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McClure Lake and Reports

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Tuesday, July 23rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: warm!

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fishing is good! Customers are reporting catching large numbers o bass in the early morning and late evening all over the lake. Cotton and Temperance continue to be the most popular areas. For more action head up towards Bagby and the headwaters. Night ishing or trout is good. I haven't heard rom the trollers.
    City: Merced

    Tips: In the early morning and evening crankbaits o the bank are working. The spinnerbait and buzzbait bites have been picking up. For best results, try split-shotting or drag-shotting 4 and 6 inch worms o the bank to 20 eet o water, most hits are coming 10-15 eet on dark worms. 4 inch Oroville special working well right now. For more ino. stop by STEVE'S BAIT SHACK at 137 W. Main st. in Merced or call us at (209)722-0800.

Friday, July 19th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 76-82

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Customers reporting catching spotted bass mostly small ones but a ew decent size ish reported this week.
    City: Merced

    Tips: Cotton and Temperance seem to be the most popular areas. Evening and early morning are good but night ishing is probably best. Try dark worms, grubs or jig w/ grub trailer. Fish rom the bank to 30' water. For more ino. stop by STEVE'S BAIT SHACK @ 137 W. Main st. in Merced or call (209) 722-0800.

Thursday, July 4th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 74-80

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The extreme rise in temp. this week has made it a little tougher to catch ish this week. Mostly small, slot-size spotted bass are what you'll catch. Crankbaits rom the bank to the boat and grubs working. Try split-shotting worms and work them real slow. For better luck head towards Bagby area where the colder water is.
    City: Merced

    Tips: For more ino. stop by and visit STEVE'S BAIT SHACK in Merced at 137 W. Main st. or call (209)722-0800.

Thursday, June 27th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 72-80

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Crankbaits have been working well o the banks in the evening. Solid black and solid white medium divers are best. Sot plastics always good this time o year. Got a strong hit on a 10.5" black worm but wasn't able to get him. Most ish are 10-16", I even caught a bass between 3-4" on a crankbait. Haven't seen too many black bass, mostly spots.
    City: Merced

    Tips: For more ino. stop by STEVE'S BAIT SHACK @ 137 W. Main st. in Merced or call us @ (209)722-0800.

Saturday, June 22nd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 76-80

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The Bass Classics o Santa Clara Valley had there tournament at lake McClure this month and it was great ishing had by all. We had 21 anglers ishing and 17 had limits with the big ish o the tournament 3.30 lbs being caught by Dave Osborne on a dirt worm on a dart head. In irst place with 11.55 lbs was Terry Shade he said he had all o his ish on brown with blue lake , and brown with black lake grubs ished on a 1/4 oz. darthead. In second place was Mike Bugliarello with 11.1 lbs or his limit. He caught most o his ish on steep banks with large boulders with a watermelon hula grubs on 1/4 oz. ootball heads in 20-30 t. He said that the bites were very light and he only had 7 keepers all day.In third was Tom Blue who had his ish also on dartheads. In orth was Rob Staben He had a small limit in Piney Creek by 10 A.M. then he began to cull out o 60 bites he had about 25 ish in the boat 9 keepers. He said the better ish came out o laydowns with limbs in the water . All o his ish came on the Bluegill colored grubs and shallow no more then 10 t deep all day. Ed Spicker took ith with the grub and darthead pattern also. In Sixth was J.R. Taylor he had about 12 - 15 keepers all day mostly on 1/16 oz. dartheads with a crawdad colored paddle tail grub with orange claws. The ish came out o 10-20 t. o water with the better ones in 15-18 t. He said the ish were eating crawdads so thats why he went to that bait. He had a great Fluke bite on Friday but he only had one ish on it on Saturday. we had a total o 21 guys catch 95 ish or 192.3 lbs and a 2.02 lb average.
    City: Fremont

    Tips: dart heads and grubs on main lake points with rock and throw zara spooks in the morning because I lost ive ish doing that on the big island.

Sunday, June 16th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 70's

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished McClure saturday evening rom 6:30 to 8:30pm. Bites were many but we caught about 7 or 8 spotted bass. Most were small 10-12", biggest one went 15". Fished in Arnold bay on rock walls. It was tough to keep the boat still due to waterskiers.
    City: Merced

    Tips: Try KEEPER 1001B supergrubs or sharks in same color. Would have used YAMAMOTO salt & pepper supergrubs i I would have brought some. A ew ish caught on SPEEDTRAPS (spook, crystal texas shad or parrot colored). Good Luck! For more ino. stop by STEVE'S BAIT SHACK @ 137 W. Main st. in Merced or call (209)722-0800.

Sunday, June 9th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 74-78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the bucks or bass classic Sunday. Started o on McClure point Throwing Super Spooks. Had a blow up and set the hook way to early and pulled the spook away rom the ish, Went around the corner and worked the spook around a tree when the water exploded and ater 4 jumps I landed a 9.32. Ater that we went to throwing plastics just trying to ill up. Caught 25 or so slot ish and ended up with 15.95. won the tournament and the Skeeter boat. I anyone is looking or a new Skeeter boat with a 150 Yamaha HPDI Email me at big_bas5@msn.com. What a ish and what a day. I want to also thank Charles McNees he puts on a great tournament and a great circuit.
    City: Modesto

    Tips: I you are looking or 1 big bite throw a super spook right o in the morning. Then throw plastics to ill up.

Tuesday, June 4th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fishing is still hot at McClure. Slot-size spotted bass are numerous and easy to catch. Big black bass are being caught but they are tricky. Crappie being taken while ishing or bass. Remember the slot limit 12-15" bass may not be kept. Trout can be caught trolling between Temperance and the dam.
    City: Merced

    Tips: Grubs in salt & pepper. Senkos in watermelon/black, watermelon/black & red, watermelon creme laminate, salt & pepper or white. Crankbaits and topwater in the early morning and late evening. Good Luck. Call (209) 722-0800 or stop by STEVE'S BAIT SHACK in Merced at 137 W. Main st.

Monday, May 20th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 63-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished McClure this week. Went way up into Piney Creek. We caught a ew small spotted bass on crankbaits and grubs. We lost a huge bass on topwater, the bass slammed it and took it straight to the bottom, snapped the line and we never saw it again. A 10lb. black bass was caught on sunday across rom Barrett's Cove.
    City: Merced

    Tips: Try salt & pepper YAMAMOTO super grubs, Senkos, Speedtraps and Topwater Pop-R's. Good Luck. Stop by and visit STEVE'S BAIT SHACK @ 137 W. Main st. in Merced or call (209)722-0800. Thanks, Steve.

Tuesday, May 7th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: started ishing around 3pm-8pm, boated 30 ish. All ish caught on worms, grubs, senkos. clear/blue blood line worm, senkos-white/blue pearl,white/green,rainbow color. Most ish on clear salt/pepper grubs. Very windy.
    City: Merced

    Tips: ish around trees and rock walls, most hits were 5-10 t away rom the shore, slow presentation.

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    Water Temp: 63F

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Customers o STEVE'S BAIT SHACK @ 137 W. Main st. in Merced are reporting ishing at McClure is hot to say the least. Fishermen reported over 100 ish caught per boat this past weekend. Bass are taking oxblood worms, salt & pepper grubs, brown/green worms. A ew big ish have been taken in the past ew weeks on Senkos. The urther up the main river channel towards Bagby more ish are being caught. Spotted bass are agressive and hitting anything that moves. Topwater bite has been good in the early morning, Zara Spooks and Rebel Pop-Rs doing best. Crankbaits have been producing well in the evening. For crankbaits use rainbow trout Speedtrap or Ambush Stealthdivers in shad patterns. We have the latest hard to ind lures and several lines that are exclusive to STEVE'S BAIT SHACK. Come and see us or give us a call @ (209) 722-0800. The ishing advice is always ree!
    City: MERCED

Saturday, April 27th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 62-64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: My mom and I ished a tourney and started out at Cottonwood. She was catching on a spinnerbait and I was catching on a Jr. spook. Later in the morning and the rest o the day we caught on anything, but our better ish were on brushhogs in the grass at least the largemouth were (2.4lbs). We ended up with a little more weight than my dad (pineapple) and his partner, but not good enough to place.
    City: Delhi

    Tips: topwater and spinnerbaits in the morning and worms, brushogs. Largemouth were in the grass in back ends o coves shallow 1t-5t. Slow down your spinnerbait don't burn it.

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    Water Temp: 64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished 6:30 am to 1:30 pm. Spent the day in the river arm ishing lats & coves. I started w/top water & spinner bait while partner ished a split shot 4" green craw type worm. Boated 8 ish by 7 am, most in the slot & all spots. Top water & spinner bait bite shut down by 9 am so we ished various split shot plastics, i.e. baby brush hogs (watermelon w/red lake), same color 4" lizards, green craw style worms, & pumpkin w/green & black lake Senkos. We caught 40+ ish or the day but a typical McClure culling the clones day. Best ive went about 8 lbs. & boated only one black all day. Tourney big ish was 10.5 lbs.. Fish were a little deeper because o the colder weather but were being caught almost anywhere on the lake. Most consistent bigger ish bite appears to have been the Horse Shoe Bend area using weightless or split shot Senkos.
    City: Delhi

    Tips: Morning top water & spinner bait then ish the plastics on your avorite stlye o rig. Let your spinner bait go a little deeper w/a slow to moderate retrieve rate. I used white & chartruese w/double willow lea in 3/8th oz.

Thursday, April 18th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hey pineapple, I saw that you posted that you caught 2 14" keepers. 14" are not keepers at McClure. There is a 12"-15" slot limit which means you can not keep ish that are in this size area. Hope you didn't keep those ish. I you did, oh well.
    City: Gustine

Saturday, April 13th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 68-72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Three o us must have caught at least ity bass. All were 1.5 to 2.5 and most o them were shallow. We caught some on topwater, grubs, worms, lizards, senkos.Just about anything worked. A lot o other people were catching ish also. Anywhere on the lake. Couldn't ind any bigger ish.

    Tips: Try anything and just about anywhere.

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    Water Temp: 64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished 6:30 am to 2:30 pm. First stop was main lake point then into cove w/standing timber. Four 1.5 lb 14" keepers rom main lake point using a white & chart. spinner bait w/double willow lea blades. Into cove & boated two more 14" keepers on weightless watermelon w/black lake Senko. A couple more spinner bait ish then several dinks & keepers mixed split shotting 4" craw pattern worm. Fish spitting up shad & baby bass. Moved to canyon area looking or bigger ish but never ound a good kicker. Canyon ish took split shot craw pattern worms or cinnamon w/blue vein.
    City: Delhi

    Tips: Better ish came out o 15' to 20' on split shot worms in areas w/grass or wood nearby. Best ive went 8lbs. 5 oz..

Friday, April 12th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Eli, thanks or updating those who mght not be aware o McClure's slot. During tourneys DFG issues a variance permit or a ee which allows the participants to weigh in slot limit ish. We were ishing a Consolidated Fire charity tourney & all ish were released ater weigh-in.Thanks Mike. P.S. I don't eat ish so I always release my catch.
    City: Delhi

Sunday, April 7th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 58 to64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: ished cotton arm and temperance arm all day. got on the water at day light and started ishing blades in the back o cotton. irst ish came on second cast on a laydown, 3.3. went down the back with nothing until the next wood in the water and bam another solid black in the 3# class.kept ishing down the bank with nothing until...you guessed it another laydown and another ish.this one was a solid 2.5 spott. anyone seeing a pattern here?.well i did and yes i started going rom wood to wood catching ish. it seemed like i got bit on at least hal the stick ups or laydowns that were at least close to the bank. ended up catching 12 in cotton and about same amount in temperance arm. thrue blades the whole time. white and chart. with a small gold col. blade and a medium silver willow blade with a chart. grub trailer and a trailer hook. dont know i i needed the trailer hook as these ish were enguling the bait. most ish came in 2 to 6 eet o water with several bites as soon as the blade hit the water so hang on to your rod and be ready. total ish or the day 20 to 25. o the water at 1:00.
    City: oakdale, ca.

    Tips: ish blades around every piece o wood you come across. and ish parallel to the bank. i was burning it back or slowed down it didnt matter today.

Thursday, April 4th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took my 6 yr. old grand son.Started just so. o the ramp.I had tied on senko's or him & his dad.For the irst hr. i threw crank baits,spinter baits & jerk baits...Nothing,they were catching ish.My grand son caught 3 up tp 15 1/4 in & he lost one that he thought was a lake record.Broke o on 8 lb test line.Had a weak spot in the line rom casting on the bank & dragging it into the water...We caught app 30 bass rom 6:30 am to 12:30 pm...All but 3 were caught on senko's,got 3 on a keeper 1038.Most o the ish were rom 13 1/2 in to 16 1/2.Caught shallow & on Watermelon & green with red lake.
    City: Riv

Monday, April 1st, 2002

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    Water Temp: ??

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: 1st time ever on this lake. Took the amily ishing 4/01 and ended up catching about 15 bass total between my iance, my two boys, and mysel betweem 1:30pm till sunset. My iance took the cake with an 8 lb ish. Most ish were about 2 lbrs and were close to the bank or relating to structure (mostly brush/branches). All in all one o my best days ishing (especially when you spend most o your time untangling lines and re-tying hooks :)
    City: Gustine

    Tips: Watermelon w/black lake brush hogs seemed to be the ticket. But worms or tubes in green/brown and pumpkinseed colors also worked with a bb split shot. Tried crankbaits with no luck.