Fishing The Unknown
by
Gerrod Winkler
The San Joaquin River has three major tributaries: The Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus rivers. The Cosumnes (a tributary to Mokelumne River), Mokelumne, and Calaveras rivers also flow into the San Joaquin where the river joins the tidally influenced "Delta." This large body of water covers just over 1,150 square miles and nearly 73 percent of it is devoted to agriculture farm land. How do i fish a location like this? I guess the better question is, where do i even start?
My name is Gerrod Winkler. Been hooked on carp fishing for about three years now. I've learned a lot about fishing in a short amount of time thanks to some amazing anglers I’ve been blessed to hook up with on a few sessions, but i have so much more to learn about water craft in general.
Carp fishing "The Delta" has always been a huge bucket list item for me. After doing tons of research online and talking with a few local anglers, I quickly realized this body of water would be a lot more challenging than I initially expected. Most Delta anglers only seem to target Bass, Salmon and Sturgeon totally disregarding the common carp. Was I trying to target the wrong species in this massive river?
I picked up on carp fishing thanks to a good friend, Jeff Kramer and when I landed my first common carp at his local lake, I instantly became hooked on carp fishing. I thought that by applying the simple ideas and techniques I learned on that lake to the river, I would be able to land tons of carp… but soon realized that was not going to be the case at all.
Unlike the lakes in our area which have clear bottoms and practically no snags to worry about, the tidal Delta was the complete opposite from that!!
My very first session on the river was a complete bust. Finding a random location on Google earth seemed like a good idea at the time but after arriving to the spot that was fenced off with "No Parking" signs in every direction, my first day on the Delta was an instant reality check. After driving on the levy for what seemed like hours, I finally located a spot that looked to be at least accessible to fish.
Like any angler, I tossed my lines into the water and patiently waited for a bite. It took about two hours for my left rod to have a run and start giving line. I grabbed the rod with great anticipation and started reeling in what felt like a giant! After a solid 15 minute battle in the river’s current, I soon realized my hook had snagged on a submerged pillow. Not exactly what you would expect to have inside your landing net.
The Delta is surrounded by urban neighborhoods that sadly, make tossing your unwanted garbage into the water very easy to do.
After multiple sessions and some added help from Jeff, who has previously fished for carp in the Delta, I was able to land my first 20+ lb common carp. The excitement of carp fishing sky rocketed and the passion for the river became more prominent. I became addicted to fishing an area that was not perfect. What i also noticed was the fish seemed to have their own special features as well.
I have recently spent most weekends carp fishing the Delta with a few occasional trips back to the local lake. Each session I learn something new about the area. Weather it's about the changing of tides, Trap spots with slower moving water or even a new road through an abandoned farm to fish the other side of the channel. Im always taking notes of my surroundings and obstacles that I come across. Sometimes it may take a good portion of the day before you can get the fishing rods in the water. I've learned to pack lite on most sessions due to the added walk from the closest roadside turnoff which can often end up miles away from the fishing spot. The Delta will humble the most experienced angler.
Just when you seem to have the swim figured out. That unexpected water drainage pipe next to you turns on and fills the river with who knows what! "Please just let it be water!"
At this stage, I've spent the last two years fishing different areas of the Delta. Each location has it own unique features and challenges. I've been blessed to land a few nice fish and plan to spend the rest of the year exploring the area in hopes to land my first 40Lb common.
There's something special about fishing for wild river carp. Every time the bite alarms start buzzin, you just never know what may hit the net. Don't be surprised if you look down and find someone's used jacket or bed spread wrapped around the hook. The Delta is my definition of "Fishing The Unknown." My approach for the river depends on the area I decide to fish. Heavy duty tackle is a must and most times landing a fish on a low tide can become challenging to say the least.
I've had to bring out step ladders and ocean nets to help with landing fish. Limited bank access will force you to get creative while carp fishing the Delta.
I encourage any angler to step outside their comfort zone and explore the unknown. No better feeling hooking into a fish that has never been landed before, not to mention the location you spent countless hours finding yourself that no one else has ever fished for carp at yet.
California allows only two fishing rods per angler and chumming is also illegal which makes finding and landing bigger fish a lot more difficult.
Knowing that the Delta is hundreds of miles of untouched bank spots just waiting for someone to discover is very exciting! I’m always anxious and ready to plant my buzz bar into new grounds, that's unless I arrive and notice one of those famous rusted "No Fishing or Trespassing" sign posted up!
Good Ole Dirty Delta. I hope to have a follow-up blog very soon…. Thanks for reading!
Gerrod
@thatblue67 on Instagram
