12/8 I need a rest from Skinner

Man, this place is changing. Got there at 5:30 and still had a nice line in front of me. The crowd headed right for the east end and proceded to make a big racket there. Big 22-25 foot boats motoring all around the 8-15 foot deep area chasing shad and fish. I caught 3 quick stripers but stayed in deeper water away from the crowd. The bite shut off pretty quick like it has been lately and as I left the area I could see a bunch of boats still crowding the east end, all close enough to cast from deck-to-deck and scaring off the stripers with the 200 hp motors.
Like Carpanglerdude noted in his report the LMB bite is real sketchy too. Between barometer going up and down and the water level getting way high again ( the inlet is not flowing during the day) everything is wonky. I think I'll skip Sunday and head for Bass proshop for some supplies. If you like fishin' with the gang you might love it.

Same drama as in early 90's catch the shad and hammer the east for stripers.big motors ruin the bite in the shallow part of the lake.thats why they made trolling motors.

We were considering heading to Skinner on Tuesday as DVL has been such a grind as of late. Thought we'd get in some Tule and salad bar fishing for LMB's. Perhaps the deep pattern fishing at DVL is not such a bad idea after all. Lol, so the 5th fleet showed up at Skinner and played Shad war games in the shallow end? Geez, with those vessels they may as well have done grenade fishing.

Is Shannon still doing the inspections?

Yah Hawgs, she is also now writing the fish report for the Press Enterprise. Yup, some of those boats would make good yellowtail chasers down in Baja.


Hey Nitro, As I said to some folks in the parking lot.... It is a public lake and I get that, but stripers are sensative critters and that's why we have trolling motors. IMO the electronics should also be shut down. I mean in 10' of water do you really need to meter the shad?

What about the bigger stripers chasing the trout planted yesterday at Ramp 2? Anybody hear of that action?

Ian, I trolled that area a number of times in the last few weeks. No signs of life. I have been targeting stripers for a couple years now and have never seen the "big bite" following the trout stocking. Heard a lot about it but never saw it for myself.

Geez who put the word out about Skinner? lol

Who knows Joe? Maybe the DVL regulars. In 16 months I'll be retiring and will become a mid-week fisherman. In the meantime I went to Bass pro today and picked up a second trolling setup. Now while the crowds are hammering the east end I can disect the water column in the main lake.

Well that means you'll be getting your value out of the season pass. I bet you can't wait!