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Updated August 13, 2026

DELTA, Sacramento side — Salmon fishing from the shorelines or by trollers in the Old Sacramento River remains very slow during this period of triple-digit temperatures, but the coming months have the potential for outstanding action with the numbers of fish on their way to the upper Sacramento River and tributaries in their attempt to spawn. As what commonly occurs starting in August, striped bass are migrating into the Delta despite the hot water temperatures, and trollers are finding outstanding action along the West Bank with deep or shallow diving lures. This first wave of stripers are schoolies up to 8 pounds, but there are more on their way. With the hot temperatures, the largemouth bass are hunkered down under shade, and punching the weeds, flipping, Senkos, or chatterbaits are working in shallow water with heavy cover. Catch-and-release sturgeon fishing ended on June 30 before reopening on October 1.

DELTA, San Joaquin side — Triple-digit temperatures have resulted in heavy recreational boat traffic on the San Joaquin side, and it has also resulted in an improved largemouth bass bite as the fish are holding in shaded areas. There is a topwater bite in the early mornings with small shad- or bluegill-patterned lures, but the largest fish are taken by punching the weeds or flipping around tules. Frogs in Smoke or black/yellow tossed over heavy cover around tules with moving water is the key as the bass are feeding on birds or dragonflies. Casting accuracy is essential when frogging, and the best action appears at the switch of the low tide. A few striped bass are moving into the system and drifting live mudsuckers or bluegill are the top techniques. River salmon season opened on the Sacramento and Mokelumne sections of the Delta, but salmon fishing in the San Joaquin is closed.

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