Submit
Report

San Justo Lake and Reports

Limit:

Saturday, June 23rd, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: John really slammed'em today! He caught 16 bass while most others were having a tough bite, including his Old Man. We had a tough day on Friday, getting very little action on the swimbaits we were both throwing hoping for the One Big Bite. John shifted gears on Saturday, used his soft plastics (any color is good as long as it's green pumkpin with black flake!), slowly retrieving them uphill, and nailed 16 including some over 2 1/2 pounds. He also got some yearlings which is a good sign there was a successful spawn last year. I continued casting mostly the big swimbaits and Tiger Tube but had no action on them. A few casts with a buzzbait and a crankbait didn't produce for me either. Another angler was seen catching some nice bass on a purple worm, so other colors can work also.
    The big carp are very active in the shallows in some of the coves on the south end of the lake. Looks like they're into their spawn. They are muddying the water along the shore in those coves, and thrashing around on the surface. It's easy to be distracted by them since they're SO BIG!!!
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Try soft plastics (worms, lizards, craws, creature baits, and Senko's) rigged weightless and retrieved slowly uphill on rock banks in 10 - 15 feet depths. It helps to find the fish, since they aren't everywhere, so keep moving 'til you get on'em.

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 69

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught 4 dropshotting Yamamoto 4" shad in watermelon with black and red flake ~ 20' deep off of grassy banks. Largest 2.5#.
    City: Monterey

Saturday, May 19th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: John got on'em again with 12 bass on Friday and 10 on Saturday, with several over 3 lbs...no small feat since there were at least 23 boats on the lake on Saturday. He's using soft plastics (craws, lizards, and worms) and any color is working as long as it's green pumpkin with black flake. He's finding the fish deeper and taking a slow presentation...probably fish that have moved off the bank due to the fishing pressure of most anglers banging the banks.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Fish deeper, slower, and use green pumpkin with blake flake.

Wednesday, May 9th, 2007

  • By

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: walked across the damn and fished the hillside with a shaky worm in watermelon color caught one two pounder after about ten minutes. switched to a spinner blade and got no takers. walked the rocks along the damn and spotted one on a bed and spent an hour trying to aggravate it..tried lizards,worms and getitzs finally tried a bullet spinner and was able to get it to bite a nice 1/2 to 2 pounder spent so much time on it didnt want to let em win..Saw a nice 5 pounder swim by wasn't interrested in anything i had to offer.
    City: seaside

Saturday, May 5th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 61

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: John's getting really good at finding the productive pattern...did it again today and boated seven nice bass. He found the fish had moved off the banks and were out in 12 to 15 feet depths, vulnerable to slow-moving craw imitations fished uphill. I made way too many casts with the buzzbait and only brought in one 2 lb'er to the boat on the blades. Tried several other presentations without success, but none was the pattern John had found.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Try different types of banks (rock, mud, tules, etc), different depths, different retrieve directions (uphill, downhill, parallel to the breaks, etc) and different retrieve speeds until you find what's working. San Justo's bass are getting a lot of pressure these days and are seeing lots of lures...it's a challenge to get past their becoming conditioned to the common presentations. Experiment...experiment...experiment.

Friday, April 27th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Team Bunting whacked them today...19 nice bass caught and released. John got 11 and I got 8. Biggest were 3 1/4, several 2 1/2, and some at about a pound. John's came on craw and creature-bait plastics either T-rigged or Carolina rigged. Mine came on buzzbaits and a T-rigged Swimming Senko. While a few were taken by sight-fishing in the shallows, most came from 10 to 12 feet deep. Not as crowded as on the weekends but there were still several bass anglers on the lake. Weather was as nice as it gets with clear sunny sky and virtually no wind until about 2:30 p.m. when it started up.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Long casts are needed to keep from spooking the fish in the very clear water. Slower retrieves of soft plastics seem to work best. Even a slow retrieve of buzzbait seemed to draw the most strikes.

Saturday, April 21st, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 60-63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got out on the lake late Sunday evening and started fishing on the rocks with a drop shot with non luck so I headed over to the point and caught six on a drop shot within an hour. I also lost about four or five bass too. Then it began getting windy so we headed over to the coves behind the point and i started wacking a bunch of two to five pounders on a weighless shad colored fluke. I must of caugth twenty more by myself.
    City: Prunedale

    Tips: FIsh shallow

Sunday, April 1st, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: rented boat for all day i caught three bass two on dropshot w/ roboworm 2.5 &3.0 caught a4.0 on berkely gulp shakyhead worm in green pumpkin in 4ft. of water.dropshot in about 12-15ft of water. my buddy caught 1 for 4.5lbs with a orangebrown finesse jig w/out trailer in 2ft of water right on bank.got real windy by 1pm too windy for the little boat we rented and the dead batteries we drained running round the whole lake barely made it back to dock. great lake with nice big healthy bass.lost one fish on crawdad rapala d10 crankbait.
    City: santa clara

Thursday, March 29th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: ------

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Started out towing a guy with a busted trolling motor back to the dock at 8:00. I think helping other boaters is good karma because our day was awesome if ya love the senko bite. CAST..wait....wait...tick.....swing! All day. had thirteen fish total all over 2 lbs. biggest running 5.5 lbs. if you run across the lake be sure to throw out a red and silver spoon for some nice holdover trout. nice lake, trolling motors only, gets windy around 2pm. tight lines and good luck.
    City: Watsonville, Ca

Sunday, March 25th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 62

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: WOW never seen so many boats on husto,i caught 6 fish largest 4.5 lbs others from 1-3.5 pounds great day johnny caught 5 fish largest 4lbs white,yellow and black spinner baits were the hot lures for today hard to move around so much pressure on the lake looked as if everyone was catching fish though great day
    City: SALINAS

    Tips: fish slow all our strikes were in 4-8 feet of water good fishing

  • By

    Water Temp: 58-59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got to the lake at around 7 or so and started off throwing the super spook for a while but came up with nothing, then started ripping/cranking points and pockets and caught a 3.7, 2.8, and a 3.5 all in shallow pockets along mud/rock transitions, also threw a baby E in the same areas and got one follower on it that looked to be around 3lbs but that was it. this bite seemd to die off and then started started to fish a little deeper and switched to a shaky head and hula grub and caught the biggest fish of the day which was 4.10 on the hula grub in about 11-13ft and that was it. ended the day with about 14 for 4
    City: Salinas

    Tips: we didnt catch a bad bag but im sure there were guys on some bigger fish, i think we shouldve started fishing bigger jigs than we were, even earlier than we started as i think we couldve been on some bigger fish, but maybe not. come on a wed. to avoid the pressure and have fun out there.

Saturday, March 24th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The dense algae or pollen bloom that had covered the lake yesterday had disappeared by this morning. Lots of boats on the lake again today, both trout trollers and bass anglers. Popoular places get filled up fast, so fishing options are reduced.
    John got two nice bass today, a 2-10 and a 2-6, both on the T-rigged craw plastic. I landed three today, two 4-8's and a 2, all taken on a white buzzbait. We usually don't even throw a buzzbait unless there is a good ripple on the water. Today I tried one off a muddy bank when the area was glass smooth, and that's when one of the 4-8's took it. The other two came off rocky banks when the wind was blowing pretty good.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Try buzzbaits near shore or soft plastics in the 6 - 8 foot range.

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Time to get caught up...Weekend before last, John had a super day with no less than nine bass, largest at 7 lbs (his personal best), a couple of 5's, 4's, 3's...really nice bass. They were mostly caught on soft plastics in the 6 to 8 foot depth range. He was really dialed in...and in the Zone!
    Last weekend, we both played "Lost in the Fog" in the early morning. The fog was so thick Saturday morning, you could barely see the bow of your boat. We both headed across the lake on bearings we were sure would take us to specific places. Both of us wound up swinging in large circles to the right and wound up on banks far from our intended destinations. We now have small compasses to keep us on track next time we encounter fog like that. (Automotive accessories section at WalMart has small, sealed compasses with suction cups for mounting on a dashboard or vehicle window, but they'll also work great in a boat. They only cost $2.79!)
    Saturday was an OK day with a few mid-range bass caught by both of us on a variety of presentations, both slow-moving plastics and reaction baits (crankbaits, buzzbaits).
    Sunday was an even better day with both of us catching several nice bass (five for John, seven for me) but the largest was only 3 1/2 pounds. Most of mine came on buzz-baits within a few feet of the rocky shores. John used buzzbaits near shore and soft plastics in the 6 - 8 foot depth for his.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: When there's a ripple on the water on windward banks, try your buzz-baits.

Sunday, March 4th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 54

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: One of our nicest days ever on San Justo... overcast sky with little or no wind all morning. Lots of trout anglers catching many of the 1800 lbs of trout planted last week. Many bass anglers, too, bringing total boat count to 17 at one point.
    John got two nice bass (2 lb 15 oz and 2 lb 7 oz) within first 30 minutes, both caught on T-rigged green pumpkin Yamamoto craw in 7 feet of water on a main lake point. Both were very subtle bites, noticed only because the line moved to the side. I made a lot of casts with a 10" Castaic Platimum swimbait in trout finish searching for cruisers but only managed to move a lot of water. Also tried craw-colored cranks and lipless lures, spinnerbaits, buzzbait, Tiger Tube, Swimming Senko, PowerBait lizard, chatterbait, and weedless spoon with craw trailer...no bites on any of them. Fished from the water's edge out to 25-30 feet but no takers.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Water temperature remains 54 degrees and we saw no evidence of beds even though there is a full moon. Apparently the recent cold rains and hail have kept the water too cold for the start of the spawn.

Sunday, February 18th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Yesterday (2/17) was a beautiful bluebird day on the lake...sunny, clear, very little wind...and a tough bite! I managed only one 2 1/2 lb bass on the black Swimming Senko, from the back of a small cut, in about 6 feet of water. Beside that one fish, John and I had no other bites and no other fish in the boat. Except for a couple of bank fisherman who had caught a couple of nice bass, we saw no other bass fisherman catch anything...and there were plenty of other boats on the lake...probably more than either of had seen before. Today (2/18) the weather reports called for winds of 10-12 mph all morning but fortunately they were wrong. After some early morning breeziness while loading the boats, the wind settled down about 30 minutes later and remained mostly calm until about 11:00 a.m. The overcast sky made for what should have been a great day of fishing...NOT! Neither John nor I (nor any of the other bass anglers we could see) caught anything all morning...a very tough bite. Again, there were lots of boats on the lake, and many more bass anglers than usual (probably because Coyote Lake is closed to launching). Lots of pressure from a lot of anglers. There was a steady procession of bass anglers proceeding around the bank casting and retrieving all sorts of lures...the bass have probably seen most of what is currently favored by local bass anglers. Very few fish showed on the depth finder in the shore zone from zero out to 30 feet. Again, in some areas of the main lake basin, lots of fish showed from 40 to 60 feet over a bottom at 80. Fishing deep and slow produced no bites in those areas.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: No help today...nothing we tried worked.

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Saturday was a Wet One! Very little wind, so the rain was tolerable. Using a shad Risto Rap crankbait, I caught a TROUT...one of the 10-inch stocked trout...amazing that it hit a crankbait that it could not fit into its little mouth and its amazing how much it looked like my Castaic swimbait (or vice versa). Scott got a nice 3 1/2 lb bass off a main lake point on a River-to-Sea swimbait and shared one with John. A little while later, John picked up a nice 2 lb bass on the swimbait so he's stoked about using swimbaits now.
    Went out again Sunday, anxious at first because the sky looked like rain any minute and the wind was blowing pretty good (10-15 mph) as we loaded our boats. Shortly after we got on the water in the morning, the wind settled down and we only got sprinkled on lightly a couple of times. John hugged the shore and cast his swimbaits out into the deeper water, retrieving them uphill but had no takers. At midmorning, he finally picked up his ultralight outfit, cast within inches of the shore, using a modified Swimming Senko, and caught a 4 lb 11 oz, 3 lb 8 oz, and 2 lb bass...all loads of fun on the ultralight rod. I managed only one nice 2 lb keeper taken on a shad Risto Rap off the dike. I made a lot of casts with the Castaic trout-finish swimbait and several other presentations (worms, jigs, Senko's, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, 4" swimbaits) but couldn't interest any bass from the off-shore water. Also, briefly tried a buzzbait but it's apparently still too cold for that. The wind picked up again late in the morning as it usually does at San Justo and we got off the lake at noon.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: If you're not getting any action from the deeper water, try casting within inches of the shoreline...you may be pleasantly surprised. And, be prepared for an immediate strike, as if the lure has landed in the fish's mouth.

Sunday, February 4th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Another fine day with very light wind...really pleasant after it warmed up mid-morning. Caught two nice bass today, a 3 lb 6 oz and a 2 lb 8 oz, both again falling for the black Swimming Senko R-Rigged with 3/16 oz pegged weight from about 10 feet off a rock bank. John also got a 1.5 lb bass on a regular Senko a bit farther out off a rock bank. They were all very subtle bites just seeming to "be there" during the retrieve. John noticed his line moving off to the right so he set the hook on his. I made a lot of casts with other presentations including swimbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, jigs, Brush Hog, and dropshot worms, but got no strikes on those.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Water temperature has increased two degrees in last 24 hours. If that continues, the spawn could start at the next full moon. Until then, the cold water calls for slow presentations. The bass should begin staging outside their spawning areas over the next couple of weeks.

Saturday, February 3rd, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Really nice day on the water, cold in the morning but it got more comfortable toward noon. Very light wind. Caught bass of 3.15 and 1.25 lbs, both on a black Swimming Senko Texas-rigged with 3/16 oz Florida screw-in weight in about 6 feet off rock banks. Very slow retrieve. Tried drop-shot worms, jigs, shad crankbait, chatterbaits, blade baits and tail-spinners (for the deep, suspended fish), swim-baits, and a buzzbait, but no strikes on any of those. Fished all depths from bank out to 40 plus feet, but only strikes came from 6 feet.
    City: Monterey

    Tips: Slow way down, and then slow down some more. Keep movin' and keep chuckin'.

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 49-50

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Arrived at around 8 or so it was freezing..water temp read about 49.4 at first but later hit the 50 degree mark at around 12. Started out using a rip bait,hula grub, and drop shot to the point right of the launch ramp..there is a christmas tree out there in a about 20 ft that consistently holds fish..but nothing...headed to the point straight across from the launch and caught a 2.3 and a 3.6 in 30-35 ft using the hula grub..i was fishing the right side when i caught these 2..moved to the left side and came up emtpy..left the point, as it was getting hammered by trollere and other bassfisherman..moved to the back area, this is probably the least pressured area in the lake,and a lot of big bass are caught back there becuase of that..stayed in about 35 ft the whole time and came up with 2 bass that were both about a pound each drop shotting shad imitations.
    City: Salinas

    Tips: what can i say the conditions were pretty much horrible, clear skies..cold water..no wind what so ever..was hoping the wind would come up so i could really throw the huddleston..i found the most active fish in 30-40 ft..fished other depths but blanked..i would suggest fishing the back areas because all of the good areas on the main lake get hammered all day..there also some christmas tress back there that hold fish, u just have to find them, have a great season guys be safe

Saturday, January 6th, 2007

  • By

    Water Temp: 50

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: on the water 830 landed 2 fish 3.5 3.0 crankin 2 to 12 feet gone by 1. other guys on water said caught #s @ 24-32 feet wormin keep movin..........
    City: salinas

    Tips: sorry no colers or styles just slow crankin.