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Monday, December 23rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: It's been 20 days and a ew big storms since my last outing on this lake. The December storms and stable dam releases are responsible or a 10t rise in the lake level. I didn't launch until 1:30 and didn't expect to return to the same bite I'd been on prior to my haitus. I've been a good boy this year I guess, because Santa delivered a git in the orm o a nice aternoon. Caught a 2lb on a main lake rock pile using the same 1/4oz darterhead I used to work the walls at Berryessa a couple weeks beore. The heavier heads help me keep in contact with the bait in deeper water. Worked a couple spots in the gardens and missed a strike on a blade. Got the next ish on the same shad colored worm above the narrows. These stikes came shallow so I retied with a 1/8 and a green worm. Ater sitting on a typically productive point without being bit, I threw the shad colored bait within a ew eet o the green and caught a ish within seconds. I noticed the wind shited and began blowing in rom the south. Went on to catch another hal dozen in the last hour beore sunset. My buddy Swimbait once commented that he wasn't a color-o-the-week guy when it comes to worms, but shad colors do imitate the orage (pond smelt) and I believe green imitates crayish. Many sticks are very successul with jigs here in the winter despite crayish being dormant. Speaking o Swimbait, he just threw down or a new Lowe with a Yamaha 4 stroke. He's also getting a new handle. Some other nutcase was going by Swimbait on the orum beore my buddy's epic day. He went back to back on a 7lb and an 8lb on this lure a ew season's back. Beore ya'll say gag me with that aluminum v-hull rig ya gotta know this is the angler that busts me o cell calls wading in the American while he's got an 8lb chromer making a drag screeming run. He's all, "yep, you just keep catching dem bass there Zipper!" He's a manager in the ood production indusry, so his new handle is MSG- Multi Species Guy. Make no mistake, MSG is a air country bass stick and he says he wants to do a little tournament ishing. I'll miss having the opportunity to ish with him ater I move to Portland next month.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: Rising water- ish shallow? Pond smelt- shad colored baits? Wind shited rom out o the north to out o the south- increased activity? I openly admit I'm guessing about how conditions aect the bite.

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    Water Temp: 52

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Spent one hour this evening with two bites on plastic but missed them both.
    City: Folsom

    Tips: Fish were in 10' o H2O o o secondary point.

Friday, December 13th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Braving the weather this morning proved worth it. I think everything in my tackle boxes are going to rust though.
    City: Folsom

    Tips: Caught 15 spots up to 4lbs o o protected points in 10-30 t o water. Everything worked, blades, cranks, jigs and plastic. Big ish came on plastic.

Tuesday, December 3rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Scott,There is not any boating allowed on Folsom ater Dark, so ishing would be a problem. Launcing as well, since they close and lock the gates.I am not saying it has not been done beore!!!! but......not suggestedMark
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: BYW The bite is hit and miss right now

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Does anyone know i you can ish Folsom at night and i the bite is any good?
    City: SJ

Sunday, December 1st, 2002

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: ishing tournament turkey shoot that scott schambre put on worth about $200 we thought we had a really good chance o winning this one. it was the irst major storm o the year it was a really rainy saturday morning. there was 25 boats at this tournament we werent sure i we should cancell the tournament or not because o the weather is good or not. then the men o all men larry newby the owner o newbass ishing tournaments came up and said some words to all o us that made us go out on the lake we couldnt resist the thought o gettn put in the dust by larry. we all decided to go out any ways and catch some ish. we got out to our avorite spot on browns and the third cast or the both o us we got a ish my uncle said chris get the net and i couldnt cause i had a ish on it was a nice 5.2lb spot and when i got it closer up to the boat i noticed that the crankbait i was throwing(bomber red craw)had two ish on it at once the other ish on the lure was probroly a 6 lb largemouth. it bent the hook on the bait straight. it came o and really made me mad. we ended up takn third out o 25 boats and we had a total weight o 15.0 and the winner had a weight o 15.4 and the second place had a weight o 15.2
    City: orangevale

    Tips: bomber red crawish deep diving crankbait

Saturday, November 30th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 58

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went with Doug Watson today. Got to the lake at 7:30 but the used batteries he put in his new Aries Bass Boat were dead, so ater going to Wal Mart or new ones, we got started about 10.Caught some real nice spots up to 4 1/2 lbs. shaking shad leeches on dart heads, spooning and shaking green/craw 6" worms in 24 to 35 t. on main body points and ledges.
    City: Savcramento

Thursday, November 28th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Larry and I didn't start ishing untill about noon and I ound the bite even tougher than beore. With the Catch Cam, I was able to see that most o the ish on the depth inder were in act bass, some catish, but were still not interested in our oerings.Larry caught the irst ish drop shotting, then I caught and missed a couple shaking a green/craw worm.We did end up locating a school o spots that would hit duh spoons in very deep water, although some hit the spoon on the all pretty shallow.We caught about 10 ish here in the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 lb. class. I'll just have to go back and try to ind something better.
    City: Sacramento

Tuesday, November 26th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I've been on the lake quite a bit lately and rom all the people I've talked to, you can pretty much catch nice keepers rom cranking shallow to what ever you preer in deeper water. The shallow bite is very tough but 3 to 4 lb. spots are available i you can get them to bite. I preer ishing much deeper and have ound 3lb+ spots that will eat airly consistantly in 35 to 60 t. and can meter bigger ish a lot deeper. I'll be going out on Thur. with my old buddy Larry Hemphill and see i we can put something together. I think I'll bring along the Catch Cam to see what those massive marks are on a couple points up the south ork, I can see them on the meter but can't get bit on anything I've tried so ar.
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: From 10 to 35 t. I've been getting ish shakin' green/craw 6" worms and drop shotting 4" Morning Dawn Flashtrix. 35 t. and deeper I've been using black/chrome duh spoons and black worms.

Sunday, November 24th, 2002

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    Water Temp: mid 50s

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I seem to be the only angler posting on this page. I'll try to give you your money's worth, but some o ya'll's kicking my bass out here. I've been on a un pattern catching numbers and an occational 3lb. I'll re-cap a ew trips I've done recently. 6 month's severance pay can get a guy on the water a couple times a week. That pay won't last orever and it's like having a ticking clock on your boat. For the moment non o ya'll can say hey Zip, it's about these posts: don't quit your day job. Anyway, except or one big storm earlier this month, the conditions have been stable and mild. The day's activity varies with the subtle changes in the day's conditions. The little ronts that come through hardly make any weather, but they slow things down ater they pass. It sends the shallow ish I've been catching down to somewhat deeper water. About 6 to 10 eet deeper. I've noticed the rip bite picks up on prerontal. The big storm did create some run-o and as a result the lake level has held steady or nearly a month. Who da thunk. Typically the all is when the eds drain the reservoir to create lood capacity. It's been the seasonal norm since Folsom Dam was completed, however the near miss in '86 ocused the need or additional lood control. Auburn Dam baby! Last season on December 1st, the lake sat at 384t- 26 eet lower and 20% less o it's capacity than it is right now. The lake level has remained so constant it's allowed me to learn some banks so intimately, I can return every trip and catch ish. I'm shaking darterheads and getting the numbers. It's alot o un. I'm averaging a ish every 45 minutes or so. Scrappy keeper spotted bass where about 1 out o 5 are 2lbs or bigger. Fishermen winning tournaments out here are ishing jigs. Jim Scarberry and my buddy Blademan might get ewer bites, but they get the quality. Blademan's o the water or now. His engine is down and he's headed to Europe to attept to win his 3rd consecutive gold in the world benchpress competition. He's doing 535lbs in training. He weighs 165lbs- glad he's a riend. Last December another club buddy caught 18lbs in an Angler's Choice tournament here and lost. That tourney is coming up again on December 8th. Andy Cuccia got a 13lb and an 8lb and had a limit rom outer space. He told our club i you want to catch kids, throw hotdogs. I guess he's throwing a 20oz Porterhouse.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: I predict the shallow ish will go deep when the cold weather arrives- that's genius.

Sunday, November 10th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 50s

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished a club tournament out o Brown's and the brutal weather conditions seemed to be good or the bite. Not many 20lb bags are caught in tournament ishing on this lake, but Jim Scarberry did it. There were also our other teams that topped 12lbs out o a ield o 20. Jim could have used the three largemouth between 4 and 6lbs he caught today last week when he inished 2nd here in the Future Pro. I drew my ABA partner or this one, and I've now ished with two o my three best bassn' riends just prior to shipping out. My buddy Blademan could not participate. He was coaching at the Special Olymipics- powerliting, not bass ishing. Get this. Bass ishing was one o the activities at my ormer company's annual achiever's Club in Orlando. I make the Club or the iscal year ending in September, get laid-o in October, and some schmuck rom corporate lands a 10.5lb on Lake Kissemmee. He signed up and probably thought he was going to cast Powerbait. Corporate bass ishing- the humanity. Anyway, on this day we started rounding the tip o the main peninsula. It was like the North Sea. We stopped and made some casts while the gale blew us over it. It was a matter o seconds. I managed to rip a 3lb spot. Nothing on a couple more passes however. It would have been suicidal to try to ish my other main lake water. Went north, and we wormed another hal dozen and inished the day with 10.31lbs. The ish were shallow again probably as a reaction to the weather. Any o you slackers want to be a ramp lizard, my crib is or sale and it's ive minutes rom Brown's. The architechs or the homes here are real genius. You can get a 16 ooter in the single space with the motor trimed down. Anything longer has to go in the double space and the better hal gets real crabby i you park the tow vehicle inside and put her sled out on the curb. Let's see, these pads are by a lake, should the garage be long enough or a boat? Nah, I'm a developer and I make more ducats on bigger kitchens.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: This storm caused a warm, mid Paciic low that brought air temperatures way up. The lake level increased slightly- less than a oot.

Sunday, November 3rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: dropping ast

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Lot's o bassing activity on the lake during the last ew days. This post may turn into the Zip Decker weekend round-up. Deal with it. Participated in a turkeyshoot out o Granite Bay Sunday, the same day the Western Bass Future Pro launched out o Brown's. The Future Pro was originally scheduled or Oroville, but lake levels are extrememly low there. So low, only one temporary dock placed over an old county road remains in operation as a ramp. It's located at the spillway. I've been anticipating a total change in the bite here, and between Friday an Sunday it seemed to take place. Yeah, I preished or a turkeyshoot- the humanity. Rumor had it Skeet Reese was going to participate, and he was bringing a ringer- Kent Brown. Had to step it up. On Friday I got three on main lake spots and a couple more up the north. I got ish to 3lbs on darterheads at 16 to 20 eet. Rumors were going around about ish being caught as deep as 50 eet on other techniques. My buddy Blademan went out on Saturday and he said he caught ish, but it was tough. He talked to a ew other anglers and it was tough or them as well. On Sunday he struggled with yet another problem with his Mercury engine. For Sunday I hooked up with Swimbait or a arewell outing (I'm still planning to relocate to the Portland area in December) Swimbait abhores tournament ishing, and the cluster at the launch ramp supported his eelings. 25 boats launched all at once intent on beating the Future Pros to the spots. There was only one dock and it was sinking, a bass boat loated away missing people, and a couple recreational ishermen that were let spinning with all the activity. First, we tried or any remaining reaction ish early on the main lake- ish not home. Then we ran to the area up past the narrows. Somebody moved our cheese. Had only two keepers by noon. Scratched out a limit in the Gardens splitshotting and the bag went about 6 something. Swimbait got a smallie just under 2lbs that ought harder than a 3lb spot. There were a several smallmouth brought in. The scale or the turkeyshoot weighed light. Kent Brown's bag weighed more than 10.95lbs. Skeet Reese was not his partner aterall. Made it to Brown's in time to see the bag brought in by the winners o Future Pro Classic. It was a limit o attys that went over 15lbs. Ironically, several spectators with tournament experience elt the scale weighed heavy or this event however. A team o a couple club buddies Jim Scarberry and Dick Moore took second place in this event and just missed winning a new Ranger. Props to you guys!
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: The smallmouth showing up indicates the lake is turning, and conditions are changing rapidly.

Friday, November 1st, 2002

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    Water Temp: ????????

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Launched out o Granite Bay. Bring your M16 with you. you are going to have to do combat with the trout ishermen to put you're boat in the water. They started planting trout there 2 weeks ago. Anyway started out about 9:30. ished the Hazards just outside the bay with no luck. Moved around Brown's and my buddy got a 2.0 smallmouth dragging a 6" worm. went over to dike 8 dragging a babysenko and I got a 1.5 smallmouth and my buddy picked up 1.5 & 1.2 Spots on a robo worm and a reaper.O the water by 2:30. Not the greatest day but still better then my best day at work!
    City: Citrus Heights

    Tips: Fish slow and cover a lot o water ish are still scattered.

Sunday, October 27th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 64+

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got on water at about 7:30am
    City: rocklin

    Tips: any spoon

Monday, October 21st, 2002

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    Water Temp: 64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Put together a nice day on a nice day with a partner in a club tournament. 12 ish approximately including a couple largemouth. Best 5 going 13.11lbs. We went bananas- more on that in a minute. Seasons past I have not ished this lake much during this time o year, but conditions coincided with the way I like to ish on this day. An early reaction bite delivered 3 strikes on blades and my partner got a rip ish. We stayed with reaction too long however, and we had only 3 in the tank by 11. We had been mixing in the worms or a while, but we were not on the best locations or sotplastics. We moved up north where the water had more stain. The boat traic was heavy and the lake is narrow enough to get muddy along the shore. I'd been waiting a week to ish this area. The obvious rocks recieve too much pressure, but going down the bank we got a 3lb largemouth and we culled a ew smaller ish by 2pm. My partner leaned on me to return to our irst spot on the main lake or a ew last minute casts. He nailed a 3lb spot there in the morning and believed it had to hold more ish. The lake has dropped over a oot and a hal in a week and I thought the area was now just a morning eeding location. I swung a worm out to the deepest water there- it's about 12 eet. My line began to move o as soon as the bait reached the bottom. We had less than 10 minutes to go and my partner nets another spot pushing 3lbs. Good call Kevin. We missed the win by .8, and third came in with only 10lbs and change. Results irst, meaningless banter second. Some o my club buddies carry some strong duct tape. Just could not remove all the bananas strapped everywhere on my rig. Every hatch too. Reach or a sotplastic- banana! I told my partner we were now team Chiquita, and we ish through the ruit. He attached two big treble hooks to a banana and we came in with a big yellow jerk bait hanging o his rod tip. My two best buddies got out Saturday and they said they hooked up aterward at the launch. They should have collaborated on the ishing. Blademan reminds me there are lots o pranksters in the club and Wildman asked me i I checked the livewell- another banana, what a suprise. With 13lbs, I ound the taste o those bananas to be quite delicious. Couldn't tell you about the taste o crow.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: Fish are deep and shallow and scattered. It will be like this until turnover.

Thursday, October 17th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Didn

Saturday, October 12th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 70ish

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: 2 ish is what I told a couple club buddies that ran me down above the narrows a little ater noon. A 2lb, and a 3 that stuck a blade 3 times until I got a good set. Never seen such a persistent largemouth. Tough morning, then it seemed like I ran amuck ater that- kinda like the entire week. Got a 6lb 7oz largemouth on a Senko in the south Tuesday. That was the kicker o that day's bag. Then took the back seat at Clearlake Thursday and caught several, although my partner got all the ish over 3lbs. Once I arrived up north on this day it looked like the rocks in this area sit in water that's now too shallow. Darterheads took a ew keepers, and I handed the rod to my son who at age 5, likes to play them, but has reached the age where it's not the same i he didn't get the bite himsel. Then I moved to deeper water and slowed the presentation. My plan was to be in by the start o the Giants game, but then the un began. Another 7 or 8 with 3 over 2lbs in the next two hours. It's all good except my buddies told me about the boat that had at least 15lbs out here today. Maybe he can post.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: Cooler temperatures last couple days- deeper and slower

Sunday, October 6th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 69-74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: In the water by 2 pm. Started in ront o the dam working worms and cranks with no luck. Went to Dyke 8 with no sucess. Finally went up to the narrows and started worming with 4" worm and 2 hours later picked up 7 keepers. Pulled another rod and started tossing a June Bug and picked up 2 smallies both just over 2 lbs. Picked all ish up in less than 15 eet o water.
    City: Roseville

Saturday, October 5th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 62-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: My irst time on Folsom in nearly a year. I have a real love/hate thing or this lake!! Started out in the South Fork looking or a topwater bite. The morning wind made inding suitable water tough. Threw buzzbait or about an hour with no takers. Switched to a jerkbait or awhile, nothing. Then went to crankin steeper rock walls and smacked a 4lb 1oz spot. What a ish!! Big at belly and very healthy. I've never caught a bass that ought harder than this ish did. Continued on this pattern but turned up no other takers. Tried jigs, and dartheaded worms in both the South and North. Got a couple bites but couldn't get anything hooked up. Got ran o the water by waterskiers and wakeboarders about 1:30. Ended up with just the 1 spot and 1 channel cat about 3lbs. Both on cranks. Not a great day, but that big spot made my week!!
    City: Sparks, Nv

    Tips: I wish I had some, I have a terrible time getting bit with any consistency at Folsom.

Tuesday, October 1st, 2002

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    Water Temp: dropping

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: What's a guy to do when his company re-organizes and shuts him out or the second time in 12 months? Find another company. First day o severance, and I went ishing. Back in the day you had to skip a shower and get to the unemployment oice irst thing. Today we do that on-line ater the boat gets put away. Some irst day- I could see out the window it was a tad breezy. I didn't know the lake would turn into the North Sea by noon. I got my bath trying to get back to Browns around 2pm. The action was spotty (pun intended)- around a dozen plus a keeper largemouth. Heads-up, the lake is now dropping rapidly. The eds are required to drain Folsom to make room or a Pinneaple Express- the phenomenon that gave us 3 100 year loods in 15 years. Do the Math. Started ripping on the main lake beore the gale started. Nothing except a monster trout or squawish that lurked rom the depths or a look at my Luckycrat. My buddy (ex) Blademan says get used to it- I'm going to see alot o these in my new home waters around Portland. I hit that rip bait on a rock. It became an expensive countdown Rapala. Did a little crankin too, nothing. Headed up the north searching or windsheltered water. Found some and connected on reaction and worms. Predictably, they were deeper and hitting soter. Best 5 might have gone 8lbs. Just want to give props to some local sticks that gutted it out in a local club. For Scott Singer, Mike Hara, and John Maes it was a dogight to the season's inish. Hara won 3 out o the last 4 events closing to within one point and tie breakers. John came out on top, and any one o these anglers could dominate next season. Also, Scott Hamman caught a 12lb toad in the club's TOC on the Delta. That's huge, and man, so was that ish.
    City: El Dorado Hills

    Tips: I spooled on 6lb Vanish and heavier darterheads in an eort to get deep. I held my breath on every hook-up. I Didn't exhale until I retied.