I’ve always had a hard time dealing with storing unused items.

Once my son was old enough to no longer require a car seat, I immediately went through my garage looking to get rid of all of the things that he no longer used. Of course, my wife caught me and reminded me that all of his baby stuff was off limits, no matter how old our son got.

Fishing stuff, on the other hand, is mine. I make it a point each year to go through my things and get rid of those items that I no longer use. Roughly 10 years ago I had a smaller boat that I used for trolling the local lakes. It had two handy little downriggers and all.

I eventually ended up selling the boat but kept the downriggers. After several years of not having a boat, I figured the downriggers were no use to me, so I sold them for next to nothing along with a working fish finder at a family garage sale.

Fast forward to today.

There I was at the same tackle store buying the same exact downrigger and fish finder that I practically gave away for free several years ago. It was a tough and expensive lesson; some things should be kept no matter how little you think you’re going to need them.

With that said, I still wish I could get rid of those car seats.

Delta Report

Fishing on the Delta is good around the Stockton area for bass. There are a lot of nice mats growing in the area making good overhead cover for the bass. Anglers doing well are throwing top water lures or fishing shallow running crank baits.

The bluegills have been spawning all over the Delta lately. Anglers searching for biting fish are fishing around the boat docks with small worms and crappie jigs.

Cat fishing is good for anglers fishing with chicken livers or anchovies in Whisky Slough.

New Melones Lake

Kokanee fishing continues to be red hot early in the day while trolling apex lures 30 to 45 feet deep in green, red or pink. Bass fishing remains good for numbers of smaller fish with the bigger ones being few and far between.

Anglers are doing well while dragging Carolina Rigs along the bottom. There is a good top-water bite early and late in the day.

Catfishing has been really good for those fishing at night with traditional Catfish baits. Bluegill and crappie continue to bite for those fishing with either a minnow or worm under a bobber in the backs of coves.

Lake Amador

Fishing during the day has been really for those going for bluegill in the shallows. The Bass fishing has really slowed during the day. Fishing during the night is great with lots of quality fish being caught.

Berkeley Power Worms in any of the darker colors are working well. As the sun comes up look for the schools of Bass to also come up for the first couple hours of the day.

Lake Tulloch

The bite on the lake has been really good while fishing the morning and evening hours with top water baits. During the day, go deeper for bass with small plastics and deep diving crank baits.

Boat traffic has been really heavy lately so getting there early or fishing the evening is highly recommended. Night fishing has also been good to those fishing spinner baits in Copper Cove.

Lake Camanche

The bite is really good for those fishing for bluegill and bass. Bass are being caught just about anywhere on the lake, with rocky points being the best spots.

Lures that are being used are spinner baits and crank baits, while the bigger fish are being caught by those dragging plastics along the bottom.

Bluegills are being caught shallow by those fishing with red worms in the backs of bays.

Boaters Needed

On July 17, the 14th annual Conroy Oakley Pro-Teen Tournament will be held out of Russo’s Marina on Bethel Island. The purpose of the event is to introduce teens 13 to 19 years old to fishing through a professional style tournament where they will be paired up with a boater for six hours.

More boaters are needed for the event. Boaters fish for free. For more information call (925) 684-9775.

To contact Jarod Ballardo, e-mail jgbbass@yahoo.com.