Mother Nature has an interesting sense of humor.
All last week, the weather was perfect for fishing. Then a large storm rolled in once the weekend came, eliminating any idea I had about getting out fishing. This week has been almost the same — nice sunny days but cooler-than-usual mornings and nights.
Before I get too excited, though, this weekend’s forecast calls for rain once again. I just can’t seem to catch a break.
With that said, rain isn’t the issue as much as the wind. If the winds are low, I have no problem fishing all day out in the rain. Lately, we’ve been having high winds along with the rain.
Some of the most dangerous times I’ve been out on the water has been when the winds were high. Hopefully this weekend’s winds aren’t too bad. I’ve been looking forward to getting out fishing all week long.

Delta Report
Bass fishing is really starting to show signs of picking up. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are deadly this time of year for big females that are usually found around sparse tulle points. The outgoing tide is the best.
Once the tide bottoms out, the fishing slows way down and the bigger fish became harder to find. The water clarity in a lot of places is still not the greatest but the temperatures have risen. Our next full moon should create an awesome bite.
The striper bite has slowed down for a lot of anglers, and no shad was seen working the surface on my last trip.  

New Melones Lake
Typical of early spring, the bite for trout is amazing one day and the next nonexistent. Anglers are having a tough time finding a consistent bite anywhere on the lake most days. They are having the best luck are fishing around the Highway 49 bridge with Power Bait.
Bass fishing remains good, as anglers are catching a lot of spotted bass while fishing with a variety of different baits. The water temperature is still in the low 50s. Anglers fishing for bass are using a variety of baits. Some are preferring under spins, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, while others are doing good while fishing jigs and a variety of bottom baits.
 
Lake Don Pedro
Bass fishing is starting to pick up as plenty of fish are being caught on small plastics down to 40 feet deep. When the weather has cleared, there has been a decent bite for those fishing shallow. The most consistent bite, though, is by those fishing down to 30 feet deep with bottom baits. Some of the areas that are being targeted are main lake points, island tops, and river channels.
Trout fishing has been tough, and very few anglers are targeting them. The bite is usually good this time of year, which has left anglers scratching their heads.
 
Lake Pardee
Will be open for the season on Feb. 15.

Lake Amador
Plenty of trout are still being stocked weekly, providing anglers with limits. Anglers are having luck while fishing with power bait off the bank or while trolling shad-imitating lures just below the surface.
Bass fishing is still slow. Once the water temperatures increase, the bass will surely start making their way towards their spawning areas. The lake is currently 95 percent full and the launch ramp has two lanes open and a courtesy dock.

Weekly Tip
This is one of the most confusing times of year to fish for bass. One day you can catch a huge limit of fish, and the next day you can go back to the exact same spot, use the same bait, fish the same tide and catch nothing.
The best advice that I can give this time of year when it comes to bass fishing is to pay attention to the moon cycle, the water temperature, and don’t be afraid to try something different. I’ve caught big fish this time of year on baits that I can’t seem to catch a fish on any other time of the year. 

To contact Jarod Ballardo email jgbbass@yahoo.com.