CA Delta Fishy Report
Fall fishing has finally arrived on the California Delta! The forecast is calling for temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s over the next 10 days, which is a welcome change after several weeks of highs in the low 90s. With these cooler temperatures, I expect water temperatures to continue dropping and striped bass to move into the system more consistently.
Water temperatures have finally dipped below 70 degrees, but the warmer conditions over the past few weeks have kept the stripers spread throughout the system and fishing fairly inconsistent. That said, there have been some bright spots! Over the past week, I was fortunate enough to bring several fish in the 10–16-pound range to the boat. While the numbers haven’t been great, we’ve been seeing some quality fish scattered throughout the Delta.
Today was a different story on the numbers front. We landed 25 fish up to 7 pounds. Nothing huge, but solid action, good-quality fish, and a fun day on the water!
My hope is that the cooler forecast will continue to bring water temperatures down and encourage more stripers to move into the system. If that happens, things could really start to pick up as we move deeper into fall.
The highlight of my past week came when I threw a 5/0 Pole Dancer topwater fly on a 10-weight rod and watched a 16-pound striper absolutely explode on it right at the boat. It was an epic blowup and one I won’t soon forget! Those are the moments that keep us coming back for more.
My personal 2026 guide season is fully booked at this point, but I’m looking forward to finishing out the guide year strong. Fall is one of my favorite times of year, with fishing opportunities opening up all over the place.
Very best wishes to everyone, and happy fishing as we head into this wonderful time of year. There are plenty of opportunities out there, so get out and enjoy them!
Cheers to all, and to all a good fish! 🍻
