RIO VISTA – The striper bite for trollers in the Delta has been very slow lately, according to legendary trolling expert Mark Wilson. Mark said he and his friends have been navigating all over the Delta trying to locate the now elusive stripers.

Mark said he finally located a few in Montezuma Slough trolling from the “Glass House” to the “Birds Landing” areas, but he and his friends have only been able to get 3 to 6 keepers a trip trolling both deep diving and shallow running P-Line and Yozuri lures. He has heard that those casting swim baits have been doing somewhat better.

The areas producing for those casting are Sherman Island and in Broad Slough. Mark believes that it’s just a matter of time before the stripers arrive back in the Delta from San Francisco and San Pablo Bays. The sturgeon catch and release fishery opened again on October 1, 2025.

“My cousin Tom and I caught limits of stripers to 7 pounds two days in a row on my last two trips on the Delta,” said Cal Kellogg of fishcalkellogg.com. “We hooked the fish while vertical jigging with P-Line Laser Minnows in chartreuse and silver. We landed our fish at Light 46 on the San Joaquin. The key is to cruise around the fish marks while going up current until you locate biting fish. The fish size is variable; one fish will 14 inches and the next one will be 25 inches.”

“The fish are just moving into the system – they have beautiful blue backs. If want to plug, work tule breaks with 4-inch Fish Traps on 3/8-ounce jig heads. You got to be patient. Throw at riprap most on riprap outside of the tules on the San Joaquin,” advised Kellogg.

Meanwhile, Captain Mike Funtanilla of Bend Ur Rod Sportfishing said he has been putting his clients on multiple hookups on each trip. Capt. Mike went on to say that he’s been doing well from Pittsburg and the Middle Grounds in 25 feet of water, as well as in 55 to 75 feet of water in the deep-water channel (see the attached photos).

Roe continues to be the bait of choice. Capt. Mike has also been soaking grass shrimp on these same trips for stripers, so his customers can enjoy catching a striper as well.

If you would like more information about the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), go to our website (www.striper-csba.org). You will be able to access all the information related to the 4 CSBA Chapters. New members only pay $25, that includes a one-time $5 initiation fee. After the first year of membership the annual dues are only $20. Your membership helps to strengthen our mission to protect striped bass and our fisheries. Some Chapters will give you a free gift just for joining.

he Isleton-Delta Chapter gives all new members two free Isleton Chapter decals and a Chapter hat as a thank you for joining our Chapter. Membership forms are available for each Chapter on the website. Just click on your Chapter of choice and go to the membership page, fill out the application, print it and send your application and payment to the address listed on the application. The Isleton Chapter accepts credit cards online on the website for new memberships, membership renewals as well as our chapter’s events. The website also has Chapters’ newsletters, photos, interesting articles, and useful links that will help you plan your next fishing trip.