Striper Chasing on th Stanislaus Wed. 5/14

I am going to be hitting up the Stanislaus at The Dogpound on the Stani. hoping to get some of the first stripers coming up on the spring run. Going to be at the opening of the gates at 5 am. I need some fishing time! I havent been out since April 22nd! Mostly going to be working topwater and jerkbaits, but I'll throw some swimbaits as well. If the stripers fail I'll had into the dead currents and nab some largemouth. Since they are easy to catch out there 

Flow rats of today are about 1,000 cfs, so should be manageable

Jeff

Taking the yak or are you shore bound?  Wish I could join you but it just isn't in the cards.  Pulling solo daddy duty for the week.

Michael

Yep, I'll be in the yak. Last time I was out there last summer I think, I was in my 10" SIS yak, I could only pull a few largemouth.

Too much work for me.    End of the school year.  Give me three weeks, and I am there!   

Looks like great frog water too.

Hobieblue

Definitely! Very good frog water, I am bringing some SPRO frogs with me.

Jeff, I can't make it Wed., but it looks like an awesome spot.  Where exactly is that, if you don't mind sharing.  I am not familiar with the Stanislaus river.

Its in Oakdale, kind of near Modesto. Its a good spot where the Stanislaus is kind of backed up and creates a huge wide slow moving spot, lots of big stripers and as you can see from my pic good spots for largemouth.

Here is a pic below. Ok for good spots, I have highlighted as follows.

The red dot is where you can park. Good baitfishing off this point, but you have to get there early since there isnt a lot of room, kinda gotta get there first and claim the spot if you are fishing from shore.

The green dots are where there is no water current and a lot of bass are found. Lots of cover and logs in there, senkos work great back in there.

The blue area is wide open with a lot of deeper holes, The stripers hold in here. I found it's better to hide back along the slow moving current in the kayak so you dont spook the stripers. Big jerkbaits and topwater work well here. Best fishing is at sunrise. Gates open at 5am.

Thanks for the re-con photos.  Great info there.  I was planning to do a drop-float-shuttle run (more if it can work out okay) this summer.  I'm sure there are lots of great striper holes along the way.  If you have any input at put-in places and pick-up places, that would be great.

Thanks a lot Jeff

Bryan

You could probably put in up at Orange Blossom Bridge launch which is up a few miles, might not be a lot of stripers above Oakdale Rec. But there are plenty of trout at least. So pretty much it goes Knights Ferry, Orange Blossom Bridge, Oakdale Rec., Jacob Myers Park in Riverbank, Mchenry Rec, then the park in Ripon. I have always wanted to do a float from Oakdale Rec, to Mchenry or Ripon. Or do a float from Mchenry Rec. down to Mossdale. I am sure there are a lot of stripers holding at where the Stanislaus and San Joaquin come together. I am going to upload a map with all of the launches and maybe distances on the Stanislaus.

Jeff

Cool.  I got a striper on a zara spook at Ripon (Caswell Park) from the shore last summer.  Only about 18 inches.  I got hammered by some WAY bigger ones, but couldn't get 'em to stick.   

Bryan

Lemme know if you're ever gonna do this on a Sunday (my only gauranteed fishing day)!  I've been meaning to explore the Stani for some time but have never gotten around to it.

Bungle, give me a date on a Sunday and were there. I liv less than two minutes from Jacob Myers Park and 10 minutes from Oakdale Rec.

Jeff

Word. 

I remember that spot now, the biggest local striper I've ever seen was caught there. He used a live bait!
I should have called in sick today...

Be looking for your report.

Have a great trip.

Craigh