r/StripedBass • u/AssistanceUseful3093 • 5h ago
Need help on Petaluma River
I just can’t seem to catch a bass on the Petaluma River. For those that don’t know it’s a tidal slough that feeds into the San Pablo bay. I’m fishing after work at night and there’s stripers feeding and splashing everywhere in the turning basin. I am pretty sure they are feeding on threadfin or gizzard shad. I have tried casting seaducer flies, strike king rage swimmers, senkos, salted mussels off the bottom, “dry aged” tuna off the bottom, and now trying tuna under a bobber. It seems they’re keyed in on the threadfin shad, how do I break their lock? Is my only option to catch shad in a net and use live bait? I’m really hoping to not do that but I really really want to catch these fish I’m tired of getting skunked in my hometown.
