Time: 0600-1400
Location: California Delta
Air temperature: 52-65 degrees
Water temperature: 57-61 degrees
Tidal influence: high outgoing
Seasonal fish pattern: pre-spawn
Wind direction speed: SW 0-6 mph
Water clarity: 2-8 feet

On April 3, 2019 I decided to go fish on the California Delta river system. I launched at first light approximately at 0600 hours.

Shortly after launching I ran North to Woodward Island with the tide half way out. The water temperature was around 59 degrees, and the water clarity was slightly stained.

I started throwing a top water frog on the South bank and almost immediately had two blow ups on my frog. The fish came and rolled on my bait without fully committing.

Even though I wasn’t able to land the fish, it kept me optimistic enough to continue throwing the top water frog. As I worked my way down the bank I encountered sparse bull rush, isolated hydrilla clumps, and an occasional rouge penny wart mat.

I continued to throw the frog and finally had a fish commit. It wasn’t a giant however it was a solid fish just over three pounds. I caught two more fish around the same size before approaching the area that had already been fished. 

The tide was nearly completely out on Woodward so I ran further NW to try and catch the switch. I pulled up on the North end of Fisherman’s cut. The tide was about twenty minutes into the switch, and clean healthy hydrilla blankets lined the rip rap rock bank.

The grass was healthy in this area and I know I could easily flip the grass and get a bite or two. I chose to force the frog until my luck ran completely out. Lucky catch!