Delta Bass

Ask any tournament largemouth bass fisherman if he or she has ever heard about the California Delta, and odds are you'll get a 100% "yes" response. Ask the same question to a bunch of black bass fly-rodders and the same odds are that a majority of them would say they haven't heard of the delta, or know very little about it. Too bad. The California Delta is one of the most productive largemouth bass fisheries in the world. It is where tournament champion, Dee Thomas pioneered what is referred to by conventional bass anglers as "Flippin," one of the most used, and deadly techniques for taking old bucket mouth. The California Delta is also where dozens upon dozens of bass tournaments are held each year, many of them national events, worth big bucks.

Now all this isn't to entice you to become a Flippin devotee or a tournament basser - heaven forbid! I mention it only to point out that if you like fly fishing for largemouth bass and don't know about the delta, you are missing out on a great opportunity - big time. It is, indeed, quite possible for knowledgeable fly-rodders to stick from 10 to 20 or more blacks a day, ranging in size from under a pound to more than eight, on all manner of flies from poppers to striper-sized streamers and bucktails. In fact, on more than one occasion, when I've been there casting for striped bass, a couple of dozen or more largemouth bass have fallen victim to my flies as incidental catches. And, when specifically targeting delta blacks, the reverse has occurred. It's almost a no-lose situation.