Most Expect To Make Long Runs To Delta

By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor

Some competitors drove for days across two or three time zones, taking circuitous routes and stopping off at breathtaking tourist magnets like the Grand Canyon or Yosemite National Park. Others hopped a plane and left the driving for someone else, all in a quest to reach one of bass fishing’s Meccas – the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

While it’s officially being called the Sacramento River Elite Series, it’s a widely-held belief that the third stop on this season’s schedule will be won some 90 or so minutes from the blast-off point at Discovery Park, in the heart of Sacramento. That means many in the field of 112 anglers will be sacrificing upwards of 3 hours of fishing time to reach the primo fishing haunts that dot the vast network of channels and sloughs and islands that make up the Delta.

Long runs are nothing new for this group, but on a tidal fishery where timing can be everything, the shorter days will put a premium on sound decision-making. When a window of opportunity opens, execution will be vital.

“With 5 hours to fish, you can’t go, ‘Oh I’m going to scratch this and go run 20 minutes over here,’” said California native Jared Lintner. “Then you’re racing the tide and clock and it could be disaster.”

With two derbies already in the books, this tournament kicks off a crucial two-week western swing for the Elites, the first of its kind since 2010. Those who dug themselves a hole in the standings over the first two events will be looking to bounce back on two vastly different fisheries – the tidal Sacramento River and Lake Havasu, which will host the Elite Series next week.

The Elites last visited the Delta in March 2010, but launched out of Stockton, located on the eastern edge of the Delta. It made for shorter runs to the most fertile fishing areas and John Crews claimed a 1-ounce victory in that tournament, edging Skeet Reese for the lone win of his Elite Series career. Crews returns to California this year as the Angler of the Year points leader while Reese is fresh off his latest win at Lake Guntersville.

The Delta is plenty capable of pumping out a 30-pound stringer, but it can also produce plenty of 12- to 14-pound bags and some head-scratcher 1-fish days as well. Results from recent local derbies indicate plenty of big fish are in the feeding mode as it’s consistently taken 25 to 30 pounds or more to challenge for a win in 1-day events. Spurning the long run to the Delta and heading north out of Sacramento could also yield enough quality bites to earn someone a Top-12 finish.

There are groups of bass in all three phases of the spawning cycle, which should allow competitors to fish to their strengths. A full moon is on its way Saturday so another wave of fish looking to spawn could be en route. As with all tournaments held in coastal waterways, the tide cycle will loom large over the event. Most of the anglers have at least some experience with it, but knowing where to be and when, especially with a reduced window of fishing time, could make or break the event for someone.

For the first time in recent memory, weather will be mostly a non-factor for the competitors unless someone forgot their sunscreen. After enduring some sort of weather-related headache at the first couple events, anglers likely shouldn’t be held up by any fog delays, thunderstorm delays, freeze warnings or heavy downpours.

There have been just three days in April where more than a trace of rain fell near Stockton, Calif., and two of those were last Friday and Saturday, when more than a half-inch of rain fell. The aftereffects of that precipitation will be long gone by Thursday morning as the forecast for this week and through the weekend appears to be stable with overnight lows in the 50s and daytime highs in the upper 80s and 90s.

Before getting into more about the bite, here's the lowdown on the venue itself.

BassFan Lake Profile

> Name: Sacramento River/California Delta
> Type of Water: Tidal network of channels and tributaries fed by five rivers that surrounds a series of agricultural islands
> Surface acres: 61,000 (approx. 1,000 miles of navigable water)
> Primary structure/cover: Tules, weeds and grassbeds, some rock (levees) and wood
> Primary forage: A veritable smorgasbord that includes bluegills, golden shiners, threadfin shad, crawdads, crappie, baby steelhead, baby stripers, Delta smelt, etc.
> Average depth: 10 feet
> Species: Largemouths, smallmouths
> Length limit: 12 inches
> Reputation: A longtime giant-bass destination with a prolific number of fish over 5 pounds
> Weather: Expected to be stable and warm through the weekend
> Water temperature: Mid to upper 60s
> Water color/visibility: Some areas with deeper grass are gin clear, others are stained
> Water level: Fluctuates about 3 feet per day this time of year due to the tides
> Fish in: 0 to 10 feet
> Fish phase: Some pre-spawn, some spawning, some post-spawn
> Primary patterns: Flipping plastics and jigs, bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, Senkos, maybe some sight-fishing.
> Winning weight: 90 pounds
> Cut weight (Top 50): 30 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 3 for the Delta
> Biggest factor: Decision-making. Knowing where to be and when based on the tide will be critical.
> Wildcard: Monster bites – one could come on any cast

Below is a look at the landscape of the Delta, thanks to the folks at Navionics.

Run and Bear It

Ken Mah, an accomplished tournament angler on the Delta, recently made headlines there when he and tournament partner Jason Austin caught a 36.19-pound stringer in a U.S. Angler’s Choice tournament on April 11. He thinks the timing of the Elites’ arrival couldn’t be better as he tends to believe the spring in northern California has been a little delayed for whatever reason.

“I think they’re going to hit it just right,” Mah said. “If the weather holds out and the forecast is right and there’s not a lot of big wind, they’ll hit it right. I’d say about 35 to 45 percent of system has spawned or is currently spawning so there is still the bulk of fish to come to bed. When they’re coming in, they’re big and fat and healthy.”

He’s of the belief that while fish can be caught above Sacramento, the winning fish will come out of the Delta, which will require boat rides of 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on which part of the Delta someone wants to access.

“To win, guys are going to have to make the run,” Mah predicts. “Guys could stay local in Sacramento and make the cut. A place like Verona (north of Sacramento) is a place where if things line up and you’re one or two people in there things could go your way to make the Top 12.”

Another area that figures to attract plenty of fishing pressure is the famed Frank’s Tract area. Mah says it’s a 90-minute boat ride from Discovery Park to Frank’s, but it’s almost always worth it.

“It’s just a real fertile place,” he said. “There are a lot of things the fish need there all by itself. Starting in February, there’s a team tournament that goes out of Russo’s Marine on the west side of Frank’s just about every weekend so a lot of fish get transplanted there. It already has everything a fish would need to live there with deep and shallow water, current, hard bottom and tules.”

Game of Tides

Like it was at the Sabine River for the season opener, the tide will be a factor that will figure into a lot of anglers' strategies this week. It hits high and low extremes twice each day, with a fluctuation of between 3 and 4 feet at this time of year, and the peaks and valleys fall about 45 minutes later on each successive day. Based on the NOAA tide predictions for Prisoners Point in the heart of the Delta near Frank’s Tract, competitors will be facing the end of the outgoing and start of the incoming tide during the tournament days with low tide coming between 10:30 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. depending on the day.

Some pros reported that during practice the fish bit the best on the incoming tide, but it was right about the time they’d have to start heading back to Sacramento during the tournament.

“This year the incoming tide has been better,” Mah added. “Unfortunately, that’s not what they’re going to have. You can get it in certain places depending on where they end up like some places out west, but the water will be going out the whole tournament for the most part.”

In that scenario, he says having a solid understanding of where fish go during certain tide conditions will be critical. That may favor the West Coast contingent or those with extensive experience at the Delta. Keen decision-making will be a crucial component to someone’s success this week.

“More than anything, in my opinion, it narrows the windows down to where they’re going to bite,” Mah said.

Regardless of tide cycles, big fish are going to be caught. Those who can mix in a 7- or 8-pounder (or better) with a fistful of 3-pounders over multiple days will be the ones everybody is chasing.

Notes from the Field

Following are practice notes from a few of the anglers who'll be competing this week.

Justin Lucas
“My practice has been terrible. I just feel like everything I’m doing is backwards. Nothing’s clicking yet. I know the local guys are smashing them, but they get 8 hours and they live here so they know what and where is good. I’m just driving around way too much. I need to put my head down and just fish, but when you get in an area and you’re not getting bit you want to leave. I feel like I’ve put a million miles on my boat this week just driving and checking every slough.

“That’s how the Delta is. You can be in the wrong place on the wrong tide and it can seem like nothing lives there. If you can get into an area where there are a bunch of fish, you can do well. I’ve gotten in some of those areas, but there are nothing but small fish. The last time I was out here was 5 years ago and it’s definitely changed since then. The grass has changed and there’s a lot of slimy, stringy stuff now. Literally, every cast I’m having to pull this stuff off of my baits.”

Jonathan VanDam
“It’s been tougher than I expected it to be. I’ve found an area that’s holding some fish, but the issue has been figuring out what will get them to bite and if you’re going to have company in the area, which is probably a guarantee. I came out and pre-practiced and that helped a lot with navigation. It’s big and expansive and a lot of it looks similar so it can be pretty daunting.

“It seems like there are some that have spawned because I’ve been seeing fry. Some are spawning and I’m sure there are some that haven’t spawned yet. The biggest challenge is going to be running down (to the Delta) and the limited fishing time we’re going to have. Guys that know this place and know when to be at certain places will have a big advantage. We can’t learn that in 3 days. It’s just not possible. I suspect a lot of guys will run to an area they have confidence in and just spend the whole day there. We only have time to hit a couple spots unless a guy knows a good stretch for that tide.

I haven’t caught any good ones. I’ve seen some spawning and some just hanging out. They’re in a weird phase right now. I don’t know exactly what to expect. You can be on the best dang spot on the Delta and the tide will be wrong and you won’t get bit.”

Aaron Martens
“It’s in a funk right now. It’s not like it was probably a week or two ago. We’d need a full day to really smash them. The problem is we won’t have a full day. With such a short day, you feel like you can’t make many decisions or changes. The fishing’s not that easy. There’s definitely a time of day when they bite really good, but that time is getting later every day.

“Dead low tide is really tough. Those bed fish get real spooky and on high tide, it’s tough to see. I could’ve had 25 or 30 pounds Monday and Tuesday if I’d been fishing for them, but I’m sure a lot of guys found the same fish I’ve found.

“I’ve actually seen more non-Elite guys in practice than Elite guys. It’s a tough place and it’s definitely toward the end of the spawn. It’s just a tough time to fish it. This is when they’re at their toughest to catch.”

Russ Lane
“I think a majority of these fish now are post-spawn. I’m getting more bites than I was the last time we were here, but the quality isn’t what it was back then. That being said, I know several guys will catch big bags, but I also think there will be a lot of 13- and 14-pound stringers.

“Making the run is a tricky deal. Everybody in the field knows they can’t compete if they stay near the ramp so you’re forced to make the long run. Then it all centers around the tide and it makes it hard to sit in one area. I’m sure some guys will make it work. Making a 50- to 70-mile run and keeping up with the tide swings will be tricky.

“Later in the day has been better for me. It seems they turn on if you’re in the right area, but that best time of the day for me is when I’m going to be running back to the ramp. It always seems like in the post-spawn tournaments, they bite good early in the morning and later in the day. I think the weather is going to keep getting warmer and hopefully the water temperature will keep rising and make them more aggressive so we can get on a topwater bite.”

Jared Lintner
“This place is really, really full of bass. There are giants in here and there are numbers, but right now it’s almost how Guntersville was. The fish are scattered. Some are on deep grass, some are spawning, some are on topwater. They’re in all different phases.

“I have fished up here quite a bit, but typically I fish here in February and March and then in the summer. The fish aren’t in this stage they’re in now at those times and I’m having a tough time figuring out how to catch the big ones. I’m not getting enough consistent big bites to clue me in on what to take off and run with. It’s so scattered and that’s what’s scary about it. Due to the run time, you don’t have 8 hours to do a bunch of different things – you have to catch them. I just haven’t seen enough consistency to make me feel like I can go out and catch 20 or 25 pounds.

“The potential is there. Someone will catch low 30s or maybe even mid 30s because some areas are plum full of bed fish. It’s still going to take some weight to win it. There are enough big ones in here and the caliber of these guys is too good. I’ve been telling some guys ‘You don’t need to throw what the locals throw.’ I’m sure these fish will see some baits or techniques they’ve never seen before and it will be interesting to hear how guys catch them because it’s always something different than the norm.”

Top 10 To Watch

With the above in mind and more, here, in no particular order, is BassFan's recommendation on the Top 10 to watch at this event:

1. Brett Hite – Bounced back with a 13th at Guntersville after a dud at the Sabine River. He’s won in the spring on the Delta before (he cracked 100 pounds in 2008 in the old National Guard Western FLW Series) and he’s proven lethal with a ChatterBait, which should be a player this week.

2. Aaron Martens – Another former Delta winner (2007 Elite Series) with California roots who’s off to a solid start this year. He knows the tides and understands where to be and when.

3. Skeet Reese – This is the closest he’ll come to a home game (he lives 30 minutes from the launch ramp) and he’s still riding the high of winning (again) at Guntersville. He lost by an ounce here to Crews back in 2010 so he’d love nothing more than to avenge that and capture a second straight victory.

4. Greg Hackney – Some say the grass is a little off by Delta standards, but Hackney tends to find the most productive green stuff more often than not. The 96th he posted at Guntersville probably took him out of the AOY conversation, but he’s fared well (two Top-10s) at the Delta in the past and he rarely puts up two stinkers in a row.

5. Chris Zaldain – San Jose native with plenty of experience on the Sac River and Delta. He’s looking to build upon two money finishes already this year.

6. Jared Lintner – Another Californian with plenty of time spent on the Delta. He’s anxious to hit the reset button on the season and he has the tools and know-how on the Delta to be a real threat.

7. Todd Faircloth – He’s a threat pretty much everywhere, but put him around grass and moving water and he’s in his element. Missed a check at Guntersville so he’ll be hungry for a bounce-back effort.

8. Ish Monroe – Monroe has put the Toho incident behind him and is putting together a real solid two-tour season so far (5 Top-40 showings). This is his kind of place (frogs, flipping and topwater) and we expect he’ll surpass his previous results at the Delta this week.

9. John Crews – One the more consistent check-cashers on the Elite Series, he’s bringing a bunch of momentum with him as the AOY points leader after two events.

10. Derek Remitz – Off to his best start in several seasons, Remitz will be looking for a repeat or better of his runner-up finish at the Delta from 2007.

Launch/Weigh-In Info

> Anglers will launch at 6:15 a.m. PST all 4 days from Discovery Park (1000 Garden Hwy. Sacramento, CA 95833). Weigh-ins will get under way at 3 p.m. at Discovery Park (same address).

Weather Forecast

> Thurs., April 30 – Mostly Sunny - 91°/59°
- Wind: From the N at 10 to 15 mph

> Fri., May 1 – Sunny - 94°/57°
- Wind: From the NW at 5 to 10 mph

> Sat., May 2 – Mostly Sunny - 88°/53°
- Wind: From the SSW at 10 to 20 mph

> Sun., May 3 – Partly Sunny - 84°/51°
- Wind: From the SW at 10 to 15 mph

Notable

> The Elite Series competitors won’t be the only tournament anglers converging on the Delta and Sacramento River this week. There’s a 100-boat Coors Light Invitational team tournament scheduled for Saturday and Sunday out of Bethel Island. There’s also a California Bass Federation event on Sunday, launching out of Stockton and there may be some anglers practicing for next week’s Western Rayovac Series.

> Brent Chapman wasn't all that impressed by the fishing in practice. Some of that, he thinks, stems from the change in vegetation since he was there in 2010. Meanwhile, Zaldain is hoping to catch enough to make the weekend which is when he thinks he can make a move. To read about their practice recaps click here to visit our Pro View Report.