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Lopez Lake and Reports

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Sunday, July 9th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 74.6

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Early launch and hit Whittenburg reeds for a morning hit. Was totally shut off! Everyone we chatted with said the same. Was a tough day. Hit the walls to the east just north of the marina inlet and hit a nice 4# on dropshot but other than that it was a very slow day.
    City: Santa Maria

Tuesday, July 4th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: A pre-fish day to locate where and what at the Windy City Lake of Lopez --

    Was surprised that the traffic wasn't as bad as predicted but still, the wind was up in the afternoon once again.

    Hit the bridge area and for about a solid hour, top water was the rule and the fish were slammin Rico's, chartarusse blades and Z-pops' with a very nice 4+ smallie on a spook. After that hour -- Shut down time. I mean it was OFF!
    Hit the concrete bridge with one fair size large then nothing so moved off at hit for the open water at the end of the lake to the North. Nothing but a few smallies to brag about as the top water was off. Charted fish between 20 and 30 feet but only one taker on a dropshot. Attributed the wind as we just couldn't hold a decent speed even with the trolling motor set at 6. Wind was giving everyone we chatted with big fits as it just shut the bite off. Some good keepers at Whittenberg reed areas but really no afternoon bite. Try again this Sunday.
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: Top water baits were king -- Trout colored popr's worked well as did a shad sammy and a pearl melon Z pop on a few. If you guys have a good afternoon spot for a windy day -- An area would be a nice clue! If so -- I thank you in advance for the tip...

Sunday, June 25th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: !! W I N D !! If you were a kite, this was the place to be today. Wind was really whippin and really, no place to hide at all! Went into Vasquez with some sweet beaver texas set-up and hit only a fair sized LG mouth. Headed to the back of the 5mph zone passed the last dock and started with top water. Not to many takers and it seemed like the day was not going well. Charted fish in the 30 foot range so moved off to deeper water but up comong winds forced my small Ol Blue around in spots I didn't care to be so I moved off and headed back towards the end of Vasquez again. Wind getting worse and I ended up pulling under a tree and trying off a 20 foot line to hold the boat more steady in open water. Hit three smaller LG's on senko's but wind was playing havoc. Headed to the marina and back towards the bridge. Talked with a few guys that were there early and said that the top water was good choice. Headed straight to the back of ther toolies past the bridge and used a few cranks and blades. Hit one nice 3 pound but that was all. Called it a 'windy' day and headed back to the launch and home. Try it again earlier next Sunday.
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: Top water lures passed the bridge was working in early AM hours, then jigs in the stickups.

Saturday, April 8th, 2006

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    Water Temp: 53.6

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Really slow day -- Lake at 85% now - Influx of water has fish on the move and bite is tough. Headed to Vasquez but water was really coffee and started with a 8" chartruse tail plastic. Only one tap! Moved off and headed for better visable water South of the dam and around the corner and across from the point just South of the logged off area. Used up ideas of how to get a reaction bite in this really muddy condition. Only one small dink to fess up to. Headed to the flats off Whitenburg- 2-3 boats fishing the stickup's but never saw anything being taken.
    City: Santa Maria

    Tips: Let the lake settle a bit -- Some reports on Sunday the 9th said fishing was better... Sorry I didn't go again! Hit Cachuma next week.

Tuesday, September 20th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 61

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got on the water around 8am. Headed to the dam end of the lake and started fishing main lake points on into the backs of coves.
    Started throwing a shad colored jerkbait...nothing. Switched to a baby bass colored worm on a t-rig and got one bite...missed the damn thing! The rest of the total 5 hours on the water, threw a shad colored Terminator spinnerbait with a white split tail trailer, a chrome w/ blue Cordell Spot, a C-rig with a Reaction Innovations Hot Tamale Flirt... went to the back of the lake and started flippin' submerged trees with a Strike King jig paired with a Yum craw trailer....NOTHING>>>>
    My partner, Jim, picked up one small largemouth on the same C-rig...it had a crawdad in its gullet. That was the ONLY fish in 5 hours.
    Fully expected to pick up at least a limit of fish chasing baitfish, but boy was I wrong.
    City: Atascadero

    Tips: Wish I knew.....

Saturday, June 25th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 72.0

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Had Bluestone week before, caught fish all day using Senko's, Spinnerbaits, Jigs and Worms. 2-15/ft in the brush.
    City: Culver City

    Tips: Try the coves on the main channel, with lots of brush.

Friday, June 10th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: got to lake late windy as hell and everbody was leaving. I use a fire tiger and yellow lipless crank to catch 5 2# smallies and 7 3# largemouth
    City: osos

    Tips: fish the area across from the marnia no wind there keep a ten foot depth. leave when sun does not shine

Sunday, April 17th, 2005

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    Water Temp: --

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Can't believe no one has fished this lake since January...
    City: Vandenberg AFB

Saturday, April 16th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 59-62

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: fish white blades in the morning then switch to craw pattern worms and jigs. Some fish had shad in them and others had crawdads. Stay ten feet and less.

    Tips: Bounce the white blades off everything...that means the bottome and everything in between. As far as the jigs and worms, you will have to figure that one out yourself. I didn't fish them, only white blades. Caught one smalley ripping off a wind blown point.

Wednesday, March 9th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 54o

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Boy -- What a change since last week, Launch parking was already holding card at 6:15 with more coming in behind me. Temps were nice light jacket weather with a wee bit of a chill but it was nice. Started off near Vasquez on a small point tossing a Osprey swim with no takers, switched to a jig around 20 foot drop offs and managed a small 2 pounder. Tossed a Norman diver crank without any hits so worked on size and color and depth but still no takers. Senkos wasn't a good choice so pulled out the drop. Hit on the first cast with a healthy 3+ then another a few minutes later with a bit more weight on her then a third about 1/2 hour later in the same weight. Must have been maybe 9:30 or so and it just went flat. Wind was down considerably today and it was nice not to fight the boat. Talked with threwe guys that said they were hitting on rip baits tossed close to the banks. Tied on a rip and did the same with a nice 4-1/2 for my effort. Stayed with the rip until leaving at 22 as the bite just went away. Sun came out and I shed the coast and parka. Was great to feel the sun.
    City: SM

    Tips: Go slow around rock walls and points. Water temps are coming up and fish should start to get shallow soon.

Saturday, January 15th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 49-53

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: fished the Gold Coast trny. Only 5 fish for the 14 teams. All fish were over 3lbs though. Will get better...
    City: Vandenberg AFB

    Tips: fish slow in areas you know hold fish.

Monday, January 10th, 2005

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    Water Temp: 51

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: First time out this year and boy was I suprised, it was windy. Fished mostly back of coves to escape the gail force winds. Got bit around 11:15am, a nice 4lb fat with eggs. I was using a sinko with a 1 1/2oz football leadhead due to wind. A little later I switched to meth injected gold fish I got from my good friend Brian Thompson of Paso Robles. Man you should see those things take off when you stick a hood in them. In just a few minutes I had 6 nice crappie all in the 2lb range. Thanks Brian. I then went by the damn where I metered fish in 40ft of water. I forgot my tackle box with swim baits so I used a couple small trout I keep in the live well for just such a situation and wham, didn't get bit but I love the group Wham. Finished up the day in front of the launch ramp using a frog colored hand granade and got a couple of nice ones. All and all it was a good day fishing
    City: Templeton

    Tips: Heavy anchor and lots of chain, did I mention it was windy. Also check Fish and Game guidelines for hand granades. I told the ranger it was a cigarette lighter.

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: GOLD COAST BASS CLUB will be having there 1st Tourney of the year at Lopez on Sat. Jan. 15th new members welcome be at the launch by 6:00 am.
    City: A.G.

Tuesday, September 7th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 80's

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished lake last weekend, sept, 4th. Seemed as if lake was turning over, had grass and debri in it. Fish were far and few. Any knowledge out there of this great lake in september would be greatly appreciated. Please reply ASAP as going back soon......THX
    City: Bakersfield

    Tips: HELP!!!! am fishing first tournament I have fished in over 10 years and need to save face when fishing it. I did find a few fish, but need more to place......any advice?? beg beg....LOL

Saturday, April 24th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 63+

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished a trny with partner, spent most of the day catching small non-keepers. Took partner and I until sometime around 1 pm to catch our first keeper about 2.4 lbs. Moved to the upper end from the dam area and caught another about 2.5, didn't place to say the least, but biggest fish that day was 5.7 lbs or so, and biggest bag went over 19 lbs.
    City: lompoc

    Tips: Natural shad colored senkos/kinamis worked well in about 0-12 feet of water. Very soft bite, almost don't know they're there unitl you pull up on your rod

Friday, April 16th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 67

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished a two day partner club tourney, 911BASS, best 5 fish. First day had 5 beautiful fish 25.61 lbs, biggest 7.06. Second day 5 more nice fish for 24.35 lbs. Eight of these fish were caught on jigs, with 2 on drop shot. What a tournament.
    City: Lancaster

Saturday, March 20th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Wasco Bass Club blasted at 600hrs for its 3rd tourn.of this year.Last week during pre fishing
    me and my partner had a great day landing approx.
    25 fish, small and large mouth.We were catching
    them on black spinners and crawfish red pattern
    cranks.Now on the day of the tourn.we couldn't
    strike a match in a major black-out.We caught about 15 fish but no keepers for weigh-in.We did
    land one for the scales at about 1000 hrs. when we thought all hope was gone.A monster 8.25 lbs
    black bass giving us a 9th standing.Talking about
    luck this couldn't had happen at a better time saving us from a Blank.O ya it was big of the tourn.And we also found out the fish are staging
    in the coves and flats.
    City: Bakersfield

    Tips: I caught that 8.25 bass on an aaron magic but for the best results use black lizards or green medium
    brush hogs and small skinner bear jigs with this you can't go wrong, yes they are on beds and staging up.If you don,t beleave me do it your way.

Thursday, March 4th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 53 - 56

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished hard for two days and only caught one smallmouth bass. Everyone I talked to was having the same poor results. Fished everything but surface lures. Jigs, cranks, drop-shot, spinnerbaits, etc., etc.

    Anyone doing better?
    City: Arroyo Grande, CA

    Tips: Wish I had one

Sunday, October 5th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Found some! Ditching the normal stradegy-deep-deep deep, I went shallow.. I what limited weeds I ound I threw a black plastic worm, texas style deep in the weeds.. ound a ew..could o done better but 300 mph wind put me at a trolling speed. my tiny ship was tossed

Friday, August 16th, 2002

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    Water Temp: cold

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the evening, irst time my buddy and I have been skunked at lopez. I had 1 sot hit on a spinner and my buddy had 1 tail slap at a buzzbait. Weather was major actor in ish in-action air temp was upper 60's and the water was cold, it was the coolest day in the last 2 and a hal weeks. Water level was down almost 4 eet since last time we went in mid July. I spent 10 minutes cleaning grasses and other water plants out o my prop when we ended up driting into a patch o plants, but it was nice to be out on the lake again.
    City: San Luis Obispo

    Tips: Past winners at Lopez have been spinners at stick lines and rattle traps across rocky points. Remember the worst day ishing is better then the best day at work.