Striper Season is Here: Top Shore Rigs & Local Fishing Report
- alexosen
- May 1
- 6 min read
Hello friends,
In this edition, we'll be covering:
Striper Bank Fishing Gear Review
Spring Festival is this Saturday, May 3rd
Striper Fishing Report
Live Bait Update
Looking to upgrade your striper setup for the Napa River, San Francisco Bay, or Sacramento River? Don't want to spend more than $150 on a full setup? We’ve field-tested two of the most popular Penn Fierce IV spinning combos — the 4000/7' Medium and the 5000/8' Medium-Heavy — to help you decide which rod best fits your style, location, and target fish size. Whether you're flinging swimbaits from the bank or soaking cut bait in moving water, this breakdown will guide you to the right combo for local striped bass success.
Penn Fierce IV Combo Comparison for Striped Bass
Target Waters: Napa River • SF Bay • Sacramento River
Feature | Fierce IV 4000 / 7' M | Fierce IV 5000 / 8' MH |
Rod Power / Action | Medium / Moderate-Fast | Medium-Heavy / Moderate-Fast |
Ideal Lure Range | 1/4 – 1 oz | 3/4 – 2 oz |
Line Rating (Braid) | 10–20 lb | 15–30 lb |
Max Drag | 15 lbs | 25 lbs |
Best Application | Light lures & bait rigs in tight quarters | Heavier rigs, longer casts, stronger current/fish |
Casting Distance | Moderate | Long |
Reel Size | 4000 | 5000 |
Price | $119 | $129 |
🟢 Napa River — Tight, Tidal, and Tactical
Recommended Combo: FRCIV4000702M (4000 / 7' M)
Why: The Napa River is narrow in most areas, with short-to-medium casts needed and boat wakes, bridges, or rocks nearby. Schoolie stripers dominate here, and live bait (like minnows or ghost shrimp) plus 1/2 oz jigheads are staples.
Advantages: Lighter and more responsive, perfect for jigging swimbaits or soaking bait along the bank.
Drawback: May lack muscle for the occasional 10+ lb fish or strong tide swings — but it’ll still put in work with proper drag settings.
🔵 San Francisco Bay — Deep, Breezy, and Brutal
Recommended Combo: FRCIV5000802MH (5000 / 8' MH)
Why: Fishing from shorelines or piers near Berkeley, the bite often demands 2–4 oz sliding sinkers or big swimbaits in current. The fish are larger, and the water fights harder.
Advantages: Extra rod length and power let you punch casts further, control your bait drift, and put the brakes on hard-charging fish.
Drawback: Slightly heavier, but you’ll appreciate the added torque when you're hooked into a tank at the mouth of the Bay.
🟡 Sacramento River — Long Drifts, Deep Pools
Best All-Around Option: FRCIV5000802MH
Why: The upper Sac is a mix of deep holes, eddies, and structure, while the lower stretches into Rio Vista are classic heavy-striper territory. You'll often fish live bait rigs with 1+ oz sinkers or troll/swim big plastics.
Advantages: 5000 size reel gives better line capacity for long drifts and stronger drag for big, migrating stripers. Rod can chuck heavier lures like a 1.5 oz VMC swimbait or a Rat-L-Trap across current seams.
Drawback: Slightly overkill for sub-20" fish, but still versatile enough with proper leader setup.
Final Verdict for Local Striper Fishing
Waterbody | Best Combo | Why |
Napa River | Fierce IV 4000 / 7' M | Lightweight, tight presentation, finesse bait work |
SF Bay (Bank) | Fierce IV 5000 / 8' MH | Power + distance, handles current and larger fish |
Sacramento River | Fierce IV 5000 / 8' MH | Best for heavy rigs, deeper runs, long drift fishing |
Spring Festival is On - This Saturday, May 3rd
The countdown is on! 🌸 Join us for the Spring Festival at Sweeney’s Sports on Saturday, May 3rd — here’s why you don’t want to miss it:
🛍️ Storewide Discount
10% OFF all purchases over $50!
Spring is here and summer's calling. 🌞 It’s the perfect time to dust off your gear and stock up for a winning season. Whether you’ve been eyeing a new rod, running low on your favorite lures, or just need some fresh line on your reels — now's the time to gear up!
🎟️ Instant Prize Drawings for Ticket Holders
We're giving away tons of gear, including:
Salty Crew Apparel
Shakespeare Trout Rod/Reel Combos
Ugly Stik Catfish/Striper Rod/Reel Combos
Grand Prize: Costa Sunglasses! 😎
How to Enter:
🎟️ Grab your FREE ticket [here]
✅ Check in at the register when you arrive
🎉 Instantly find out if you’re a winner!
🎥 Grand Prize Drawing: Tune in to Sweeney’s Facebook Live, Tuesday, May 6th at 6PM!
🎡 Spin the Wheel at Checkout
Spend $50 or more and spin the prize wheel for a chance to win:
Hats
Stickers
Pocket knives
Gift cards
Other awesome gear!
Test your luck!
🌭 Hot Dogs & Drinks 10:30AM–3PM
Sweeney’s Dockside Cafe will be firing up the grill all day (or until we run out!). Grab a Miller’s hot dog with all the fixin’s and enjoy a free drink (soda, water, wine, or beer). Chill, chat, and connect with your fellow outdoor enthusiasts. 🍻
🎣 Free Fishing Classes (Come Learn From the Pros!)
🕚 11AM–12PM: Bank and Boat Striper Fishing on the Napa River – with Jeffrey Swank→ Jeffrey’s a legend on the Napa River. Bring your questions — he’s got the answers (and the techniques!).
🕛 12PM–1PM: Sturgeon Fishing on the Napa River – with Austin Bator→ Austin lands multiple sturgeon every weekend. He’ll show you how you can too!
🕐 1PM–2PM: Learn the Double Haul and Overhead Beach Casting Techniques – with Captain Gregg Holland→ A master waterman with over 40 years of experience — learn directly from one of NorCal’s finest!
🕞 3:30PM–4:30PM: How to Catch Bass on the Fly – with Robbie George→ Robbie will rig, demo, and teach you how to find and land bass on the fly.
Bring your friends, family, and fishing buddies — and don’t miss the most exciting day of the season! 🎣🎉We can't wait to see you at Sweeney’s Sports on Saturday, May 3rd!
🎣 May 2025 Striper Fishing Report: Napa River, SF Bay & Sacramento River
Striped bass action is heating up across Northern California as we head into May. With stable weather, rising water temps, and active bait movement, conditions are ideal for both shore and boat anglers targeting stripers. Here’s your local breakdown.
📍 Napa River — Consistent Action, Clean(ish) Water
Current Conditions:The Napa River is fishing fairly clean right now. With no recent storms, water clarity has improved, and baitfish are active along the banks and mid-channel. Morning and late afternoon bites have been best.
Bank Fishing Highlights:
Effective Baits: Frozen anchovies, pile worms, ghost shrimp, and live minnows are all producing. Large minnows in particular have triggered solid bites along the east bank from Kennedy Park down to Cuttings Wharf.
Rig Tips: Carolina rigs with 3-4 oz sliding sinkers are great for current edges. A hi-low rig with soft bait is also effective when fishing near brush or rocks.
Boat Trolling:
Go-To Lures: The locally-made “Wild Thing” deep diver lures and various rattle traps are top producers.
Speed & Tides: Troll between 3.5–4.2 MPH. Both incoming and outgoing tides fish well — fish are using the flow to ambush along submerged structure and drop-offs.
Depth: 8–12 ft runs near the river bends are holding consistent schools.
🌉 San Francisco Bay — Halibut Rising, Stripers Mixed In
Overview:Halibut will be dominating the headlines this May, but stripers are mixing in consistently, especially on live bait drifts near Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and the Berkeley Flats.
Charter Highlights:
Boats like the Lovely Martha and Happy Hooker have been posting halibut/striper combo scores of 1–2 fish per rod, with quality keepers in the mix.
Bait of Choice: Live anchovies and shiners drifted near bottom.
Tech Tip: Use a 3-way rig with a 3–6 oz sinker when the tide moves — adjust leader length to keep bait just above the grass.
DIY Shoreline Fishing:
Berkeley Pier & Point Emery: Schoolies hitting swimbaits (like 5” paddle tails on 1 oz jig heads) and cut anchovy chunks soaked on the bottom.
Best Time: 1 hour before peak tide and slack water just after the turn.
🟡 Sacramento River — Peak Migration Season
Fishing Outlook:Stripers are pushing deep into the system. Big fish are being caught around Rio Vista, with upstream movement toward Knights Landing and Colusa accelerating.
Best Techniques:
Live Minnows: Still the #1 bait for drifting. Use just enough weight to bounce bottom in moderate current.
Heavy Lures: Fast-trolling 1.5–2 oz diving plugs like Yo-Zuris or Rapalas is working well on the deep ledges.
Bank Access: Clarksburg and Freeport offer reliable public access with high catch potential.
Water Conditions:Flows are steady and slightly turbid — perfect for active feeding. Surface temps range from 61–64°F.
Live Bait Update
Live Pile Worms
Large Minnows (effective for trout/striper/catfish)
Medium Minnows
P.S. We’re excited to announce the launch of ShopSweeneys.com!
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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.
