If you bring one in be sure to fill out the questionnaire and have your picture taken. We will put your picture on the internet for the Whole Wide World to see (with your permission)!!!!!!!!!!!

Christian's Report - November 13, 2008

It was nice to see two old friends last week -- Mr. Rain and Mr. Fog. They both kind of go hand in hand. As I write this week's column, there is no fog and I can see forever.

Here at the harbor according to our rain gauge we received 1.14 inches of rain a week or so ago. That was followed by Mr. Fog who showed up on our door step last Saturday November 8th. The fog was gone by 10:00 am or so.

We have been recording weather information for ten years now as of the end of this year. As many of you I know, I am willing to argue about many things in the Delta and our weather is one of them. So far, we have received 7.37 inches of rain here at the harbor year to date. If we get one more rain the rest of this year we still beat out 2007 which was our recorded worst for short rain fall at 7.04 inches. Our average rain fall over the ten year span is 10.48 inches.

Our weather is not San Francisco weather nor is it Sacramento/Stockton so you can’t always gauge what those cities are doing to see if it’s ok to go fishing or not.

Fishing continues to be strong the first twelve days of November. The wind for the most part has been very favorable. The rains experienced a week ago dumped a little road dirt into the rivers but that dirty water is all cleared up and water temperatures are still very favorable. Remember we have not had any heavy frosts yet. Water temperatures may be a little higher for this time of year. Currently at the Antioch Boat ramp, the temperature range is 58.98 to 59.59 degrees and at the Rio Vista Bridge on the Sacramento River the range is a little cooler at 57.6 to 58.3 degrees, but still very favorable for striper fishing.

If a guy were to ask me where to fish today based on what I hear on VHF radio channel 68 and what information we gather here at the harbor, I would say anywhere from the Benicia Bridge in Suisun Bay to Mildred Island in Middle River.

Scott Caldwell of Clayton brought in two nice fish Tuesday, a 43 inch, 32 lb striper and a 35 inch, 18 lb striper. Both fish were caught on an outgoing current using bullhead for bait.

Alex Burr caught a very nice 60 inch, 43 lb sturgeon on Saturday out on the Sacramento Deep Water Shipping Channel near buoy 12. Alex was using shad for bait.

The stripers should be safe for a few weeks as Walt is going for a little hand surgery so that will keep him off the water for a few weeks. Besides that, he and Curt and Henri have nothing to complain about when it comes to striper fishing. The stripers are moving and so is Walt. He is fishing pretty much just like the black bass guys do it. If it’s not looking fishy (bait on the fish finder, sea gulls diving, water boiling with stripers chasing bait) then he moves on. Whether your plug casting or bait fishing that is the way you need to fish because if not you are just fishing versus catching.

Just a reminder that pheasant season in the Delta has started. Actually, it started last Saturday November 8th and goes for 44 consecutive days into December. This is the time of year when you don’t want to fish too close to the levee because of pheasant season you might get dusted by pellets. Jersey Island for years has been a very popular spot. This year I’m told that the pheasants are very scarce to the point that they are only allowing hunting on weekends.

Should you wish to get a hunting/fishing pass for Jersey Island you can contact Dennis Nunn at the Ironhouse Sanitary District Office in Oakley at 925-625-2279 for additional info.

In years past, there have always been a few birds on West Island but remember everyone goes over there so there may or may not be any birds.

Gas prices at the corner continue to fall. Currently the cheap gas is $ 2.25 for unleaded and diesel is $2.99. That has not changed in two weeks or so.

We in the boat gas business cannot stay up with dropping gas prices. Our price unfortunately is now $2.00 higher than price at the corner. The problem is that we bought our last batch of fuel a month ago and we haven’t been selling all that much gas due to time of the year. Our gas prices will fall when we can unload the inventory we currently have.

Enjoy the Delta and the flat water as long as it is here and the great fishing. Things won’t last this way much longer. See you on the water Chris

This report and many other fine reports can be found at the Delta Chambers fishing report page!

Check out the water and weather pages for conditions around the Delta. Research does pay off.