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Saturday, March 24th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 57-61

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, the term "rags to riches" really applied to me the past three days at Clear Lake. I ished the north end or about 6 hours with riends on Tues, and ound conditions horrid, with only one 3 lb bass caught. Folks were blaming it on simply too much ishing pressure, and the thunderstorm activitity (no sun) didn't help. I had guided the night beore with six ish in the boat up to 7 pounds, so I didn't eel too bad. BUT, Wed and Thurs made my early retirement rom teaching seem like a wonderul decision. I guided two great guys or 2 days, or some o the best spring ishing I have ever experienced at Clear Lake. We had 30 1/4 and 31 lb 5 ish limits - 16 bass each day - and one client got an 8 (Rodstrainer jig) on Wed, and his buddy got an 8 3/4 (Senko) on Thurs. And I was in total shock when I landed my irst-ever Clear Lake smallmouth - 3 3/4 lbs. One o the clients landed two more - a 3 and 3-2. Three smallmouth in an hour - unbelieveable!!!! They all took a Rodstrainer jig, and were all against rock walls in the Rattlesnake arm. All o our bass were caught in 2 to 8 eet o water - the warm sun was what the doctor ordered or these bass - the bite started about 11:30 am, and lasted till about 4 pm. We were targeting the irst cruising bass I had seen this year and shallow tules that had algae around them. It was interesting that the male bass were in the tules (sun) but the bigger emales were under docks (shade). Other that one bass caught on a chartreuse hula grub, all our bass were caught on brown/orange Rodstrainer jigs with #180 grubs, and the majority on dark colored 5" Senkos - #221, 222, 194, etc. We ished mostly in the Rattlesnake arm (Island and west shore), the Buckingham area, and a little in Konocti Bay. One client threw spinnerbaits a lot - no takers. These trips were this guides dream!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: We only elt a ew bites - watch your line like a hawk! I saw bass take my baits and elt nothing! Try to judge how long it takes or the Senko to hit bottom, leave it or 2 seconds, and then lit slowly - trying to eel the dierence between being caught on a tule and a bass! The pressure will increase i a bass has it. The weather is going to change a ew hours ater I write this, so the ish will move back o the shore. Fish shallow i the sun is out, and deeper i it is cloudy. Reaction bite should get better i we have a storm this weekend.

Thursday, March 22nd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 59

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, David is not the only one having problems. My brother and I have ished hard or two days, throwing everything we could think o (yes, even Synkos) and have not drawn a strike. A lot o blue-green alge in the water. Weather air and stable. What's the problem?
    City: Carpinteria

    Tips: You tell me. Please.

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    Water Temp: 53 to 68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I am the worst isherman on the ace o the earth, I ished 3/18 and 3/19 and I ished slow, medium, and ast and could not buy a bite. I threw everything, TD minnow, 3" grub, Senko, jig, white spinner bait, rattle trap just to name a ew. all o the above I ished ast, slow and in between. I have ished or bass or 8 years and my newphew caught the only ish on a 3" grub. I know the bite was tough because I spoke to a ew guys ishing a tournament and they said the bite was tough but I think they at least had a ew in the live well that they caught on a white spinner bait.
    City: Milpitas

    Tips: I don't know you tell me, to much ishing pressure? Moon phase? weather was great. Anybody want me on the back seat o your boat to ish a tournament? I don't think so.

Monday, March 19th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 52-56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: As a result o not ishing Clear Lake in approx. 5 years, I spent the past 3 days working harder than usual trying to igure 'em out. We only caught 5 to 10 bass (3 to 5 lbs.) each day between the two o us. Fished rom Soda Bay to Rodman. I was planning to ish South on Sat., but strong winds and white caps sent me into the only area I could ish. We caught our ish pitching worms and shaking 'em down to approx. 8 t., dead-sticking senkos, and chunkin' spinnerbaits when the wind picked up. Had a tough time establishing a pattern, catching ish in the usual 2 t. to 8 t. Saw a lot o boats ishing the tules on the NW side o the lake, but we couldn't catch squat. Lost my Pointer 100 to a submerged rope.(Ouch!). Spent most o our time ishing secondary points and ishing the irst 1/4 o dead-end sloughs.
    City: San Jose

    Tips: Based on the recent 100% bass team tourn. weights on Mar. 17th, don't do what I did. I'm still scratchin' my head. Good luck!

Wednesday, March 14th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 49-51

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: I ished Clear Lake several times this past week - day and night - with mixed results. I had two clients lose big bass, one in the tules at Rattlesnake Island which we saw. It was 8 lbs minimum - his rod was just too light or a good hookset deep in the tules. He almost got her to the boat, but not quite. He was using a red shad 8" Zoom Dead Ringer worm. Yesterday, clients lost 3 or 4 ish, but did manage to land a 3 1/4 and a 5. I was able to land a dandy - 10 lbs 14 oz - on a brown/orange Rodstrainer Jig with a #180 5" Yamamoto twin tail grub. I caught her o a break on a rockpile near Rattlesnake Island. I was accidentally using 10# test line - maybe that is why she bit at 10:30 in the morning in bright sunshine and clear water that was dead-lat calm. Those are the great questions o bass ishing - i only bass could talk!! Big ish like that don't make many mistakes in the middle o the day in open water. The night ishing has only been good or quality - not too many bites. Rattlin' Weapon jigs and "Big Dipper" Magic Worms have been the best baits at night. I have ound the bass in the south end to be moving around a bit, and are diicult to locate. Fishing seems to be on one day and o the next. Some have said they are even hard to locate on the meter. Another three or our weeks should do the trick. The bass need sun!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: For the next week or two, especially in the south end, I would throw jigs, and then more jigs. Ripping is taking a ew, and crankbaits are catching some big ones, but not many. Senkos are working or some.

Monday, March 12th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 49-51

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: No I did not ish but I was there or the weigh in and there were some hogs, irst place was on blades, 5 ish or 26 lbs. I did not catch the color or size, I think that was by design. Fish are shallow in ront o tulies and in the tulies. The winning team said that they caught the ish up on the north end o the lake.
    City: Milpitas

    Tips: Fish shallow, I mean 1-2 eet deep by tulies, and that is where they were last week end when I did ish but did I ish shallow, no!

Sunday, March 11th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 53 - 57 degrees

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Nice sunny day wie & I out or un wie caught a nice 4lb. We caught 4 total on jigs rom 3 to 5 lbs in the state park area.Just a great day to be on the water.
    City: Glenhaven

    Tips: sub surace water still below 50 still ishing slow

Wednesday, March 7th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 49

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Lazy trip. Didn't throw out the irst lure until 11:00am.First ish 11:30. Nice two and a hal pounder. Bite went dead until 2:30pm. Then things heated up a little. Caught ive in the next hour and a hal. All between 2 and 3 lbs, except or one that went 6lb2oz. Wind started kicking at 4. I was using plastics, so things got tough. Still caught two more by 5:30pm. Probably lost 4 because o the wind(and old age). All in all, not a bad winters day o ishing. On the water or 6 1/2 hours. Eight in the boat. Four more that could have been. All on plastics. All between 2~12t. Best ive probably 16 to 17 lbs.

    Tips: I don't think you need minnows anymore to catch ish.

Tuesday, March 6th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 47-48

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished on Sunday and Monday, There was 4 o us in my skeeter and we got rained on like you would not believe on Sunday, I tried a Larry Hemphille special orange/brown jig with #180 yomamoto trailer but no luck, my 3 partners triedminnows only but no luck, only ished 3 hrs on Sunday in the rain, ished 3 hrs on Monday and caught 1 ish on the Larry H. jig to 2 lbs but that was it, my 3 partners did not get any takers on minnows. We ished shallow and deep rock where I got my 2 lb, we tried tullies with shallow water near by but no luck. The ish I caught was in about 5 eet o water.
    City: MILPITAS

    Tips: I think i we would o ished the tullies next to deep water like the guy who put in the report just beore mine we would have done alot better. lip in and around tullies with deep water near by.

Sunday, March 4th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 45

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: lipped the tules today and got some nice ish. my best ive went or about 18.5 lbs. broke o a nice one in the sticks. i was lipping a watermellon red brush hog.

    Tips: lip in the heavist cover you can ind

Saturday, February 24th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 43-44

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Well, my ingers are thawed out enough to inally write this report. Because o the storm situation, I guided 16 hours on Friday and into the wee hours o Sat. The day trip was the same pattern or us, except with dierent results. We could only get the bass to eed rom 9 to 11 in the morning, with no aternoon bite. The previous nights snowstorm might have had something to do with that. Unortunately, my clients lost every ish that bit (about 7), and one o them was a 6 to 8 lb ish about 6 eet rom the boat. I have always wondered who suers the most when that happens - the client or the guide. We were both very disappointed! The bass just spit the jig out in his ace!! We again didn't start early, because I though the bite would be better later in the day - it was the previous day. But not Friday. I did manage a nice jig pop and a pressure bite and was able to land them, but they were only 4 1/4 and 4 1/2. All our bites were on brown/orange jigs. We ished rocky areas all over the Rattlesnake arm. A sti breeze came up which limited where we could ish. Believe it or not, the night ishing was about the same - we had about 9 or 10 bites, this time landing 4, with my client orm Alaska landing a nice 5 pounder on a black/red brush hog, on the last cast o the last rockpile we ished. This was his biggest bass ever. That was the happy ending I needed. Our other bass were only 3 to 4 pounds. We had to shake our jigs and brush hogs to get a bite, but when they did bite, they hit 'em good!! Clients on both trips ished well, but the bass just wern't very active on Friday, nor were the big ones eeding as they were in my previous trip. That is winter ishing or you - timing is really everything!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: We tried cranking and spinnerbaits or awhile, but they wern't interested. Fishing jigs very slowly was all that worked or us. This was the most snow I have every seen in the Clear Lake area, and on the trip rom Yuba City to Clear Lake. A beautiul sight!

Saturday, February 17th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 43

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished in the Redwood Empire Bass Club tourney on Saturday out o Redbud under tough conditions. Rained all day with a light wind on the south end. There were a total o 16 boats, but only 2 limits on the day. I took Larry's advice a started the day with a red/black crankbait and landed a 9.1 within 5 minutes, enough or big ish.(Thanks Larry) My partner Louie ollowed my lead and nailed a 8.8, 5 and 4 all baore 8:00am. Not a bad way to start the day. All caught shallow on crankbaits near Redbud. Moved to Jago Bay and we landed 2 more at 3lbs each on rip baits. Unortunately this was a draw tourney and not a team event. I only managed 2 ish or 12 lbs, but Louie had 5 or nearly 25 lbs, missing 1st place by 1/2 pound. Combined we had 7 ish totalling 37 pounds.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Stick to crankbaits and ripbaits around rocks and docks on the south end. Work them slowly and bounce o the bottom. Fish all came in less than 10'.

Thursday, February 15th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 41-42

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, I hope this post brings good news to some. Maybe the bass are inally getting used to the cold water temps!! I think I am as excited as Richard was on the previous report. When my client and I hit Clear Lake yesterday, we were determined to get them to bite artiicials, but ater the irst two back-to back winter storm warnings at Clear Lake in recent memory, our hopes were only or a good bite or two. The main reason or the trip was to teach him how to ish the lake, and he wanted to see how I ish jigs. We started about 8:30 am on a beauiul, COLD morning. We had just started ishing jigs - he with a Rodstrainer and me with a Weapon - both with Yamamoto double tail trailers and lots o Smelly Jelly!! Ater 10 minutes, as I was deadsticking my jig ater it ell o the side o a rockpile, my jumped 6 inches o the water - no kiddin!! I was in shock, but I did remember to set the hook - and landed a nice 5-13. My line has NEVER jumped in 41 degree water!! A ew minutes later my client announced he had the "jig thing" down as he set on a 5-3 bass. Disbelie continued as I decided to crank a red/brown crankbait on the next rockpile - I have never done that in any water below 45 degrees. I was ticking the top o the rocks, ever so slowly. As the crank came o the rockpile, it just got heavy. About the time I realized I had a bass on, I saw it and couldn't believe my eyes - thought I had a 10. Turned out to be an 8-6. Looked over a ew more spots and then worked another rockpile where an 8-13 decided to swim o with the Weapon jig that I was shakin'. Wow, 28 pounds in a little over 2 hours. I didn't want to wake up rom this dream yet! He said "lets get 30" - and we did! Next bass was a 5-4 on a jig which gave us 33-7 or our irst ive. I told him that i we got a small one, we would shake it o, since I didn't believe in catching bass under 5 pounds, Har!! But, a 3-6 inhaled my Weapon jig around noon - couldn't shake that one o. We thought the aternoon would be good since the sun was out, but we never got another bite ater 12:30. I'm sure the ishing would have improved beore dark, but we had to leave by 4 pm - Valentine's Day, you know.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: It was again obvious that the sun is still too low in the horizon to warm the water much. I think the surace temp went up 2 degrees by 3 pm. I don't know i we were just there during the right 4 hour period, or i the bass will start being interested in artiicials on a regular basis. It is certainly worth a try now. We did some rippin', but no takers. I was too bright anyway. All our bass were caught at the 10 to 18 oot range.

Tuesday, February 6th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 45

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: It was tough holding the boat still enough to ish. The water was cold and visibility was about 12 inches. Terrible conditions but we managed to catch a ew. Fished rom 11am to 5pm. Caught about one ish per hour. Two 2lbs, two 3lbs and one 7.1 pounder. The 7.1 pounder was my my biggest ever! Can't wait to catch an 8 pounder!! Do I hear 9!!!
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: I you are driving the Hopland Grade, slow down to 55mph beore you enter Hopland. The CHP are waiting! They're nice olks but a ticket makes it diicult to enjoy their company.I your ishing in this wind, tie up to a dock with a lot o posts and ish each o them with a watermelon green brushhog until your blue in the ace. Look or shallow water.

Saturday, February 3rd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 44'-48'

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched out o Red Bud. Weather was nice, but water temp very cold. Hit all the rockpiles and good points I know in the south end, without a ish. Saw one caught on a minnow at Frasier point. Saw another cranked in Bass Alley, and my non boat got a blade ish late. Purty tough when the water is cold. Bluebird day, slight breeze.
    City: San Leandro

    Tips: This nice weather has got to change this bite!!!!!!!!!

Friday, February 2nd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 42 to 45

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: some days are just too good to be true.but this time it is true!ken ricaldo and i got a late start(12:30pm]our irst spot produce 5 ish up to 6lbs.[not bad or 15min o ishing]we decided to move to another spot, that we thought would hold larger bass' and hold larger bass it did!!! ater catching 4or5 ish in the 4to5lb class the action got red hot!! our largest 5 bass [we caught 24 ish in 4hours]weighed 48.2lbs!!! their weight was 12.7 ,11.6,9.1,8.8,& 6~! theres no question this was a once in a lie time experience ! the only thing that could have made it better,would have been to catch them on lures.all ish were on minnows. lip hooked and released!
    City: kelseyville ca.

    Tips: 8 lb line, #4 hook ished under bobber and in 6-12 t water

Thursday, February 1st, 2001

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    Water Temp: 44 to 47

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished with Keith Clow, and the trip was awesome. I was on the trip to learn some o the lake, and Keith kept putting us on ish. A low pressure system moved in in the early aternoon, and shut down the bite. Boated 11 or 12 ish with a 5 pound average in about 4 hours . We lost count due to the number o times that we had two or three ished hooked up at thae same time! Really makes the wintertime blues disappear.
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: We used minnows and octupus hooks. Lip hooked and released all. Believe your guide when he says slow on the hookset!

Sunday, January 28th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 41-43

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well, my report isn't as exciting as the guy rom India, but here goes. Ater a two week absence rom Clear Lake, it was good to return to the snowy wonderland! Saturday morning gave us bluebird conditions, but a beautiul day to look at the snowcapped mountains all around the lake. The wind wasn't bad, and my client and I had un learning how to ish jigs, how to use other baits, and how to ish the area around his home near Jago Bay. We only ished around 5 hours - I told him we would be lucky even to get bit in 42 degree water with artiicials. Thank goodness he was lucky - and skilled, I might add. He was throwing his own jig with a #180 Yamamoto twin tail grub that I added. About noon, near Jenson Point, he yelled "I got one!" I was sure he got a rock, because the rod he brought was very limber. I love it when those rocks move!! I soon netted a 4-15 bass or a very happy camper. That was as exciting as getting a 30lb limit on other trips. Don't think I've ever had a client land a largemouth in water that cold. Best I could do was a eeble bite, and that was it!! As we pulled out o Red Bud, a couple o other guys said they caught only one also, on a jig - about 6 lbs. Two minnow boats had air days, with several bass, but nothing over 6 lbs. And that's all I know!!!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: We did some ripping and cranking, and threw Senkos, to no avail. I think a jig is the best artiicial to use in this cold water. I had him ishing in shadows, near a dropo, I think that was the key! Remember to deadstick, and try to make the jig quiver in place with your rod tip! I don't think the bass will hit a ast moving jig, but I could be wrong.

Saturday, January 20th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Had a decent day, started out slow but turned on or us about 2:30. We ended up catching 14 ish best being 9 lbs. Our best ive would have weighed 25 lbs. Not as spectacular as previous recent trips but, what more can you ask or in the middle o january. Fishing still unbelievable.
    City: Woodland

    Tips: Artiicials still tough or us. Been throwing minnows.

Monday, January 15th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 45

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Well Scott and I ished Friday beore Cooch came up and got em pretty good. Then on Sat. With Cooch well, read his report. The next day was THE DAY! We spanked em hard with Scott taking one 9-11 in three eet o water. Caught twenty ish over ive lbs. Best ive went nearly 38 pounds. I've been using my camera exclusivly to locate rockpiles with ish. Cooch and Scott loved it. Saves time.Gotta tell this ish story rom saturday when Cooch came up: We're down to our last two minnows and we been killin em or the last 1-1/2 hours. Cooch throws in where we had seen a giant earlier. It bites and Cooch sets. Nothin! Gets back a bare hook. I throw in and he hits me. We see him shakin his head and its a dawg. He comes up and comes unbottoned. Cooch says hey there's my minnow loatin on top. The thing is barely movin as Cooch scoops it o the surace and pins it on his hook. He throws in there and that big monster hits him AGAIN! Cooch lands em...OVER TEN! Outta minnows. Fish another hour senkos etc... nothin. Great day with Scott and Cooch. We had a blast.
    City: Salinas

    Tips: Artiicials work ine at night. During daylight hours it's utile compared to the minnow bite. Use small #4 octopus hooks and the ish get it in the tip o the lip every time. No swallowing the bait.