Delta anglers watch cooling water as fall patterns set up

What's next

Expect temperatures to keep easing through the week, which should push bass toward baitfish-rich edges and keep the shallow bite alive in the cooler morning hours. The first quarter moon puts the stronger light-change periods around dawn and dusk, so plan the morning and last two hours of daylight rather than midday.

Flow readings are mixed. The Sacramento gauge shows 11000 cfs, while the two western Delta gauges report negative values (-128 and -83600 cfs). Negative readings are typical of tidal reversal in this part of the system, so water movement there changes through the day. Pay attention to current direction when picking a spot, and favor periods when water is moving over points and edges.

If water turns off-color or carries debris, shift to clearer backwater arms and cover ground with a spinnerbait or a bladed swimbait before slowing down. Check state regs and any posted advisories before heading out.

Context

Mid-October in the Delta is typically a transition period. Summer heat has faded, bass and other warmwater fish feed up ahead of winter, and boat traffic drops. Fish tend to follow forage and relate to structure and tidal current instead of sitting in a single summer pattern. Water in the mid-60s is on schedule for the season.