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A few degrees makes all the difference
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I have a 75 gallon fish tank at home where I have about six tropical fish. When I purchased my fish I tried to get them in pairs. Coincidentally, two of my pairs ended up spawning several times over the summer. Once the cooler weather hit, I noticed several changes occur in the tank. The first change I noticed was the once radiant colors of my fish went pale and their movement became very sluggish. Rarely did any of them feed off the surface of the tank anymore and several even chose to skip meals. All spawning activity also came to a halt. The one good thing that came from the cooling of temperatures in the tank was that all the visible algae seemed to die off. Since then, I purchased a heater for the tank and my tank is back to normal. One of my breeding pairs has even spawned again and I’ve got hundreds of fry swimming around the tank. In relation to this report; water temperatures can make a huge difference during the cooler months. You may not think that a degree means much to a fish but it can make all the difference. Also, be sure to slow down your presentation as the fish are sure to be sluggish and not aggressively feeding. Most importantly, know the species that you’re after as some prefer cooler or warmer temperatures than others.  

Delta Report:  
Striped bass fishing continues to pick up for anglers fishing a variety of techniques. The three techniques that are working right now are drifting live bait, trolling broken back rebels, and spooning jigs where schools of fish are present. Largemouth bass fishing has been hit or miss lately. The preferred technique for bass has been fishing black or blue jigs around points of islands.

New Melones Lake:
Trout fishing is excellent right now with a lot of nice sized trout being caught while trolling and fishing off the bank. Bank anglers are doing well while fishing power bait, Glory Hole Point is currently a hot spot for bank anglers. For anglers trolling the Apex U.V. has been the hot lure right now. Anglers trolling for trout are going are currently going as deep as fifty feet. Bass fishing remains good as bass are really starting to feed as the cooler weather approaches. Swim baits have been responsible for the largest catches while anglers are catching large numbers of fish while tossing rip baits and crankbaits. There is also a good deep water bite for anglers who prefer to drag soft plastics.

Lake McClure:
Bass fishing has really picked up recently; anglers are catching lots of fish while fishing jigs and soft plastics down to 40 feet. Trout fishing has also been good for anglers trolling wedding rings tipped with a night crawler. Trout are being caught while trolling 35 to 55 feet deep. King Salmon also continue to bite in Barrett’s Cove and the dam area on rolled shad.

New Hogan Lake:
Bass fishing has been steady for anglers fishing small plastics. Anglers are also doing well on jigs and shad imitating crank baits. Striped bass fishing is good to fair for anglers fishing the early morning hours. Anglers fishing for Striped Bass are using Hopkins Jigs or using cut bait.

Lake Camanche:
Weekly trout plants have kept anglers busy; trout are being caught right now by trolling and fishing off the bank. Bank fishermen are having luck while using Power Bait along the North Shore day use area. Anglers trolling are targeting the top twenty feet of water and using an Uncle Larry's spinner tipped with a nightcrawler along the dam. Bass fishermen continue to have luck while fishing shad imitating lures along island tops or main lake points. Fall is a great time to target bluff banks found throughout the lake and with all the trout plants an angler searching for a trophy bass may want to give a swimbait a try.

Tip of the Week:
When stranded out on the water, light is necessary to make repairs in most cases. In a pinch you can use the light from your cell phone but that’s definitely not recommended as your batteries will not last very long. Recently, I purchased a flashlight for ten dollars in the fishing department at Wal Mart which is water proof and operates without the use of batteries. All you have to do is shake the flashlight and it will provide you with light. For the price it’s definitely a good buy. Also, for fewer than thirty dollars you may purchase a portable jump start station which can easily be stored in most boats and may be used to jump start most boats or vehicles incase of an emergency.