San Joaquin River Panfish

It was our first time fishing the San Joaquin River for panfish. Most fishing in this area is concentrated on bass so we had the panfish all to ourselves. We found the little guys hanging around the vegetation in backbays but the shellcrackers were lined up on gravel bars behind inlets. We used garden worms, red worms and waxworms and they all worked. Took home 4 good sized fish and one gill hooked fish. My buddy got his own share as well and all of us lost/broke off a couple. Fun 2 hours!

http://i.imgur.com/bDR278d.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/04CtnwD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gRZXaNg.jpg

Nice gills

What soughs were you guys fishing I lived in the bay area for several years and fish the Delta many times we put in at B and W most of the time but alwas fished for bass,its been 16 years since I left Calif,I moved back home to Tenn. How is the Drought effecting the Delta, Bass Masters will be out there in mid April but this time they starting point is Sac

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Originally Posted by seabass_seeker

It was our first time fishing the San Joaquin River for panfish. Most fishing in this area is concentrated on bass so we had the panfish all to ourselves. We found the little guys hanging around the vegetation in backbays but the shellcrackers were lined up on gravel bars behind inlets. We used garden worms, red worms and waxworms and they all worked. Took home 4 good sized fish and one gill hooked fish. My buddy got his own share as well and all of us lost/broke off a couple. Fun 2 hours!

http://i.imgur.com/bDR278d.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/04CtnwD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gRZXaNg.jpg

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nice chinquapin. They get pretty big in LA.

Nice catch! Great tasting too.

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Originally Posted by bigjoeed

What soughs were you guys fishing I lived in the bay area for several years and fish the Delta many times we put in at B and W most of the time but alwas fished for bass,its been 16 years since I left Calif,I moved back home to Tenn. How is the Drought effecting the Delta, Bass Masters will be out there in mid April but this time they starting point is Sac

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Hey Bigjoeed, the Delta isn't really affected by the drought. Thank goodness we have had some late rain come by. Delta fishing is still pretty good at least around here in the Sacramento and San Joaquin county. Strippers are running right now. I was boating out at the Sac river last Saturday and hooked up a few healthy strippers over 18" in one hour. Nothing big to boast about. However, our northern Cal reservoirs and lakes are still struggling. I just don't think the snow pack will help much especially when June/July rolls around. We have Southern Cal residences pounding at the capital door wanting more water access from our northern lakes. Same old issue you probably experienced when you lived here.