For those of us who’ve been fishing a while, I’m sure we’ve all heard the term “turnover” used. Turnover can happen several times during the year but is most commonly discussed during the fall. Turnover is basically a time of mixing in the water. During the summer months the water on the surface becomes warm, rich in oxygen, but low in nutrients while the water down below becomes cooler, void of oxygen, and rich in nutrients. In the fall the upper layer eventually becomes cooler than the lower level at which time it sinks. The mixing of the two water levels is ideal for algae bloom creating the greenish tint that we’re all familiar with. For the fish this creates a water column that is uniform from top to bottom, causing a lot of fish to scatter while putting them into a neutral state. A lot of the lakes right now are either experiencing this turnover or are on the edge of turning over. Fishing typically is tougher during the turnover period, my suggestion for fishing during the turnover is to try and find a part of the lake or body of water that has been least affected by the turnover. Not all parts of the lake experience turnover at the same time, sometimes a boat ride to the other end of the lake can be enough towards making a bad day into a good one.

Delta Report:

The tough bite continues for a lot of bass anglers. Very few big fish are being caught right now. Numbers of smaller largemouth bass seem to be holding on the outside edges of weed lines and are biting on Senkos and crankbaits. Striped bass are starting to show up for those trolling the main channel with broken back rebels. Anglers fishing for salmon continue to do well while trolling Silverton’s north of the Rio Vista Bridge. Bank fishermen are also doing well while fishing for bluegill and catfish while using live worms and clams.

New Melones Lake:

There are few trout being caught right now on the lake. Those that are being caught are of great size. Recently an angler caught a trout that weighed in over five pounds while trolling at 100 feet deep while using a Rapala. As the temperature continues to drop, the bite should start improving. Bass fishing remains tough for a lot of anglers right now. For some reason the bass are wanting baits that are barely moving. Some of the better bites are coming from anglers fishing Senko’s and jigs while adding very little movement to the bait. The only launch ramp that is currently open is located off Glory Hole Point. All launching is done off a dirt ramp since the main ramp is now out of water.

Lake Don Pedro:

There are a lot of smaller bass being caught right now on the lake by anglers fishing around schools of bait. Schools of bait are being found around the main lake points. Once finding the schools anglers are fishing with either drop shotted worms, jigs, or a shaky head. Trout fishing has yet to turn on.

Lake Amador:

The trout plants have begun on the lake and they haven’t disappointed anglers. Anglers are catching their limits while fishing a variety of baits and techniques. One of the most popular and still the most effective is using Powerbait either fished off the bottom or just below the surface. One of my favorite colors has been the standard yellow Power bait.

Lake Camanche:

Catfishing is all the talk on the lake right now. Recently there was a 25-pound catfish that was caught out of the South Shore Pond. Anglers fishing for catfish in the ponds and the lake, are doing well while using a variety of different cut baits. Trout plants are being held off until mid-November.

Tip of the Week:

I was recently on a boat that was having electrical problems. It ended up being a loose battery cable. We were fishing a tournament at the time. The time spent diagnosing the problem ended up costing us. Not only did the loose cable cause us to be dead in the water for at least 15 minutes, it prevented his batteries from receiving a full charge the night before. It’s always good practice to give your equipment a once over before heading out for a day of fishing. Especially if you’re going to be heading out in less than ideal weather or preparing for a tournament.