2011 Yakhopper Kayak Fishing Series, Delta (Tiki) Striper

Arrived at Tiki a little before noon on Saturday the 22nd, got the kayak rigged up and headed on the water. First stop was right over to the docks to drop half a night crawler on a size 10 bait holder hook for some Bluegill. Should have brought some split shot as they were right off the bottom, it took awhile for it to flutter down. Once I had my bait bucket full I proceeded further into the delta to pre-fish the tournament. I had one rod rigged with a 1/2oz lead head and white with yellow tail Fish-Trap. The other was rigged with a spreader and 3oz banana weight to slow troll my Bluegill right off the bottom.

I was out on the water for around three hours, it was a rough day of fishing, though I got the intel I was looking for. I managed to land a 15" Striper on the Fish-Trap and a 24"er on a Bluegill.
Sunday the 23rd, Kat and I stopped at a local bait store to pick up some live minnows, but alas they were sold out. So we picked up a pound of 1.5" fresh Shad instead. We hit the water in an awesome fog, I trolled the Bluegill she trolled the dead Shad behind a Wiggle Fin. About a half hour into fishing her rod went down. Fish on. She lands a nice 24"+ Striper, I tell her thats the winning fish and sure enough it is.

It was another slow day of kayak fishing at Tiki here in the California Delta, but this 24.75" Striper got her first place amongst 90 other kayak anglers.

--Ryan