Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 2724 Nov 9-23 | Page 15

Nov 9 - 23, 2018
FRESHWATER
VOL.37 • ISS. 24
BASS FISHING SPOTLIGHT
15
By Dan Bacher
Rio Vista Bass Derby Challenges Striper, Sturgeon and Salmon Anglers
T
he 71st Rio Vista Bass Derby
held on October 12, 13 and 14 drew
300 participants vying to catch the fish
closest to the selected striped bass length
of 30.5 inches and the sturgeon length of
53 inches.
Carleton King took first place in the
striper division with a 30.21-inch fish
weighing 11.2 pounds, winning $1500. He
landed the fish while soaking a bullhead
in Montezuma Slough below Hunter’s
Cut, reported Barry Canevaro of Fish
Hookers Sportfishing and the California
Striped Bass Asssociation (CSBA), Isleton
Chapter.
Don Syengchanh came in second with
his 29.90-inch striper weighing 12.4
pounds. He bagged his fish while using a
jumbo minnow in False River.
Michael Parker placed third with his
29.77-inch striper weighing 10.1 pounds.
In the sturgeon division, John
Woodring finished first with a diamond-
back measuring 46.10 inches long and
weighing 32.3 pounds.
Jim Francis of Concord, a longtime
friend and fishing partner of the late
Fish Sniffer publisher and founder Hal
Bonslett, finished second with a sturgeon
measuring 43.28 inches and weighing
23.8 pounds. He caught the fish on grass
shrimp in Montezuma Slough.
The participants in the salmon division
of the event competed for the largest fish
weighed in. Brian Lazlo won first place in
the salmon category with a 16.1-pound
Chinook.
James Fischer placed second with his
15.9 lb. king, while John Woods placed
third with his 15.6-pound salmon.
In the youth division, Emiliano Martinez
caught the biggest catfish, a 7-1/2 pound
channel catfish, while bait fishing in
Liberty Cut.
“Eighteen kids weighed in fish,
including stripers, catfish and one
salmon,” said Canevaro. “Every kid that
weighed in a fish received a prize, topped
by two bikes and $50 cash for the winning
striped bass and catfish. The prizes also
included gift certificates to Sportsman
Warehouse, 10 rod and reel combos, 4
tackle boxes filled with tackle and two
other Shakespeare rod and reel and tackle
packs.”
Members of the California Striped Bass
Association, Isleton Chapter, measured
and weighed the fish during the event.
They also sponsored all of the kids’ prizes,
except for two bicycles provided by Ace
Hardware, Rio Vista, and a couple of
rod and reel combos from Sportsman’s
Warehouse.
After months of great striper fishing on
the Delta, the fishing was relatively slow,
with only seven fish checked in during the
three days. Likewise, sturgeon fishing was
also tough with only two fish weighed and
measured.
The sturgeon has improved since the
derby with better tides, with anglers
hooking good numbers of sturgeon while
using salmon roe and lamprey eel in the
Pittsburg area.
While the weather was beautiful on
Friday and Saturday, a strong northwest
wind made boating and fishing difficult
Sunday. Anglers weighed in more salmon,
11, than stripers or sturgeon, according to
Canevaro.
The salmon fishing has really slowed
down in the Isleton and Rio Vista areas
since the derby.
“We landed one 10 lb. salmon and lost
a bigger one while trolling Silvertron
spinners from Light 37 to the Rio Vista
Bridge on a recent trip,” stated Canevaro.
Derby sponsors included the Rio Vista
Chamber of Commerce, Abel’s Chevrolet,
Sportsman’s Warehouse, Adventure Sports
Kayak City, Ace Hardware, The Bent
Rod, Phoenix Rods, Silverton Lures and
Fisherman’s Friend in Lodi.
The festival portion featured a number
of events, including a carnival, live music,
Lion’s Club pancake breakfast, parade,
car show, farmers market, downhill races,
fireworks and other festivities.
The First Bass Derby held in Rio Vista
GONE FISHING
Carleton King won first place in the striper
division of the Rio Vista Bass Derby with
a 30.21-inch fish weighing 11.2 pounds.
Photo courtesy of RIO VISTA BASS DERBY
& FESTIVAL.
was in 1933. Since that time, the derby
and festival has become one of the Delta’s
most iconic and enduring events. For
more information, contact the Rio Vista
Chamber of Commerce, [phone].
continued from page 1
Mike Bogue of Mike Bogue’s Guide
with Smith that produced limits in downtown TNG Motor Sports Guide Service, (530)
320-0994; Robert Weese of Northern
Service [phone]; and Brad Fugica
Sacramento.
California Guide Service [phone];
of SalmonStriper.com, [phone].
‘This trip was great,”
said Smith. “We ended
up two salmon and a
third one for myself,
along with two other
hard grabs, all by
8:30 a.m. Two fish
were smaller and one
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Other guides reported
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Sacramento area also.
On October 25, James
300-400
Netzel of Tight Lines
Guide Service reported
four limits of Chinook
salmon ranging from
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Dan Bacher successfully battled this bright
Chinook salmon while trolling on the
Sacramento River below Garcia Bend on
September 28.
Photo courtesy of GOLD COUNTRY
SPORTFISHING, Oakdale
flashers.
On October 24, Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide Service
reported early limits of salmon in the Sacramento area. “The Jack
Pot cut plug was the hot one again today. We ended up with 3 fish
for 3 hook ups,” said Reimers. “We also let a little jack salmon go.”
Salmon are being hooked by bank anglers and boaters on the
Sacramento from below Vieira’s Resort in Isleton all of the way
upriver to Verona now.
Information: (209)
581- 4734.
Guides now fishing
for salmon on the
Sacramento River
include: Monte
Smith, Gold Country
Sportfishing (209)
581-4734; James
Netzel of Tight
Lines Guide Service
[phone];
Bret Brady of Bare
Bones Guide Service
[phone] or
[phone]; Rob
Michael Abourezk had a great time reeling
Reimers of Rustic
Rob’s Guide Service, in this beautiful king during a trip with guide
Monte Smith of Gold Country Sportfishing
[phone];
on the Sacramento River.
Jerry Lampkin of
Photo by DAN BACHER, Fish Sniffer Staff.
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