Best Striped Bass Fishing Spots & Charters in California
California is a great place for catching striped bass for a number of reasons. Not only is it the only consistent place you’ll find good striper populations on the west coast, but the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a primary inlet for stripers moving inland to spawn, and some of the largest stripers can be found in this region.
Central and southern California also offer many great lakes and rivers to fish from, with a dynamic range of opportunities depending on if you prefer chartering, shore fishing, or setting off in a private boat or kayak. This article will discuss the best fishing spots for saltwater and freshwater fishing of stripers throughout the state of California.
3 Great Saltwater Striped Bass Fishing Locations
1. San Francisco Bay
Overview: San Francisco Bay is renowned for its readily prevalent saltwater striped bass population. Some of the best striper fishing available is near the Raccoon strait where big game is often reported in the months preceding their entry into the delta where they’ll head upriver to spawn.
Trolling is best along the coast, with plenty of great spots for beach shoreline fishing as stripers migrate back into the oceans after spawning in the summer months.
Caliber: 2-50 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: Raccoon strait, the southern tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz and Treasure Islands are all great spots for trolling or casting off from shores.
Tips and recommended bait: Cuts of shad, anchovies, and sardines are good bait, with imitation shad spinnerbaits and black/gold lures also being great options. Migration periods are essential for good saltwater fishing, with summer being the best time of year to fish in this area.
Recommended Striper Guides/Charters in San Francisco Bay:
- Osprey Fishing Charters (Richmond, CA)
- Warrior Poet Sportfishing (San Francisco, CA)
- SF Bay Sportfishing San Francisco (San Francisco, CA)
- SF Boat Support (San Francisco, CA)
- Durban Princess Sport Fishing (Alameda, CA)
2. San Pablo Bay
Overview: San Pablo Bay, north of the San Francisco Bay area, is another renowned saltwater fishing location in northern California. Offering a variety of beaches, fishing trails, and a number of renowned charters, San Pablo Bay is a great alternative to fishing the San Francisco Bay for stripers.
Recommended fishing spots: For shore fishing, it’s best to avoid mudflat shores by setting off from Berkeley, Richmond, or Emeryville in order to find the best areas to wet a line. Chartering in this area is very common, with some of the most experienced captains setting off in San Pablo.
Tips and recommended bait: The same baits used for San Francisco Bay can be used here. April is the perfect month to catch stripers on the northern side of the bay as they begin to migrate down into the delta. Because stripers prefer low-light for foraging, it’s best to fish at nighttime in the bay area.
3. Suisun Bay
Overview: Suisun Bay is a point along the various estuaries in northern California where saltwater and freshwater begin to converge, but it’s still very much a saltwater fishing spot that’s less frequented by charters and local anglers.
Recommended fishing spots: Near the Suisun Cutoff and Delta areas are the best spots for saltwater fishing in Suisun Bay. There are plenty of long stretches of coast on the south side of the bay, and many marinas and ramps as well.
Tips and recommended bait: Live and cut bait, shad imitations, and lures typically used for catching striper are great here.
Because there are fewer charters in this area and it’s less frequented than the San Francisco and San Pablo Bays, it’s a great place to set off in a private boat or kayak near the many inlets and islets on the northeastern side of the bay.
Check out this link here to view my complete bass fishing gear recommendation list, including rods, reels, baits, gear, etc. I have field tested a lot of bass gear and these are my recommendations.
10 Great Freshwater Striped Bass Fishing Locations
1. Sherman Lake (Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta)
Overview: The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is one of the most renowned spots for freshwater fishing on the West Coast. Being the largest freshwater tidal estuary in this part of the country, the larger portion of the delta and the many rivulets that flow from it which form the greater rivers in northern California offer numerous opportunities for catching striped bass, among a variety of other fish moving inland to spawn.
Sherman Lake is central to where the delta branches off into the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and has many coves and islets from which you can cast for striper.
Caliber: 8-12 lbs. typical range; up to 50 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: The West Delta and any of the islets north of Kimball island offer the best spots here.
Tips and recommended bait: Shad, sardines, and anchovies are top choices for cut bait here. You will need stronger tackle fishing here, as in this portion of the delta many fish are at peak strength.
Recommended Striper Guide/Charter on CA Delta:
- Vince Borges Outdoors (Stockton)
2. Miller Regional Park (Sacramento River)
Overview: Central to the city of Sacramento, Miller Regional Park offers many banks to cast off into the Sacramento River. The Sacramento River is great for striper fishing because it also has a prevalent shad population in the late Spring which striped bass feed from, in addition to this being a primary inlet for their spawning period in the same season.
Many seasoned fishermen hold these banks in the early fall when some of the largest fish move through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta up into the smaller streams.
Caliber: 2-50 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: Anywhere on the west side of Marina View Dr. is preferred for casting off, other than toward the end of the road which is close to the marina’s inlet.
Tips and recommended bait: Though cut bait is typically used for catching stripers, lures are the best choice in areas where striped bass are moving upriver to spawn.
Recommended Striped Guides/Charters on Sacramento River:
- Northern California Guide Service (Redding, CA)
- Northern California Guide Service (Colusa, CA)
- Northern California Guide Service (Red Bluff, CA)
- 5S River Fishing Guide Service (Sacramento, CA)
- Fryesfishing (Anderson, CA)
3. Feather River
Overview: Offering warmer waters upriver than its distributaries, the Feather River is the principal tributary of the Sacramento River and a great source of striped bass and salmon in late spring and early summer.
Because of the rising flow and warmer water in this area, stripers are keen on feeding and will be quick to catch in the right season.
Caliber: 2-50 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: There are many boat ramps into the river, the most accessible ones being at Airline Rhine Memorial Drive and Wildlife Area Access Road.
Tips and recommended bait: Pile worms, sardines, and anchovies are all great and readily available at local bait shops. Because this is a shallower tributary, it’s much easier to bat the bottom which is good practice for catching striper.
4. Lake Mendocino
Overview: Lake Mendocino is a big draw for anglers in northern California as striped bass are caught in large numbers and with decent sizes.
It’s around a 2,000-acre reservoir with roughly 10 miles of shoreline to fish from. This is a great place for boaters and shore fishers alike to catch a wide variety of warm-water fish in the spring and summer months.
Caliber: 2-25 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: Setting off from the South Ramp is ideal as it’s closer to the reservoir and is away from local campgrounds and recreational boaters. The northern side of the lake is great for shoreline fishing, fishing at the boating ramps is not permitted.
Tips and recommended bait: Cut bait or lures are fine here, with the most ideal fishing being by boat.
5. New Hogan Lake
Overview: Most popular for catching stripers in the spring and fall months, New Hogan Lake is a great place to go freshwater fishing in central California.
Though trout used to be planted into the lake, this practice has since ceased which has allowed striped bass to flourish. Since this is an artificial lake, fish tend to be locked in and smaller than those available in the greater rivers, but this is still a great spot to check out considering what’s available in the area.
Caliber: 2-20 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: High-speed trolling is the best way to fish New Hogan Lake. There are several boating ramps and access points around the lake. Shore fishermen tend to cast from Fiddleneck Day, with many reporting success around the smaller islands in the north of the lake.
Tips and recommended bait: Crankbaits and spinnerbaits in shad patterns are best here, as stripers are often keen on local shad populations.
6. San Luis Reservoir
Overview: The San Luis Reservoir is an artificial lake in central California, with access roughly 12 miles west of Los Banos. There are several boat ramps at Dinosaur Point and Basalt, and there are great reports from local fishermen of striped bass year-round.
Like with New Hogan Lake, stripers are going to typically be smaller here due to being landlocked, but many fishermen report trophy-size catches in this lake. High-speed trolling is less common here due to speed restrictions, but overall trolling is still a very viable option here.
Caliber: 2-20 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: Boasting over 14 miles of excellent shore to fish from, San Luis Reservoir has numerous good spots to fish from. Stray away from the launch ramps and hang closer to the shallows on the southeast side of the lake for the best fishing here.
Tips and recommended bait: As with any artificial lake, crankbaits and swimbaits are best, as well as most available cuts like anchovies, sardines, and shad. Because this reservoir has many shallows near the boat ramps, it’s best to boat in the spring months when water levels are raised.
7. Castaic Lake
Overview: Castaic Lake is a spot well known by serious anglers in Southern California. With many reports of trophy-sized striped bass, the 2,200-acre lake is a great place to set your sites on if you’re near Los Angeles.
Though there are fees required and it’s a day-use only lake with limited shoreline available, Castaic Lake is certainly a great place for shore fishing.
Caliber: 2-45 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: Fishing by boat or kayak is recommended here, but there are several access points to the shoreline a distance from the southern launch ramps, along Fisherman Trail, or from Elderberry Forebay road.
Tips and recommended bait: Shad is most commonly used as cut bait here. Make sure to plan out your trip as there are limited hours available to fish Castaic Lake.
8. Lake Havasu
Overview: Best during the spring and fall months when the temperatures are best and striped bass are most active, Lake Havasu is another southern California lake with a great reputation for catching striper.
Located on the Arizona border, Havasu is a large 19,300-acre lake with lower shorelines and many ramps and marinas. The lake offers a maintained habitat with great sustainability and very healthy fish.
Caliber: 2-30 lbs.
Recommended fishing spots: From any of the launch areas, boating is preferred in Lake Havasu. Lake Havasu has extensive available shorelines as well, so it’s an excellent spot to wet a line from the many banks along the lake.
Tips and recommended bait: Topwater lures are best in the early morning as variable temperature affects hunting patterns, with shad swimbaits or crankbaits best later in the afternoon. In the summer months, look for birds gathering on the surface for the best places to catch stripers.
9. Pyramid Lake
Overview: While Pyramid Lake is more known for its variety of available fish to catch, striped bass are common and fishing is allowed at any location from the lake. Located along I-5 and roughly 17 miles south of Frazier Park, Pyramid Lake is very accessible for a day trip and is known as an out-of-the-way scenic spot.
Recommended fishing spots: Many shore locations are available only by boat, with several spots being available only for day use. However, there are several spots near Spanish Point and Bear Trap which are great for shore fishing.
Tips and recommended bait: Like with other southern lakes, typically topwater lures are best to bring in the morning with shad imitations being better later in the day. Make sure to check ahead of time which areas are for day use.
10. Silverwood Lake
Overview: Known for producing the California State record striped bass, Silverwood Lake is a bass angler’s hotspot in southern California. In the San Bernardino Mountains, the lake is fed by the Mojave River and filled with healthy striped bass. Roughly a 20-minute drive from its exit on I-15, it’s easy to get to but relatively devoid of recreational boaters because of its 5 MPH speed limit in most zones. This makes it an excellent spot for shore fishing and for floating a boat out on the water.
Caliber: 2-30 lbs.; record 55 lb., 8 ounces in 1996
Recommended fishing spots: Early in the morning is the best time for shore fishing, especially near the marina dock. However, boating is going to be preferable here as the lake fills up quickly, with the best spots near Quiet Cove and Quarry Cove. Tips and recommended bait: Crankbaits and jerkbaits are the best for bass in this area. Be careful to avoid the busier summer months as there will be fewer fish available and far more tourists.
Best Time of Day by Season to Fish for California Stripers
Spring: Around the state, early spring is best for fishing at any time of day. As the weather heats up, early morning and nighttime fishing is preferred as stripers become more active and forage when it’s dark.
Summer: Early morning and nighttime are the only good times to fish in the summer months. Fish tend to be more coastal as they seek colder water and will be inactive during the late morning and afternoon.
Fall: As fish begin to return from the estuaries into the rivers and lakes, late morning and afternoon become good times to fish for stripers. As fish begin to pour in from the ocean, you’ll find some of the largest fish most active during these times of the day.
Winter: Fishing is preferable in freshwater in wintertime, and during the late morning to afternoon. This will vary based on whether you’re in northern or southern California, but you want to look for times of day where the temperature is between 62-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Freshwater vs. Saltwater Striped Bass Fishing
California has great locations for both freshwater and saltwater striped bass fishing. Depending on the season, whether or not you’re landlocked, you can choose either option. Striped bass populations spawn in freshwater, and certain artificial dams have locked large numbers of bass into lakes or canals during their spawning period.
This offers numerous great opportunities for fishing both along the Sacramento and Feather Rivers during the right season, and in many of the dammed lakes for extended seasonal freshwater fishing. Striped bass season is year-round, so there’s always an opportunity in freshwater lakes for a good catch.
For saltwater fishing, in the summer and fall months striped bass fishing is most prevalent in the San Francisco Bay, and you can make some great catches at the southern section of the Golden Gate Bridge, along Raccoon Strait, and in many of the reefs which are central to the San Francisco Bay.
There are also plenty of great spots off the Treasure Islands and Alcatraz. Inshore saltwater fishing is always a possibility in the San Francisco area. Saltwater fishing for stripers is very uncommon in Southern California, where a catch is typically called a complete fluke since the state no longer dumps fish there.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch fish in San Francisco, please check out this helpful article I wrote.
