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Sunday, January 20th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I haven't been to the lake in three weeks and I was really excited to get
    on the water. I arrived at the lake late Thursday afternoon and went to
    uncover my boat. The water was stained and there was debris all over.
    Friday morning my friend Jim met me at the dock at 10 AM. Even after the
    rain we have had the lake is still eighteen feet down. We headed out to the
    main lake which was very choppy so we decided to find a sheltered spot. The
    fishing was pretty bad it seemed like whatever we tried was wrong and we tried
    just about everything. On the way back in we spotted fish on the fish finder
    and after letting Jim off I went back to the same spot and caught a few no
    size to speak of. Saturday I picked up Alex and Dan at Rancho Monticello at
    about 3:30 PM. I decided we would troll heading towards Big Island and within
    ten minutes Alex hit on a bass (his first ever) and landed it. He was using a
    Fire Tiger crankbait going down approx. 6 to 8 feet. Within minutes Dan landed
    another bass using a red and black Speed Trap. We were in about 20 feet of
    water which worked for Saturday. On Sunday I headed out myself (it stayed
    cold and windy all day) and started out at the launch ramp at Spanish Flat and
    worked my way towards Capell Cove. I decided to try drop shoting with live
    minnows using as my weight at the bottom a chartreuse tube bait which I filled
    the inside with Procure crawdad scent and that formula worked real well. After
    losing four set-ups in the rocks, I tried brass and glass with a 1/16 oz Lip
    Ripperz as my drop shot. I picked up two small fish on the Lip Ripperz and I
    got a 2 1/2+ lb bass on the brass and glass. My system for Sunday was slow
    and deep. I ended the day early because it was very overcast and sprinkling.
    "til next week...........................................good fishing!!!!!!!!!
    www.fishingconnection.net If you have any stories you would like to share
    please email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
    City: Napa

    Tips: Try split shoting,,carolina rig,,drop shot like above with tube bait SLOW SLOW SLOWER

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 45-52

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished all day, surprised how many boats were out there. Caught 9 for the 2 of us. Couldnt find a pattern to save our lives. Caught some on drop shot, darterheads and cranks. Was not a certain color that was better than the other. Biggest two were around 2lbs. Beautiful day though!
    City: Kelseyville

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    Water Temp: 50-52

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Wow - all those boats on the lake today and no reports? Well, I'll give the first for '08 - such as it is! I guided two fellows today, showing them ways to catch cold winter bass. And this was the day to try - 28 to 32 degrees all the way from Yuba City to Berryessa They wanted to learn spooning and drop-shotting techniques. We learned them fine but the bass wern't impressed. Caught only one drop-shotting and none spooning. Water color might have been an issue. We started at 8:30 am out of Markely because I wanted them to fish most of the afternoon. That worked out fine - most of our fish were caught after 1 pm. We had a day of streaks - 0 for 10 bites, 10 for 10 bites, and one of the guys lost the last one - so, 10 bass for 21 bites. One of the fellows had the best day - 5 in the boat and most of the bites. He had the 2 biggest - a smallie and spot a little over 2 lbs each. And he was the guy in the middle of the boat! We fished all over the narrows, out to the mouth of the main body.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: The jig bite really didn't get going for us which kind of surprised me. Finally I suggested that the guys split-shot some Robo worms and that was the trick. MMIII was the color the bass wanted. The worm bite happened on very steep walls with 50 or so feet of water nearby. Points wern't very productive yet.

Friday, January 18th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Went with my friend on Friday was cold & windy early, a lot of boats on the lake considering the conditions, we caught only six fish, all were caught on dropshot except one which my friend caught on a carolina rigged creature bait. Most of the fish were caught shallow when you left your bait sitting still for a period of time and then retreived it a fish was on. The best fish was a four pound spotted bass best five a shade over twelve pounds.
    City: sonoma

    Tips: Very slow presentation and even slower bite. The worm of choice on Friday roboworm six inch prism craw.

Thursday, January 17th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 52

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Started on East side, picked one 2lb on drop shot in 30', tried narrows, plenty of other bass boats, lost two, went to west side, found a nice point and picked up 6 up to 2lb on drop shots. Fish were hitting on robo worms in early moning and then Kinami in afternoon. Checked with other bassboats, either feast or famine. All the same report, drop shot or nothing.
    City: south San Francisco

    Tips: Fish slow, couldn't find any bait schools. Drop shot with robo worms,Aaron magic, in am and then switch to kinami worms in the afternoon. Fish more aggressive - felt them hit the worm that is - in the afternoon. Move alot to find fish. They are schooled up.

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: This past weekend is the first time I have been up to the lake for awhile.
    The weather was beautiful but the fishing was tough. There is a lot of debris
    in the water. Saturday we fished near the Narrows in the ski school. The
    water was like glass but stained and the fish just wouldn't co-operate. Sunday
    my total weight for five fish was a touch over six pounds. The bass are long
    and thin with no girth. Aaron, who is ten years old, is holding two nice bass
    will be a future 'Reaper'. Dan holding a 2.6 lb bass which he caught on a
    dart head with a hula grub and Bill won first place with a total of just under
    11 pounds. Reaction bait did not work for me. What worked for me was brass
    and glass with a dark senko worm and the River2Sea crawdad. I fish mostly
    rocky areas and a few points. Fish were being caught in 15 to 25 feet of water.
    Fishing should only get better. 'til next week.........................good fishing!!!!!!!
    www.fishingconnection.net If you have any stories you would like to share please
    email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
    City: Napa

    Tips: every bite counts

Monday, December 31st, 2007

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    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: We made it a point not to fish the Narrows today like we have the past 2 trips. We started at Big Islan throwing cranks jigs with no luck and the wind blowing. We decided to head to Spanish Flats to see how things would go there.......nada! The wind was blowing pretty good so we decided to try Sid's favorite cove......we think! We found a submerged tree on a steep point and drop shotted 4 fish very quickly......Thanks Sid!! When the wind decided to calm down we went on a hunt for the Vinyards to see what we could pick up....nada, and the wind started up again. We decided to head back to the ramp, but we stopped at a couple of points in the Narrows just to see if we could get things going there............nada! Better than working and a whole lot cheaper than taking my wife to the mall shopping!
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: Morning Dawn and Basstrix Minnows seemed to be good for us. Thanks again Sid!

Sunday, December 30th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 54

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the markley cove and the narrows from 11:00 A.M to 4:00 P.M. Managed to catch (3) small ones very deep. Can't wait until spring!!!!
    City: W.sac

    Tips: Boring pattern. Deep and drag. The lake is low good time to eyeball structure. I noted several exposed island tops.

    Caught fish dropshotting worms and draging darter head with kreepy crawler and

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: we went out today and got nothing but a salmon on a fire tiger little cleo spoon in capell cove by the timber. we threw rapala dt-16's and lucky craft d-20 and only got one bite but missed him. water was gin clear. we tried drop shotting robo's and kastmasters but still nothing. anybody know where the fish are? what should I use to catch them?

    Tips: I don't know much about the fishing right now. I need help.

Saturday, December 29th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: fished from noon to 4 fish in one 50yd stretch and nada everywhere else. Weather 47 degrees with not even a breeze. Breeze came up at 3:30 and temps dropped and it was time to go home and check out history with the Patriots. At least they were successful.
    City: orinda

    Tips: Caught one fish shallow on a crank and missed a shallow fish on a senko. The other fish came on splitting a brushog at 15'. Didn't mark any bait nor fish. Keep moving til you get bit than slow down.

Thursday, December 27th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fishing went pretty well today.Thought the front moving threw might get the bite going.Well that plan did'nt work out as soon as it showed up the bite stoped, but the bite in the morning was on. It was a smallmouth day with 15 smallmouth all together and 4 largmouth. All fish cought on main lake points, ledges and flats. In 18-25ft deep. Best 5 at 11.5lbs.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: The turn over is starting to happen and has the fish broke up. Quite a few are suspending and not grouped up. Used the crankbait to find areas holding fish then fished the mojo rigged plactics.

Sunday, December 23rd, 2007

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    Water Temp: 51 Deg

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: 1 fish caught early, 3 lb large mouth, no good bite otherwise. Cold on lake until around noon.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: Hold on to your rods well...

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    Water Temp: 55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Blue bird sky on Sunday with cold front pushing through. Wish I would have went out on Saturday. No reaction bite at all. A few fish on drop shot and shaky head. Didn't graph much at all. Started dragging jigs late in the day. Caught 2 keepers pretty quick, but it was late in the day and had to leave. Should have started with jigs earlier.
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: I think the water is finnaly turning over. Maybe by end of this week's cold temps we'll be there. Once the water turns over more predictable winter patterns will pick up; I hope!

Friday, December 21st, 2007

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Big north wind made things very tough, unable to fish much of the lake. Started with jigs lower end of the lake with many short strikes no hook up pretty normal after a front. Went with a crank bait to cover some water and see where the fish were setting up. Same results with the crankbait shot strikes. Noticed while cranking the fish were setting up the the sides of the points rather than the tops. Since most of the fish were in the 25-45 foot range I started with a dropshot this worked well for fish in the 1.5-2.0 lb range. Changed over to a mojo rig with a creature bait and cought fish in the 2 lb range up to 3.5lbs. Over all a pretty tough day 20 fish total best five at 11 lbs.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: Trust your electronics. Most of the fish cought were very close to the bottom.You had to watch the screen very closly to pick up the fish. The bait was very scattered today wich if probably the reason the were pinned so close to the bottom.

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught a nice bag of smallies and hybreads spooning w/ a few largemouth here and there. The bass would not touch a dropshot where I was spooning. My wife caught a nice smallie #3.5 (~20")! Boy what a treat. Bait was still around 45-50 ft deep.

    Talked to a guy said he caught them deep with rattle trap, dropshot, and spooning.
    City: Elk Grove

    Tips: Don't give up on a spot with a lot of bait. We only caught squaw fish and king salmon for the first hour of spooning. I thought the bass were turned off or somewhere else (The last few weeks they were mixed with the other fish in our spot). Returned an hour later and the bass were on the bite! It was weird, at first the smallies were hitting, then an hour later the hybreads hit.

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Not sure about the bluegill fishing now. But i have never been able to catch a bluegill in the Winter at Berryessa.
    City: San Bruno

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    Water Temp: ?????

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: sorry for being a jackass but can someone tell me how the bluegill fishing is at Berryessa right now?
    City: Hell Cerrito

    Tips: If someone desperately wants to catch any sort of fish, big or small, it's all about bluegill fishing here! (At least in the summer and early fall).

Sunday, December 16th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 52 thru 55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: It was a very cold weekend up at the lake. On Saturday my wife and I headed
    out to the vineyards. The water was very calm and the fishing was fair. Every-
    thing I threw caught fish. My largest fish was 3+ lbs. I caught it on brass and
    glass and a watermelon black flake five inch senko. I had quite a few bites on
    a spinner bait and lost a good size bass at the boat. I tried top water with little
    success. We hit a few fish on crankbait that went down anywhere from six inches
    to eight feet. Sunday was overcast most of the day and I went out for a couple of
    hours with Fred and his brother Jeff. They caught a couple of trout and I caught a
    bass (see photo). Before we went out I was fishing at the dock and caught around 14
    bass the largest one about 2 lbs. 'til next week......................good fishing!!!!!!!!!
    www.fishingconnection.net If you have any stories you would like to share please
    email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
    City: Napa

    Tips: Bait balls seen thru the lake throw SPOONS<TUBES<RATTLE TRAPS<RIP BAITS<MINNOWS<

Saturday, December 8th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 57-59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished a club event on Saturday. Conditions: post front, blue skies, no wind in the early morning, strong north wind by noon that continued the rest of the tournament day. Water was crystal clear and unusually warm for this time of year.

    I didn't have time to prefish for this event and the last time I fished Berryessa was this time last year. I read the recent post by Larry Hemphill and tied on 2 spoons...a 1-ounce and a 2-ounce in morning dawn color. I also tied on a jig, a C-rig and a rip bait.

    My partner and I ran to Wragg Canyon and looked for bait fish. At first, we didn't see any so we worked a couple points with the ripbait and jigs. No bites all the way out to 50 feet. At this point, we decided to cover a lot of water looking for the baitfish Larry talked about.

    WOW! When we found the baitfish, the balls were 30 feet thick! I started spooning while my partner used a dropshot. I immediately stuck a small spot. In the next 30 minutes, we finished a small limit anchored by one largemouth around 2.4#. It was half the fish came on the spoon and half on the dropshot. But, I also stuck several nice salmon. Around 10:00, we realized we were still catching a lot of fish but we weren't improving the size. We decided to try fishing UNDER the bait balls using a C-rig. The theory was that the small spots were "chasing" shad while the bigger fish were just laying below, eating the injured minnows that drifted down. This worked. We culled out all four spots with smallies and largemouth. Also caught a 2# crappie! At the end of the day we stopped counting at 33 keepers...including 7 salmon and a big crappie. Our weigh-in limit was ALL largemouth and we won the tournament by a pound and a half.

    The post-front bite was tough for the other 18 boats. We did not expect to get a check with a bunch of 2# fish but 2nd place was only 9 pounds so we were lucky.

    Thank you Larry for making honest and accurate fishing reports. We found exactly the conditions you described and our bite was fantastic. We caught fish all day including spots, smallies, LM crappie and salmon. In addition, we missed another 10-15 bites that just didn't hook up. This rare kind of fishing day is what makes all the time we devote to fishing worth it.
    City: Fair Oaks

    Tips: All fish came between 50-55 feet in big balls of baitfish. Small spoons catch small fish. My best fish came on the 2-ounce DUH spoon. The other thing was that the better fish are NOT chasing shad. They are waiting under the baitfish pods for the injured minnows to drift down...makes sense...big fish can't afford the energy to chase small meals, but they can get fat by letting the salmon and spots beat up on the balls of bait fish while they lay on the bottom sucking up "french fries". So, if you want largemouth, get under the bait balls.

Wednesday, December 5th, 2007

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hit the narrows at 11:00 A.M. drop shotted w/ M&M 4inch and jigged W/1/4 oz brn jig hooked 10 spots in 45 min. called it a day
    City: W.Sac

    Tips: Find the bait fish and set the hok