Rio Vista is ground zero for fall striper fishing in the California Delta.

To begin with, the city sets on the bank of the Sacramento River. When the striper run is underway, anglers nail bass while fishing within shouting distance of downtown, yet that can be said for a number of delta towns. What really makes Rio Vista synonymous with striper fishing is the city's rich history of organizing striped bass derbies.

Indeed, Rio Vista is home to the oldest striper derby in the Golden State. Every October, dating back to 1947 the city has hosted the Rio Vista Striped Bass Festival that is centered on a three-day striper fishing derby.

On October 14, 15, and 16 the Rio Vista Chamber of Commerce presented the 58th Annual Striped bass Festival. More than 40,000 people were expected to attend this year's event, which included 80 vendors, a carnival, a classic car show, a parade, and fireworks.

The derby's grand prize for the biggest striper was a 166 Pro Series Princecraft boat complete with a 60 horsepower Mercury Outboard. Naturally with such an impressive top prize the derby drew hardcore striper anglers from far and wide.

Having grown up in the bay and delta region, I have been a dedicated striper fisherman for years. Despite this, I had never taken part in the Rio Vista derby that most consider the premier event of the year for striper enthusiasts.

When Captain Barry Canevaro of The Fish Hookers Sportfishing invited me to fish aboard the Fish 'N' Fool IV during the derby, I jumped at the opportunity. Canevaro is one of the Delta's premier striper skipper and his clients have won the derby three times.

During the weeks leading up to the derby, I'd been full of anticipation. October is one of the best months for hooking trophy size delta stripers and I had a full dose of that "anything is possible feeling" as the derby neared. Unfortunately, in the days leading up to the derby the weather deteriorated and a low pressure system moved through the region the night of October 14, dropping rain and prompting forecasters to predict winds up to 30 mph on Saturday...The day I was slated to fish!

When I arrived at the Pittsburg Marina on Saturday morning, I was delighted. The sky was only partly cloudy and the wind was calm. The forecasters had missed the mark! After boarding the Fish 'N' Fool, Canevaro introduced me to Dee Carson, his son Kit, Ken Dretzka, and Jerry Alves. Everyone aboard was a veteran striper angler and we'd all fished with Canevaro in the past. A few minutes later Dave Henry arrived and we were underway.

After departing the harbor, Canevaro steered the boat for a protected area of Suisun Bay. "It's calm now, but when those cloud push through I'll bet it's going to blow. I'm going to put us in a spot where we won't be affected if the wind does pick up," related Canevaro.

A half hour later Canevaro dropped anchor in a backwater area and quickly rigged our rods with filleted shad and live bullheads. Immediately we began getting bites, but the bass were more interested in playing with the bait than eating it. It quickly became clear that the low-pressure system had affected the stripers' appetite, but we hoped they would become more aggressive when the incoming tide got started.

An hour later with the incoming tide picking up, Jerry nailed the first bass of the day. The bass only measured about 20 inches, but the skunk was off the boat and we had a fish in the box. A short time later Ken's clicker began feeding out line in staccato bursts as a striper moved took his bullhead. Ken drove the hook home and soon had the shaker bass boat side where it was quickly released.

The most exciting moment of the day occurred a while later when Ken's rod got hit again, signaled by the clicker's steady buzz. Setting the hook, Ken enjoyed the fight of a larger striper. After deftly leading the bass around the other rods, Ken slid it into the waiting net and the 5 pounder joined Jerry's fish in the live well.

We spent the rest of the day tending our rods and listening to other anglers on the radio. "Things are sure quiet for a Saturday in the middle of the derby," commented Canevaro as we listened.

By 3:00 the incoming tide had topped out, so Canevaro decided to head for the marina. Despite the lack of bass, the trip was a success. We'd all learned some new things about bass fishing from Canevaro and the company was great.

Suisun angler Tracy Kruzona took first place in the derby, winning the Princecraft with a 38.50 pound striper he landed in Montezuma Slough. Aaron Degracia of Fairfield came in second with a 31.25 pound bass.

The largest sturgeon in the derby weighed 74.50 pounds and was caught by Jack Krier of Modesto. Tom Pinnella of San Jose boated the largest salmon, a 28.20 pound fish. Jesssica Gorton of San Francisco brought in the largest catfish that weighed 9.80 pounds.

In the kid's division, Nick Martinez of Galt took first with a 19.2 pound striper and Marcus Hickson of Sacramento weighed the top catfish weighing 9.15 pounds.