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Saturday, October 1st, 2005

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    Water Temp: 71

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Wow, I love this time of year! I'm the lone poster! I could say anything, har!! Actually, I wish I could "fib" a little about Wednesday's trip with a guy and his girl, but the truth is they were a lot nicer than the fishing!! After Tues, I was stoked and ready for bear - but the bass had other ideas. We worked and worked for 15 bass - nothing over 3 pounds and a little thrill for him at the end - a 15 or so pound channel cat. He caught most of the fish and she caught one too, so the trip was a success in that way. They now know lots of spots that WILL be better another day. How were the pre-fish tournament folks doing? All I know is that I have never seen so many bass boats running around so often, so fast, in all the years I have guided at Clear Lake. Three bucks a gallon hasn't slowed too many yet!! Friday was much better for the next trip. We caught several 3 to near 4 lb bass in the afternoon for a limit pushing 17 lbs. I taught them structure fishing on Clear Lake and some produced and some didn't. We could have had a nice limit but I lost a jumping 5 pounder (crankbait) and lost another big one. Oh well! I was hoping one of the clients would bag a big one but it didn't happen. Tuesday's client caught them all! I think they might be fishing a tournament so I won't say much more. We did catch bass from 2 feet to 25 feet. Welcome to fall!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Friday I had the nerve to ask Bob Higgens of Limit Out Tackle, an honest guy, if anyone else struggled on Wed. He made my day, saying that Wed was tough and Thurs even tougher for many. I'm sure some foks did well, but sometimes another late warm front will actually shut down the bass a bit. They are ready for cooling water, which they should get this weekend. We'll see!!

Tuesday, September 27th, 2005

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: A great day at Clear Lake - in spite of all the pressure. After taking a week off, I helped two guys learn the lake in their boat, and learn it they did!! I wasn't sure about the weather after the rain and a north wind did come up in the morning, but it wasn't bad. About noon it started to warm up and so did the fishing! One of the clients caught a good one to start the morning at 6 lbs 1 oz and 4 1/2. They caught lots of bass in the areas I showed them. I was trying different baits in the back of the boat to see what was working. Between us we came up with two baits that produced a 9.24 for me and a 7.48 for one of the clients (after his 6 and a few 4's)! We actually caught over 50 (they caught almost all of them!) and our 5 best weighed between 32 1/4 and 32 1/2 lbs. That was exciting! I can't say any more because they are tournament folks. I wish them well!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Some days all the right decisions are made and I guess this was one of them. Parts of the lake have cleared a bit - interesting. Again, no crank fish - though we tried. The pressure hasn't slowed the bite too much yet, but we'll see. I wish all you tournament folks the best of luck (and skill)!!

Monday, September 26th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Just got back from three days at Clear lake. Water temp. has fallen off to about 69F. A lot of fish on jigs and tubes. Fish the north end most of the time. Docks produce a lot of 2 and 3 lbs fish and larger fish came off the tules. 6/13 lbs.
    City: Cottonwood

    Tips: Bass are holding tight to the tules, fishing slow seem to work the best.

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    Water Temp: 66to69

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: fished sunday and monday. sunday 30 fish, best 5 went 23lbs5ozs. monday 28 fish best 5 went 20lbs 1oz . the bite had slowed down since we were here last which was august 28th&29th. we had better quality this trip with a 6.3,5.4,5.3,5.2 . the reaction bite wasn't like the last time, but i did get the 6.3and the 5.2 cranking. a front moved in this weekend and we had winds out of the south both days it seemed to slow the bite considerably.
    City: oakland

    Tips: with all the tournaments coming ,try to find something no ones looking at.

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    Water Temp: 70's

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Caught fish early morning on points with tules in about 8 feet of water. Moved to areas with breaks in tules to find more fish all hitting plastics. All the fish were tight to cover and hit slow moving baits presented moving down current. Finished the day on docks with the 5 best between the two of us going about 9 pounds. You were right Bobby!, tight to cover!
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: Water clarity not very good still. Baits being presented very slowly were the only thing getting hit. No topwater or reaction bite at all today!

Saturday, September 24th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 71

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Club tournament 2 days. Sat 14 1/2 lbs 5 fish. Fished Lucern and Lakeport areas. Fish were 3 to 10 feet. Hit soft plastics if presented real slow. Sunday bite let up a little had 5 fish 12 1/2 pounds for 4th place. First place 29 lbs. Had 12 keepers sat and 8 sunday.Lots of small fish aroundbut they are fat..
    City: orangevale

    Tips: Fish hula grubs worms or brush hogs carolina or texas slowly. Very lite bite. Water brown. No reaction bite. No top water. Find rocky points with tullies north end of lake.Floro carbon line seemed to outfish my partner on braid? Lots of colors worked if worked slowly.

Wednesday, September 21st, 2005

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    Water Temp: 68.3

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Caught 18 between me and my guide Richard Pounds in four hours. Richard is an expert and lot of fun. The biggest were two 4-pounders and one 3 pounder off Little Quercus and big Quercus. Man those were fun getting in the boat. My heart was pounding. Caught all of them on baby brush hog rigged drop shot. Richard got some on robo worm nock off's and shad lipless crankbait.
    City: Hidden Valley Lake

Monday, September 19th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched out of Konocti this morning. Started off throwin top water frogs at Long tulle point. No takers. Switched to draggin a 10inch berkley power worm in grape color. Best day ive had in a long time!!! Slow bite but the fish were Big! 7.4,6.2 the rest at 4lbs. Best 5 went 25+lbs!!!
    City: Lakeport

    Tips: Drag drag drag.... pause! Drag ... Pause Drag...........Thump!!! Get the net

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    Water Temp: 66-75

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Clear Lake seems to be slowing down

    Tips: The fish seem to bite pretty fast so if I didn't get bit I'd move catch a few then move again this seemed to work all day. See me for your insurance needs Mark Lassagne

Sunday, September 18th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I guided a good fisherman Friday in his 520 Ranger boat and what a kick - I point and say "go here - go there"!! What a hoot! We had a great time and the fishing quality-wise was good as we had a 20 lb 2 oz limit, but only 22 bass. The numbers bite seems to be slowing some as the tournament pressure picks up steam. Our three biggest were 4-2, 4-8, and 5-1. Since I show folks around the lake and we look at the meter a lot, we are not fishing all the time. The great news is that the jig bite is coming on! I was using a brown/orange Rattlin' Weapon jig (1/4 and 3/8 oz) with my favorite Yamamoto #180 single tail grub. My client suddenly found his jigs to be more effective when he "stole" my 180's, har! Not a bass to be had on a crankbait for the first time. Kreature baits were working as always, as were 10" Power worms. North wind blew all day, limiting some of the areas I wanted to take him - but it worked out fine.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: I think anglers are going to have to move around a bit more to find concentrations of bass. The popular spots are just pounded during tournament season. If you know a favorite "nook and cranny" - try it! The bass just might be there - trying to escape the underwater "latest lure fashion show"!!! If you are fishing a small bait, make sure it has some movement - like in drop-shotting - so the bass know it's there.

Wednesday, September 14th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 77

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Another "teach the lake" trip today (Wed) with beautiful weather conditions and dead calm or slight chop water conditions. The only problem was that the bass slept in today, but woke up about 8:30 am with a 3 1/4 and 5.0 in the boat. Good start! They both ate a 10" red shad Berkley Power Worm. My client started catching bass too, but they were all in nursery school!! His did start getting bigger ones and he worked up to almost 3 pounds. I'm sure he is saving the "pig" for an upcoming tournament! I havn't been having clients throw frogs much in the south end because of the lack of weeds. I missed one last week on a little lone weed patch I found, so I tried my green Snag Proof frog again on the patch. Nothing happened, but I kept working it out 'cause it was fun. I turned my head for a moment and suddenly felt a big tug. I heard and saw nothing (it takes guts to admit that)! I did work pretty hard landing her and she weighted in at 5 lbs 3 oz. That was fun! I showed him some different spots - explaining what was good about them. After a long run to a new area - as luck would have it, he starting sticking fish on the first cast with Kreature baits and jigs. By the way, that was good guiding - not luck, har!!! We ended the day a little after 3 pm with 27 bass and a nice 18 1/2 lb limit! I wish I could say more about the trip, but he is entitled to some "inside info" for his upcoming tournament.
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: The "green" lake is now the "brown" lake as some or most of the algae is dying - at least down south. One may need to move around more to locate bass because of increased pressure and changing water conditions. I am still amazed at how high the lake is for mid-Sept. There may be more fish in shallow cover this fall than normal. Remember, the bigger bass still will seek shallows that are near some deep water.

Saturday, September 10th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 71

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Devil Mountain Bassmasters fished our first annual "Lake X" tournnment on Clear Lake this past Saturday. The "Lake X" format is an one where the TD selects the lake but no one knows the location until the club meeting and draw. The lake is then revealed and no one can pre-fish. With everyone heading to the lake with no first hand knowledge of the conditions, it pretty much forced us to figure it out in a day! With chaning weather conditions fromt he cold front that moved in, expectations were for a tough bit. Reports of 30-50 fish days in the week ahead of the tournament gave hope but no one was very confident that we would see those numbers. At launch, conditions were poor, winds of 10-20 MPH put white caps on the water and air temps werre in the mid 50's. THe sky was overcast but breaking up. Day turned out pretty nice but much cooler than the previous weeks. We all managed to limit out and most of us managed to cull fish to gain a few pounds. Reaction lures produced some fish but mostly small. Plastics and jigs seemed to produce the larger fish up to 3.6 lbs. Winning weight was over 11 lbs. My partner, Rondo managed to stick a couple of really nice fish but the broke his heart then his line snapped. Anyway, we all had a great time and even in adverse conditions this lake produces. Come out and join us. Meeting on the first Tue of each month in Dublin. Email for more info.
    City: Walnut Creek

    Tips: Throw jigs and plastics in browns and greens. Look for ledges with weed or tulies. Brush hogs, beavers, power hogs all worked well. One guy was even sticking fish on bubble gum colored worms.

Friday, September 9th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 76-78

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I did another "teach the lake" trip on Thurs with 2 fellows that did quite well. The weather was perfect as the cooling trend was beginning and a south wind was starting to get serious in the afternoon. It seemed to be a little different bite for us as the bass seemed to run a little smaller. We did catch 35, but only had a 16 1/2 lb or so limit. We could not break 4 lbs, but lots of quality small to big 3's. We fished from Rattlesnake to Soda Bay as I showed them some good spots both off-shore and on the bank. Caught a few on cranks, but most were on the Yamamoto Kreature baits - #330 being the best. #213 really became a hot bait in the afternoon. Again, we are just Texas rigging the baits - with a bead and Smelly Jelly!! The 10" Power Worm in red shad was a winner too. Fun day and the fishing was "no sweat" for a change - and I mean that literally!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: I have found, like last year, a slight lull in the quality bass that were being caught a few weeks ago. As the tournament pressure picks up, the Clear Lake monsters will be harder and harder to find and catch. Try to fish out-of-the-way places. The normal "hot-spots" will be pounded hour by hour and no savy bass will hang in those spots for long. This is the time of year to try that spot you always "didn't have time to try". Maybe no one else did either!! Study new parts of the lake. Take a chance! I appreciate all the nice e-mails I have received from my last few reports. I'm glad someone is reading them!!!!!

Thursday, September 8th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 76 DEGREES

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: TWO TRIPS OUT IN TWO WEEKS, CLEAR LAKE IS WHERE ITS' AT RIGHT NOW. BETWEEN THE TWO TRIPS, SIX DAYS TOTAL; MY WIFE MY BUDDY AND I BOATED ABOUT THREE HUNDRED BASS NO EXAGGERATION AT LEAST FIFTY A DAY AND TO BE HONEST ANYTHING IS WORKING RIGHT NOW. NOTHING HUGE FOR US HOWEVER, BIGGEST ABOUT 5.4; A FEW FOURS AND WAY TOO MANY THREES TO COUNT. BEST METHOD FOR THE BIGGER ONES IS FLIPPING PLASTICS TO THE TULES BUT DON'T BE SHY TO DROPSHOT; MANY BIG FISH WERE CAUGHT ON M.M III.S AND AARON'S MAGICS. WE WENT NORTH SOUTH AND EVERY WHERE ELSE. THE WHOLE LAKE IS EQUALLY PRODUCTIVE WATCH FOR DEEP WATER LEDGES OR NEARBY DROPOFFS. MORNINGS AND EVENINGS NOT THE GREATEST FOR US SO NNO NEED TO BE UP BEFORE SUN UP, THEY SEEMED TO LIKE THE SUN ON THE WATER. CRANK THE ROCKS WE CAUGHT SEVERAL FISH ONE AFTER ANOTHER ON CRANKS CHARTREUSE BEING THE BEST; STAY AWAY FROM THE CHEAPOS GET SOME LUCKY'S-YOU WON'T LOSE THEM IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING; THERE'S NO PRICE ON FUN!
    City: PLACERVILLE

    Tips: WHEN IT'S CALM FLIP-WINDY CRANK OR DROP SHOT. BE AWARE OF THE WEATHER FRONTS THINGS WERE GETTING A LITTLE TOUGH FOR US WHEN THE FRONT PUSHED IN.

Tuesday, September 6th, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I'm heading up to Clear Lake early tomorrow morning (Tuesday). Anyone from the greater
    Santa Rosa area want to go along........
    Give me a call
    332-7076 (Cell Phone) MIke
    Tracker 17' with a Yamaha 90 and trolling motor
    City: SANTA ROSA

Saturday, September 3rd, 2005

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    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: My first trip to Clear Lake. I've heard so much about it and was so excited I hardly slept the night before; like a kid on Christmas eve waiting on Santa. Not being familiar with the lake I can't exactly where I was most of the time, but I did stay in the south end and killed them in Jago Bay. Caught 25 fish between daylight and 8:30. No hawgs, but all were in the 2-3 pound range. Caught them on kreatures, senkos, drop shot, blades, T rigs, and baby brush hogs. Bite slowed down by 10am. Caught 6-10 more by 1pm and headed home. Quite a ride from Sac, but well worth it. I enjoy the Delta, but a little more drive time is worth it; what a great fishery.
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: Can't offer tips. Was my first trip. The bite was hot and everything I tried worked. Next trip back I will take Mr. Hemphill's advice and look for some deeper drop offs to hopefull find some bigger fish.

Friday, September 2nd, 2005

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    Water Temp: 81-82

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I met a friend at Clearlake Oaks and fished with him in his shiny new Ranger 519. At least it was shiny until the algae got on it! I laid the trip out and ran the electric, trying to show him how to approach the lake. We beat most of the crowd on Friday - not too many people and the weather was perfect. The fishing started out a little suspect - good quality but not that many. At least they were all bass this time!!! We fished rockpiles, humps, and ledges around Rattlesnake and got one here and there - up to 4 1/4 lbs. We then moved to Anderson Island. A few on cranks but mostly on the Yamamoto Kreature bait in colors 213, 301, and 330 - mostly the last two. He was using mostly plastic worms and cranks. After I had him 17 to 4, the nerve of him - he wanted to use on of my Kreature baits!!!! Good choice - he started smoking 'em! It was an interesting day in that when the bite usually slows - about 2 pm - it turned wide open - especially in Horseshoe Bay. Great afternoon bite on Kreatures, including a 5 lb 13 oz surprise about 3:30 pm. That one felt good!!! She gave us a good limit of 20 lbs 9 oz, and a good numbers day at 44 bass. Yes, I am happy to report they were ALL bass - the other species left me alone finally!!!! For those who are feeling sorry for my friend, I guided him on a night trip to Clear Lake about 4 years ago and he got big fish - about 5 1/2 lbs! And he got a 6-9 at Amador with me, but then I had to catch a 9-11. Darn, I tried not too, har!!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: If you are fishing the miles of rock walls at Clear Lake, try to find the ledges. Most every wall has a ledge of some kind somewhere. One of the areas that we caught the most - including the 5-13 - had a dropoff at the 10 foot level. The bass were either there or at the bottom of the break - at 18 to 20 feet. When fishing any part of Clear Lake, some type of ledge - no matter how small - will attract bass. Sharp dropoffs are good too, but try to find the break on a sharp dropoff - that's where the quality bass will be most of the time.

Wednesday, August 31st, 2005

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    Water Temp: 74-79

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: A great 30 fish day at Clear Lake on Wednesday. Fished Shag Rock and Rattlesnake.I got 20 up to about 2 lbs on t-rigged worms and my partner got 10 on cranks up to 3.2 lbs. I had the same fish bite twice. I got bit and when I set all I got back was my line which had been shredded on the rocks. About 90 minutes later (and several fish) I got bit and when I landed the fish I saw a piece of line hanging out of its mouth. I unhooked him and then tried to ease the line out of his gut. Out popped my worm from earlier, still t-rigged!
    The only bad part of the day was a hawg my partner lost on a crank. The crank stopped, the rod bent over, gave one tug and snap goes the 14 lb test line. All of this on open water and the line checked out with no marks on it when we checked the end. Unfortunately, the fish has its mouth hooked shut or open now with a big crank in it and probably will not survive long. I hate to have that happen to a decent fish.
    City: Woodland

    Tips: Move up in size on the worms if you are getting dinks and you will upgrade the quality of fish you are catching.

Tuesday, August 30th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 70's

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Like Larry, I fished last thursday and between Brandon and myself, landed 15 or so by noon. Most of them dropshotting as frogs/jigs, crankbaits were unproductive. I was semi-humbled as we didnt see a fish over 2.5lbs at all that day. Even the daylight frog bit only produced one 2lb fish.

    Today(8/30) N wind blowing 35 when I left YC. Weather.com said clearlake wind would only hit 9 mph-----------true till 1 pm when I heard it howling and blowing the top of the water off. I started about 9:30 and cranked a 3 by redbud. caught several on a jig and 3 or so dropshotting. Then I tried a rocky stretch north of the concrete boathouse and banged 3 more on the jig to 3 lbs. Always have one %$#* up when I skipped the jig under the dock and had a bad over run. Fixed that to find my line swimming off(45 seconds later). Set the hook and felt meat then water. Checked my jig and the hook was bent 45 degrees! DOH! New jig and managed one more. 1pm and the wind became totally insane. Decided to tuck into thick wood where I flipped 3 more till wind subsided to 20 mph or so. Cranked a 3 on a dd22 and had another good one on before I had to leave to get to the babysitter by 5pm!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: Dang, I love this place. Talked to a fellow the moved from Oregon to lower lake after he retired. I may have to do the same some day. I have to agree that the bite is not red hot like it was a month ago. They are still biting, but you have to be on the right stuff using something that they have an interest in.

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I fished with a good friend last Thursday and found the fishing to be a bit slow - probably because of a cold front. I showed him a rockpile that I don't think he knew about and he promptly nailed a 5 1/2 pounder. Neat!! He also later caught a 4 1/4 - both on Yamamoto Kreature baits. We caught 24 bass for an 18 lb limit - just couldn't get any more good ones. Crankbaits were working also. Today I guided a husband-wife team that was fairly new to bass fishing. We caught 28 (18 1/4 lb limit) and they caught lots of quality bass up to 3 1/2 lbs, mostly on Yamamtoto Kreatures (301 and 213 colors) and Dead Ringers in various colors. I was using a black 10" power worm much of the time and it did produce some quality bass up to 4 1/2 lbs. The wife and I each lost a big bass - for whatever reason. What a shame!! They did loose a lot of bass in the begining until they learned what "set the hook" really meant! No problems after that! A great day - lots of action!
    City: Yuba City

    Tips: It seems that the bass are a bit reluctant to hit until the sun hits the slime on the water, at least lately. The bite today around 9 to 11 am was excellent!! I have been targeting rockpiles, ledges, and deep shoreline dropoffs. I even caught a few on Weapon jigs. I tried frogs down south without a single blowup. Maybe next time!