Hey everyone I am new to the forum and I have a question. How and Where in my area (Napa, California) Can I catch Bullhead to use for bait to catch Striped Bass? They cost about 2-3 dollars a piece in the store and I dont want to keep paying for them. Would they be in the creeks around here? The creek is very slow moving. If so how would I go about catching them?
I have also heard of people using "Mudscukers" for bait... I tried to search online and cant even find what a mudsucker is besides an article about fishing in the delta using mudsuckers... Anyways any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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IMHO around San Francisco common bait for striper is anchovies and sardines. It should be fresh and tough. You could use also frozen bait, but in that case you should secure it by the string.
[url "http://www.delta.dfg.ca.gov/stripedbass/fishingtips.asp"]http://www.delta.dfg.ca.gov/stripedbass/fishingtips.asp[/url]
is recommending a wider list:
"...In the Delta, threadfin shad are probably now the most common bait. The shad are usually placed on the hook split and folded with the flesh side out. Sardines, anchovies, bloodworms, and pile worms are also popular baits in the Delta. Drift fishing with live bait - usually shiner perch or anchovies - is popular in the San Francisco Bay area. Sculpins (bullheads) and oriental gobies (mudsuckers) are frequently used in San Pablo and Suisun bays, either alive or dead...."
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How are you targeting these fish? Are you chasing birds? Fishing marks on a sounder? Tidal ripps? or fishing blind and hoping for a bite. Let me know how you are fishing for these fish and what the water is like where you fish for them and I can probably get you on some of them.
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I have fished your area quite a bit in the past.
Fresh Anchovy is usually the best type of meaty bait. The next best is using Kastmasters or Krocodiles. 3" size with a medium to fast retrieve will work best.
Chrome and Blue Chrome are the better colors. You may want to tie on a bucktail for some added attraction.[cool]
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