Stripers in the Barge Canal

[JohnS]

I think it's the Barge Canal.....the canal off Jefferson that leads out to the tankers in dock. I've read that people fish for stripers there. Does anyone know what months of the year are they in that water?

[Darian]

I'm sure that Stripers use that canal for moving to the harbor/turning basin but have not heard of anyone catching one in the canal itself. Good water below the entrance and in the harbor. The problem is access. In the harbor there used to be bank access off Jefferson on the right heading south) just as you cross the bridge/lock. The other access is off the entrance to the property leased by the Washington Outboard Club (if they still exist) in Lake Washington. You have to join the club to get a key (the member fee used to be cheap). Black Bass in Lake Washington.

A word of caution about fishing in the channel, itself. It's an active shipping channel, narrow and shallow on the banks. So, when a sip goes through, it's wake is high enough to wash up on the berms on either side. You Don't want to be inside those berms on the bank or in a boat when a freighter is going through.

Hopefully, someone with more experience on Stripers over there chimes in....

[JohnS]

This is the area I was referring to

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In 1963 they finished digging the Deep Water Channel, the Port of Sacramento, and put in Locks connecting it to the Sacramento River.

I went through the Locks from the Sacramento River, into the Port of West Sacramento in my boat in the 1960s.

After a while, they closed the Locks so they don't work anymore.

There is the Lake Washington boat club that some of my friends have joined for access over the years.

There is a marshy area called Lake Washington that used to have Threadfin Shad in it.

There are months when there are more Stripers in there.



Any 'lakey' area on the Sacramento drainage had Threadfin Shad, like the Port of Stockton, Franks Tract, and Mildred Island.


In 1959, Thread-Fin Shad were introduced to reservoirs in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River system and reached the Delta and San Francisco Bay by 1961 (Cohen and Carlton 1995; Dill and Cordone 1997). By 1967, Threadfin Shad had become one of the most abundant fishes in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Dill and Cordone 1997).

They planted them in Lake Almanor and they worked their way down into the Delta.

[Darian]

JohnS.... The area you ID'ed in the photo is the area I mentioned in my prior note as, "bank access off Jefferson on the right heading south) just as you cross the bridge/lock." Guess I remembered it slightly different. Anyway, the last I heard was there were some access issues with that area. So, it was open on the side you want to fish but closed on the other side due to security concerns by harbor staff. Only applies if you intend to boat or use a float tube. Old info....

[JohnS]

Thanks Darian do you remember what months stripers were in the area?

[Darian]

I seem to remember fishing for them in spring/summer but that memory is fuzzy. After the locks were closed, the fish weren't able to get through to the Sacramento. Maybe they're there year around....

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

David Lee sent me this post from 2006:

https://www.billkiene.com/forums/sho...mento+Stripers

[Ed Wahl]

My info is just as old as David's, but I'll add what I can. David and I fished the spot you circled out of our prams several times back then. We got into them pretty good a few times. There's a walk through gate at the top of the boat ramp at the Barge Canal access. You'll have to carry or roll whatever kind of floater you have. And you will need to get out on the water. I fished it later in the year, like closer to Thanksgiving. I've also caught them in Lake Washington fishing around the anchored boats. There's Largemouth and Crappie along the banks as well. Again, this info is old so bear that in mind.

Ed

[markz]

Hi,
The picture you show is where kayakers launch, but it's also no gas-powered outboards at that particular launch (I believe).
I have not been there personally, but if you google kayak fishing the barge canal I'm sure you'll find your info.


Mark