Mr. Sweeney’s Fishing Report and Shop Updates – March 19th
- alexosen
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Today we are covering:
Shop Updates - Back to our Normal Hours!
Fishing Report – Napa River & Lake Berryessa
New Gear Arrivals
Salmon Season Outlook
Napa Fishing Club Update
By Alex, AKA “Mr. Sweeney’s”
Hello from Sweeney’s Sports. Spring weather is starting to show up with a stretch of warmer temperatures, but fishing patterns haven’t fully transitioned just yet. This week, we’ve got some exciting shop updates, steady fishing conditions, and a few things to look forward to as the season develops.
Shop Updates
Winter is over and we are back to our regular hours starting next week!
Mon 9-6pm
Tue 9-6pm
Wed 9-6pm
Thur 9-6pm
Fri 9-6pm
Sat 9-6pm
Sun 9-3pm
We’ve got great news on the bait front.
Ghost shrimp are now consistently available at the shop. We’ve worked out a reliable delivery system, and right now we have large, lively ghost shrimp in stock—perfect for targeting striper and sturgeon. They are currently priced at $15.99 per dozen.
Minnows are also in stock, with extra-large sizes available now and medium sizes arriving shortly. This should be especially good news for crappie anglers gearing up for the coming weeks.
Fishing Report
Lake Berryessa
Conditions at Berryessa remain very similar to the past couple of weeks despite the warmer weather.
Fish are still holding in the top 25 feet of water. While there are fish deeper, many are not actively feeding, so targeting that upper zone continues to be the most effective approach.
Trolling remains the key technique:
Slow trolling around 2.0 mph with flashers and dodgers paired with kokanee setups like hoochies is producing results
Alternatively, you can speed things up to around 2.4–2.6 mph direct tying spoons like Speedy Shiners or Optimizers for more aggressive fish
Napa River
The river is still running on the cooler side, which means fish are not overly aggressive yet.
Live bait is currently the most productive method for stripers
Sturgeon fishing remains strong, especially using ghost shrimp and roe
While some stripers are being caught on lures, reports are still limited, so bait is your best bet for now
If you hook into a sturgeon, be ready—it’s still one of the best fights out there, even with catch-and-release regulations in place.
New Gear Arrivals
We’ve had a solid wave of new gear arrive, with more on the way.
Shimano Gear Drop
A new Shimano shipment just landed, including:
Scimitar rods (great value and always in high demand)
Compre rods
New Nasci reels
Curado reels and additional Shimano models
We’re stocked on both casting and spinning options for trolling and general use, but these tend to move quickly.
New Vendor: Poulsen Cascade Tackle
We’re excited to introduce a new vendor from Oregon. All of their products and handcrafted in USA from USA sourced materials.
They specialize in salmon, kokanee, and trout gear and are well-established in the Pacific Northwest. We’re bringing in a variety of their products, including:
Arrow flashers
Kokanee trolling gear
Trout setups
Salmon Spoons
One standout item is a trolling system designed to reach deeper water without a downrigger or lead core line. It uses a combination of a free slider, flasher/dodger, and weighted setup to achieve depth.
We’re looking forward to testing it ourselves and sharing more insights once we’ve had time on the water with it.
Catch America Collaboration
We’re also partnering with Catch America to bring in gear recommended by guides like Big Nate.
Incoming items include:
Trix worms
Trigger spoons
Optimizer Jr.
Our goal is to make it easy for anglers to find the exact gear trusted by local guides - all in one place.
Salmon Season Outlook
Salmon season is shaping up, though final details are still pending approval.
The current proposal includes a quota-based season with approximately 104,000 fish allocated. Once that quota is reached, the season will likely close.
Based on early expectations:
May and June are likely to be the strongest months
Getting out early in the season will be key before quotas are met
We’ll continue to share updates as more details become official, and we’re gearing up to help you get fully prepared.
Napa Fishing Club Update
Momentum is building behind the Napa Fishing Club, and we’re getting closer to launch.
An advisory board meeting is scheduled for this Friday at 6:00 PM, where we’ll finalize programming and direction for the club.
The vision is simple:
Build a strong local fishing community
Organize trips and shared experiences
Educate and mentor younger anglers
Support and grow the sport long-term
Once the structure is finalized, we’ll begin opening memberships and rolling out activities.
Final Thoughts
Fishing conditions remain steady, and while we’re not fully into spring patterns yet, there’s plenty of opportunity out there - especially with the right approach and bait.
We appreciate your continued support and look forward to seeing you in the shop or out on the water.
If you have any questions, stop by or reach out anytime.
See you next week.
Mr. Sweeney’s
Catch Of The Month Contest - Win a $30 gift card!
Show us your most impressive fishing moment by tagging @sweeneys_sports in your Instagram post or story. The grand prize? A $30 gift card and a feature on our social networks! 🏅.
If you’d like to participate, it’s simple:
Share a photo of your catch to your Instagram stories
Tag @sweeneys_sports
Each entry gives you a chance to be featured and win a $30 gift card.
A big thank you to everyone who submitted this month - we truly appreciate your participation and can’t wait to see what you reel in next. Keep the photos coming! 🎣
Live Bait Update
We’re stocked up on fresh live bait and ready for the current river and lake conditions.
Currently Available:
Live Minnows
Medium
XL
Jumbo
Pile Worms
Ghost Shrimp!!!
Frozen Section
Frozen Roe (Tips and Curing Recipe Here)
Cure Ghost Shrimp (Excellent for Sturgeon and Striper)
Tray and Bag Anchovies
As always,
We truly appreciate every time you walk through our doors. Thank you for choosing to spend your hard-earned dollars with us. It's a privilege to be of service.
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