Jigs and Pigs; Delta 1-24

With high tide in the afternoon and forecast am rain (that didn't show), I decided to fish the swing shift today.  On the water at 11 with mostly cloudy skies and 5-10mph winds.  The tide was up, so I started with a jig and grub trailer.  Picked up a nice bass right off the bat, pushing 6lbs.  Pics 1 and 2.  I worked a couple areas really slow but the bites weren't there. 

I moved over to another set of tules and missed a couple hits.  Encouraged by the new action, I stuck with the jig and started hitting tule points.  No sooner than my jig hit a good looking pocket, I get a nice thunk and set the hook.  Rod goes bendo, and a hot fish dives deep into the tules.  I had good pressure on the rod, but got that sick feeling of getting the fish traded for a snag.  To my relief, I felt it there again as it tried to go further into the tules.  I managed to work it out and grabbed the lower jaw of what I thought would be the elusive ten pounder I have been looking for.  She weighed in at 8lbs, 10oz.  (pics 3-5)  Just a couple happy meals shy of 10!  Slowly it is turning on out there, the big girls are starting to get their grub on............
 

Awesome pics!  Them hawgs be looking for the fryer right now!

Awesome report... I can't wait to get out there and give it a go.

Freddie

Oink Oink!!  Way to stick those pigs!  Those are some big big mama's you got today!  Keep up the good huntin' Kevin.

Have a great week dreaming of your next trip on the Delta!

Bryan

It's a sickness for sure.  But you got it as bad as I do!!!!!

Nice fish Kevin! Im jealous, but like the saying goes, you can't win the lottery if you don't play it! I need to get back on the water soon!

Jeff

Wow, what a hog, mouth big enough to swallow itself.....

Solid work - gotta love dem big girls! 

Wow! Talk about piggies. WTG on the LMB Kevin.

Jedmo

Your reports are getting as consistently sick as Bryan's!  Nice work.   

great report X   
the shots of her maw really show those red raw lips.
do you think that comes from digging for crawdads?

Thats what I'm thinking Hydrospider.  Alot of the bigger fish I have seen lately are pretty fat.  Shad are supposedly scarce in cold water, so they must be grubbin on crawdads. 

where on the delta were you fishing (where did you launch?)

I know a lot of the sloughs off the delta look a lot like that with a load of tulies

On the San Juaquin side....   

Very nice fish XSquid! Way to go! They are getting fat, aren't they?

I really don't think the fish get the red lips from eating crayfish. I think it's just the cold water that makes their blood show up in the mouth more intensely. They eat crayfish all year long but only have the redness when the water is cold. It is not only the lips that get red. You can see the fins and the belly slightly pink too.