Oroville Lake and Reports

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Friday, Mar 29
Hi: 44 ° F
Lo: 36 ° F
Today
Rain Showers
Precip: 87%
Tonight
Rain Showers
Precip: 83%

Wednesday, February 9th, 2000

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    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: On the lake about 7:00 am ished the south ork just past the bridge where the south and middle split.Found ish in 10-15 eet o water on steep banks. Caught 8 ish but only 2 were over 15 inches.
    City: Shingle Springs

    Tips: Dragging a Oxblood and Blue worm (4 1/2") slow.

Tuesday, January 18th, 2000

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    Water Temp: 49

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I thought the ishing would be a little tougher on Monday, ater a weekend o usual tournament pressure - it was. Client and I managed to land 10 out o 16 bites in the South Fork. First ish was a beautiul 15 1/4 inch smallmouth - almost like the ol' days! All o our ish were over 13 inches with 5 over 15 inches - biggest a 2 1/4 lb spot. All were caught on my avorite bait - 3/8 oz Rodstrainer brn/orng jig with #180 Yamamoto 5" twin tail grub. A ew good hits, but most were pressure bites at 30 to 40 eet. A slight lat with small chunk rock was holding quality ish. These were on points and walls. Boy, inding these areas is hard work since the lake hasn't been this low in several years. Fished worms or awhile, but the quality o the jig ish was too much un!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Fish jigs very slow with requent pauses. Deadsticking does seem to me to get attention o quality ish.

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED WIND BLOWN BANKS OFF THE MAIN BODY HOPING THE WINDS WOULD LAY DOWN.BANKS HAD BAITFISH ON THEM BITE WAS BETTER IN THE AM .CAUGHT SEVEN FISH AND DUMPED TWO . GOOD DEEP BITE IF YOU CAN GET IT FISH ARE DEFINITELY MONEY FISH . THE LAKE IS APPROXIMATELY 120 FEET LOW PUTTING IT AT ABOUT 796?. SOME WATER COMMING IN AND BAIT IS STARTING TO STAQCK UP IF YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT COVE.
    City: OROVILLE

    Tips: SMALL THREE INCH SLUGGO TYPE BAITS ON DROPSHOTS SEEM TO BE THE SECRET 1/4OZ WEIGHT

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED WIND BLOWN BANKS OFF THE MAIN BODY HOPING THE WINDS WOULD LAY DOWN.BANKS HAD BAITFISH ON THEM BITE WAS BETTER IN THE AM .CAUGHT SEVEN FISH AND DUMPED TWO . GOOD DEEP BITE IF YOU CAN GET IT FISH ARE DEFINITELY MONEY FISH . THE LAKE IS APPROXIMATELY 120 FEET LOW PUTTING IT AT ABOUT 796?. SOME WATER COMMING IN AND BAIT IS STARTING TO STAQCK UP IF YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT COVE.
    City: OROVILLE

    Tips: SMALL THREE INCH SLUGGO TYPE BAITS ON DROPSHOTS SEEM TO BE THE SECRET 1/4OZ WEIGHT

Sunday, January 16th, 2000

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    Water Temp: ????

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The middle ork has started developing the water alls, level is way down. We were able to catch reaction ish all over the lake but the majority o the ish were small under the slot. Our biggest ish was caught on a spook in the middle ork at the irst water all and it was pure luck. Fished that were caught on Sunday were alot smaller than in past weekends.There is a jig bite but wasn't that great or us. We threw morning dawn and salt and pepper worms split shot and shaking. Fish had been schooled up had near major points rom 14-50t in the main body but eel that most ound this out and ished them. We had realised this and ocused on steep rock walls. We swam the bait back to the boat but shaking got the better ish that were closer to the 15in mark. There rest o the ish were all solid 14in ish. The smaller the bait meant less hook up but kept the 12" and 13" dinks away stay big and it will pay o. We were told there is still a drop shot bite going but the wind was blowing real hard and couldn't stay on them.
    City: GraniteBAy

    Tips: Cover alot o water there has been alot o tourneys going on this month and the ish that are schooling are smart. We caught a ew ish that had worms still in them and hooks so be warned. The middle ork and its water alls are well known so ind another pattern cause that one is on everybodys list.

Saturday, January 1st, 2000

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    Water Temp: 48-49

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the South Fork by the loating restroom. All the ish (8), were caught but one on a brown & orange jig with a twin tail Christmas Tree grub. Ended up with about 11 to 12 pounds or 5 ish. we ished rom about 9:30 till 4 with most o the bits between 11 and 2. We had probably 15 bits but just the 8 wanted to hang on.
    City: Hal Moon Bay

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    Water Temp: 49

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I had to do a report on the irst day o the new century!!I ished by mysel today or about 6 hours - irst time on Oroville in 2 months. I landed 9, with the ive biggest (all over the slot) going about 10 1/2 lbs. The biggest was a spot nearly 3 lbs on a pirk minnow spoon near the dam in 35 t. The other biggest 4 caught in a brown/orange Rodstrainer Jig with a slightly shortened 5" Yamamoto twin tail #180 grub. Lots o smelly jelly!! Only 2 under 13". The jig bite will pay o i you stick with it. I was ishing STEEP mud and rock banks in the south ork. I guess it was a pretty good day - I talked to two guys in another boat and they had 7, 3 over - on jigs. Lots o boats out today - cloudy, and very cold!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Tough it out and keep those gloves o, or you will miss some bites. The jig bite is very subtle. I the sun is out, better use light line - the water is VERY CLEAR!

Thursday, December 30th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Saw a mountain lion on Hurlton Rd on drive down to lake. Fished south ork all day. Interestingly enough, most active ish ound in mouth o McCabe cove between dredger islands. all 15 ish caught were dragging 4" splitshot worms in 20-35 t on real lat stu. Jigs on steeper banks produced nothing. Beautiul day, no wind. No ish bigger than 14" though.
    City: Yuba City

Sunday, December 26th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 52

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished and put time on a new boat. Caught 4 spots, 3 were 1 1/2-2lbs. One dink. Caught all but one dartheading worms in 40'-50' o water. One came while the darthead was only 15'-20' down and swimming over 35' o water.
    City: Reno

    Tips: Dartheading with 3/16oz. dartheads or drop shotting seems to be the ticket. Did see several boats way up the north arm jigging spoons, but don't know i they ishin' or catchin'.

Saturday, December 11th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 54 - 56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Threw Darts - 1/4 oz - with super sot R.A. Strike sluggos - salt and pepper. Caught 6 spotties to 2 pounds in 10 to 25 eet o water. Switched to dragging a baby Brush hog - watermellon w/red lake - around noon and picked up 2 more beore the clouds rolled in.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Stop by R A Strike ishing supply in the morning on the way to the lake and talk to Russ. He turned me on to the ish AND gave me a hand ull o resh poured sluggos to boot! Fish the lats to 30 eet in the Southork. There are active ish there! Unless you enjoy reezing, mind-numbing drop-shotting the points in the main body that is.. I'm going lighter with the jigs - 1/8 oz. - next trip. The ish I was chasing were grouped around bait, 8 to 20 eet.

Tuesday, November 30th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: My buddy Wayne and I went to Oroville. Missed the rain, even though it threatened. We were the only truck in the lot when we launched and the only one when we came in! Ramp is in ine shape. We saw two other boats all day. We caught 6 good spots to 2.5 pounds mostly on jigs in 30-40 eet on main lake points. Also 2 salmon on plastic worms and a 15 pound catish on a jigging spoon. You should have seen Wayne work that sucker out o a submerged tree. Especially interesting since we had no idea what it was except it was big and strong. What a Brute! We turned it loose to terroize some other ishermen and the salmon came home or dinner.
    City: Marysville

    Tips: Take your time, try shaking your jig.

Sunday, November 14th, 1999

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Bass report
    City: Yates center

Saturday, October 23rd, 1999

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    Water Temp: 63-67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Decided to check out Oroville in search o a big bite thrill,Only stuck one spot in the slot-13.5"-So just or a kick I picked up the lippin stick,to see what would bite the T6-Basstrix.Zip, zero, zilch.Also observed other boats and did not see any ish caught,must be because the lake is being pulled down,But it was a nice day anywayTIGHT lINESProcrat Pete
    City: Martinez

    Tips: The spot I caught was on -YES- A "DUH" jig with a double tailyamamoto grub, i that helps any.Good luck

Sunday, September 26th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 74?

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Found ish on main lake points with chunk rock. Most ish came on 3/8 oz brown jigs. A ew small ish on spoons cast then jigged o the bottom. Had 3 ish over the slot and 3 other slotish.
    City: Marysville

Sunday, September 12th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: A ew ish, none o great size. Sporatic bite during the day. Bite was tough with the weather change. Slow presentation o popper and chuggers in the coves provided the most consistant bite, very late in the day. Split shotting sluggos on the creek channels also yeilded ish.Tough weather, and brutal smoke. Check on the ires beore heading north.
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: Top water in the coves, ish seemed to relate to channels more that points.

Sunday, July 25th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 76

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Night time is what's happening at Lake Oroville Right now. Gold Country bassers held a night Tournament last night and my partner Chris Oatman and I managed to get on a good spinnerbait bite and won with a 7 ish over the slot limit or 13lbs 15ozs. No big ish, just solid hard pulling spots. We caught 20+ ish between 7 and 2 a.m. Second went to Andy and Wayne with 6 ish and 3rd to Fred and Keith (?) with 5 over. Most o the better ish came on black spiunnerbaits ished along darker steep banks and pockets. Many o the ish were right on the bank. Also got a ew ish on splash-its beore dark, ished slowly also right on the bank.
    City: Marysville

    Tips: Black spinnerbaits. Dark steep banks. Hide rom the moon.

Monday, July 5th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught about 15-20 ish o plastic worms
    City: Chico

    Tips: Fish were not on the shore caught most o my ish in 30 t o water. Dragging it real slow

Friday, June 18th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: This is a test o the automatic report cgi
    City: San Jose

    Tips: lets hope it worksFishing Reports or Lake Oroville

Sunday, June 13th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 70+

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished B.A.S.S. Fed tourny over the weekend. Saturday, the best ish came ripping a bone colored TD Minnow and asilver/black Rogue beore 10 in the morning. Ripped shadows on the water. As sun got high, caught lots o plastics ishon worms, lukes and brushhogs - color did not matter. Also, caught jig ish in back o trash pockets (lots o debris).Rigged deeper plastics Carolina or Texas - again, did not seem to matter.Tournament on Sunday was won on lukes...Carolina rigged. I placed 4th and most ish came on 6" worms. Rip bite turnedo or me on Sunday - managed one good rip ish at 6:30 and nothing thereater despite ripping until about 11:00.
    City: Fair Oaks

    Tips: Watch the "visibility penetration depth" as the sun comes up. The ish seemed to hold just below that depth. Iyou could see 8 eet deep, ish would be in 10-12 eet. When the sun got high and you could see bottom in 12 eet, thenthe ish would be in 14-18 eet.

Thursday, May 27th, 1999

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out this aternoon between 2-5 caught lots o ish mostly blacks all on crankbaits
    City: Chico

    Tips: Crank ast.