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Monday, August 11th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 80.2-79.6

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: In at Jones Valley at 2105, lake is 43 t down, air temp was 88 in town and 75 at the ramp, ran out in the lower Pit passing my buddy Bryce and Susan, didn't even see them in the twilight, over near Squaw creek point started throwing some hula grubs and managed 17 in the irst hour and all small, threaded on an MGM #26C 4 inch zipper with a hooktail and started throwing that at 2230 over near the rockpile and caught 5 more in the next hour and the size was much better with the biggest a 2.86 spot in about a oot o water. A couple o others were twins at 1.8 and I ran out o the zippers, only had 6. I usually use them on Trinity and had never thrown them on Shasta. Kinda unny how you end up pitching dierent baits at dierent lakes. Guess i will have to break that habit. Beautiul moonlite night with Mars about 12 inches to the let o the moon, had a little breeze come up around midnight so i got o at 0030 at 59 degrees, Had 22 total which was more than I expected.
    City: Redding

    Tips: I threw the zipper on a 1/4 oz darter head right on the bank and got the bigger ish that way.

Friday, August 8th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 75-ish

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: well, last year i came up to shasta around june and i had a blast. so this year beore i went up i wasa ready. i got all the colors i thought i ever need. all the spider jigs i could get and all the senkos i thought i could imagine thayt would work....o-ya and lots o hooks....so this is how my trip went...the irst day i got a dink on a spider jig and that was it...the second day nada...the third day i decided to concentrate in the PIT. so i went to a cove and started throwing a black and white rapala jerk wait. as it dropped WHAMM!!!..i was like,"WHOAA">..played it out. my loomis rod was bent straight down. all i could say was yes this what i been waiting or. ish big stu and deep water, bypass those damm dinks. i sure did alright, i got a big CAT!!! well i wasn't as happy but i was releived. so my trip ended on thurday and my total was only one cat and 12 bass...i was expecting atleast our times the amount....so do i still love ishing..HELL YA..and would i go back to shasta....another HELL YA!!!
    City: san rancisco

    Tips: the water is warm..the pit arm is easier to ish...ish deep...and i everything i your box ails get circkets!!!

Monday, August 4th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 81'

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went out o Jones Valley, Monday, sick, Har!, at 5:30 am. Headed or an exposed island at the mouth o the Pit, and got two on top water,,,,very cool. Fished the Squaw or a couple hours, got a ew on jigs and darter head worms.(#99 o course)Finished out the morning on the Main Pit or a total o eight ish, to 2 1/2 lbs.
    City: Redding/S.F.

    Tips: this cooler weather seemed to bring the up a little. Got the other six ish is 20-25'.

Tuesday, July 29th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 86.3-83.9

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: in at Hirz Bay at 105 degrees, 117 in town, lake down past 36 t and heading south in a hurry now at nearly a oot per day, wind out o the north at 5 lots o traic as i went upstream in the McCloud. Met up with Ue Gustason and his wie and kids camped out in Kamloops on a holday harbor houseboat, He is up rom Oakland and on a little vacation rom his two businesses, we ran upstream and he gets one on with his second cast but it hops o at the boat, we were throwing hula grubs, we ished out way south to near Dekas Rock or 12 with twice as many getting o, got a double near mahles creek and both were decent, Ue went a little larger at 2.4, mine was 2.2. didn't lose any good ish tonight. no moon so it was black as the inside o a cat. Lots o wakeboard traic and we had a atality in the mid mccloud this evening when 2 jet skis collided killing one operator. things slowed down traic wise about 10pm but we still saw boats towing skiers and running with no lights on at 1030 pm. Went back to his boat or a little snack and shot the breeze or a ew hours. Got out at 0230, 74 degrees, upper McCloud very dirty as was bailey cove. Hirz bay north will go out o the water soon as will bailey, probably around the 14th o August.
    City: Redding,Ca

    Tips: hula grubs on 1/2 oz ootball heads and 3/8 oz darter heads ater the ish moved up tight to the bank around 1130pm.

Thursday, July 17th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 80.5 - 83

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: In at Centimundi at 5:00PM. Ran across to Big Backbone, not much boat traic. Fished the shade till dark and then worked our way back to the ramp or 11 total. The largest went 1.6. Two came on top water, Lucky 13, the rest on twin tail skirted grubs. It was another beautiul evening on the water. Out at 10:00PM.
    City: Cottonwood

Tuesday, July 15th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hey Jerry where is your report rom this last weekend! I know you ished a tournament with Steve. How did you do? I ell on my ace, it was one o those weekends that nothing went right. My guess it was the ull moon and the 13th that made it so bad. Anyway give us a report, cause I sure don't have one.
    City: Redding

    Tips: stay home untill all

Monday, July 14th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 82.3

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Ok River rat here it is, such as it is, last thursday I went out again with Keith rom Medord expecting another nights decent bite, it was great or about 30 minutes, we caught 4 then no more or 3 hours in the upper McCloud, moved south to Shallow point and got bit a ew times and Keith inally got another one on. We got o the water at 1130.Steve called me Saturday wanting me to go ish with him but i told him I hadn't ished in the mornings or some time and wouldn't know where to go. We talked it over or some time and I said "ok". He picked me up at o dark 30 and o we went to Packers or the check in, we were last out and o we went to the middle Sac, I got a decent smallmouth quickly but it hopped o when I tried to swing him into the boat, we ended up with 18 or the day but only 3 keepers, a very poor showing. Lots o guys came in with short limits and small ish.Went out last night, lake just down past 24 t, air temp 90 going in, slight breeze out o the west water temp up past 82. Ran over past silverthorn to ish some submerged humps and got there at 9pm. Got three decent ish quickly with one at 1.83 and another at 2.2. Got tapped a ew times but nothing again until 1230 when the bite turned on, had 14 with one just over 2.5 in a hal hour on a lat connected to this same hump, all came on hula grubs save or one on a surace lure.(Mr. Fullers special) This occurred about an hour ater that ull moon came up. Things slowed down again and I got out at 0200 at 69 degrees and a beautiul moonlite night. Actually had one other boat near me most o the night with 3 olks in it who were staying on a houseboat over in Lori Cove. There was a mass exodus Sunday evening as the Jones Valley parking lot only had about 10 outits in it, there is room or 6-7 rigs in the gravel down by the ramp now.
    City: Redding

    Tips: Big ish on Saturday wa a little over 4, Mr. Minugh had 11.87 lbs, that guy amazes me as he always does well even when the bite is tough. Back to the night ishing or me. I you are going to do it, go out a little later and come in just as the sun comes up.

Saturday, July 12th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 79 degrees

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Spent 4 days at Shasta ishing just a ew hours a day rom approxamently 7 pm till 10 pm each evening. Lots o ish 13 to 15 inches drop shotting in 20 t0 30 oot rom 7 till dark with a hit on almost every cast at times. Ater dark or just previous to dark I threw black blades and buzz baits parallel to the bank catching quality spots in the 2 and 3 lb range and my best ish going 4 1/2 lbs on a black blades. All my ishing was mainly in the McCloud arm and a little in the Pit arm
    City: Sacramento

    Tips: Drop shot during the day in 20 to30 oot water and then at dark move to the bank and throw buzz baits and blades or quality ish.

Wednesday, July 9th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 79.7-80.6

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: You just can't take some people anywhere anymore, Keith Ogawa down rom Medord or a ew days and out we go, in at Packers at 645 pm and over into the midle Sac, lake down just past 20t, 98 degrees at the ramp, Spent the evening throwing at points rom the bank out to 30t or 23, the biggest a 2.1 by Keith, my best a 1.83.Tkae a guy out, show him where and what to throw and then he has the utter gall to catck the biggest ish! Keith caught his throwing a small spinner bait, mine came on a hula grub and 1/2 oz ootball head. we probably lost twice that amount as the ish were typical or the ater dark antics, grab and run right at you with repeated jumps. Some interesting boat traic last night with idiots out there skiing in the dark. Some o those humps about to come up are going to have an awul eect on these dummies. Lake airly quiet ater 11pm and I did see another bassboat working the shoreline near the O'brien inlet. Didn't bust anything o this time and no top water takers under that nearly ull moon. going back out again tonight, I think I will sneak out and cut the barb o o Keith's spinner bait hook.
    City: Redding

    Tips: color didn't make much dierence or me, I swam the jig all night as the ish were suspended in 8-15 t. Had 6 in a row on as many casts o the north end o Slaughterhouse.

Monday, July 7th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 79.2

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: got in at Jones Valley at 0330, 3 spots in the gravel now, lake down past 19t, wind out o the N/E at 6, air temp 63, idled over to a cowpasture cove hump and immediately connected on 3 dinks in 6 t o water on hula grubs threaded onto a 1/2 oz ootball head, pulled out a new jointed black jitterbug about 4 inches long and tried that or ten minutes and caught the smallest spot I have ever caught, 3 ounces and not as long as the jitterbug, kinda makes you wonder what he intended to do with it. moved over to some submerged humps in the lower pit throwing the jitterbug as it got light out and got smacked big time, it was a a real decent ish but I never got a look at it as I only got back the ront end o the jitterbug, it was new and the irst time I used it, sure would have liked to get a look at the ish that broke it. Went over near squaw point and caught 3 more dinks and the bite(or me) stopped at 0515. back to the ramp at 0545, still no one there, air temp up to 66, had to go take care o a ew things. Parking lot has about 40 rigs in it but mostly vacationeers probably out on houseboats rom jones valley resort. main body areas airly clear, upper arms muddy rom all the traic. Shad starting to show in deeper creek channels with trout busting them on the surace at just beore irst light.
    City: Redding

Friday, July 4th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 60

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched at Bailey at 5:30 Fished main and secondary points with rocky banks. We boated on early with a white blade. Got a ew more later on with a spider grub, (Watermelon and cinamon). Flipped one out o a willow on a 6" watermelon/black Core Shot yama senko. Got 7 total, not much size o the water at 10:00 am. Happy ourth...Phenominaly yours,Jason B.
    City: Redding

Monday, June 30th, 2003

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: In at Jones Valley at 5:00PM. Fished the lower Pit or 14, all small and a ew dinks. Jigs and worms or all but one that came on a topwater just beore dark. Out at 10:00PM. The Blonde had 4. The access road or the low water ramp is just out o the water allowing space or one rig to park, other wise it's a walk up the stairs.
    City: Cottonwood

    Tips: The banks are loaded with dinks, better ish around 25 eet.

Sunday, June 29th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 78.7

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: should have stayed home, in at bailey cove at 645pm, air temp 94 lake down to 15.3 t. ran up the the upper end hoping to get away rom the skiers with no luck, ished around ellery creek down to moore creek or only 9 , 8 were dinks one was only 1.6. all came on 3/8oz darter heads wearing hula grubs, nothing on Mr Fullers bait, heavy boat traic until 915 pm so I said the hech with it, and got out at 945pm, air temp a nice 77 degrees
    City: Redding

    Tips: wait till labor day, Steve Pendill, your vacation is over, get back over here!

Thursday, June 26th, 2003

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Tried the morning out o Bailey at 6:00am. Ran up to Nosoni and ished back down stream or 24 small ones. All came on jigs, bigger ish were caught in the 20 to 25 oot range. Alot o smaller ish rom the bank to 20 eet. Had to jump in the lake about noon to cool o. I think we'll stick to evening ishing rom now till the end o summer. The nights are antastic, especially with a moon, and no boat traic. Oh, yes, the Blonde in the back only caught 11. I think Gene's Blonde outished him, AGAIN!!!!
    City: Cottonwood

Wednesday, June 25th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: not a report, just looking or a little help. i'm gonna take a ew days o and spend them on shasta lake. i will be staying in a motel. does anybody know o any motels in the lake area that have outside electricity so i can charge the boat????? any help would be appreciated. thank you
    City: crescent city

Friday, June 20th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 79.7

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Jack and I o again out o Packers, in at 645 pm, air temp 88, lake down just past 11t, ran to the lower Sac over by Deadmans and got on ish right o the bat and a couple o nice smallmouth on jigs with Jack throwing a worm, wind up pretty good out o the west, get 4 o one point and run over into elmore bay and get 4 o o 4 points and move towards Marshmallow point where we get bit on every cast or about 10 minutes but the wind made things tough, got 3 in the boat ater missing 30 or having them hop o, ran again as it was getting to dark to see over to Slaughterhouse but couldn't get anything going, went back to packers and ished the points on the north bank and Jack got the best o the evening a 2.0. Didn't get a lot o dinks and most were legal but still thin post spawn looking ish. called it a night at 1030 and got out at 70 degrees. Red Blu caught a lot o rain this evening but hardly a cloud in the sky or us. lots o olks on the lake, houseboat in every cove, water in the main body much cleaner than the upper arms. Didn't throw Mr. Fuller's secret bait, too much wind, don't care to duck them treble hooks.
    City: Redding

Wednesday, June 18th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 80.8-79.6

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Jack Kemper is up or a visit with the in-laws and his wie and son, picked him up at 545 pm and went to Bailey Cove and in the water at 615pm, lake at 10.30 t down, air temp going in was 88, ran upstream in the McCloud near Ellery Creek trying to get away orm the ski boats and jet skis with no luck, started ishind downstream throwing worms and jigs and Jack gets the irst dink on a drop shot, we ish down to Moore creek and end up with 30 to 1.8 on jigs worms and Mr. Fullers secret top water bait, the biggest came on the jig, water was a very muddy red color with all the traic, no wind to speak o and thing sinally quieted down about 845 pm but so did the ishing. We had 27 between 730 and 930 pm. color didn't seem to make much dierence, most caught o o rocky points with the chunk gray rock being the most productive. got out at 1115 pm, air temp down to a pleasant 76, going back out Friday night.
    City: Redding

    Tips: the later you put in the better, i will put in around 830 next time to avoid the ski and jet ski crowd.

Sunday, June 15th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 76'

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got my Father's day wish, and inally got one over 3lbs., actually, it was a 3.10 oz spot. Launched out o Bailey, on a beautiull Sunday morning with my new neighbor, LeRoy. Fished deep water acessin the Sac. arm and immediately started getting ish on senkos. Color didn't seem to matter. Found ish on the outside and inside o creek chanels. Senkos and darter head worms all morning. Quit a noon, with 25 ish. Best ive over 14 lbs. Hot Dam!!!! good day.
    City: Redding/S.F.

    Tips: 5'-25' all over the place. Shade and brush produced best when the sun hit the water. 5" senkos, whacky rigged.

Friday, June 13th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hit Shasta or a houseboat trip w/ the wie. Tried bass ishing or the 1st time, and had a blast. We stayed in the Big Backbone arm. Managed 16 total, mostly small, one 3.7-lb largemouth that was an incredible thrill to ight. I'm ready to do it again tomorrow, but the wie is muttering something about civilization....so it may be a while beore I can make it back. I'm jealous o you olks whose wives love to ish, too. Maybe I can brainwash her over time...Many thanks to all regular posters whose advice was very helpul in getting me started.A rookie question: lost a lot o worms and jigs to snags.(submerged logs/branches?) Seemed to happen regardless o how I had them rigged. Any tips or suggestions?
    City: Newark

    Tips: Just about all o them caught on a 4" brown worm, or 1/8 oz brown jig, crawled slow across the bottom, rom the bank up to 15 t. The largest came on a 4" blue senko when I ran out o browns and jigs. Better lucky than good, I guess.

Thursday, June 12th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 77.2-77.8

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: thought I would try the other end o the day, got in at Bailey Cove at 0345, lake at 7t, no wind,62 degrees, started throwing right o the loat but nothing was interested or 15 minutes, cranked up and ran to Birdhouse point in the lower McCloud and continued tossing a jig and Mr. Fullers secret surace bait and nothing until 0514 when I got the irst dink on, 25 minutes later I am up to 26 blowups and 11 in the boat, all dinks, tie on a MGM buzz bait, chartruese/white with a black buzzer and 1/2 oz and connect on a dozen more throwing across rocky points, threw one over a log and pulled it up and over and WHAM! set hard and snapped my rod in hal and end up hand lining a 3.5 spot in. Re tie on another stick and continue upstream on the east side sticking a bunch on the buzzbait, go back to a 3/8 oz darter head and hula grubs and get about 15 more and 2 over 2 with the best a 2.8 or a total o 41 between 0400 and 0730. Nice morning, slightly overcast and no wind. Get back to the ramp and tie up, get the truck and put the trailer in, get in the boat and start to back up and now the engine is stuck in reverse, shut down and try to shit it but it ain't going so on the troll motor and ease the boat onto the trailer climb over the ront to pull it on. Pull the lid and the little knob sticking up o the shit arm is busted o, that happened 3 years ago so i don't eel to bad especialy since its a $12 repair, get home and call merc and they have one so its in the mail and I am on the beach till about tuesday or thereabouts. only 64 degrees coming out and a nice cool morning.
    City: Redding

    Tips: my irst buzz bait ish this summer but then again I haven't been throwing it much. Thank you Mr. Coyle or your buzz bait lesson and the new goodies, you were right.