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Berryessa Lake and Reports

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Saturday, October 25th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 68.8

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Took my Pa ishing today. And caught two ish, line them up and you get 10". Tough day today. Tried topwater early on. Cranked, Nada! Dart headed the two dinks. I am going to Oroville on Sun.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: Cold Cold Cold, Need Some Cold Weather

Monday, October 20th, 2003

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    Water Temp: cooling

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Not at liberty to say where we ished but we ound the ishing slow also until about mid-day when we got on top o a school o ish and we began to pick up some decent sized ish. The reaction bite or us was also non-existent. We managed 5 keeper bass w/the biggest at around 3 lbs but it took all day to catch them. All o our ish were caught on plastics o one variety or another. The water is gradually cooling and the lake should turn over completely any day now.
    City: Napa

    Tips: Fish plastics and keep ishing them until you are exhausted.

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    Water Temp: 79.0-80

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Went ishing last week and man we got there at 4.00am and it was warm we got alot o or ish in40-45 eet o water we were using robo worms drop shoten got about 10. then we switched to a dart head got alot o dinks managed to get a 2lber not bad let at 11.00am Too HOT!! atleast we did'nt get skunked.
    City: Yuba city

    Tips: Fish deep dropshoten robo worms and dart head in about 40- 45 eet o water GOOD LUCK!

Sunday, October 19th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 66-67

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Spent the day on the south end o the lake and in the narrows marking a lot o ish and bait on the graph, but couldn't get any to bite. We tried just about everything. The reaction bite was dead, worms, jigs, nothing. Finally, at 1:30 I caught a 2# spot and 2# smallie on a drop shot. 20 minutes later my partner catches another spot just under 2#. A good way to end the day and get rid o the skunk. Anyone else ishing Berryessa?
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: It has been a really tough bite lately. Fish slow and be patient.

Saturday, September 27th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: My irst time ishing this lake and could not produce a single strike... not that I'm a great isherman, but are there any bass in this lake? Stayed at Steele Park and ished primarily in that vicinity. The terrain there is a hell o a lot dierent than that o the Delta (the water at Berryessa is beautiul). Spotted baitish in the morning so I ished topwater, nothing. I switched over to everything else in my tacklebox ater that, nothing. Went back to the cabin and took a nap. As I checked out, I asked the lady at the oice i there were any ish in the lake, she replied by saying, "Some, but you have to know them on a irst name basis." I told her that I called them every stinkin' name in the book! We both laughed... Though I got skunked, just being out on the water on a perect day and getting your line wet is all anyone could ask or.
    City: Hayward

    Tips: Is the lake turning over???

Saturday, August 30th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 79

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: First boat to blast out on this early labor day pre ish cluby. Dropping water and warm temps. Out the back o my pardners Ranger. Started out on top; the only thing on top were trout and the 2inch bruegill hanging onto trebles. Blasted up north and stuck a genny craig with a at head. Went up past the bridges and spooned a crappie. Hit the east side ,all the good stu, nothin, Went to a couple o other spots and decided that all we needed was a trout to ish or the cycle! They are there, i you can dig em out. They are hiding and hungry, ew and ar between. A ish an hour is possible here.
    City: Auburn

    Tips: We ished to shallow today, throw a plastic with conidence and toss it or hours without changing. See you on the 6th outing

Sunday, August 17th, 2003

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    Water Temp: HOT - SEE BELOW

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: BENEFIT TOURNAMENT ON THE DELTA AT B&W RESORT AUGUST 23 DAWN TO 1:00 PM....or a members amily who's house burned...$100.00 per boat, 50% to the amily, 50% to the winners (70% to the heaviest bag, 30% to the Big Fish)...e-mail or more ino o just show up and help a ellow angler, ree hot dogs and soda or all participants...thanks to NCBF or their orum and B&W or their support...thanks again EGBassPres@aol.com
    City: CarmichaeL

Friday, July 25th, 2003

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    Water Temp: NOT BAD

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: AFTER BAND PRACTICE WITH MY BAND MALCONTENT,(I PLAY THE SAMPLER) I WENT FISHING FOR BASS. FIRST TIME OUT. I USUALLY FISH FOR CARP USING SWEETCORN. I REALIZED I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BASS FISHING, OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER BECAUSE I GOT SKUNKED. I JUST WATCHED BILL DANCE ONE DAY AND HE MADE IT LOOK SO EASY. I'LL TRY AND IMPROVE THIS CRAFT AND HOPEFULLY I'LL HAVE SOMETHING TO REPORT LATER.
    City: DIXON

    Tips: PATIENCE. AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

Saturday, July 19th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 82

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: launched at monticello around 6:30 to try some topwater beore settling into some night ishn...no topwater settled or a couple o jerk bait ish and a couple on plastics with no signiicant size, but hey they smelled and had a scales so we were kinda happy..as darkness ell we tried a couple o new areas, that i was hoping would be good night spots...WRONG! at 10:30pm we ished our irst ol'aithul and got our irst bite...or the next 3 1/2 hrs we got 20-25 bites and only boated about 8 ish..some o the problems were due to the operators, some to aulty line and the rest was the spunky mr. bass with their jordan like aerials...power worms and 5" hula grubs seemed to work or us...great nite ishn even tho the moon didn't show, but the weather dictated shorts, t-shirts and sandals, even at 2:30am...didn't get to sleep til 5am and sunday was a zombie day, but the ishn was un....
    City: orinda

    Tips: o the ish we boated all were 1-2lbs and no deeper than 15'.i you eel ish are in the area, but your'e not gettn bit, try some shaking, which will work even without brass and glass.

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    Water Temp: 80-83

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, here I am again on a Friday evening Lake Berryessa - this time with two young guys - brothers who loved to compete! They were great guys except they were trout ishermen and this was their FIRST bass trip. I'll show them what real bass ishing is (I hope!). We launched out o Markley about 6:30 pm and headed or some points in the narrows. The trip had an interesting beginning!! One brother hooks the irst bass - the only small one o the trip. As I am getting ready to net it, the other bro hooks his irst drop-shot ish and he has a good one!! So while one guy keeps his bass in the water (it was hooked deep) I get ready to net this hog the other guy has on. His irst bass was sporting whiskers - a 6 lb channel catish. So much or my great instruction tips on how to catch bass!!! He was pretty excited however - terriic ight! Ater releasing the 10 inch bass that was patiently waiting, we headed or Big Island. The ishing beore dark was ok, but the water was almost hot and not too many were caught - but the quality was good using the 4" Berkley Pulse worm and Camanche Jack's morning dawn worm. There was no topwater bite, though we didn't try much. We stayed around the island ater dark and the ishing was slow, but again the ones we did catch were averaging 2 pounds. The reason I mentioned they were trout guys is because their hookset or bass took a while to develop - they lost a lot o ish because o just liting their arms instead o snapping their wrist and setting into their body. A little coaching rom the guide and we cured that!! I inally got ed up with the slow ishing and moved us to a dierent part o the lake - some ledges that I like in the narrows. Bingo - one o the brothers hooked and landed 4 bass in 4 successive casts including a 17 1/4 inch spotted bass. Boy, did we give him a hard time when he didn't get the ith!!! The other brother got the biggest o the night - a 2-9 largemouth. The biggest smallie was 2-3. I had the brothers Texas rigged with my avorite night worm - the 7 inch Berkley Power worm and I was trying other stu that wasn't working!! So I switched to the Power Worm and managed to catch three. Most o the ish were 17 to 25 eet. We wound up with 17 bass (many others lost) - one 10 incher, one about 13 inches, and all the other rom 14 to 17 1/4 inches. The ive biggest were a shade under 12 pounds! It was interesting that we didn't see any o the small ish that were hitting last Friday night. This last area really held quality bass - again because o a lat next to a major dropo. These guys really had a great time (so did I) and I know they will be back or more. I think I heard them say they had trout rods or sale, har!!!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: I was pleased overall with the trip considering all the hot weather. I think the ish more more active in the open water because o the dark moon early in the evening. The weather was perect, lake was lat, and again, new olks loving ishing with a black light or the irst time! When conditions are right - guiding at night is a blast!!

Friday, July 11th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: No reports or Berryessa in a month? Fishing can't be that bad! I took two pretty good isherman yesterday or a late aternoon - night trip and while it wasn't outstanding, we really did airly well. It appears that Fridays are nearly as bad as weekends now or boat traic, but it did settle down as evening approached. We started at 6 pm in some o the coves in the narrows area and a client got the irst on a Pulse Worm - a largemouth about 1 1/2 lbs. We traveled to some areas near Goat Island and hit one o my avorite points and we ound 'em!! Split-shotting and drop-shotting were producing smallies and largemouth up to 2 1/4 lbs. One o the clients was nailing them on his Aaron's Magic worm on the drop-shot rig I set up or him. We moved to another good point and never got bit - I couldn't believe it! We moved again and I put a client on the ever aithul Chug Bug topwater and I threw my black buzzbait that hasn't done well lately. The irst cast (over a lat) produced a smashing hit and I boated an 18 1/4 inch spotted bass that weighed 2-11. The next cast by my client produced a tremendous blowup but one o them missed each other - no hookup. I would have liked to see that ish!! We wound up with 13 bass beore dark - all but one good quality. Ater dark I was really disappointed - we did well but not up to Berryessa's standards. We got a lot o those great bites - set the hook - and they get o. We lost several near the boat. There is no other lake where bass have mastered the art o escape at night like these bass have. I have tried to igure it out and I can't. We only caught 7 more and lost over 20 or so. A couple were 2 pound largemouth and one smallmouth. We used 7 inch power worms and Dead Ringers. Many o the open areas were not too good because o the lat water and bright moon. We ound most o our ish on steep banks that had shadows. We all had a great time - at least we had a lot o action - and caught quality ish - our best ive were over 11 1/2 lbs. I slept or an hour and went out mysel at irst light to see i I could get another good buzzbait ish but there was no topwater bite at all and the lake was a bit rough. I did drop-shot a 1 3/4 lb spot and ended with a beautiul 2 lb 5 oz smallmouth - that was un!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: I tried many other techniques last night - steady retrieve and ripping o the bottom with a one ounce Cordell spot lure, jigs, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits. Only the worms produced or us. I think when the lake drops more, it will put bass out on the structures I like to target at night. While it was a beautiul night - wildlie was dead quiet - no birds, crickets, rogs, ish rolling, coyotes, anything! My clients noticed that too. I listen or those things and usually ind the ishing to be slower as a result o whatever orces cause wildlie to take the night o!

Sunday, June 22nd, 2003

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    Water Temp: 75-77

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Nice day out on the water. We launched rom Pleasure Cove at about 9am. We hit the south side o the Big Island and threw out parrot deep diving cranks on the points with no luck. The water contained a lot o clay rom all o the watercrat stirring it up. We then moved on to a southern cove closer towards Markley, where the water looked better. We trolled up and down cover, and ran cranks parallel to the shore, and then went over the same area with Senkos. No luck. Ryan caught a dink tossing the parrot crank towards some docks. We then located some isolated cover in one o the coves near the Porteguese Cove area, and that was the spot. My very irst cast nailed a 2.3 lb spotted bass as soon as it hit the water. Then Ryan nailed a 5.1 lber immediately on the next cast. Then another 3.4 lber. Ater about an hour or so o un, we threw gold/white spinnerbaits along the weedlines and Ryan scooped up another 3 lber. End o the day numbers...rom 9am-4pm...6 bass, totaling 17.8 lbs. Can't complain.
    City: Dixon

    Tips: Gold spinnerbaits seem to be the local talk..and it did work. But good old Senko was the kicker...Great day on the water. Berryessa is becoming a premier bass lake. There's monsters in there just waiting to be caught. Tight lines.....Kayge & Schlitz

Monday, June 9th, 2003

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    Water Temp: low 70's

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: took a 12 year old boy and his mom or the young mans birthday and started the day o on top water.... they caught several ish in the 1-2 pound range... later in the day we started throwing wh/wh persuader spinnerbaits and got 3 largemouth in the ive pound + range o suspended wood... all ish came in the putah creek area.. jery did a great job landing these nice ish. what a great mom this guys has too ! thanks or a nice day Catherine!
    City: walnut creek

    Tips: top water early.... slow roll spinnerbaits on wood later in day..orget weekend ishing !

Friday, May 23rd, 2003

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Launched at 6:30am rom Markley Cove, headed across the lake to my avorite cove.One trip around the cove using a Shad Rico (topwater lure) netted me 9 bass. Biggest was a Beautiul 2.75 smallie. Most ish were close to wood. Continued out into the main body throwing the Rico, continued to catch ish. About 9:30 I headed to Little Portuguese Cove. I started cranking with a Shad Rap, caught two 1 .5 largemouth & a 17" rainbow. Did a litte split shotting with out much luck. About 10:15 I broke o my split shot set up.....Instead o re-rigging I grabbed my baitcasting rod with the Rico, I changed Rico's to a Blue one & started throwing. Three cast later I hung a nice 2.5 largemouth, it only got better the hotter it got. I caught 38 bass rom 6:45 to 12:30. 36 o them on TOPWATER! The best bite was rom 10:30 till about noon. During that time I was catching them all over the place. Next to the bank to 20 eet out, and they were bigger ish than the early morning bite. I would estimate that my ive biggest would total 13+ pounds. Great day....I would have stayed longer but the water skies were getting thick, & you all know how much courtesy they show us isherman.Best place was just inside the 5mph bouys in Little Portugese Cove West side.
    City: Vacaville

    Tips: Topwater ruled today....I it doesn't cool o too much this week end it (topowater) should be good or a while. Saw some schools o shad close to the banks,big shad in the schools 2-3 inches..... thats probably why the topwater bite was so good.

Thursday, May 15th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched at markleys about 7. Had a great reaction bite. The ish or the most part were on wood. A speed trap did the trick, irst ish was a spawned out 4lber. Did catch a couple o ish on plastic. Fished the ive mph coves most o the day. Ended up with 25-30, with the largest being the irst ish o the day. Most were large and spots, did catch 2 smallmouth.
    City: sacto

    Tips: I you could see wood, there was a ish holding on it.

Tuesday, May 13th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 61

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched out o Spanish Flat at 7 am with partner Dick. Fished the wood and points in cappel Cove without much luck. then went down to the narrows, and ished rom about 8-4. Caught 21 ish--all smallies and spots to 2#, including one large mouth and one nice trout on a Senko! No reaction bite. Not much on senkos either. Almost all the ish came on 4" split shot with chartruse tail. Purple with a vein seemed to work well too. Also purple with blue and red lake. Most ish ound under trees (they wouyld swim out rom the trees and hit the worm on the all), on points, and sometimes on the back end o coves. Fairly aggressive hits at times--other times very subtle pressure. Beautiul ish.
    City: vacaville

    Tips: Used 8 lb but had lots o break os on the trees and wood; might use something a bit stronger on the wood next time. #1 hooks on the 4" worms. Only one ish on Spittin Image but was that un. No rip ish this trip. Most ish about 6-10 t--cast to shore and slowly drag out with a ew shakes.

Saturday, May 10th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 57-63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got a late start. Launched at 8am with my riend Wes. At our irst stop, Wes had our irst bass on his irst cast. 2 casts later I have one. Nice smallmouth action until 10am. Fish were all over in 6' tp 12'. Largemouth action picked up the rest o the day with more smallies ater noon. We caught over 35 ish and rolled at least that many with those manditory barbless hooks. Fished plastics in 3 to 4 inch or all the ish. The smallies ranged rom 2 to 3 lbs while the largemouth went rom 2 to 5 lbs. Water was clear all day even with the boat traic. My arms are sore today, so all I can say is that ishing must have been so good, we over ished. Lots and lots o ish. I there were any tournaments today, would probably have taken 20 to 30 pounds to get a check.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Berryessa is hot hot hot! Light line is the ticket with 3" and 4" plastic. Tubes,senkos,worms,lizards. Anything should take ish now. Next week should be even better with the warmer weather.

Sunday, May 4th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 57-59

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Started out irst light on the main body..very windy. No reaction bite early...starting catching spots and smallies on a dropshot down to 17t...nothing shallow. Fish seem to be keyed on points and ledges. As the day warmed and the sun shined the luke bite turned on. Color did not matter and the 3 o us threw 3 dierent colors - white, bubble gum and baby bass. My buddy Smitty caught a 2-3lb large mouth on the luke. Also boated the biggest crappie I've ever seen about 2lbs. Did not see any bed ish..did see some cruisers up to 5lbs. Ended the day with 15 bass, 1 large crappie and 6 Turtle Rock eggs rolls.Hitman
    City: Suisun

    Tips: Check the points and ledges beore ishing your shallow water.

Sunday, April 27th, 2003

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    Water Temp: MID 50'S

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED THE 100% BASS PRO/AM WITH A LOCAL GUIDE KEN CASSETARRI WITH GOLDEN STATE GUIDE SERVICE. WE CAUGHT OUR FISH RIPPING AND WITH BLADES ON POINTS EARLY AND THEN WENT BED FISHIN WITH YAMAMOTO HULA GRUBS. THE BITE WAS PRETTY TOUGH BUT WE MANAGED A 3RD PLACE FINISH. THANKS KEN, HAD A GREAT TIME!
    City: SACTO.

    Tips: USED LUCKY CRAFT POINTERS AND PURSUADOR SPINNERBAITS... FISH SLOWLY AND THUROUGH

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2003

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    Water Temp: 55

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: I actually guided a trip this week and one last week that I didn't get a chance to post. Last week I took a ather and 9 year old on a 6 hour trip. We ished the narrows rom noon to a little ater 6 pm. We had another rontal passage about 2 pm causing a great deal o wind, making the last part o the trip diicult. The most important goal was accomplished - the 9 year old caught his irst bass - a spot at 1 lb 6 oz, using a morning dawn worm. Dad got a ew - one nearly 2 pounds on a #221 Senko. I caught a couple too, one about 2 1/4 lbs drop-shotting. We did catch 5 largemouth which was cool! Most o the bed ish I saw the week beore were gone. Most o our ish were caught about 10 to 20 eet deep. The trip this week was not very good as another ather and son ished with me. They did hook several but wern't able to land any. They were beginners and the ish just didn't help any. The boy and I practiced casting most o the trip and he was making great casts when we quit. I caught about our - letting the boy land a ew. One was a nice 2 1/2 pound largemouth! We saw three males still on a nest but they wern't interested in any lures.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Since the big rains happened in December, the lake is very clear this spring. Light line will be necessary in bright conditions. The early and late bite will be best on bright days. We really need a long period o stable weather to get the bite going again.