The fall run salmon season is winding down so we decided to make a 2 day trip to the south delta. We stayed in a 32 ft slide out rental trailer the Sugar Barge has for rent and it worked out pretty well. We were able to keep the boat in a wet berth for 2 nights and that made it very simple to get fishing in the mornings. When Emma heard we we going to be sleeping in a trailer, she piped up and said “I Want to go!”. I was more than happy to oblige so off we went. Our first stop was the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield. The kids loved it and it was a nice break from the almost 3 hour drive to the Sugar Barge.
The next morning started with Matthew coming down with somekind of stomach ailment. He threw up all night and was not wanting to fish. However he agreed to let the other two fish for a couple hours then we would head home a day early. At about 10am Matthew felt much better and wanted to stay and keep fishing the rest of the day. Turns out we stayed the entire two days that were planned.
The fishing was typical delta large-mouth bass fishing. If they made a good cast then the chances were much better for hooking fish. They would have caught way more fish if they targeted stripers instead of LMB but they insisted on staying with the LMB fishing…. for 2 days! They landed about a dozen each day and it was by far less active than the striper fishing would have been. They all got new lures and they really wanted to fish them. If they fly fished for stripers during the 2 days there, I think they would have hooked many dozens. The bass were caught on a variety of lures including Zara Spooks, Wide Glides, Sammy’s, Rattle-Traps, weedless frogs and swimbaits.
We fished Discovery Bay in the AM both mornings and we were able to fish to busting bait and fish both days. Both boys caught fish that way and Emma cast, hooked and landed a small striper all by herself. That was a real treat to witness.
For the slower action of LMB fishing, Emma did super well. No complaints from her at all and she was just happy to be out there casting with the boys. What a wonderful addition to our normal trio.
We will be heading out there again before the year is out and I hope Emma will join us again.
