….choke my Sneaky Pete past it’s little red tail. Take me for a fast ride. Through some submerged timber, and across this river to the other side. Remember me? I play nice! I just want to take your picture once! Actually…let’s make it twice! After that you’re free my friend, to go about your normal life.

There have been some serious striped bass boated on the upper Sacramento River over the past two weeks. The west coast slab stripers didn’t disappoint. Our trophy fishery held up to its incredible reputation. Making dreams come true. Stripers reaching forty pounds were caught out of several different launching facilities recently. Keeping swimbait enthusiasts begging for more. No doubt the warming weather and longer days helped a slow starting trophy fishery, get the kickstart it needed. Warming river water temperature turned the big girls from overgrown sluggish and docile fish. Into strait up river monsters. Staging, stalking, and devouring everything in sight! Around the clock! Making for plenty of action river wide. Taking place in weather conditions that couldn’t get any more perfect. 80 degree day time temperatures with minimal winds, are hard to beat.

Accompanying the colossal stripers being caught up north, are the more manageable “schoolies”. Smaller striped bass! These are the best for eating, and the recommended take for anglers wanting to keep their striped bass for consumption. Which in my personal opinion, are the best damn eating fish swimming in this states waterways. Schoolies have been picked up by anglers throughout the upper river system. The purplish iridescent backs of these schoolies, along with firm oily meat. Indicates there has been a recent surge of new stripers taking up residence in the upper river. Many anglers are reporting catching fresh linesides from 7-12 pounds. Quick to jump all over the cadence of a sneaky pete or the vibration of the a-rig. These fish haven’t been here long enough to get hip to the locals tackle game. So they tend to bite a little better then the splash shy, and weary, big females. That have been in river for some time now.

Adventures after dark have also started to gain popularity. With the onset of warming day and nighttime air temperatures. With the exception of the last week. Northern California getting frost bit for the first time in a while. Running fishing charters after dark allows striped bass fishing guides like Robert Petty of NorthStateSalmon.com, to seek some solitude from daytime boat traffic, and fish quiet water. Putting more fish in his fish box for eager customers. After the sun goes down the chilly night time air temperatures are easily brushed aside, with the proper gear and a little planning. Trolling plugs at night for giant stripers will seldom take you past 10:00pm. The bite starts as soon as darkness falls on the river. Action is instant on the reaction bite. That is brought on by a properly trolled lure. The unmistakable feeling of a high speed troll bite on a Phenix Trifecta. Delivered by a trophy class striper. Is priceless! Certainly different then the visual satisfaction gained from a daytime glide bait assault. The night bite can’t be denied the same thrill. Simply a different method of take. Something worth experiencing by any standards.

The month of March is typically considered the holy grail for the anglers who target this trophy fishery. The river water temperatures warm up as the days get longer, and winter gives way to spring. Making the striped bass more aggressive. As they rapidly approach maximum weight. In preparation for the spring spawn. Many of the serious swimbait anglers will fish hard over the next month. Looking for the big females that can exceed fifty pounds. Large schools of three and four year old stripers will move into the California Delta over the next month. Staging to migrated up the Sacramento River in search of these big females. Always arriving in the Colusa, Ca region of the Sacramento River. Directly coinciding with the full moon event in March. By April 1, 2022 the trophy fishery will seize to exist as the large female stripers prepare to spawn. Stopping their endless eating habits for the time being. There is no better time then the present to target these trophy class, west coast striped bass. Bank or boat, night or day. The striper of a lifetime could only be one cast away.

Mike's Fishing Guide Service for Sacramento River fishing targeting King Salmon, Striped Bass, White Sturgeon, American Shad and Rainbow Trout. The Best Sacramento River Salmon Fishing Guide and Striped Bass Fishing Guide on the Sacramento River.