Fly Fishing Specialties – On the Water Report
California Delta – October 7
Report by Capt. Bryce Tedford
Hello anglers, this is Bryce Tedford with Fly Fishing Specialties bringing you the latest from the California Delta!
Fishing Update:
Fishing this week has been mediocre—we’ve seen good action, but north winds and unusually strong tides have kept the bigger fish down. That said, the weather has been exceptional, with sunny skies and variable winds. Water temperatures are still a bit high for stripers at 70°F, which is contributing to slower movement in the larger fish.
Gear & Techniques:
We’ve been running 8–9 weight rods with heavy sinking shooting heads, such as Rio 8–9 with I/5/7 tips. The key to success is cast, depth, and strip: cast as far as the situation requires, let the fly sink down into the strike zone, then strip hard with pauses, stripping right through the bites until the fish is on.
Flies:
Top patterns this week have been Clousers, especially Steve Adachi 3/0 Rattle Clousers in Chartreuse/White and Surf Brown/White. These flies continue to trigger aggressive strikes when presented correctly.
Outlook:
Although fishing is a bit slow right now due to the winds and tidal swings, it should pick up over the next few weeks as conditions stabilize and water temperatures start to drop.
Get out there, make long casts, work your flies deep, and stay patient—the Delta stripers are waiting!
Tight lines,
Capt. Bryce Tedford
