Anyone Want To Kayak Fish Delta With Me?

[schplurg]

I want to take my yak out onto the Delta, preferably the southern area near Tracy, Disco Bay. I'm just nervous to go out my first time alone.

 

I don't need to paddle far from the ramp or wherever we launch. just thought it'd be a good idea for me to have someone around. I don't know anyone who yak fishes, and I haven't even done it myself for over a year, and only a few times total.

 

I've been on the water my whole life though, know the rules of the water and all that.

 

If nobody wants to go, maybe someone can point me to safe areas to yak near Tracy Oasis, Lazy M, Disco Bay, Turtle Beach maybe, and other options. I could launch Mossdale easily and I can't really get lost from there. Not sure about Tracy.

 

I'm available weekends and weekdays.

[camman]

I would say the easiest place to launch and be relatively close to fishable water is Disco Bay.  It’s $10 to launch and you can drive up and launch then go park your car.  You can fish all the docks or go out and paddle out towards Old River as well.  It’s nice as if the wind picks up the, the bay provides a lot of cover.

 

I launch my boat out of Lazy M though I don’t think the water by the launch is that productive so you will need to paddle a good distance.  Same with Mossdale, I have not found that many good spots except for some big schools of schoolie stripers

 

 

[schplurg]

I was thinking Disco because I've never been there, and it just looks like it would be a fun place to float around. Lots of activity, maybe find some stripers. Tons of docks.

 

Maybe upstream from Mossdale towards Trurle Beach. I've seen Blanchard vids with him out there killin em. Not sure how much farther upstream you can go from there, I think there's a "lock" of some kind, gate whatever that you can't boat through. Not sure though. used to bank fish stripers in Lathrop.

[camman]

Yeah Disco is a good place to fish with the endless docks.   In the Winter time the Stripers come in and if the birds are around its game on.  My buddy and I had an epic day in there a few years ago and found a large group of stripers in the 5-10lb range.  I think in 2 hours we had 10 fish over 5lbs and he had big fish at 16lbs.

 

I'm sure Mossdale has some spots but again I'm not too knowledgeable.  The one nice thing about Mossdale is that its usually not as crowded as the other places on the weekend.

 

Orwood and Disco Bay get packed on the weekends during the summer, if you hit the weekends go early.  If you can, try and hit those during the week and its empty.  Lazy M usually isn't too bad on the weekends thats why I usually will launch here.  I've never launched out of Tracy Oasis.

[schplurg]

I will go during the week most likely. Mossdale is super slow, as you said, which might be nice for a first launch. I'm pretty efficient launching the yak though at the lakes, it's just been quite awhile. It's be nice not to be in a hurry.

 

I think I will probably do Disco Bay though. Just seems fun, especially if I have bad luck fishing.

 

I've seen Greg Blanchard launch from lazy M many times in his vids, but he has pedals and a Torquedo, so he can travel much farther than I can.

 

Thanks!

[Darth-Baiter]

I only got dinks at mossdale.  Blanchard fished there as well.  And does much better.  I actually think I skunked.  Crazy tide swings there and it was busy. 
 

I am thinking of launching at Paradise soon. Not this weekend as I’m headed to Clearlake tomorrow and hike/wading the Russian Saturday for smallies and pike minnow. 
 

I didn’t like discovery bay.  Too many giant ass boats.  And my casting accuracy sucks when a homeowner is watching me.  

[schplurg]

39 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I only got dinks at mossdale.  Blanchard fished there as well.  And does much better.  I actually think I skunked.  Crazy tide swings there and it was busy. 
 

I am thinking of launching at Paradise soon. Not this weekend as I’m headed to Clearlake tomorrow and hike/wading the Russian Saturday for smallies and pike minnow. 
 

I didn’t like discovery bay.  Too many giant ass boats.  And my casting accuracy sucks when a homeowner is watching me.  

 

Ya not sure what I'm gonna do. Going to yak fish tonight and a few days at Tulloch. Hotter than heck but I'll hit mornings and nights. I'm not too keen on casting too close to docks yet, I've never actually done it from a boat haha.

 

And since my Dad lives on the water, I understand both sides of the issue. He's pretty chill about people fishing around the dock but his neighbor not so much. I figure be nice to me and I'll be nice to you.

[Darth-Baiter]

Water around docks are fair game.  Bouncing your bait off a ski boat, not so much.

[schplurg]

On 7/29/2021 at 3:35 PM, schplurg said:

 

Ya not sure what I'm gonna do. Going to yak fish tonight and a few days at Tulloch. Hotter than heck but I'll hit mornings and nights. I'm not too keen on casting too close to docks yet, I've never actually done it from a boat haha.

 

And since my Dad lives on the water, I understand both sides of the issue. He's pretty chill about people fishing around the dock but his neighbor not so much. I figure be nice to me and I'll be nice to you.

 

 

Was a great few days. Nice full lake (to the brim). Way too hot during the day. I yakked the night I got there. Just cruised around the cove, talked to a few people sipping drinks on their docks. Fished a little, cruised around lazily mostly. Was nice.

 

I now know that if I keep yakking that pedals are a must. This cove is narrow and I was constantly needing to grab my paddle. I do have a tiny one-handed oar I made but I forgot it. It's great for making small corrections. Eight foot paddles and fishing in tighter quarters is not fun.

 

I caught all my fish from Dad's dock between 12:00 and 3:30 am. I barely even went outside during the hot days. Largemouth all less than 3 pounds. Was fun and had a great visit with Dad.

 

Did anybody see that crazy meteor early Friday morning around 12:40? It was so amazing I'm getting goosebumps typing this.

 

Was like 4 seconds long, watched this low (or just huge) and extremely bright meteor go across the sky. The tail was yellow and so bright I could see details. This was no distant and faint instantaneous shooting star. This thing was BRIGHT and the tail was fat.

 

After a few seconds a whole bunch of pieces broke off like it exploded, but the main rock kept going. The smaller pieces followed the same path as the rock, and each had their own bright yellow tail before going out after maybe a second.

 

I thought someone lit a big firework because it was so clear and brilliant. Crazy.

 

The main rock continued on and I thought, "hope it doesn't hit the ground and cause a fire" before it finally went out. There were a few people partying late on their docks across the cove and they started cheering WHOOOOOO!!!!!! So did I! I was super excited.

 

It was like nothing I'd ever seen. Spectacular!

[schplurg]

On 7/29/2021 at 4:57 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

Water around docks are fair game.  Bouncing your bait off a ski boat, not so much.

 

 

Unless it's a wake boat! 

 

Random fact:

My step-brother has the rare and envious distinction of being able to say that he ran over a jet-skier. Not deliberately, so the story goes...he's actually not very mechanically inclined so I couldn't say whose fault it was, though the jet skier got the blame. No seriouos injuries.

[schplurg]

I bought a new kayak! Now I'm really wanting to hit the Delta. I see Lithium 100 ah batteries for a little over $400 on Amazon. Trolling motor may be in my future as well.

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

Is that discovery bay?

[schplurg]

 

18 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Is that discovery bay?

 

No it's my Dad's lake, whatever it's called haha. I wondered if people would think it's Disco. There are a lot of big homes in a few areas and lots of docks, the rest is normal shoreline. Grassy areas, rocky areas, depends on where you're at. Check it out man!

 

I saw two bass boats in three days (and talked to one guy) and a few pleasure craft. Saw a nice bikini-clad gal on a paddleboard too. And it's almost all No Wake in that general area.

 

I've never really fished docks before so was extra cautious - careful not to cast too close (and hit one). Most homes are empty during the week at least, my Dad lives there and has for a few decades.

 

The bigger fish I caught was one dock away from his. Didn't even need the yak probably. Figures.

 

The fish have been fat lately. I really like fishing there, and now with the yak it'll be one of my go-to places. Delta too I hope.

[Darth-Baiter]

Great boat bud.  
 

we need to fish together. 

[schplurg]

I'm up for that! This yak has a mounting area for a mini power-pole. I wonder if it would support a motor. Gonna have to find out.

[Darth-Baiter]

18 hours ago, schplurg said:

I'm up for that! This yak has a mounting area for a mini power-pole. I wonder if it would support a motor. Gonna have to find out.

Yes it will. 
 

im not a motor guy yet. I still love the simplicity of it all. Battery and motor spits in the face of simplicity. If I go that route, I’m getting a new kayak first.  One with power pole inserts. 

[schplurg]

On 8/30/2021 at 1:11 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

Yes it will. 
 

im not a motor guy yet. I still love the simplicity of it all. Battery and motor spits in the face of simplicity. If I go that route, I’m getting a new kayak first.  One with power pole inserts. 

 

Air quality, temperature and wind all look good for a Mossdale launch in the next few days. I may do it.

[Darth-Baiter]

Kinda breezy.  But I’m gonna hit a new delta spot tomorrow. 

[schplurg]

3 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Kinda breezy.  But I’m gonna hit a new delta spot tomorrow. 

Was all loaded up to hit mossdale today but personal issues came up and now I'm not. Looks like a great day, supposedly low wind. Oh well.  I'm goin tomorrow probably instead. Little warmer but I need to get out or I'm gonna go nuts here!  

[Darth-Baiter]

Crashed a few delta bass!

[schplurg]

Right on! Gonna launch at Mossdale Friday. Probably not at the best time (afternoon) according to the tide, but I'm going anyways. GOT to get OUTSIDE!!!!!!!!! Just using the kayak will be enough fun for me.

 

Edit:

Changing my launch time to 7 am so I can catch the tide coming it. The ramp better be open! I am NOT a morning person so this should be interesting.

[schplurg]

Launched at around 7 am at Mossdale. Couldn't sleep the night before so it was a fun drive at 5 am. 

 

My only fish - I casted a Dinger and let it sink when I noticed my line was wrapped around my spinning reel. Fun when that happens. As I tried to unwrap it a fish grabbed my bait. I couldn't reel it in and didn't want to hand-reel the braid. The fish jumped a few times near me as I frantically tried to fix the line. By the time I did the fish was free.

 

And of course my camera was off so I can't share the chaos.

 

Fun day though. Pedaled about 3.25 miles in three hours of fishing. threw a frog a lot. No other bites. Was great though.

[schplurg]

Don't know where else to put this without making a new thread.

 

I hate Santa Clara county. I paid for a launch online at Calero Lake last night. $8. I figured I'd be charged for parking maybe when I got there.

 

Oooooh no. I got there today and the guy says $15 more! 

 

Me: "I already paid"

 

"No you just paid to reserve the spot. You still have to pay launch, parking, and inspection"

 

"Say what? And I paid for an inspection last time I was here, guy said I wouldn't have to pay again as long as I have this tag on my kayak." Points at tag.

 

"Oh no that would be a different tag you need to get at the END of the day from the inspector"

 

"So I have to pay $23 to launch a kayak? Okay I'm going home" And I did.

 

I was not rude to the guy, it's not his fault, but **** you!

 

So ya, Delta it is from now on until I ditch California. What a load of crap to get on a tiny fishless lake.

 

And of course the website to make the reservations is 20 years old, is totally confusing and says NOTHING about this fee being only to reserve a spot. Even my receipt says nothing. I would have never done this if I'd known. I can kayak there all weekdays without a "reservation". 

 

Last year I was bank fishing a tiny lake here and I asked two Rangers if I was okay to fish here, because the creek that forms the lake was closed this time of year. They looked on their phones for fifteen minutes, made a phone call, then said:

 

"We can't tell if you can or not so go ahead and fish. Our system is so outdated we can't make sense of it"

 

California Screamin'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!