This is Bryce Tedford with Fly Fishing Specialties on the Water Report for the California Delta!
The weather has been absolutely beautiful lately, but Striper fishing has been a bit of a grind through October. I’d rate the fishing as mediocre this week — there are a few fish here and there, but we haven’t been seeing the numbers we typically expect this time of year. That said, the persistent angler is still finding success, with around 10 fish per day and a few quality Stripers mixed in.
Conditions have been excellent overall. Winds have stayed light, and water temperatures are holding around 65°F, which is ideal for Stripers.
We’ve been fishing 8–9 weight rods paired with heavy sinking Type 6 shooting heads, such as the Rio Outbound Short I/5/7 lines. Productive fly patterns continue to be Clousers—especially the Steve Adachi 3/0 Rattle Clousers in Chartreuse/White, Surf Brown/White, and the Joker (Black over Chartreuse).
We’re still waiting for a good push of fresh fish to move in from the Bay, and things should really pick up as those fish migrate deeper into the Delta over the next few weeks.
As always, success out here comes down to the cast, depth, and strip. Make your casts as long as the situation allows, let the fly sink into the right part of the water column, and strip hard. Mix in a few pauses, and when you feel those bumps or whacks—strip through the bite and don’t trout set!
Get out there and enjoy this great fall weather. The Delta’s about to turn on!
