NCKA Striper search in the Delta...

The key work is SEARCH.  I went out on Saturday 11/29 with colt45 (George) and XSquid (Kevin) in the central delta.  We went a long ways, but ended up finding several schools on flat open areas in the 8-12 foot depth range willing to smack our topwater offerings around.  Getting the fish to stick was even tougher than finding them though.  Eventually I got one to the boat and then it head-butted the yak and popped-off.  Got a smaller guy in the net for a quick pic (pic 1).  XSquid got a keeper.  Finally at the far end of our trek, we got into a school that kept us busy for a while.  Kevin nailed several fish and had a number of blow-ups as well.  I got a couple small ones and missed more hits.  On the way in, George and I got a few on the troll (pic 2).  We covered a lot of miles for those shakers, but ended up with about 12-15 for the three of us.  Not a bad day, but it could have been better.

On Sunday, I met with Raydog and Jeffrm20, also in the central delta.  It looked like the fog would burn off quickly when we launched, but within the hour it mysteriously and thickly rolled in and stuck around us all day long.  A couple of times, we ended up loosing track of each other in the mist and had to use our cell phones (I don't have a radio yet) to locate each other.  Jeff got a LMB on the topwater, and Ray and I missed a couple chances early.  After a long morning, I finally got a good hit and miss, smack and miss, swirl, miss, and finally a good solid strike and hook-set.  This fish was determined!  After a short battle, I had the 25 inch striper in the net (pic 3).  After hours of throwing plugs and not getting bit, that was real fun!  We searched several other sloughs for nada.  On the way in, I got a drive-by swirl, but no hit.  I got the fish on the follow-up toss with a white w/silver fleck super fluke.  I got another dink on the troll near the marina.  It was a tougher bite today for sure.

Guys--it was fun to have some company out there, thanks.  We'll find those hogs next time for sure 

Have fun out there, and be safe.

HobieBlue

Another awesome report and pictures Bryan. Thanks again for sharing.

Jedmo

Hey Bryan, it was fun to check out some new water even if the bite was tough.  We can't run and gun like the pb's, so it is always a gamble.  I don't mind the fog (keeps the topwater in play longer), but it has been pretty brutal the last couple of days.  I thought of you guys when I grabbed the paper this morning and vis was about 20', everything was wet from the mist........

Nice...you guys are having good times over there.  I am bummed that Mendo is such a mess this fall.

Nice report...again! Good to hear the fish are still around.

It was great to meet you yesterday Bryan. I had a blast even though the bite was off. It was a kick listening to you hoot and holler in the fog hooking your fish, I believe that is the way it should be done! Thanks for showing me some new fishing grounds and I know Jeff and I were extremely thankful you had your GPS to navigate the waterway in the fog (pea soup).

I learned a few things as well yesterday which is what I am always trying to achieve. First - get a radio, Second - get a GPS, Third - follow up throwing a super fluke after a fish swirls on your top water bait. I was impressed how you called that one. That fish took the super fluke just like you had hoped.

Thanks again Bryan for the tips and advice as well as guiding us through the central delta. I took a few pictures as follows:

Pic1 - Foggy conditions on the water (camera flash shows how bad it was)
Pic2 - Brian landing his first fish
Pic3 - Tractor stuck in the delta (looks like it has been there a while)
Pic4 - On the hunt

No WIND?....I agree with X!  Fog is a good thing.  Search and *FIND by the report. Once again, action is the key-factor in your Hunts&Conquers!
Thanks for the details&pics.....it was blowin from the north,HARD!, round these parts. 

What can I say, Bryan? Everything has already been said. Hobieblue=Striperking

LL

I had a great time on Saturday, thanks for the invite Brian and Kevin.  Even though I only caught one dink, and had one bigger follower (all the way to within arms length of the yak), I really enjoyed the company and time on the water.  You guys were killing 'em, especially for how hard the bite was!

Thanks for showing us some new water Bryan, it was cool seeing the schools of fish moving on the fish finder where you caught your striper. I definitely want to get back out to that spot next spring summer and explore those back ponds with some frogs and buzzbaits.

Jeff