The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a vast maze of rivers, sloughs and backwaters encompassing over 1200 miles of shoreline. All of the Western slope rivers in California eventually flow from the Sierras, through the valley and eventually gather to form this huge estuary.
This is the highway that all the anadromous fish that enter our valley rivers must navigate to return to their feeding and spawning grounds. These include King Salmon, Steelhead, Striped Bass and Shad. These species, along with resident Large and Smallmouth bass, are the ones that we fly fisherman target.
Centrally located, the Delta is just a short trip away! If you haven't experienced this wonderful fishery, let us at American Fly Fishing Co. be your guide!
Spring
With warming water temps. and higher river flows, the spring migration of Stripers begins! March through May is the peak of the run, with fish heading up the valley rivers, some to summer over in the cooler flows. This is also time for some of the best Large and Smallmouth fishing as they also spawn and feed heavily after the cold winter.
Summer
From June through August, it's primarily the resident bass that get most of the attention with some great top-water action on hand. Large numbers of smaller Striped Bass are still around with some larger ones in the mix. There is an overlap of spring fish moving out after the spawn, along with some that seem to stay in fresh water all year. This varies each season and we at American Fly Fishing Co. are always up to date on local trends!
Fall
The fall run of Stripers usually starts around the end of August with cooling water temps. The fish move in to feed heavily on the large schools of bait fish that have been growing all summer. The resident Large and Smallmouth bass are also fattening up to prepare for the colder winter temps. This period through Dec. is the most consistent of the year... It's not unusual to see schools of Stripers chasing bait to the surface where all you have to do is get your fly there and WHAM, you're hooked up again! This is not a time to miss and must be booked early in order to assure first pick of best tides. Don't wait!
Winter
This is basically a continuation of the fall. Depending on water temps. and clarity, we've seen the good fishing continue nearly non-stop until spring! Some of the biggest fish of the year are often caught in Dec. and Jan. Again, this is dependent on water temp. and visibility. We know what's happening on a daily basis so just ask.
Recommended Lodging:
La Quinta Inn
2710 West March Ln
Stockton, CA 95219
Phone:(209)952-7800
California Delta Gear & Equipment List
We offer a variety of fishing packages on the California Delta:
Premium Power Boat for $475All rates based on 2 anglers1/2 day Premium is 4 hours on water(no food)Additional anglers where possible $50Specify requested guide date below.
