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Sunday, April 24th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 63+

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Still no spectacular bite. A few here and there no ryhme or reason. I had small Blade fish and better plastic fish. Swimbait is next weekend. Even if the water cools from the next storm they were THIS close to eating a jerkbait on a full moon...next 4 weeks will be exciting....Jumbled around with colors on my flipping jig....One fish on that. I went 4-wheel'n in the back of Big Cachuma,Dead horse and Santa Cruz....Like African Queen in Santa Cruz. If I couldn't have gone forward there was no back. A bunch of HUGE carp/koi/goldfish/mixed breed trash fish in the backs of these areas but NO BASS to speak off.? who knows. I am glad to see the 10-11 inchers that surely would have died without the flood and the real neat thing about the flood is we now have cover on the bottom from 140 feet to the shore.
    City: Santa Barbara

    Tips: Lots of places in 10 feet or less. If your looking for beds.....I've only found two places so far that have more than 1 or two. Think protected when looking for these largemouth...Smallmouth are kind of out a wack too! I'm sure this is going to be the longest spawn in Cachuma history....Good! I like the fish spread out and DOING DIFFERENT STUFF!

Tuesday, April 19th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Thanks for the report Kelly. I fished Friday, the day before the WON tourney. Hammered one flippin the sludge in Lil Cachuma and a second on a blade later in the day. Wanted to catch the weigh in on Saturday, but other plans kept me busy. Your definately right. Cachuma is going to go off bigtime.....any day now.
    City: Santa Ynez

Saturday, April 16th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 63+

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Water is cleaned up to reveal a surprise...Not as many beds as you'd expect. I fished W.O.N. Team on Saturday and it started right but went south. I was on to a flip bite in the Red pollen like stuff that coats the backs of little pockets. The ones that have water that ran into them a while back that are full of wood and branches but are really thick with the red stuff. I was useing a 1 ounce black flipping jig with a big 5/0 hook and a Black sickle tail 4 or 5 inch Power worm. I had used a Black/blue 4 inch power craw the week before for the same results.That tail moves alot of water and I got two fish in the first 30 minutes that were about 6+ pounds for the both of them. That was it! There were smaller fish to be had but I didn't need three more pounds I needed a least 9 to make a showing. It didn't happen. I caught shorts on dropshot and blades. My 2 fish outweighed a five fish limit so I would say the fish are in the spots that I'm fishing but you need to hit them all to get the numbers and I only had one more bite with ten minutes left on the clock but that fish dropped the bait fast. I am using an 8 foot rod and 65 power pro and I still missed that fish.The swimbait bite did not appear and this may mean the pre spawn girls are off the trout and onto the all you can eat craw diet for their egg developement. I didn't catch any of the skinny guys that were starving in the shallow water as in months past. Cachuma will Soon go off big time.
    City: Santa Barbara

    Tips: It is my belief that the better fish are in the jungle and you ned to change color after the first two hours to a more brown color with the clearer water. The big jig or a 3/4 oz. sinker if you plan on using plastics is needed to get into the spots. I have only dumped one fish on the big rig and that one fell off the hook at the boat last week. A 1/2 oz. white blade worked in the big coves and the river area Could be on or off. If you get wind you can slow roll it anytime of the day.

Saturday, April 9th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I fished Saturday and Sunday and they were totally different in nature. I did well on Saturday with about 17 pounds for my efforts and did more scouting early on Sunday but still it fished way different. The wind howled on Sat. and so yes fellas there is a blade bite and I wouldn't doubt a buzzbait! I know of frog fish being caught! It just depends on you. If you didn't get bit on a jerkbait don't worry you will...Can't catch em on a blade keep toss'n it you will. Can't get a worm fish...keep trying you will...Fishing is slow but not alarmingly so...There are just so many options open to the bass right now in terms of comfort and they are taking full advantage of this....It is not like fishing in a barrel like years past...Now your going to have to dig out every ounce....You'll remember '05 with fondness in the years to come

    Rip
    City: Santa Barbara

    Tips: try to fish the animal in it's kingdom by slanting things in your favor. use search baits and you will begin to unravel the secrets of where you are>

Thursday, April 7th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 61

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I had not planned on going this week; however, I just could not stand sitting home on a day off. Slipped the ole' boat in at first light and headed for the east end. Threw some reaction baits for about an hour with no action at all. Switched to worms and hit one fish on the south side of arrowhead. No idea how big he was as I pulled the knot and lost him. (reminder to attend remedial knot tying class). Only lasted on the lake a couple of hours before the weather rolled in, wind picked up and the rain started. Still pretty slow. I'll update next Thursday.
    City: Santa Ynez

    Tips: Cachuma Trout Derby starting this weekend. Be careful out there. Still some floating debri mid-channel by Santa Cruz

Friday, April 1st, 2005

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    Water Temp: 61

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: It's tough out there. I fished it hard and only had a couple smaller males. The water's very clear and the fish just aren't very aggressive. As for the previous reports of limits of 2-4 lb-ers on blades and buzzbaits...? ...which lake are you fishing? I haven't seen any evidence of a blade or buzzbait(!) bite up there at all lately, nor has anyone else recently. Hmm. You outta fish the tournies - 15 lbs. is getting a payback big time right now. But then you have to really bring in those fish you're catching and not just talk about it...
    City: Santa Barbara

    Tips: Try split-shotting a little deeper.

Wednesday, March 30th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 58

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished all day with beautiful weather, improved clarity and no fish to speak of. One smallmouth caught in Johnson Bay. Worked the island, narrows, jackrabbit and johnson. Reaction baits and worms. Spoke with other anglers who shared basically the same story.
    City: Santa Ynez

    Tips: Kneel down and pray for a couple of weeks of stable weather and increasing water temp.

Tuesday, March 29th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished all day(2-40) and did not get bit. Nobody I talked to had a Largemouth. Some reported catching a couple smallies.Softjerkbaits,spinner baits, drop shot,jigs, texas rig. Good luck
    City: saugus

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    Water Temp: warm

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Just went out yesterday and going out tommarrow. Yesterday it was still cold out and the bite wasnt great i heard the bite was good in cachuma cove but i usually fish near jackrabbit flats. Most of the debree is gone from the rain and the water is crystal clear. Threw spinners and buzzbaits and caught five keeps ranging from 2 -4 pounds. White and yellow seem to be good. Also caught a three pounder off a black/blue jig. good luck everone and go and try it in the tournament if you like to trout fish. I dont like trout fishing myself though.
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: spinners, buzzbaits,jig see you tomarrow on the lake

Saturday, January 29th, 2005

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    Water Temp: about 55 degree

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Got on the lake at about 8:00 went to the wall and caught 4 trout by 9:00. Fished else were untill the wind picked up at noon and got nothing.
    City: ventura

    Tips: Troll at least 15 feat deep!

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    Water Temp: about 50 degree

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Got on the lake at about 8:00 went to the wall and caught 4 trout by 9:00. Fished else were untill the wind picked up at noon and got nothing.
    City: ventura

    Tips: Troll at least 15 feat deep!

Monday, January 10th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 40

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: The water level at lake cachuma has risen 20-30 feet in the last 2-3 weeks. Just since friday they got 2 feet of rain. for the next few weeks i would tell everyone not to go but after that bass will be shallower and they will be right off of the drops.
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: If you are planning a fishing trip reschedule for 2-3 weeks later because the water will be muddy, cold and the fishing will really stink.thanks for reading my report and tight lines to everyone in a few weeks at cachuma.

Friday, January 7th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 56

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: The water has come up about 2 feet and Gibralter is spilling. The fact that Gibralter is spilling this early in the year points to another full pool this year albiet not the 59 foot jump in 10 days we had last year it is still good to have the "whole" lake to fish. There is a pretty good bite for bass going on right now. I got to the lake at 9 and had my first 3 pounder in 3 minutes. I have stayed with spoons for shear numbers but dropshot will garner you some nice fish too. I caught a 5 pounder on a crank on the shear walls and found that there is a great jig bite going on as well...To little time, to much tackle! I know they have been dumping in trout but went untouched in the hour I tossed my trout baits. I caught 3 incredibly nice crappie and unfortunetly for the crappie I could not successfully needle them so I gave them to some guys in a rental boat that were busy striking out with the trout. The Smallmouth seemed to really turn on around 1:00 when the wind came up and one of my smallmouth went 3 pounds 9 ounces on my little scale. I don't normally weigh my fish but this one had given me such a spectacular fight I just had to know how close she was to the lake record. The fish would pounce on the spoons and jigs sometimes before they got near the bottom making it essential that you guesstimate aproximately the depth the spoon/jig "Should" hit bottom and be ready should it stop short or just swim away. I did find better spooning in the nastier structure and lost a few baits but ya gotta go where the fish are. There were two real nice guys that were watching me and when they came up to me at the launch ramp at the end of the day I really didn't know if they were going to be mad or what as I had caught 6 fish in 5 minutes infront of them and ten minutes later I had another good run of maybe 10 fish in 15 minutes. I told them what I'm going to tell you. Spoon! Simple and devastatingly effective on cold fish. While it's true that spoons aren't usually a big fish bait if you use your electronics you can effectively use them in a precision presentation and clean up when the fish seem to be not interested in chasing down anything else. I think that the better fish are up I just can't put the spoon and my other metal baits down as I'm just having to much fun.
    City: Santa Barbara

    Tips: Chrome 3/4 oz. spoons, Brown with either brown or watermelon trailer and a shad colored crank. Active fish from one foot to 40 feet deepending on how you want to catch them.

Tuesday, January 4th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 58-30

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Lot of small stuff floating around but not the real big stuff. Vis poor with sawdust size red chips in most coves. Water is up and all ramps are open. Metered most fish at 35 ft. Not much action though.
    City: Santa Barbara

Sunday, September 19th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 60-70

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I caught most of my fish on the nothern end of the lake were the water is alot more clear. I used buzz baits yellow and black. I caught 6 fish totaling about 15 pounds. Later in the day i used plastic worms at about 10 feet of water. The lake is extremely low now. Be very careful when lanching.
    City: Santa Maria Ca

    Tips: a good spot to fish now is right out of the marina. The water is alot clear and buzz baits work extemely well.

Monday, September 6th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 60-70

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I went out at 7 and immediatly caught a 3 pounder on a yellow buzzbait. Later in the day about 9 i caught a 5 pound largemouth right off of jackrabbit flats. All my fish were off buzzbaits.
    City: Santa maria ca

    Tips: use a buzzbait in 3-10 feet of water. after about 10 top water is slow try a drop shot with a four inch senko

Saturday, July 31st, 2004

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Trny; caught 5 keepers, biggest 3.72. four fish caught on senkos one on crank bait
    City: lompoc

Saturday, June 26th, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: the lake is slow right now i caught 3 of top water totaling about 8 pounds. The fish seem to be holding good in the cove just west of harveys cove. I also caught a few off some crawdad imitations
    City: santa maria

    Tips: use top water in the morning and just before the sun breaks try spinners and even crawdads.

Thursday, April 8th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 67

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished for six hours and I only caught 8 smallies on drop shot Yamamoto cut tail plum. All fish came in 8 to 10 feet of water. The lake is busy right now with the spring breakers. I haven't seen that many boats on the lake since last summer. Looks like most people are bed fishing at the west end of the lake. I did talk to a guy caught an 8 pounder off bed in Johnson. What a fish! Good luck and be careful with all the activity on the lake right now.
    City: Arroyo Grande, Ca

    Tips: Drop shot with your hook 12 to 14 inches above your weight. No reaction bite yet. There was a reaction bite last week but it is gone now. Probably because of all the pressure.

Wednesday, March 17th, 2004

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    Water Temp: ~60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught two smallies to 2.5 lbs trolling jack rabbit flats along flats to channel break with rapalla shad pattern.

    Trout fishing very good in cachuma cove trolling crawlers. Fish to 2.25 lbs.
    City: la crescenta

    Tips: for bass trolling a plug alows coverage of lots of water.

    Trout are still very active in this lake.