Bass Fishing Forum - Westernbass.com

Seeking information for purchasing home site in a correct bass fishing area. I'm wanting information on living and fishing some Lakes and area I'm considering for home site purchase. I love to crankbait and reaction fishing. I'm tired of deep reservoir fishing. I'm interested in fishing lakes that have good heavy population of black bass. Places I'm looking into.
California Delta--- Stockton around I-5 area on possible river system
Lake port- Clear lake-------
Oakdale- AREA- close to Don Pedro, New Melones,etc…… - still somewhat close to delta

I may be missing some ideas, I just want to exercise all my options and possible places I'm missing out on. Tournament fishing in small bass clubs is important to me. Any help on ideas and what to research would be very much appreciated.

I grew up on the Delta and have lived at Clearlake for 12 years
I wouldnt move to Stockton
Not much work up here if you have to work
There is a small club here and its growing again .
Clearlake is in great shape right now . Full of baitfish and the fishing this fall has been great

Dave Brabec wrote:I grew up on the Delta and have lived at Clearlake for 12 years
I wouldnt move to Stockton
Not much work up here if you have to work
There is a small club here and its growing again .
Clearlake is in great shape right now . Full of baitfish and the fishing this fall has been great

Did you have any trouble getting homeowner's insurance up there?

something to consider is fire danger risk for any property you might be interested in . Most insurance companies have severely raised rates and lots of homeowners in high risk areas have had existing policies cancelled and forced to pay higher premiums from a different provider . Another thing to think about is the possibility of utility power being routinely shut off when fire danger is high . Most people dream of fleeing Ca. these days

I live in the East Bay and the closest Delta ramp to me is 30 minutes away. I learned to fish (such as it is) in the Delta and will always love the Delta for reasons that are too numerous to mention but it is a special place.

Having said that it is widely known that Delta water has been under attack for many many years and the Delta (as a fishery) has sufffered immensely. It is a no longer the great fishery it once was!
Also the Stockton area is known as being high crime with the city filing for backruptcy a few years ago. **Apologies for throwing shade to Stockton residents here on this site.**

I still have my East Bay home but a year and a half ago I purchased a second home at Clear Lake.
My Ranger lives there full time and I have no regrets. This is a world class fishery that I am excited to learn every time I am on the water. This lake is simply awesome.

For Mark, yes fire insurance can be a problem but that is not specific to Lake County, this is a California wide issue as we can't seem to get our arms around controlling the fires.

Depending on your needs Clear Lake can be very affordable, unless you want 5000-6000 square feet lakeside

We have insurance but have been in this house for 11 years.
I hear some insurance companies are dropping homeowners.
Glad to see the rain.

I live in the East Bay too. Close to the Delta, 2 hours or so from Mother Lode lakes. But homes are not cheap. I would NOT live anywhere near Stockton, I don't even like to launch there for tournaments. I don't feel my truck is safe in the parking lots. If my kids/grand kids didn't live here, I'd live in Oakdale, it is close enough to the delta and 3 really good lakes to give you options. Good luck.

Modesto here. Borderline Riverbank and Salida. Retired up here from so. Cal for the fishing opportunities. I fish 2-3 days a week split between the delta and the mother lode lakes. 1.15 to the delta and about the same to Pedro. A bit farther to McClure and Melones. Just been here about 1 year but so far im pretty happy with the move.

The past 2 major fires have displaced a lot of folks from Paradise to Santa Rosa all looking for places to live.
Good luck,
Tom

I have been in Oakdale for 22 years. Great fishing location . Any further questions we can talk. Tracy

Thanks for all the help!
Regarding Clear lake, I fished that lake six time in the last 18 years. Always seem to a be a great lake to fish. I remember the great points of Clear lake. Frog fishing, crankbait, jig,etc. Seems like the local angler respect the fishery and release a lot of Trophy Bass for continue offspring.
I noticed about Clear lake. Lake port and Kelesyville are very nice, However, other parts are ruff.
I like the lake views and possible shore line homes to live. However, I was told that there is a algae bloom happens on the lake it get ugly, certain part of the lake. I just don't know what part of the lake.

New Melones, I never fished that lake. Don Pedro, McClure and Tulloch, I have. How does New Melones compare to the surrounding lakes. I'm looking to live on a stable lake, I may have the opportunity to live on the lake with a home on shore. It hard to have that option on reservoir lakes that fluctuating water level.
The delta- Stockton in a HOA, ON THE river, is very tempting. I love shollow water cranking. Jig, flipping, frog and buzzbait all are very addicting to me. The delta offers a lot of that. What scares me is the Water pumps or diverting pumps sending water to other places. Other then the Delta, scares me. I MOVE there, the Delta future is in doubt.
I'm I missing anything else? Thank you all for the help!

Melones is a great lake to fish. You can go there and catch a big number of spotted bass but also catch some big large mouth. The only thing that I don't like about that lake is how much water gets drawn out of it. It seems to suffer more than the other Motherlode lakes when we don't have much rain. It is only $70 for a year pass for truck and boat.

Algae is bad some years and not bad others . Hasnt been bad for a couple years. July and August is when it blooms the worst. It can stink at times anywhere on the lake
Fish dont seem to care
Im off the water at noon those days anyway.

on Mother Lode (not Load) Lakes, the only lake I know of where shoreline living is available is Tulloch. The problems with Tulloch is lake-lice during the warm months and significant drawdown in off-season. Millerton outside of Fresno/Clovis has a few home sites in view of the water but getting down the steep hills to the water is tough and no docks. Also, if you are averse to deep water fishing, Melones, Pedro and McClure all require it during cold water periods.
Richard - Sonora

Berryessa has everything you are looking for.
Tom

Check out Discovery Bay or Bethel Island. I live in Discovery Bay and keep my boat on a hydrohoist. Pretty much fish year 'round and can explore anywhere in the delta or just fish off of my dock or out of my kayak. It's pretty sweet.

Yes it's true that parts of Clear Lake can be sketchy, the city of Clrear Lake comes to mind right away. I purchssed in Buckingham and I highly reccomend the area.

As for options living lakeside, outside of the Delta and Clear Lake I dont know of any others, I could be wrong? What I mean is other than the 2 I mentioned you can live "near" a lake like Melones etc.. but not onthe lake like CL or the Delta

Get a motorhome and travel the country.

WRB wrote:Berryessa has everything you are looking for.
Tom

I will look into it THANKS

DiscoBassMan wrote:Check out Discovery Bay or Bethel Island. I live in Discovery Bay and keep my boat on a hydrohoist. Pretty much fish year 'round and can explore anywhere in the delta or just fish off of my dock or out of my kayak. It's pretty sweet.

Bethel Island is in my top Three of the list. Is Bethel Island in the central hub of the Delta, to search out to different sloughs ? I was there a couple of weeks ago looking and some Lots. One was right on Bethel Island, the view was great. Only seems a little far to get to Disappointment slough maybe, I NOT real familiar to get there from Bethel Island. What do you think?

StogieMan wrote:Yes it's true that parts of Clear Lake can be sketchy, the city of Clrear Lake comes to mind right away. I purchssed in Buckingham and I highly reccomend the area.

As for options living lakeside, outside of the Delta and Clear Lake I dont know of any others, I could be wrong? What I mean is other than the 2 I mentioned you can live "near" a lake like Melones etc.. but not onthe lake like CL or the Delta

I was up at Lake Port, Kelsyville looking at some potential lots and homes. Very nice homes and lake views'. Other part of Clear lake, east side and south east, Not well kept. Stogieman- Just a question, I was told by a home owner the wind kicks up hard at times, blows bad on the lake, He suggested purchasing away for the shore line, trailer my boat too the launch ramp instead. Any thoughts on that ?

A place to consider retiring is on Lake Tulloch in Copperopolis. There are quite a few communities around the lake and majority of them have their own private launch ramps with boat slips. The town is small but all of the essentials are there. There is a town square that has good places to eat and live concerts during the summer. There are lots of other activities you can do that are nearby. Angels Camp and Sonora are both 20 minutes away.

Below is a list of lakes that are nearby:

- Don Pedro (25 minutes to Flemming Meadows and Moccasin launch ramp)

- Melones (30 minutes to each ramp)

- McClure (45 minutes to Barretts Rec area)

Delta (50 minutes - 1 hour to Ladds. Straight shot down hwy 4)

- Camanche (50 minutes - 1 hour)

- Pardee (50 minutes)

- Salt Springs Res (30 minutes)

25 years ago when I retired I moved to Lakeport. No regrets at all. Love it!!

My house is in Riviera West. We have our own ramp, docks, & small park area on the lake. I drop my boat in & am fishing in a minute! We’re close to a supermarket, plus an easy 15-20 minutes to Kelseyville or Lakeport. The fire hazard is a real concern, but l chose this area for the fishing and R West is a great community to live in. I’ll probably have to put in a backup generator because of the PG&E debacle, but I looked into the Delta Bethel Island area before I bought here & there is some rough areas there. With Clear Lake, that next bite you get can be a toad! When conditions are right, you can run into 35-+40lb limits. Reaction bite is nuts when they are on! I’m glad I bought here!