Fishing is the last thing that I’ve been thinking about lately while fighting off a cold.
I’m not sure if it’s a sign of getting older, but the common cold seems to hit me harder every year. Just when I thought I was getting better, I decided to try and go back to work and was wishing I would have stayed home at the end of the day.
I was reminded of a time when I thought it would be a wise choice to go fishing before I had fully recovered from a cold.
Bad idea.
I remember that night barely being able to talk and catching what seemed like another cold on top of the one I was just getting over.
So, this time around, I’m going to put my machismo to the side and stay home until I’m at least 90 percent.

Delta Report
It has been really foggy in the mornings, making it difficult for anglers to navigate.
For those willing to deal with the fog the fishing for both bass and striped bass
has been steady.
Anglers catching bass are fishing slow-moving baits along the edges of the tulles. Striped bass fishing is still good for anglers drifting live bait. The water temperatures are prime for striped bass fishing.
There are also a lot of nice sturgeon being caught by anglers fishing the West Delta.

Lake New Melones
Trout fishing has slowed down a bit, but anglers are still bringing in limits. The hot bait has been Power Bait.
Trollers are catching fish up shallow but they have been a lot smaller than the ones caught off the bank. Because of this, a lot of boaters have chosen to drift live minnows under a bobber in the backs of coves in order to target the bigger trout. Angels Cove and Glory Hole Cove have been the hot areas recently for trout.
Bass fishing remains consistent, as the fish have moved deeper. The bigger bass are
still being caught by swimbaits, as they are definitely following the trout up shallow. For
numbers, try targeting points and backs of creeks with soft plastics and jigs.
The bite for numbers of smaller bass is great for anglers targeting submerged wood and
drop-offs.

Lake Don Pedro
The trout bite is good for anglers fishing from the surface down to 25 feet deep. Anglers are targeting the bigger fish that are combing the bank while using side planers
and trolling a variety of shad imitating lures. Anglers fishing off the bank for trout are
doing well while using Power Bait.
Bass fishing has slowed. Anglers are struggling to find a consistent bite anywhere on the lake. There have been a few anglers that have been able to catch fish on spoons while searching for schooling fish.

Lake Amador
Heavy loads of trout are being planted into the lake on what seems like a daily basis. Anglers fishing off the bank are doing well while using Power Bait. For those anglers trolling for trout they are finding them from the surface down to 10 feet deep while trolling their favorite trout lures.
Bass fishing is still good for anglers fishing plastic worms or jigs from the bank down to 30 feet deep.

Lake Camanche
This past week, I was able to talk to a few local pros and asked them which lake they thought was the most underrated for bass fishing, and surprisingly they said — without a doubt — it was Camanche. I’ve personally had some good days fishing Camanche but will definitely have to re-evaluate my thought on the lake now.
The lake is being planted with trout which is keeping the trout fisherman active. The best action is being had by anglers that are trolling from the surface down to 10 feet deep with speedy shiners.

Tip of the Week
Water temperature should be taken into consideration when selecting baits. As the water temperature drops fish become less and less active. Unlike us, the colder the temperature the less fish must eat in order to stay alive. Artificial baits must be worked slowly as the cooler the water the slower the baitfish actually moves.
Next time you hook a fish in the middle of winter, take note of how much less that fish fights compared to a fish the same size caught during the warmer months of the year. 

To contact Jarod Ballardo email jgbbass@yahoo.com.