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Wednesday, April 4th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 52-55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out with the olks rom Reno again, Steve and Carol. In the water at Bailey Cove at 0630 at 43 degrees, lake at 20 t and rising slowly, water ast the ramp was 52 degrees, ran over with them to the Squaw and went uupstream near Museum Gulch where Carol and I worked on her casting while Steve promptly caught a 1.6 spot on an MGM #109 at weenie, Carol was using the same when a 1.8 lber inhaled it in 20t o water, wind really blowing at 15-25 with gusts to 35. Moved downstream near horsecreek point but got blown o in the 3 ooters runnind down channel so ducked into baxter gulch or 2more, a 1.8 and a dink on an MGM #127 4 inch worm, these were inhaled, no taps, they really went ater them. Steve popped one more and we went back to their Silverthorn houseboat with the wind picking up even more. Dropped them o ater a lieing session and ran over into the McCloud and turned the corner into some 40 knot stu and 4 ooters, bounced my way back to Bailey cove, water up to 55 degrees, air temp around 53, very rough conditions with more to come and rain expected late riday and all day saturday, nobody doing the salmon at the dam due to unsae high wind conditions. the ish have backed o the shore a bit but plenty can be ound in the 13-25 t area, they were in the rocky stu today, nothing much up on lat mud spots as would be expected this close to the spawn.
    City: Redding

    Tips: irst time or the MGM #127 4 inch, gonna have tos get some more, the 5 pack i bought got inhaled, missed a couple too.

Monday, April 2nd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED MCCLOUD AND SQUAW ARM CAUGHT FISH ON TOP WATER AND RIPPING IN THE MORNING. WORMED FISH THE REST OF THE DAY.SEEN FOUR BASS BETWEEN 4 AND 6 POUNDS CRUISING. SEEN ONE THAT COULD BEEN CLOSE TO EIGHT POUNDS. CAN FIND THEM BUT GETTING THEM TO HIT IS A WHOLE DIFFERNT DEAL. ANY ONE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO STICK ONE OF THOSE BRUTES.
    City: ANDERSON

Sunday, April 1st, 2001

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    Water Temp: 51-57

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Met up with Steve and Carol rom Reno, they are spending a week on a houseboat, lake up to 20.50t, in a bailey Cove at 0545, temp 53, out at 1230 temp up to 74, steady northwind at 10 mph, ran up the McCloud with Steve to Nosoni Creek or three with one smallmouth, irst came on the Rainbow #99 the other two went or a #109 MGM at weenie, ran downstream hitting some points and getting tapped here and there, went in near Potter creek where Steve picked up another short spot, the ish have gone a bit deeper with this cold ront approaching, expecting a 20 degree drop over next two days with a alling barometer and I thought we would do better, the wind picked up as the day wore on. Major hubbub about to go down over the private docks and garages in the water at turntable bay, the orest service is issuing eviction notices to the 125 olks who berth there and the people ain't going or it. I would expect a minor showddown when the gov't tries to move them out, the wind is scrubbing o the temps and the cold ront won't help either, the pre-spawn activity is slowed or now, no ish seen cruising this am.
    City: Redding

Wednesday, March 28th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 54

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Another beautiul day on the lake, ished with Jerry and listened most o the time. His post today is accurate as to what we caught. I did not take any photos o the 4 ish I boated, but I did get a photo o the 3.8 I caught.
    City: Redding

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    Water Temp: in the 50's

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: had a very busy day today capped o by an interesting phone call about 330PM. A guy calls asking i he is talking to jerry who makes the shasta lake reports and i said yes, he then launched into a proane and nasty diatribe indicating that I was giving out too much ino and ruining his ishing, that i was a S.O.B among other things, and how he was going to "kick my old man's ass" i I didn't stop this S--T. he then hanged up beore I could get in a word edgewise. I star 69'ed to get the number but got the usual can't connect being that he probably called rom a pay phone or cell phone. Well, this is or that person that called, when you see me the next time whoever you are go ahead and kick at my behind, I GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU. To those o you I have given my phone number to, think back a bit and i you have any ideas who this idiot might be, give me a call or e-mail me.
    City: Redding

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    Water Temp: 50-54

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: lost a ew degrees with the north winds, lake at 21.89t, in at bridge bay at 0545 with John Mcnemar in his seaswirl, ran over to the little Squaw or none, zip and only one hit, went into the Big Backbone, bang a couple right o and John starts whining and telling lies, we move to another spot and I catch two more, both dinks, now I am riding John pretty hard, he boats one and is eling better then boats another and starts sticking his chest out, we roll into some shallow stu and something bust the snot out o my MGM #106 weenie and o it goes, up comes a beautiul 3.48 lady with just the hint o a rubbed tail, John has allen strangely silent and is now chruning the lake into a roth, we take no more and head in or my appointment, john throws me onto a pier at bridge bay and roars o westbound back out.. HAVE A GOOD DAY JOHN AND I WILL NEED PHOTOGRAPHIC PROOF OF ANY FISH CAUGHT heh heh heh
    City: Redding

Friday, March 23rd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 51-56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: in at Bailey Cove at 715 AM with John Coyle the MGM worm man, boy was I pumped, this gentleman is a local legend, water up to 25.30 t and 51 degrees at the ramp , rran over to one o john's spots south o bridge bay and i barley have the trolling motor down when he is hollering, already had one on a small smallmouth, back in he goes or another and my bait is just getting to the bottom, in ten minutes he has three and I have egg on my ace, get a little tap and set on a 2.4 on my MGM #109 at weenie, now I am eeling better, we run down the bank and he picks up three more all about 1.4 to 1.6. We pull out and head or another o his spots over in Big Back bone and I see the temp starting to climb, we roll up he makes two casts and bangs another about 1.9. I dont get anything here so we move over to another o my spots and the un began, we both cast and are immediately bit, both carbon copy 2.0's. We move just a little arther and I tag a 2.9,then a 2.8 and john hits three more around two. Start moving again and I pitch a chartreuse spinner bait with chartreuse blades(willow lea) that John made and get a tremendous hit in 8t and up comes a very bright 3.1. Now he wants his spinner bait back! We keep at it or some more and then john hands me a #89 raspberry red 4 inch hooktail and I make one toss and snatch a solid 3.2 lber, boy am I eeling good. My best ive so ar go 14.4, out best 7 are at 17.9lbs. We meet up with my riend John McNemar who is pounding them pretty good also on MGM worms. I switch to my rainbow #99 and catch a ew more, all approaching 2.0. I take a ew photos and begin studying John's method o spplit shotting. He makes his own lead and it is quite interesting, gonna have to get some o them. He has quite a touch, we head home with the temp up to 56. Notice I didn't say exactly where we went, it John's spot so i will leave that out or a bit. Lots o olks out trout trolling, I had one on mysel or a bit until he jumped o at the boat, The salmon bite at the dam is on, ish are 25 t at daybreak and sink to 80 eet by 10 am, most are using cut anchovy.
    City: Redding

    Tips: blades and cranks are going to be hot in a ew days, it is STARTING ound ish in 8 to 35 eet.

Thursday, March 22nd, 2001

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    Water Temp: 52-56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: the lake continue to warm and rise at about 8- 10 inches per day, put in at Baley Cove and ran over to Squaw creek to the same spots as yesterday, zip, took o or the ort creek coves and poked around the submerged islands, lots o ish but no takers, ran over to cone point and tossed in the 3 inch MGM witches t with a curly tail and something nice smacked it on the way down, up comes a 2.9 spot with a lot o spunk, no more pressure bites now! Rolled north a bit and picked up a 1.9 spot on a rainbow #99 near Frenchmen, not a lot o action but the quality was better, lake up to 26.20t and the wrmest stu I could ind was mid channel in Squaw Creek at 56 degrees, lots o olks out ishing and I talked to two guys who hadn't caught anything, tossed them some MGM,s and they pulled o away and the back seater boated a 1.6 right o the bat, ran home to prepare or a radio talk show done locally and did that at 4pm, it came o well and I have an invitation to return. Going out tomorrow with the master o the split shot rig, John Coyle, can't wait to pick his brain on the split shot style. He only has 30 years o experience so i might need a ew more dozen lessons. Hey, big Daddy, I caught that smallmouth yesterday on that big submerged log o that rock wall u were ishing last sunday.
    City: Redding

Wednesday, March 21st, 2001

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    Water Temp: 51-55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out with John McNemar this am out o bridge bay at 6AM, not much wind, lkae up to 26.80t, ran over to a point in the McCloud, both o us got jerked but no hook up, moved over to Squaw Creek on a point behind Horse Creek point where I collected a 1.5 on a MGM witches t 3inch curly tail, ran across Squaw Creek to arock wall just north o Frenchmen Gulch and popped a nice smallmouth on an MGM #109 4 inch at weenie, John then boated a similiar ish on an MGM green ghost II curly tail 4 inch worm. Caught 4 more, 3 on the MGM #109 and one on the rainbow #99, to 1.8 l;bs ended up with 7 total when I got sick at 11AM, I orgot to eat something in the morning and the hypoglycemia(low blood sugar0 kicked in and knocked me or a loop. John hustled me back to bridge bay where I inhaled a snickers and went home. We are getting close to the spawn, another 5 degrees or so should set them spots o
    City: Redding

Sunday, March 18th, 2001

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I appreciate you guys making reports or the weekend because I need all the help I can get. I ished all day Sunday or 9 ish and 8 o them weren't caught until ater 2:30. The eight ish I caught in the aternoon were in iteen eet along a mudline. They took a our-inch blue worn on a split shot rig. All the ish were 12" to 14".
    City: Weaverville

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    Water Temp: low 50s

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Federation tourney, draw team event. Caught ish all day, probably over 40 between my boater and I. We ished steep rocky banks all day. Started with brown jigs and drop shotting 6" worms in a oxblood red color. Early ish were the smallest, mostly around 13-14". As day progressed, we switched to smaller worms, drop shotting 3" shad pattern baits and the size o the ish increased. Limit by 0830 and culled probably 15 dierent times to get a six ish limit at 10.87#. Our biggest ish was only 2.10# and the rest were a bunch o 15" clones. Winning weight was 13.40# with a big ish o 2.65#. All ish we caught seemed to be aggressive small bucks. Couldn't seem to get the atter emales to bite today.
    City: Redding

    Tips: Fish were tight to the bank and wanted a slow presentation.

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    Water Temp: 46-53

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: just inished ishing a club tourney with the Castro Valley Bass Classics, winning boater weight was 21.3 lbs and the winning non-boater had a little over 22 lbs, the boater winner, Scott Lagan used a MGM #26 witches t in a curly tail or most o his ish. the Rainbow #99 caught a bunch or me and a ew others, the average ish went about 1.75 lbs and many were caught. the lake is up to 26.5 t and has warmed considerably in the past 5 days, most ish were ound in 17-25 t and o red mud banks, islands and rock walls in all arms, we used split shot, dropshot, darter heads and jigs, the darter heads seemed to be the best way to go, had a dinner last night at RC's steakhouse across room Phils and everybody had a good time, Mr Joh Coyle, the owner o MGM Lures sent in a bunch o worms or the club members as gits and most seemed very pleased, especialy Scott Lagan, godd job Scott! Big Daddy was here and was a pain in the ----!
    City: Redding

Friday, March 16th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 46-48

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out with big daddy( gary delbridge) to prepare or the castro valley bass classics tourney on Sat and Sunday, caught 4 in ten minutes in the mccloud in 25-30 t, lake up to 27.20 t and starting to warm up, mine came on an MGM #109 weenie, gary was dropshotting his own secret stu, water clearing in the lower arms, 5 knot wind out o the north, temp going in was 46, coming out was 67, Scott Lagan also up or the same event popped 6 in the McCloud on a MGM witches T 3inch curly tail and 4 inch aarons magic worm on a drop shot. Out agian tomorrow and sunday
    City: Redding

Wednesday, March 14th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 48

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: In at Jones Valley at 1pm. Jerry, that must have been you I met on Dry Creek Road towing that purty white/red Ranger.I headed to a spot where I caught a 2.5 pounder last week directly across rom the rock pile at the mouth o the Pit. Spent 3 hours in the general area with a carolina rigged twin tail Yamamoto and did not raise a strike (it worked last week). Even tried drop-shotting a live night crawler, a technique I've used in the past to locate deep ish, but no takers. I could see 'em on my electronices, but no luck. Tired o the wind, I headed due north to a cove at the mouth o the Squaw around 4:30 and ound glassy water AND ish. Went to my trusty tube with a split-shot inserted into the cavity and got 5 ish in an hour and lost as many more, none smaller than 14 inches with 15 1/2 inch the biggest. The encouraging point is that I missed double that many at least. The "take" was undetectable most o the time, but the "spit-out" was unmistakable. I literally had a take on nearly every cast. And they were SHALLOW! It was like ishing Shasta in April or May. Many takes were nearly right at the shore line. I kept getting hit until darkness orced me in.
    City: Palo Cedro

    Tips: Is the spring pattern here? Sure seemed like it today. My bait o choice is BPS Magnum Flippin Tubes in pumpkin pepper and green pumpkin. Slip a split-shot inside the tube about hal way, so it will quiver and circle on the drop. Watch your line! Set the hook on the aintest o resistance.

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    Water Temp: 46-48

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out with John Mcnemar again in my boat this time, got in at Jones Valley at 615 am, ramp parking is just about done or, maybe 7 spots let, air temp 39, waster ast 46 and the lake is asround 27.20t, not rising as ast as the dam is starting to dump at a higher rate. Ran up the pit to the area near Flat Creek where john popped a 2.1 spot on a 6 inch brown jig in 31t o wster, I had somehits on my bps twin tail grub but they let go, moved inside a cove and took a 1.8 out o a creek channel in 17 t, we banged asround a bit then ran downstream near Arbuckle where I got out my MGM 3 inch beaver tail in witches T and banged 5 in a row in twenty minutes to 1.8, john lays down his jig rod and orders up some o my worms, I hand him some #125 MGM's in green ghost 2 in a 4 inch curly tail and he gets bit right o the bat. John has not ished worms much but this aternoon changed his mind. Had to hide my MGM's. We ran back down to jones valley and the water temp had risen 2 degrees since the put in , out o the water at 1235. might rain a llittle tomorrow, this weekend promises blue bird days and little wind, it is still very cold in the AM running upstream. the early ish were standard rubbe band pull downs, the later ish were hitting with some authority.
    City: Redding

Tuesday, March 13th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 45-47

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: went out into the McCloud with John McNemar, a gentleman I met one day about a month ago in the Pit, out o Bridge Bay at 0545, temp 39 with a 10 knot wind out o the north but no problem in John's Sea Ray witha windshield, lake up to 27.80 t and the McCloud is clering up, ran up near Shallow point or a smallmouth and a spot real quick to 1.8lbs on a brown jig(john) and a rainbow 99 (aka big daddy special)me, went up urther to Nosoni creek where John popped two more spots to 1.6 on his jig,, ran back downstream to Smugglers where I managed to catch up with john with another spot and one dink and that was that. The bite or us shutdown at 10AM and we got back to Bridge Bay at 1230 so I could do my daddy duties, gonna run the Pit tomorrow up near Flat Creek, temp getting out was 67 degrees. New Bass and local tourneys this weekend and the Castro Valley Bass Club is coming up rom the Bay Area, that's Big Daddy's bunch o olks.
    City: Redding

Sunday, March 11th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 43-47

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: water murky, visibility at 2 t, in at Centimundi at 0530, 39 degrees, not much wind UNTIL 0545, it came up quickly as I was running over to Big Backbone, Ran up past sthe 5mph buoy and hit a lat that was good this time last year but the temp is much lower, 44 degrees, managed 5 dinks on the rainbow #99 (aka big daddy special) put on a 4 inch MGM weenie in color #103 or hal a dozen more dinks, wind was really cooking along until 10am when it slowed a bit. Went into Little Backbone, one tap and zip. Ran over to Deadmans gulch, nothing, ran down to the dam to check on the salmon, three boats there, not much going on, ish are deep, 120 t. got out at 1130 temp up to 61 water in main body up to 48 but we are still about 4 degrees behind last year this time. Lake up to 28.21 and still rising rapidly. Wind predicted to keep it up until thursday witha little slowing on Wed. Tomorrow is supposed to be up to 25 knots.
    City: Redding

Friday, March 9th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 43-47

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: had three e-mails this am regarding the Big Daddy Special so here's the story, My riend Gary Delbridge is the original Big Daddy. He was here a ew months back and we went ishing. He knocked the heck out o the bass with this green worm. He gave me some and went home and didn't tell me where he got the worms, everytime i ran out he would send me some more. About a month ago, Gary let the cat out o the bag on the Forum and told those who read it that the Big Daddy Special is a worm made by Rainbow Worms. The color number is #99. They come in 4 inch through 8 inch. So, or those o you asking about the Big Daddy Special, that's the whole story! It is one outstanding worm and i won't be telling anyone how he taught me to rig them! jerry
    City: Redding

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    Water Temp: 44.6-47.4

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: those are early am water temp, in the water this morning with my riend John and his Nitro at 0515 at bailey Cove, lake up to 30.60 and on the rise, water a bit dirty in the upper arms and some good sized junk loating around, wind came up at daybreak out o the north at 10-15mph, we went up the McCloud hitting points or 11 ish to 2lbs, on MGM 103 and 109 weenie worms, I didn't pitch any Big Daddy specials as I only have a ew let, olks starting showing up about 730 Am, most are pre-ishing or the Shasta Cascade event on Saturday, they expect approx 66 boats, caught ish as shallow as 10 t and down to 28 eet most were caught above 20 t, one guy reported a blade bite early beore sunrise in Hirz bay, lots o shad inside Hirz Bay right now, they generally take o as the sun comes up. Going to be a busy couple o weeks coming up, good weather reported to be on the way or the next ten days or so, the wind will be a problem.
    City: Redding

Tuesday, March 6th, 2001

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    Water Temp: 45-47

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: lake getting a bit dirty, good mudlines orming when the wind blows, in at Bailey Cove at 7AM, 42 degrees, out at 1230 at 74 degrees, wind out o the north at 15, took a riend out, his irst time in 10 years and irst time ever or bass, he managed to inally catch one and lost two others, had a tough time in the wind but he wil be back or more, he caught his on a MGM idget (green) color # 109, I had 8 to 2 lbs, 4 on the big daddy special and 4 on the MGM # 109, the biggest at 2lbs came on the MGM, over near the conluence o the pit and the McCloud, lake on the way up again at 34.90 t and rising rapidly, took ish in 21 to 34 eet, two other caught upstream in the McCloud at Smugglers, Shasta Cascade has their tournament on Saturday, a team event with entries taken until blast o at Bridge Bay, $75 per team
    City: Redding