Indian Valley Lake and Reports

Limit:
Monday, Mar 18
Hi: 73 ° F
Lo: 46 ° F
Today
Mostly Sunny
Precip: 0%
Tonight
Mostly Clear
Precip: 0%

Sunday, May 27th, 2018

  • Water Temp: 66-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took the kayak out to Indian Valley today,doing a little recon before taking the boat up. Lake is maybe 8-10FT down from the water line which is amazing since last time I was out there it was pretty much a mud puddle. Fish seemed to have bounced back just fine since I lost my fish count after about 20 catches. Got out on the water about 0630 and pretty much b-lined it for the point coming off of Kilpepper creek on the west side of the lake planning on working my way back with the wind towards Wilson Glade Canyon when it would pick up. After about a 15-20MIN(1.25MI) paddle got to my first location. Decided I would do a little searching with a crank bait to start, water was really clear so tied on a bright beauty shad Livingston Pro Ripper. First cast felt a hit thought it might be a branch, cast back out in the same area and BAM got swallowed by a 2PD Large Mouth. After that every couple casts with that lip-less crank I'd be getting tagged, then when that bite slowed I doubled back pitching inside the trees with a 4" Berkeley power worm on a 1/2O round shaky head to pull out the stragglers. Wind started to pick up pretty good around 1000 so I started to let it push me back working the west shore back towards the Wilson Glade Canyon. It was differently a numbers not size day but heck whose complaining. Most fish were in the 1.5PDS or less group with probably 2.5-3PDS being my largest, but I tell you what they ALL put up a nice fight. Fish were really on the reaction bite, hitting on the fall, and while pretty much burning my crank-bait. Seemed most of my hook ups were in the 8-15FT depth, shallower when I was pitching into the trees. I was mainly targeting large mouth but while paddling around I think I marked some pretty good schools of maybe trout or small mouth in the 25-30FT depth. The real hot spots were on the back of wind blown points where there was a lot of current ripping through. All totaled I maybe pulled 50+ fish out in about 5 hours until the wind was just to much to deal with even when catching fish. Ended up pulling out around 1130, would of stayed till it got dark if it wasn't for the wind. Will be pulling the boat up there next trip for sure. All in all it was a awesome day, very little fishing pressure, even though I stuck with the same gear all day I am sure other lures would probably bring them in....really felt like a power fishing a jerk bait would of done well but tough in a kayak. Almost felt like these fish have never seen lures before. Can't wait to get back out there!

    Tips: Water is pretty darn clear, I was lined up with 17PD moss green braid, so I did use about 1.5-2ft leader of fluorocarbon which I think did make a difference so if heading out there I would keep that in mind.

    Seemed like the fish were really bunched up, so don't leave fish to look for fish right? A lot of the locations I hit were just stacked. I might of had to change my angle of attack a few times but most of the spots produce good numbers....just not a lot of size.

    The lake is a couple miles back off the highway 20 down a dirt road that runs Walker Ridge and it is a ways into the BLM land so make sure you got a lunch and gas. They do have a concrete launch that is in decent condition.

Sunday, May 25th, 2014

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    Water Temp: 73

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I have not been to this lake in 14 years, and boy what a shock. Camped for Memorial day weekend and I did not drag my Bass Boat into this hole this time. The water is sooo low. We drove miles on what I used to fish on the lower end , in my Jeep. Took Kyacks this trip. Bass were post spawn and tough the carp were on the bank in droves.

    Tips: No shade, Not alot of people and compared to the past 14 yrs ago this time of year which was 100 fish days. Bass were slow, so we resorted to doing some "bass tackle testing" snagging carp, catch and release of course , what did not break us off. Tip, Do not use a GLoomis 844 GLX for this, took it home in two pieces, but what a blast. Great exercise, fellowship and the Bald Eagles are still there.

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

  • Water Temp: 80

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: test
    City: San Jose

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: fish the bear creek at the north east end of lake for bass shallow water if you hit the spawn it's wild. for trout fish east side north end fish school. also east side of damn night crawlers.

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

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    Water Temp: pretty darn col

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: This was our first trip to this lake (ever). Launched at 7 am and had our first fish by 7:30. A nice 4 1/2 pound bucketmouth. Landed many more smaller ones before exploring the lake a bit more. Found an area on the north end of the lake that seemed to keep re-loading on fish. We would hit it, catch a few and then double back to it after drifting by some trees and we would always catch a couple every time back. Biggest fish was our first one (4 1/2)and only 1 smallmouth caught all day. As for almost every single lake in California, this lake is very low but at least there was a ramp in the water :) I can see how this lake can produce some nice bass at the right times.
    City: Oroville

    Tips: We caught them on a lot of stuff but our best producer was a drop shot fished 2 cranks off the bottom(no matter the depth) The big fish came on a K.V.D. sexy shad spinnerbait. It was the only fish caught on a spinnerbait. The smallie ate a bitsy jig with a black yum trailer. We were using all kinds of colors on the drop shot. With no 1 color being better than the rest. even caught a nice 3 pound trout while using 2" smelt on the drop shot. FISH SHALLOW if you want the big ones :)

Friday, May 29th, 2009

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    Water Temp: 70

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Would never had made this trip, except that a bunch of family and friends gathered for an extended holiday camping trip. Sorry to say, our kill rate on rattlesnakes was much higher than our catch rate on bass: Smallmouth C & R = 1
    Rattlesnake kill = 6
    Water in the North end "at least" a mile down. We were throwing buzz baits in areas that normaly would be 25-30 feet underwater. Did manage to GPS some nice rock ledges and drop offs should the water level ever reach previous levels in my lifetime.
    City: Sebastopol

    Tips: Go somewhere that you are not required to side mount a 357 or 45 everywhere you go due to rattlesnake infestation......

Sunday, March 15th, 2009

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Took a recon trip up here on Sunday, but still 20 feet needed to launch off of a ramp at the south end. I don't think it will make it this year without a bunch of rain. At this point it is cartops only. The Northend is way high and dry. Ramp at the North is probably 1/2 mile from water. Very very very disappointing.
    City: Woodland

Tuesday, March 10th, 2009

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: How does it look now Jesse?

    From what you said earlier, it seems only the south end ramp will be available to us??
    City: Sacto

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: The lake is a puddle right now. It is going to take a lot of water before any ramp is usable.
    City: kelseyville

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Is the North ramp usable, does anyone know?
    City: Sacto

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks for the info Bassin Homer... I guess I won't be trying to launch from the North end of the lake. I hope to give the lake a try in a couple of weeks.
    City: Vallejo

Friday, April 25th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Does anyone know how the water has come up at indian valley. Has anyone been to the North end. I was there in December and it was high and dry.
    Thanks,
    Bruce

Monday, April 21st, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: "mike" you know, the constant draining of the lake is most of the fishing problem. i have been going up to that lake for my entire life. and the fishing was unreal until "terry knight" decided he was going to tell EVERYBODY about it. so now all you flatlanders come up in your bass boats and partyboats and you all keep limits. not to mention you folck up there by the hundreds. and now yolo county has orderd to drain the lake. that is why the fishing sucks. so, "mike" you might want to take that into concideration. oh, and it makes the road worse when u FLY up that road. the first person that slams into me on my way up or back from there is going to need more than an insurence polocy.
    City: kelseyville

Sunday, March 16th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: my brother and I decided to try Indian valley res. this weekend why in the hell would you go down a 8 mile dirt road from hell. and fish a muddy farging lake when you have clear lake right next door. and they acctually make you pay to fish their hell they should pay you. took one look at the lake and didnt see anything appeeling about it so we turned around and went to clear lake .
    City: carmichael

    Tips: dont waste your time unless you want to farge up your bass boat hell I didnt even want to take my john boat down that road .

Sunday, February 17th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks bassinhomer! Does it look like from what you hear, that the lake will fill this year for a while?

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks bassin homer. Tried the link, but nothing came up.

    Did report say if the lake has the lake come up at all?

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: bassin homer, have you taken another drive to the lake?

    Whats the latest?
    City: Sacto

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks for the info Pat.

    Hope things change soon, I like this lake because of its so hard to get into it. Once there though, it is beautiful, especially when it is full.

    The fishing is pretty good too.

Tuesday, February 5th, 2008

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    Water Temp: N/A

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I called the Yolo water district yesterday and apparently the guy who used to maitain the road is no loger there so due to this change the lake is closed untill march for road and liabilty issues.. The north end has spots to launch small boats but nothing big... Dont try anything crazy lake is very hazardous getting into!! Good Luck Fellas!!

Saturday, February 2nd, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks bassinhomer.

    How low is the lake?

    How many feet til you can launch out of the north end?

    Will this dought be good for the lake?