San Joaquin Delta Fishing Report | November 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
Delta: fish roam and chase bait, focus on tide windows over a fixed depth. Collins Lake: trout in the top 10 feet.
Presentation
Delta: fish the tide, keep plugs and bait clean of weeds, most intense bite the last hour of outgoing and first hour of incoming tide. Collins Lake: hybrid lead-core rig with a bubblegum pink Trout Trix Minnow at 1.8 to 2.2 mph.
Lures and baits
Delta: plugs and bait worked around the weeds and the tide.
Collins Lake: bubblegum pink Trout Trix Minnow on a hybrid lead-core rig.
Best time
Last hour of the outgoing tide and first hour of the incoming tide (Delta).
Water temperature
Around 61 to 62 degrees on the Delta.
Weather
Windy and rainy at Collins Lake.
Advice for this week
On the Delta, fish the tide, not the clock. The bite fires during the last hour of the outgoing and the first hour of the incoming, and staying clean of the dying weeds is half the battle. At Collins, keep it simple in the top 10 feet at 1.8 to 2.2 mph.
What is changing
The bass are on the move chasing bait across a big area. Dying weeds are still thick in the water and constantly foul plugs and bait.
Next week
Delta stripers should keep roaming and chasing bait as they move through the system, so keep covering water and timing the tides. Collins Lake trout are eating well in the top of the water column even in rough weather, making it a solid cold-weather trout option.
Notable catch
The biggest striper on the boat over the last couple of weeks measured 44 inches, certainly in the low 30-pound range, and was released safe and sound.
San Joaquin Delta stripers are on the move chasing bait in 61 to 62 degree water, ranging from brilliant to frustrating day to day. Fish the last hour of the outgoing and first hour of the incoming tide, and keep plugs clean of the dying weeds. Over at Collins Lake, a hybrid lead-core rig with a bubblegum pink Trix Minnow at 1.8 to 2.2 mph took rainbows to 4 pounds.
What is biting in the San Joaquin Delta right now?
Striped bass, and the fishing ranges from brilliant to frustrating depending on the day. Capt. Cal Kellogg reports the bass are on the move chasing bait in 61 to 62 degree water. The biggest striper on his boat recently was 44 inches, released safe and sound in the low 30 pound class.
When is the best tide for Delta stripers?
The bite is most intense during the last hour of the outgoing tide and the first hour of the incoming tide. That tide change is when to focus your effort, since the fish are scattered across a big area and moving day to day.
How do the weeds affect Delta fishing?
Dying weeds are making it tough. Trolling means constantly cleaning plugs, and anchoring or bait fishing coats your bait with weeds in the current. Keep your presentation clean to get bit while the weeds continue to die off.
What is working at Collins Lake for trout?
On a kayak trip in wind and rain, Cal caught quality rainbows to about 4 pounds on a hybrid lead-core rig running a bubblegum pink Trix Minnow at 1.8 to 2.2 mph. He caught fish near the dam, the mouth of the Narrows, and off the peninsula.
What is the outlook for the Delta and Collins Lake?
Delta stripers stay catchable on the tide changes as they chase bait, and the weeds will keep dying off. Collins Lake is producing steady rainbow action. Specific striper lures for the Delta were not specified in this report beyond plugs and bait.
Watch the full report
San Joaquin Delta November 2025 FAQ
The last hour of the outgoing tide and the first hour of the incoming tide.
Around 61 to 62 degrees, keeping the bass on the move chasing bait.
A 44 inch fish, released safely, in the low 30 pound range.
A bubblegum pink Trout Trix Minnow on a hybrid lead-core rig at 1.8 to 2.2 mph.
Quality rainbows up to about 4 pounds.
Dying weeds constantly foul plugs and bait, so you must keep your presentation clean.
