Fish Sniffer Magazine Issue 4008 | Page 9

Camping and Lodging : Motels and r . v . camping facilities are available in the river towns of Rio Vista , Isleton and Walnut Grove . For more information , call California Delta Chambers & Visitor ’ s Bureau , 169 W . Brannan Road , Isleton , CA . 95641 , 916-777-4041 , http :// www . californiadelta . org . For more information on Pirates ’ Lair in Isleton , call 916-777-6464 or http :// www . korthspirateslair . com

Boat ramps : Boat launching is available at the Brannan Island State Recreation Area , Sandy Beach Park Launching Facility in Rio Vista , the Delta Marina Launch Ramp , City of Rio Vista Launch Ramp , Vieira ’ s Resort , and Isleton Launch Ramp ( next to Ramos Oil Company ). Always check to see if the boat ramp is open , due to changing conditions during the COVID pandemic .

Fishing information : Fisherman ’ s Warehouse , Sacramento , 916-362- 1200 ; Rio Vista Bait , 707-374-5522 , Hap ’ s Bait , Rio Vista , 707 374-2372 ; Vieira ’ s Resort , Isleton , 855-843-4727

Delta Striped Bass , Sturgeon and Salmon Charters :

• James Soo Hoo , Soo Hoo Sportfishing , 925-899-4045 .

• Chris Ditter , Headrush Sportfishing , 916-284-9236

• James Netzel , Tight Lines Guide Service , 888-975-0990

• Jerry Lampkin T . N . G . Motor Sports Guide Service , 530-320-0884

• Hayden Mullins , Dragon Sportfishing , 925-428-1103

• Brad Bugica , SalmonStriper . com , 775-690-5357

• Brett Brady , Bare Bones Guide Service , 530-272-7137 , 530-263-4451

• Steve Mitchell , Hook ’ d Up Sportfishing , 707-655-6736 .

• Dave Hammond , Delta Pro Fishing , 916-479-3492 , ( 925 ) 497-7171

• Zack Medinas , Gatecrasher Fishing Adventures , 925-497-7171

• Rob Reimers , Rustic Rob ’ s Guide Service , 530-632-0051

• Joey Gamez , Golden State Sportfishing , 209-855-1847

Birds Landing

Broad Slough

PITTSBURG

Birds Landing Road

COLLINSVILLE

4

12

Montezuma

Sherman Lake

Currie Road

Stewart

ANTIOCH

Anderson Road

Lane

Hills

Toland

Lane

SACRAMENTO

Azevedo Road

Road

RIO VISTA

DECKER ISLAND

SHERMAN ISLAND

Airport Road

Brannan Island State Recreation Area

160

4

SAN

RIVER

JOAQUIN

Big Break

3 Mile Sl .

RIVER

JERSEY ISLAND

BRANNAN ISLAND

TWITCHELL ISLAND

BRADFORD ISLAND

Jersey Is . Road

False River

160

7 Mile Sl .

BETHEL ISLAND

Dutch Slough

Fishermans Cut

Bethel Is . Road

ISLETON

GRAND ISLAND

12

ANDRUS ISLAND

WEBB TRACT

Franks Tract

Sand Mound Slough

This family had a great day of fishing with Jeff Soo Hoo of Soo Hoo Sportfishing this spring

Photo courtesy of Soo Hoo Sportfishing . of the species . The Commission threw out the striped bass policy , finalized in 1996 , that sets a numerical goal of 3 million fish , based on the best available science . Members of fishing groups and the scientific community were willing to compromise by setting a numerical goal of 1 million , but the Commissioners , pressured by agribusiness interests , refused to compromise and the input of the scientists and fishermen was disregarded . In doing so , the Commission discarded all of the science presented by striped bass experts Dr . Peter Moyle , Dr . David Ostrach and Dr . Cynthia LeDoux Bloom in Commission meetings and sided with powerful corporate agribusiness interests , including the Coalition for a Sustainable Delta , that see the striped bass and other fish as a hindrance in their decades long to pump even more water out of the Sacramento San Joaquin River Delta . The California Striped Bass Association ( CSBA ), Nor-Cal Guides and Sportsmen ’ s Association and NCGASA Delta Anglers Coalition had mobilized hundreds of conservationists to attend the previous meetings where this issue was discussed , but only a relatively small group of anglers and several representatives of corporate agribusiness interests showed up to this meeting because it was clear that the Commissioners had already made up their minds in their alliance with the water contractors .. “ I ’ m proud of the work of our stakeholders , staff of the Commission and CDFW , and Commissioners in reaching this point , recognizing that this is just the beginning of a long effort to effect the changes in the policies to restore the health of the Delta ,” gushed then Commission President Sklar . Sklar requested that the Commission add language to the Striped Bass Policy to support the “ vitality ” of the fishery . “ The newly adopted Delta Fisheries Management Policy calls out explicit ‘ support ’ for all gamefish fisheries , committing to the striped bass fishery as well as recovery of native species ,” according to the Commission . Scientists and fishermen didn ’ t see it that way . “ I ’ m disappointed that the Commission ignored all of the scientific evidence and the testimony of the overwhelming of stakeholders who insisted on a strong striped policy based on objectives and goals ,” said Dr . David Ostrach , Chief Scientist for Ostrach Consulting , a leading scientific expert on striped bass and Delta fish species . “ The Commission continues to violate the public trust by doing so .” Corporate agribusiness interests , with no scientific evidence , have claimed that “ predation ” by striped bass has decimated salmon and Delta smelt populations , not water exports . In his comments , Dr . David Ostrach stated , “ There is no credible evidence that the striped bass predation has led to the decline of other Delta species , and striped bass and largemouth bass are the only species vilified in this manner .” In fact , the scientists have stated in their testimony and articles that the reduction of numbers in striped bass would likely harm the ecosystem because striped bass eat Sacramento pike-minnows , a major predator of salmon and striped bass , in addition to keeping down the numbers of Mississippi silverside minnows that prey upon the few remaining uvenile Delta smelt . Ostrach and fishermen called for updated science on the current status of the species since there is no accurate data , regarding the numbers of striped bass in the San Francisco Bay-Delta . The species has declined from an estimated 3 to 5 million in the 1960s to around 300,000 now , but nobody really knows many striped bass are out there . The dramatic decline of striped bass occurs in the larger context of the collapse of Delta smelt and other species , largely due to massive exports of Delta water by the state and federal water projects in recent years . Between 1967 and 2020 , the CDFW Fall Midwater Trawl ( FMWT ) abundance indices ( combined September , October , November and December surveys ) for striped bass , Delta smelt , longfin smelt , American shad , splittail and threadfin shad have declined by 99.7 , 100 , 99.96 , 67.9 , 100 , and 95 percent , respectively , according to Bill Jennings , Executive Director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance ( CSPA ). “ Taken as five-year averages ( 1967- 1971 vs . 2016-2020 ), the declines for striped bass , Delta smelt , longfin smelt , American shad , splittail and threadfin shad are 98.1 , 99.8 , 99.8 , 26.2 , 99.3 and 94.3 percent , respectively ,” said Jennings .