What's New in the Shop?
First cast:
The spring is here, and to celebrate, we're throwing a one-day extravaganza you won't want to miss! Our Spring Outdoor Festival is packed with everything you need to get your next adventure started. Score amazing deals with a storewide sale, swap your unused gear at our Gear Swap, and brush up on your skills with a variety of free fishing and firearms classes. Plus, there's free food, fun for the kids, and a chance to win incredible prizes – all while mingling with your favorite outdoor brands! Mark your calendars and join us for a day of outdoor fun! The event will be hosted on Saturday, April 27th, 9am-3pm
7 Reasons to attend or Spring Outdoor Festival.
1.Storewide Sale
Enjoy a 10% off storewide sale, excluding Fish and Wildlife Licenses, DROS, and services.
2.Gear Swap
9am-12pm. Do you have fishing gear or tackle you’d like to sell/trade? If so, secure a table space at our Spring Outdoor Festival. We will provide tables, chairs, and a canopy. 2 people per table. 8 spots are available. You must pre-register here.
3.Free Classes
Free Fishing Classes
9am-9:45am - Intro to Flyfising and Fly Casting Clinic
10am-10:45am - Intermidiate Striper Trolling Class
11am-11:45am - Crappie Fishing Clinic
12pm-12:45pm - Trout/Kokanee Fishing Clinic
1pm-1:45p, - Halibut Fishing Clinic
Free FirearmsTraining
9am-9:45am Handgun Safety Function and Storage
10am-10:45am Long Gun Safety Function and Storage
11am-11:45am Firearms Cleaning and Maintenance
4.Prizes and Giveaways
Every customer will be entered in a drawing for:
Striped Bass Bank Fishing Kit
Striped Bass Trolling Kit
Large Mouth Bass Fishing Kit
500 Rounds of 9mm Target Ammo
500 Rounds of 556 Ammo
Spin the wheel at the register for a chance to instantly win one of the following prizes:
Phenix Fishing Gear
Okuma Fishing Gear
Sweeney’s Sports and Catch Happy Hats
3 x $25 Live Bait Gift Cards
5.Free Food
Treat yourself to Free coffee and donuts in the morning, and gourmet hot dogs with fixings in the afternoon. Our grill will be going all day.
6.Kids Games
Bring the whole family. We'll have games and contests specifically designed for kids.
7.Mingle with Favorite Brands
Meet representatives from Okuma, Crappie Closet, Phenix, and more. Check out the lineups and learn about the new products.
Second cast:
Hey Parents!
Spring is here, and what better way to celebrate the outdoors than by teaching your child a lifelong skill? We're excited to announce the 1st Annual Kids Learn to Fish Event, co-hosted with the City of Napa, Park Rangers, and the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife!
The event, held on Saturday, May 4th at Oxbow Preserve, is the perfect opportunity for kids ages 7-15 to learn the basics of fishing and have a blast on the Napa River.
Spots are limited (only 15!), so register early! Unfortunately, due to parking restrictions, walk-ins won't be possible.
Here's what your kid can expect:
A fun and educational 5-station fishing clinic covering:
Knot tying
Safety and fishing ethics
How we impact water quality
Casting
Rigging
All the gear they need – rods, reels, tackle, bait, catch & release equipment – plus expert instruction and coaching!
By the end of the day, your child will be:
Confident in their fishing skills
Equipped with a new appreciation for the outdoors
Hooked on a fun and rewarding hobby!
Don't miss out! Register your child today!
We look forward to seeing you there!
This year's event is limited to 15 kids only, so if you'd like your kid to participate and learn how to fish, register early. Unfortunately, due to limited parking on Oxboe Preserve, we won't be able to accommodate walk-ins.
Live Bait Inventory Update
Live Pile Worms
Live Ghost Shrimp
Medium Minnows
Large Minnows
Fishing Reports
Lake Hennessy
Shane and Luke's Report
Luke and I fished Lake Hennessy last Sunday. We arrived around 1:00 PM, planning to fish through the afternoon and into the evening. The sky was partly cloudy with rain forecast for later in the day. The water temperature was around 60 degrees, suggesting some female bass might be pre-spawn transitioning or full-spawn on beds.
The initial focus of our trip was locating these bass in the water column. Were they cruising the shallows or holding deep in cover, waiting to spawn? It turned into a day focused on simple techniques. Luke used a 3/4 oz jig, while I flipped a D-Bomb with a 1 oz bullet weight.
We started by working the shoreline, casting deep into cover, but didn't get any bites. We then switched tactics, throwing a couple of feet off the edge, and that's when we started catching fish. We landed a few bass in the 2-3 pound range while working the shoreline. Once we moved to shallower water and cast near cover, things got exciting.
We caught a series of larger fish: a 5.5-pounder, a 6-pounder (both on the jig), and I landed a respectable 4-pounder flipping right on the edge of some cover. Bed fishing was slow. We spotted a few large females on beds but couldn't entice them to bite.
With the full spawn approaching and the water clearing up, I expect the bass fishing at Lake Hennessy to improve. It's been a while since we've had a successful day at the lake, and we're already looking forward to getting back out there! I'll try to fish there as much as possible in the coming months and keep you all posted on the results.
Napa River
Striper Bite is Picking Up!
We went out on a team-building trip yesterday, trolling for striper on Napa River. Once we found them, we went 3 for 5, with 2 keepers. Video and more information coming next week.
The only lures that got bit consistently were the Wild Things (Sweeney's custom lure) and Golden Boy (Aruku Shad).
Bank anglers report good results with Live Ghost Shrimp and Pile Worms. Cut frozen Anchovies is also a solid choice.
For gear, bait, and the latest fishing information, stop by our shop. Guided trips are also available for booking.
Lake Berryessa
Lake Berryessa Fishing Report -
Many anglers continue catching limits of trout trolling spoons between 3.2-3.8 MPH, with depths of 9 and 21 feet. The water is warming up and the bite should continue to be strong. There is a lot of pressure on the fish right now, so get out there and try your luck. Trout bite should continue strong through May.
We fished Berryessa last week and learned a valuable lesson. Three key mistakes, although seemingly minor, turned a potentially successful outing into a learning experience.
Mistake #1: Inappropriate Drag Setting
I love fishing for striped bass. I would say 7 out of 10 trips I take are striped bass-focused. As such eager for aggressive Striped Bass strikes, I neglected to adjust the drag for Trout. This loose setting allowed them to take the bait and run, escaping before I could set the hook. Takeaway: Always set the drag for appropriate resistance to avoid breakoffs.
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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