UTERStriped bass fishing in California freshwater
In California freshwater, striped bass peak March–May and September–November and are around year-round, spawning in April–May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: Sacramento River stripers start upstream.
Delta fall stripers on the flats.
Striped bass in California freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryArriving
- MarchPeakSacramento River stripers start upstream.
- AprilSpawningThe run: Colusa to Knights Landing.
- MaySpawningSpawn tapers on the Sacramento; the Delta's resident fish stay.
- JuneLeaving
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeakDelta fall stripers on the flats.
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberAround
Where to fish striped bass near Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville
The Delta's tule-lined sloughs, Clear Lake's trophy bass, the foothill spotted-bass reservoirs, the Sacramento's salmon and striper runs, the Sierra's trout streams and high lakes, and the southern reservoirs' Florida-strain giants.
What to use for striped bass
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–80°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch striped bass in California freshwater?
Peak season is March–May and September–November, with fish spawning in April–May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Striped bass are here year-round. March: Sacramento River stripers start upstream.
Where do striped bass hold in California freshwater?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, river, reservoir, lake — around Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville, Bullards Bar, Lake Shasta, Eastern Sierra.
What is the best bait for striped bass in California freshwater?
Live bait: live eels, menhaden (pogies), herring, bloodworms. Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for striped bass in California freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.
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All about striped bass · California fresh water, the whole year