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Berryessa Lake and Reports

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Wednesday, December 5th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 57.8

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I was not expecting much today. I got on the water at 8 am and fog did not clear until 1 pm! I was primarily at the lake to mark exposed areas as the lake is down a rare ~23 ft. I was hoping to find some spoon fish from 10 am to 2 pm

    Tips: Read Larry Hemphill's posts. His below posts helped me get into these fish. Thanks Larry!

Wednesday, November 28th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 56-61

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Honestly, I really don't know the best way to present this report. Since I guided last night at Clear Lake, home for 4 hours sleep, meet next client at 9:45 am at Berryessa - I think the Lord knew that I would need some excitement to keep me alert! That I got!!!!! This was one of the most amazing guide trips I have experienced in my 26 years of service. My client had never caught a bass before and now his bass fishing future is ruined! He wants to buy a bass boat and thinks fishing is always this good. I assured him this day was special!! So, how good was it? Most of you know I keep an exact count of how many are caught on each trip. I failed today because I couldn't keep up - I lost it after 60+ bass (all but one over 13") and 7 salmon. We had a final count around 70 and a good limit slightly over 16 lbs. One 2 lb smallie on a jig, a 3 lb 3 oz largemouth on a Chug Bug topwater bait (2nd cast - showing client how topwater worked!) and ALL the rest on Duh! 3/4 and 2 oz spoons (black shad and morning dawn) and drop-shotting Basstrix Flastrix 4" minnow baits. After working some shad schools that we metered, results were poor, though my client drop-shotted his first-ever bass - a 15" spot. After we found another bait ball, bass were everywhere and were attacking my spoon. I gave him an immediate crash course in spooning and he caught on quickly. His first spoon fish was a 16+" spot and he NEVER caught a small one!!! I caught all the small ones - getting them out of the way, har! As shadows formed in the late afternoon we started nailing nice largemouth in the 2 1/2 to 3 lb range and I did manage a 3-10 largemouth. About a third of our bass were largemouth - a rare Berryessa event in my boat! I don't think I have every fished an area for nearly 4 hours, but it simply was too much fun to leave. He was having a ball!!!!!! There were a few periods of time that the spoon would not touch the bottom - it would never get there - even when I switched to the 2 oz Duh! I think that was one of the longest feeding periods I have ever seen. We did move around the narrows a bit and found other shad schools, but nothing like the main one we were fishing. I wish you could have seen my Lowrance X-25 - activity everywhere. Thought it would blow a gasket! Sorry to be so wound up, but guides need a day like this once in awhile!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: I don't really have much to say that I haven't already mentioned in my previous reports. The key right now is "follow the bait" and look for deep flats. Sometimes, 50 feet of water is 200 yards offshore or 30 feet from the bank. That seemed to be the magic depth today. I wish I knew what could have turned these bass on like this. Conditions wern't that good - north wind, previous cold night, bluebird skies, clear water, and other excuses. The bass didn't care. Possibly the cold nights are beginning to trigger the late fall feed, though the water temp is way above average for this time of year. Sometimes you don't ask question - just go along for the ride!!! By the way, don't be misled by the nice topwater fish - that was the only blowup.

Sunday, November 25th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 58.5

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Friday I took out Jon and his dad Kent.
    Our goal was to head to the vineyards but that was shot as soon as we saw the
    whitecaps in the main lake. We trolled near my favorite cove but the wind made
    it to hard to control with my electric motor. I decided to head into Capell cove
    where I hoped the water would be calmer. Caught a trout on the surface heading
    into the cove and the conditions were better. Jon was throwing a R2S suspending
    minnow and have some luck catching small bass. I set up the same lure for his
    dad and he was bringing in some bass too. We fished the rest of the daylight in
    the back of Capell cove and as it began to get dark and colder we opted to come
    in. On Saturday I took Jonathan out to my favorite cove (hey this cove works for
    me). We started off shallow with no luck. Could not see any fish activity at all.
    My friend Albert was fishing from shore and he told me he had no luck at all so far.
    I decided to go to the beginning of the cove where it was deeper. I located a tree
    under the water and Jonathan started drop-shoting and the fish began hitting. We
    ended up with limits in less than an hour (see photos). On Sunday I headed out
    really early and went straight to that spot with the tree. I spent three hours
    there not moving at all and caught nineteen bass none bigger than two pounds.
    I also caught fourteen crappie. All crappies were caught on the R2S suspending
    minnow with ProCure scents on six pound Pline. '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: I thru top water over 100 times with no roll overs,next day 2 roll overs no fish,not as many fish but great to be outdoors.

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: It was a cold overcast day my friend and I fished the narrows early with limited success moved to the main lake in the early afternoon I got lucky drop shotting and stuck a 25 inch 9 pound 10 ounce toad on a 6 inch robo worm six pound test seagar. I guess the moral of this story is keep your worm wet and good things will follow. The big fish was caught at 30 feet.
    City: sonoma

    Tips: No top water or reaction bite nothing on the swimbait. Limited action on the jig. Drop shot seemed to be the best option but most fish are small.

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Slow and steady bite all day. Pretty much a junk bite today cought fish on worms, brushhogs, cranks, ripbaits, spinnerbaits,and topwater. It is great to still be getting them on topwater this late in the year. All on the main lake did not fish any deeper than 20ft all day still not ready to give up the shallow bite yet. Most fish in the 2lb range some a little bigger including a 8lb pig that ate a worm in 4ft of water. 12 fish total 5 for 18.5lbs.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: The shallow bite is slowly starting to die not the numbers I was getting a month ago. Still some quality fish though. Fished the main lake no one area just covering water one spot gave up 4 the rest just one fish. A lot of bait up shallow but few fish chasing today.

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

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    Water Temp: 56-59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished from dawn to 4:15 pm. Caught 30 fish for three people to 2lbs. Very cold this morning. it hurt my fingers. I think the fish felt the same way and we did not boat our first fish until 8:30am. Could not find bait any where in the main lake so we found areas with 5 to6 fish on the meter and fished slowly to pick up two fish. Used all plastics. No reaction bite. I don't think the lake has turned over yet.
    City: San Bruno

    Tips: find any area that hold fish and fish slowly even dead stick.

Monday, November 19th, 2007

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I wasn't able to make it to the lake this weekend. I understand it took 13.5 pounds to win the tournament Saturday. Some of my
    fishing buddies called me and let me know that at the spots I had
    taken them too had produced over 12 pounds for five fish. Still waiting on a few more people to call me to let me know how they
    did. Thursday I went out of Half Moon Bay on the 'Hula Cat' with
    Capt. Tom Mattusch for rock fish combo. Rock fish was fair at best but all nineteen people walked off the boat with limits of crab. I am chartering this trip again for next year. On Saturday I fished out of the Emeryville Marina with Capt. Harry on the 'Seeker' for sand dabs and crab combo. I caught around 30+. This is fun for anyone. If you are interested in going on either of these trips get in touch with me and I will give you all the information. Wishing everyone a 'Happy Thanksgiving'. '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: TOTAL PLACES J 3RD PLACE T.5TH PLACE R.8TH PLACE FOLLOW YOUR ORIGINAL GAME PLAN . MOST CAUGHT LIMITS USING ANYTHING THAT THEY HAD CONFIDENCE IN. HAPPY THANKSGIVING SEE YOU ON THE WATER FRIDAY

Saturday, November 17th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 62

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: fished with the bass classics. 13+ lbs won it. 3 guys blanked but most guys caught limits. My non boateer Mark caughtt 14 keepers for 11.40 lbs. I had 10.40. The winner split shot all day. We used plastics all day. Jigs not as good but I did get a couple on the 3/8 terminator. Great mix of spots smallies and blacks. We caught small limits putah and bigger fish down south.
    City: orangevale

    Tips: Kind of a match the hatch pattern. Fish deep and fish slow. Enjoy the Best winter lake around. The big ramp at spanish flat is out of the water.Lake looks down about 30 feet. Water is very clear.

Sunday, November 11th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Started at first light. First cast, caight a nice trout on a medium crankbait! Weird! After that, no bites all day. My partner caught one small spot. Nothing to be proud of. Went home at 4 p.m.
    City: El Sobrante

    Tips: Find the fish. If you have any suggestions, please send me an email. Thanks. Good luck

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Rain was predicated for this past weekend and I was debating whether to go
    up to the lake or not. Decided to go up on Thursday evening which turned out
    to be a great decision. Friday I went out by myself for a few hours and landed
    eleven fish - two trout and nine bass and missed about six trout near the surface.
    Lots of birds and lots of bait. Saturday started off overcast and drizzly and you
    could smell rain in the air. I decided to stay close by the marina in case of a
    down pour. Albert and I headed towards my favorite cove. We fished a small
    section of rock no longer then about fifty feet where Albert caught his first
    3+ pound bass (see photos). Knowing there were fish there why leave. Then
    Albert landed another good size bass and he was jacked up!!!!! The drizzle got
    a little heavier but we weren't leaving. I had two roll overs on top-water with no
    success. I caught two in a row on a rattle trap type lure. On the second one I
    had a little problem. The fish engulfed the whole lure as I tried to grab the lip the
    fish caught me - the treble hook went into my thumb. I waited till Albert reeled in
    his third fish and asked him for some assistance. Luckily we were able to get the
    hook out without needing medical help. By now it was raining a lot heavier but you
    guessed it we were not going in. My next bass was caught on a R2S crawdad. It
    seemed the bass were hitting on anything we were throwing. We fished the whole
    day in the same area. Came in cold and wet but what a great fishing day!!!!!!
    Sunday I went right back to the same spot (natch). Came back to the marina
    having caught a total of twenty-nine bass. It ended up being a great fishing
    weekend. '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: Rain or shine berryessa rocks

Friday, November 9th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Out at first light went with swimbaits first thing. One blowup on a Slammer good fish but he just missed. Went the next hour with out a bite changed over to a vixen no bites for the next 1/2 hour. Threw a spinnerbait and that was the change they wanted. The spinnerbait bite started out slow but as the water warmed it just got better. 30 plus fish from 1 1/2 -2 1/2lbs. Around 1PM noticed alot of fish moving very shallow. Decided it was time to throw the vixen again fish just not on the topwater one good one though a 5+ in aroung 3 foot of water. Watched the whole thing kind of cool. Off the water at 2 5 best at 14lbs.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: The shallow water bite is still there but the overall size is getting smaller than it was last month. It is still allot of fun with the spinnerbait on the main lake flats. I guess it is about time to bring out the crankbaits and jigs.

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    Water Temp: 64 degrees

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Didn't get started till 10:30 and headed for the narrows. Fished a couple of coves on points. Turned out to be a very slow day for me. Only caught 2 bass one 1.5 lbs the other 2 lbs 13oz.
    Tried dropshooting, but caught both fish dragging
    Robo worms.
    City: Esparto

    Tips: Wished I had some. Keep trying! Can't wait to
    get out there again!

Tuesday, November 6th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 64-67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Another trip today with a good bass fisherman wanting to learn more about the lake - and his friend just getting into bass fishing. I could tell from the getgo that this day was going to be tougher - no feeding activity whatsoever - all day long. Again, bright skies and a totally flat lake. Actually I haven't seen the Wragg Canyon entrance area totally flat in many years - not a ripple!! We found lots of bait and were able to get some action on drop-shotted Basstrix flashtrix minnows and split-shot worms. The jig bite was dead as was topwater. The whole lake seemed dead except for a bunch of deer of the bank! We looked for whatever shadows we could find and that did help. All of our bass were caught deeper than 25 feet. A few large coves had a little color to the water and that seemed to help. My clients missed the usual 15 to 20 bites but did well putting 11 or 12 in the boat including a nice largemouth and spot - both about 2 1/4+ lbs. I tried to get a spoon bite going but it has shut down for awhile - only got 2 - again! I was hoping to get them into a spoon bite, but it didn't happen today. Overall, the bass were a little smaller, but we did get 16 total but only about 9 lbs for the 5 biggest. Clouds anyone?!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Some of the bait schools I have been working are starting to break up and move. For the first time, I saw bait close to deep banks - as shallow as 25 feet. Also saw bait at 70 feet - welcome to fall! I would think that this bait movement will signal the begining of better topwater action. This weekend should see much better conditions - clouds - and some rain?

Sunday, November 4th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 62 thru 66

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fishing was good this weekend. On Saturday I took Roger out for the day. He wanted
    to know some good spots to fish. He has a tournament at the lake in two weeks.
    We headed for the Spanish Flat trolling because it was too dark to go fast. No fish
    and still dark. We went to my favorite cove and as it started to get lighter fish were
    jumping all around us. Roger used a suspending lure and landed two bass. We
    didn't stay there because the purpose of the outing was to catch good size bass.
    Next stop was the three points near the BOR. We stayed a moment but conditions
    there were not perfect. Our goal was to eventually fish the vineyards so we headed
    in that direction fishing several points along the way and catching some nice bass.
    When we reached the vineyards and we pinpointed the fish the boat was in ten
    feet of water he landed a nice 3 1/2 plus bass using a double dropshot set-up. Coming
    back we explored Big Island and I showed him some key areas. After Roger left, I tried
    the dropshot system he had used and I caught four bass up to 2 1/2 pounds. My
    friend Tony was going to fish and I showed him the dropshot setup and he tried it
    and landed a 2 pound bass in minutes. Sunday I landed twenty-nine bass, two on my
    favorite crawdad bait (R2S) three on brass & glass with a senco worm, one on a top
    water chugger, two more on suspended crankbaits, six on split-shot and minnows and
    the balance dropshotting starting with plastic worms and ending up with only minnows.
    Had a lot of fun. See attached pictures of Roger on Saturday and Ed and his son Jason
    on Sunday with a nice stringer of bass up to 2 pounds. He said he used split-shot with
    a minnow at the end in forty feet of water. All in all it was a very good weekend.
    'til next week......................................good fishing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    www.fishingconnection If you have any stories you would like to share email me at
    bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
    City: Napa

    Tips: wEATHER CAN CHANGE SO CAN THE METHODS TO CATCH FISH SEND ME WHAT WORKED FOR YOU ILL PASS IT ON

Saturday, November 3rd, 2007

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    Water Temp: 63-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Wow! A no-wind day and bluebird skies with clear water and my 3 clients actually caught a bunch of bass! This was their first time with a guide and first serious bass trip. They are all brothers and a hoot to fish with. However, they sure found every snag at the bottom of Berryessa, har!!! How many times did I retie for them? We did find bass in some submerged wood, thus the snags. But many bass too!! They really picked up drop-shotting very quickly and one of the guys did well split-shotting Robo worms (MMIII). Again, we looked for the bait and bass were there, but not as many as previous trips. Amazingly, maybe because of flat water conditions, the spoon bite really died - we only got a few. The subtle drop-shot bite with Basstrix flashtrix 4" minnows was a good as ever. 4" Berkley Power worms worked too. Near the end of the trip, about 1:30 pm, as I was running to a new spot, I made a last minute turn to a point that I knew had deep water and shadows - bingo!!!! They caught a bunch!! Two brothers were on the back of my 520 Ranger hooking bass after bass and including a double hookup. Fun to watch people enjoying the heck out of bass fishing! The other brother got big fish for the 3 man tournament - a 2 3/4 lb smallie. We wound up with 26 in the boat - including several largemouth, and a best 5 of near 12 lbs. They probably missed as many as they landed - pretty good bite for tough conditions! After letting them off at Markley, I got a burger at Steele Park and tried a little night fishing. A north wind came up in the evening at killed the topwater bite, though I got a 3 1/4 largemouth on a Chug Bug. About 4 or 5 more after dark - all smallies - but very slow fishing since most of the bass are suspending now after dark. A fun 22 hour day (and night)!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: There are more and more shadows now since the sun is lower on the horizon, and the lake is down 23 feet. By the way, the lake seems to have stabalized for the time being - still at the 23/24 foot level. On clear days, look for shadows in the narrows along steep walls - they should hold daytime fish. The bait seems to have stayed in the same places but the bass are moving some. I fooled around with Rodstrainer jigs and got a few bites but couldn't nail 'em. We saw some surface activity once in awhile, but most were small bass. We are now having early fall weather in late fall which is keeping the water temp above average and might delay the appearence of large bass, pre-feed for winter. It will happen eventually!!

Tuesday, October 30th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 62

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished Berryessa for the first time in 10 months. Found the water to be very clear with visibility down to 15ft. Struggled in the morning only catching small fish (10") on jigs, and jerkbaits. Hit primary and secondary points. Managed to find a school of small fish suspended near a creek channel and hooked several using drop shot and dart head. Later in the day ran to the main lake and found schools of fish around a sunken island and stuck several fish up to 3lbs. Most of the fish were smallmouth mixed in with larger spots. Smallest fish was 1.5 lbs. Fish were healthy and fought very aggressively. Ended the day with the best 5 toping 13 lbs. Caught over 15 keepers for the day.
    City: Walnut Creek

    Tips: Fish slowly with smaller baits. Water is real clear so fish are spooky, make long casts.

Sunday, October 28th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 66.5 surface te

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went float tubing off Foxtail Flat on the west side of the lake from 2pm-4:30pm and caught 6 fat bass near a rocky island just offshore. Caught 5 with a brown darthead Powerbait worm (1/16th ounce on 8 lb. flourocarbon line) in 10-15 feet of water. Then I caught a monster 20+ inch spotted bass on a Carolina rigged green pumpkin tube. I'm guessing it was 4+ lbs...? That's big for me! That fish drug me around in my tube pretty good! On the way home I stopped for a few casts from the steep banks of the Berryessa Park HQ and caught another fat largemouth on the same darthead worm. I saw several fish hunting in packs along the shore but couldn't get them to commit to a spook. Awesome few hours of fishing! Caught 3 LM, 3 spots, and one smallie...now that's a fun day on the lake!
    City: Napa

    Tips: Mix it up till you find what works. I couldn't catch anything around standing timber or weeds but found them around the rock island. I think my success was due to using a natural looking bait on light flourocarbon line in the clear water.

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished from 830 until 130. started out and got a fish on a sammy about 3lbs and it went down hill from there. fished a grass flat in 10-20ft with just about every type of reaction bait had nothing of any size. saw one chasin a shad and made a long cast and got him about 2lbs fished with a drop shot and jig on some rocky points later with nothin. we rented a boat so we didnt have a depth finder so fishin deep was out of the picture. second time on the lake and was fun but slow
    City: san francisco

    Tips: the lake still hasnt cooled enough for topwate all day. got on the lake just as the tw bite ended, darn. should be real good when the tw bite is wide open

Saturday, October 27th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 62

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: launched out of Capell Cove and got to the first pont and started to hook fish on darted head worms and top water, no keepers. Went over to a favorite point and found the bass biting on spoons of all kinds and caught 25 fish for three fisherman. After 10am it was a tough bite and caught 8 more fish for the day before I pulled the plug at 2:30pm.
    City: san bruno

    Tips: Learn the "Nate Shake" technique. by Nate Lemons works good for spotted bass.

Thursday, October 25th, 2007

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    Water Temp: 56;0

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: isaw one fish and that was that damn skunked again.
    City: santa rosa zzzzzz