It’s a fishing day

California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) fishing conditions · California

Now until tonight 4 amLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 63 for largemouth bass, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 63Mon
  2. 63
  3. 63
  4. 633 am
  5. 68
  6. 68
  7. 686 am
  8. 68
  9. 68
  10. 689 am
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 6812 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 683 pm
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 686 pm
  20. 68
  21. 68
  22. 689 pm
  23. 68
  24. 68
  25. 68Tue
  26. 68
  27. 68
  28. 683 am
  29. 60
  30. 58
  31. 586 am
  32. 58
  33. 60
  34. 609 am
  35. 60
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
6 mph

From the west

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:25 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18" minimum, 2 striped bass a day statewide; hybrids count as striped bass. The Colorado River and Southern districts and New Hogan, San Antonio and Santa Margarita lakes have no size limit and allow 10 a day.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No catfish limit in most of California. The Southern and Colorado River districts are 10 a day, and some listed county and park lakes are 5.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

25 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 25 sunfish and crappie a day combined, no size limit. Hodges and El Capitan have a 10" crappie minimum; Barrett and Upper Otay are catch and release.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Oct–Jun, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

68MarginalNow until tonight 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California sets no bag or size limit for common carp, since only species named in the regulations are limited. Grass carp are protected: none may be taken or possessed, so release any you hook at once.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · California

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.08 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:25 am
  • Sunset today6:14 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The sprawling maze of tidal sloughs where the Sacramento and San Joaquin meet east of San Francisco Bay — a world-class largemouth bass fishery with a strong striped bass run, smallmouth, catfish, and crappie. Over a thousand miles of fishable levee banks and tule edges.

Black bass 12" minimum, 5 a day; striped bass 18" minimum, 2 a day; no catfish limit; 25 sunfish and crappie combined. White sturgeon are catch and release (zero bag, report card required) and green sturgeon may not be taken.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

San Francisco Bay49 mi · CaliforniaBest tonight 10 pm to tomorrow 12 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
65Marginal
Folsom Lake50 mi · CaliforniaBest today 3 am–3 pm
86Go
Lake Berryessa52 mi · CaliforniaBest today 12 pm–6 pm
68Marginal
Half Moon Bay State Beach63 mi · CaliforniaBest today 1 pm–3 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
57Marginal
Santa Cruz Main Beach79 mi · CaliforniaBest today 12 pm to tomorrow 5 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)?

California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) have?

California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Black bass 12" minimum, 5 a day; striped bass 18" minimum, 2 a day; no catfish limit; 25 sunfish and crappie combined. White sturgeon are catch and release (zero bag, report card required) and green sturgeon may not be taken.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)?

state agency regulations apply at California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) tidal water?

No. California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.