Delta fall bite: smallmouth and crappie shift with cooling water

What's biting

What's next

Expect smallmouth and other bass to keep following baitfish as water cools. Tactical Bassin (blog) points to jerkbaits and swimbaits, including a bladed underspin for the flash and vibration, as strong fall choices when fish are chasing bait.

Plan around low light. Early mornings and the hour before dark are typically the best windows in October, and fewer boats are out now than in summer. The waxing gibbous moon gives brighter nights, so feeding can stretch into evening hours.

Fishing the Midwest says October fishing is a favorite for solitude and a hot bite once the weather cools. It also suggests looking for green, living weeds, where baitfish and gamefish gather as other weeds die back. That pattern typically applies to Delta backwaters as well.

Check the tide-driven flow before choosing a spot. Gauge 11455420 shows a strongly negative flow of -26,500 cfs, which points to tidal reversal in that part of the system. That means current direction changes through the day, so time your approach to the moving water.

Context

Late October is typically the fall transition in the Delta. Water has dropped from summer highs, baitfish are moving into creeks and backwaters, and gamefish follow. Bites tend to be steady rather than explosive, and the season is on schedule for a typical pattern. Check state regs before harvesting.