How much does tide affect fishing in the delta? Is it considered brackish water and would I need to do anything with the boat or motor after fishing in it?
How much does tide affect fishing in the delta? Is it considered brackish water and would I need to do anything with the boat or motor after fishing in it?
Tide directly impacts the bite. Sometimes the most active feeds come on just as the tide switches. High/low tides will dictate whether you fish rocks and shore bound tules or pull out and work weedlines. The Delta east of the Antioch bridge is all fresh. Pittsburg can be brackish during drought years, Suisun Bay and west of that point is brackish. Nothing special needs to be done with the gear after an outing. I just wipe down the boat and call it good.
Where there is a tide tide means everything. Well, not everything, but if you're fishing for fun, don't schedule on a day with all inciming or high tide.
Don't know about the Ca. Delta but on the gulf coast tide is everything. Moving tide either rising or falling is better than no tide and falling is normally much better as it pulls bait out and the bass follow. When its slack the bite will shut down completely. Having fished tidal rivers all my life you know that in spring with the normal rains we get the salinity will be very low but as summer comes on salt water will move much further in and that's the time I start paying more attention to the boat, flushing the motor and washing off once I get her home as you can actually see and feel the salt on the boat. No one that fishes brackish waters regularly has a painted trailer, at least not for long, so if this is to be a one time trip just be sure you pay more attention to your trailer than the boat and motor.
I used to launch out of Martinez and fish the fleet. There is a troff that is shaped like a Y and I would anchor to fish the water flow in relation to the tide. The first hour after slack tide would expose the grass shrimp so activity got good.
A good chart that shows water depth is essential for fishing the delta, as there are many sand bars that many a non knowing boater has got stuck on.
2003 Stratos 185, Yamaha V150LTRB, Tempest Plus 25P
All depends on what you are fishing for. Most fish the delta for sturgeon and strippers when they are running. Tides swing every 4-5 hours so people plan according to the swing of the tide. Some are incoming guys, some are outgoing.Originally Posted by billnorman1
2003 Stratos 185, Yamaha V150LTRB, Tempest Plus 25P
Tide change is every 6 hours .Each day the tide is 45 to 50 minutes later .The same tide will be back in almost exactly 2 weeks. Most of the delta is fresh water .Ive caught flounder which is a salt water fish just east of Antioch bridge .For me fish bite best with 2 hours left of either incoming or outgoing tide.
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