1 reel. I use P-Line’s fifty pound Spectrex braid when I am throwing my spinner baits. As I stated earlier I like the way P-Line’s braid responds to the hook set and gives you the strength in your line you need to pull big fish from cover.
When you leave for a day of fishing on the Delta try to think about the “H” and what type of water movement you need for the time of year you are fishing. Always remember that when fishing the winter months look for the slower moving water and in the summer months look for the faster moving water. I hope this small amount of information I shared with you will get you started in the right direction for your next fishing trip on the Delta. If you would like more information, you can visit my website www.jerryfournier.com.
