This week I visited a pond that had all the looks of being a great fishing pond. 

After speaking to the owner, he said that most of his fish died this summer. Apparently, this happens every 10 or so years. 

I’m not a fisheries biologist, but I’ve had fish tanks for most of my life. If you’ve ever had a fish tank, you would know that there are several essential things that fish need to survive — oxygen being one. 

The pond is shallow and kept full by well water. Not sure how one would go about aerating a pond, I went online and found a lot of information on the topic. Ponds with very little water movement need aeration for fish to thrive. 

They actually sell affordable aeration systems for ponds, and the difference is often immediate. I’m looking forward to going back to the pond soon and helping him bring the pond back to life. Just last week I sold my fish tank, and now I find myself researching ponds. 

Delta Report

Early fall is a great time to throw rattle traps and crank baits on the Delta. You may think that it’s too early in the year, but our nights have been getting colder and our days have become shorter. The fish definitely know that there’s a change occurring so don’t discount your favorite lure for bass. 

Catfishing continues to be good for anglers using just about any bait that they can keep on the bottom. Striped bass are starting to be caught throughout the Delta, leading me to believe that it won’t be long before they really start biting. Anglers currently catching them are using live bait. 

New Melones Lake

Kokanee fishing continues to be sporadic for a lot of anglers. Those willing to grind it out are being rewarded with some of the biggest fish of the year which at times have exceeded 20 inches in length. Anglers trolling are trolling as deep as 100 feet deep.  

Bass fishing remains good for anglers fishing in the early and late part of the day with top-water lures. During the day anglers are targeting the bass with small plastic bait from the surface down to 30 feet deep. 

Catfishing is really good for anglers fishing at night with sardines or anchovies. 

Lake Don Pedro

Schools of shad should start appearing throughout the lake this time of year. Fishing for trout and kokanee continues to be tough. The kokanee have begun their annual spawn.

Anglers fishing for bass are fishing crank baits or drop-shotted worms. Some are catching them shallow while others are searching for schools of baitfish. During the morning and evening hours the top-water bite for bass has been good.  

Lake New Hogan

Fishing for bass is good as there are a lot of fish being caught by those fishing small plastics and crank baits. The problem during the day is all of the boat traffic. There are areas of the lake that are five-mile zones but they quickly get churned up as well. 

My advice if planning on going there is to fish early and leave early. Otherwise, you’re definitely going to have plenty of company and possibly spend a good amount of time waiting at the launch ramp. 

Lake Pardee

Fishing on the lake is good for those fishing for kokanee. The numbers being caught have declined but the quality has definitely improved. Anglers trolling for kokanee are trolling early in the day with their favorite kokanee rigs between 50 and 100 feet deep. 

Bass fishing continues to be good for numbers of bass for anglers fishing top-water baits in the morning and small plastics during the day.

Tip of the Week

When storing your tackle, it’s important to separate certain items in order to prevent rust or damage to your tackle box. Some plastic baits for example will actually melt through a plastic box if having direct contact with another plastic. They’re also most likely to have a high salt content, which will also take its toll on exposed metal. 

Lead weights and hooks should never be stored in the same box as the moisture from the lead will surely create rusty hooks. Hard baits should be left out to air dry before placing back inside a tackle box. Silicone packs that come with a lot of items we purchase today can be re used to help keep moisture out of your tackle box.  

To contact Jarod Ballardo email jgbbass@yahoo.com