Anglers Battle stripers, Sturgeon and Catfish in Rio Vista Bass Derby
RIO VISTA − The 250 participants in the 75th Rio Vista Bass Derby — the West Coast’s oldest bass derby — enjoyed sunny, mild and calm fall weather on Oct. 13, 14, and 15 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
The anglers fishing the adult division competed in two divisions, striped bass and sturgeon, based on the fish closest to the target lengths. The target lengths were drawn at the start of the derby early Friday morning.
The striped bass target length was 26.75 inches.
“On Saturday morning, a fisherman turned in a fish measuring 26.70 inches,” said Ken Baccetti, president of the California Striped Bass Association Isleton Chapter. “He would have won the derby but another angler checked in another fish measuring 26.72 inches an hour before the derby closed.”
Austin Todd won first place in the event with his striped bass measuring 26.72 inches and weighing 6.9 pounds. He won $4,000.
Brent Ramsey placed second with his striper measuring 26.70 inches and weighing 7.9 pounds. He won $1500.
Michael Todd placed third with a striped bass measuring 26.64 inches and weighing 8.3 pounds. He won $1000.
“We had lots of fish turned in,” said Bachetti. “Most fish were caught in Montezuma Slough, Suisun Slough and Grizzly Bay. A couple of anglers reported throwing swimbaits and others trolled lures. There weren’t very many anglers who reported fishing with bait.”
Only three sturgeon were weighed in, so all three anglers received a check. “Most of the anglers who targeted sturgeon said they hooked either shakers or oversized fish. All of the three winners caught their fish in the Pittsburg Area,” said Bachetti.
The target length for sturgeon was 47.50 inches.
Milagros Gomez won first place with a 46.40-inch sturgeon weighing 35.0 pounds, winning $1500, reported Stacia Olson of the Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce.
Martin Morfey finished second with a 44.95-inch sturgeon weighing 25.2 pounds, winning $600.
Carolann Bueno finished third with a sturgeon measuring 46.40 inches and weighing 20.9 pounds, winning $300.
Additional prizes for up to 15 places in the striped bass category were donated by North Pole Bait and Tackle and Michelli Measurement Group.
Salmon weren’t included in this year’s derby, due to the closure of the salmon season by the state and federal fishery managers because of the collapse of the fall-run Chinook salmon runs on the Sacramento and Klamath rivers.
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The Kids Derby featured two categories: striped bass and catfish, with separate prizes awarded. Catfish could be any size and the fish with the top weight and length was declared the winner. Kids under age 16 were excluded from participating in the adult derby.
“Everybody who entered the Kids Derby received a prize,” said Bachetti. “A resident of Rio Vista who preferred to be anonymous donated gift cards in past years. Between this year and last year, he passed away. However, His daughter brought gift cards for the kid’s winners in his memory.”
The striped bass had to be a minimum legal size of 18” and not over 24”. The winning fish were those closest to 24”.
John Gertiser won first place with a 23.33” 5.0 lb. striper. He won a $100 gift card and a fishing rod.
Darnelle Howard placed second with a 23.31” 5.4 lb. fish. He won a $75 gift card and a fishing rod.
Johnny Aguilar placed third with a 23.18” 5.1 lb. striper. He won a $50 gift card and a fishing rod.
Jocelyn Aguilar placed fourth with a 22.63” 5.2 lb. fish. She won a $25 gift card and a Snag’um & Bag’um Yeti Cup.
Additional prizes of $25 gift cards were given to kid entries who did not place in the top 3. Additional prizes for the striped bass category were donated by North Pole Bait and Tackle and Snag’um & Bag’um Custom Baits, according to Olson.
The catfish could be any size, with the fish with the top weight and length winning.
Ivori Zepeda won first place with a 17.50” 3.2 lb. catfish. The angler took home a $100 gift card and a fishing rod.
Brayden Eck placed second with a 15.63” 2.0 lb. catfish. He won a $75 gift card and a fishing rod.
John Aguilar placed third with his 14.625” 1.6 lb. catfish. We won a $50 gift card and a fishing rod.
Awards were presented at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the foot of Main Street in downtown Rio Vista.
Plaque Dedication to Captain Barry Canevaro: As anglers checked in fish at the CSBA weigh-in station at the derby, the California Striped Bass Association Isleton Chapter dedicated a plaque at the boat launch to honor Captain Barry Canevaro, a legendary Delta and Bay Area fishing captain, conservationist and fishing technique and tackle innovator.
The Canevaro family, Rio Vista Mayor Ronald Kott and a crowd of friends and admirers of Barry gathered there to pay tribute to him. Bob Simms, host of the KFBK Outdoor Show in Sacramento on Saturday mornings, MC’d the event.
“Simms shared many memories of Barry, as he had those present laughing and remembering Barry for the mentor and innovator he was to all,” said Ken Bachetti, who organized the dedication event.
Barry, the owner of Fish Hookers Sportfishing, was known for his acerbic, deadpan wit, his fishing expertise and the hundreds of hours of volunteer time he spent helping the United Anglers of California (UAC) and the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA) fight for the preservation of striped bass, sturgeon, salmon and other fish species for over four decades.
His favorite fish to target was striped bass on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, but he also was an expert on fishing for sturgeon in Suisun Bay and the Delta, trolling for king salmon outside of the Golden Gate and fishing for albacore in the ocean off Fort Bragg.
“Canevaro helped to put Rio Vista on the map. He was an innovator who had done it all,” said Bachetti.
New sturgeon regulations will go into effect: The California Fish and Game Commission enacted emergency regulations on Oct. 11 to reduce white sturgeon harvest for the 2023-24 season. “The emergency action was taken in response to long-term declines in adult white sturgeon populations as well as impacts of a harmful algal bloom in San Francisco and San Pablo bays in summer 2022,” according to the CDFW in an announcement.
The new regulations — enacted following a joint recommendation by CDFW and angling groups — will reduce the number of fish that can be kept to one per year, reduce the slot limit to 42-48 inches, cap the number of white sturgeon that can be possessed on a vessel at two per day and add seasonal closures to sturgeon fishing in key spawning areas.
The regulations are expected to take effect in late October or early November following approval by the Office of Administrative Law.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Anglers Battle stripers, Sturgeon and Catfish in Rio Vista Bass Derby
