Captain Patrick MacKenzie 6/14 Fishing Report: Bay Area, Napa, and Sonoma

San Pablo Bay has been fishing great — when the wind has been down, there have been plenty of stripers to be caught. There are lots of jacksmelt around and the stripers and halibut are on the chew. The salinity line is down low in the central bay this summer so there will be excellent fishing in July & August.

 

The same goes for the central bay. On the right tides, the fishing has been excellent. Water clarity varies greatly on wind conditions and tidal conditions. 

The Napa River hasn’t turned on yet. There is some bait around and a few fish to be caught, but the water clarity makes fly fishing difficult. It’s a matter of weeks before the summer bite starts, so stay tuned. All we need is the water to clear up. 

The top water smallmouth bite is still happening, but the windows for good fishing are dusk and dawn. Water temps are nearing 80 degrees on the surface, so most of the bass have gone deep during the day when the sun is high.