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Sonoma Lake and Reports

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Thursday, May 1st, 2008

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    Water Temp: 59TO63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED 7AM TONOON WITH MODERATE SUCCESS..NOTHING ON REACTION BAITS EARLY...CAUGHT SEVERAL TO ABOUT 3 POUNDS ON SMALL WATERMELONRED BRUSHHOGS IN 4 TO 10 FEET OF WATER IN FRONT OF THE WEEDS...NOTHING ON A SPINNERBAIT AFTER THE WIND PICKED UP..CAUGHT ONE MORE SMALL FISH ON A NORMANS CRANKBAIT AND THAT WAS IT...A FRONT WAS MOVING THROUGH AND RAIN BEGAN TO FALL AT 11AM.. TUFF BITE TODAY ... BUT IF YOU WANT TO CATCH MORE FISH GO 6 OR 8 POUND TEST LINE SMALL WEIGHTS
    OR NO WEIGHT AND PEG THE HEADS OF YOUR WORMS......
    City: SANTA ROSA

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 62-66

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: THis year has been the best year The lake is fishing real good and weve hade some fine days all month with the exeption of 1 skunked trip. Jimmy got his p.b. here last year I got my sonoma p.b. 7-9lbs we had no scale but she was big.And the numbers are real good hope it keeps up its been fun. Ieven brang a buddy yesterday who rarely fishes and he roped um and lost a true giant 10+ right at the boat broke 12lb test he had a blast
    City: Guerneville

    Tips: use your imagination a lot of stuff works I refuse senkos too slow right know for this Stunna! I know youll be readin this J the Stunna is for you!!!!

Monday, April 28th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: We arrived at the lake at 7am. The weather had been hot (mid 80

    Tips: <a href="http://www.russnyders.com/">Rus Snyders Guide Service</a>

Saturday, April 26th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 60 - 65

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: I fished the back of the boat Saturday. The day warmed up to about 75

    Tips: There are some really big fish to be caught that are either moving on to or off of beds. These fish are suspended in vertical laying trees.

Friday, April 25th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 55-59

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the lake from 4-23 to 4-25. Temps were from 55 in the morning to 59 in the afternoon. Baits of choice were jigs, senkos and dropshot.
    Decided to explore the lake from top to bottom. On Wednesday it rained most of the day and we fished the southwest end of the lake. We found some fish in 5 to 15 feet but no size to speak of top fish was 2.5. Thursday fished the main body and found it to be more productive especially in the early morning, fish were more shallower for the first couple of hours of fishing plus the fish were more cooperative during slight wind spurts. The size of the fish on the main lake seemed about 1 to 2 pounds on average. On Friday we fished the upper lake around Yorty creek. Fishing was a little harder but the quality was a bit better. We only fished a half day but our 2 top fish were 2.5.
    City: South San Francisco

    Tips: Most of the fish are in a pre-spawn stage and are slowly moving up. The lake needs to have a good warmup period maybe that has just begun. Fish your baits slow. None of the fish caught showed any signs of bedding and most were pale.

Saturday, April 12th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 57-61

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished 4/11 and 4/12 on Sonoma. Took out Rus Snyders on 4/11 and experienced a fantastic bite on big fish in the morning fishing about 20' of water off a creek channel. We hooked multiple fish from 3-7lbs, but for whatever reason lost several of the larger ones right at the boat. Our best 5 WOULD have gone 25+lbs had we landed them all. The rest of the day was scratch fishing for mostly smaller fish w/ a couple decent ones. Took out Rick from Lake Mary, FL on 4/12. The water temp was up and my big fish school had disappeared. We poked around all day and landed about 15 fish to 3 1/2lbs. Just couldnt locate the quality bites we wanted. Most fish came out of 15-20', with only a few small fish shallow. We caught them on t-rigged and carolina rigged brush hogs, a couple on dropshotted senkos, and two ripping a Staysee.
    City: Novato

    Tips: The fish have yet to push up in force. The better fish seem to be just about ready, but still holding deeper. From what we saw and experienced, the majority of shallow fish are small males.

Friday, April 11th, 2008

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    Water Temp: mid to high 50'

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: After a crappy day at Clear Lake yesterday, my friend Paul talked me into going to Sonoma. I

    Tips: <a href="http://www.russnyders.com/">Rus Snyders Guide Service</a>

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: I mean the wind at Sonoma?
    City: Pacifica

Friday, April 4th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 59

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Caught about 13 greenbacks and 2 nice smallies in the Warm Springs arm mostly on shaky heads in 5 to 15ft. Biggest was 5.2 about a 16 -17lb. limit. Good midday bite!
    City: Cotati

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    Water Temp: 52-58

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: We fished the Warm Springs arm. We caught about 20 fish. No hot lure but a mix of splitshot 4 inch worms, blades, ripbaits, senkos, and swimbaits. We caught fish from the bank to 15 feet. Best five went mabey 12lbs
    City: South San Francisco

    Tips: Drag the splitshot on the points and through senkos into the cover. If the wind picks up they will eat the spinnerbait. The blade fish were better quality.

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    Water Temp: 57-58

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Hey Dave-It was windy, but not too bad. About 20-25mph, off and on. Anyways, got three, and missed a lot of bites. Main lake around trees on weightless senko in dark colors, one on blue/blk jig in Yorty. All fish 5-10ft of water.
    City: San Anselmo

    Tips: Try and get back in the coves, out of wind. Keep the line tight.

Monday, March 31st, 2008

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    Water Temp: 55TO 57

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: THE BIG MAMAS ARE ON THE BANKS.THE KEY IS NOT GO FISHING UNTIL NOON..LET THE SUN WARM THE BANK AND THEN POUND IT WITH A WACKY WORMED GREEN OR DARK COLORED SENKO..I ALSO USE ORANGE OR WHITE SMELLY JELLY..THE BITE IS VERY SUTTLE AND ALL YOU WILL FEEL IS WEIGHT..REEL DOWN AND SET THE HOOK..HOLD ON TIGHT I HAVE NOT CAUGHT SMALL FISH IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS..THEY WELL TAKE OFF FOR DEEP WATER AS SOON AS THEY ARE HOOKED.
    City: SANTA ROSA

    Tips: STICK TO SENKOS I THREW EVERYTHING AT THEM AND THEY WERE THE ONLY THING THAT WORKED

Sunday, March 30th, 2008

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    Water Temp: ???

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: the wind was blowing good so went back in to an arm. Up near warm springs fish drop shot,cranks,chatterbaits,and jigs. Most fish came on drop shotting and watermelen w/red &purple flake and a watermelon jigs in submergered timber get outt of the wind and fish wood.
    City: castro valley

    Tips: If it windy dont test it it was blowing lke crazy out there.Try to not get snagged in the wood. Lost the only jig that was working today.

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 54

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launched my boat last Friday for the first time this year to make sure everything was working good. On the first crank it started right up and proceeded to the Dam and caught a beautiful 3.5 prespawn smallie on a brwn/org crawdad pattern crankbait. The water was really clear at the Dam but still cold. Went into Cherry(water stained) throwing jigs, swimbaits and crankbaits with no success. Tried the same patterns up Dry Creek with no takers and then headed back to main lake and cranked a 4lb.LM on the same bait. Went back to Dam and cranked a 2.5 LM on a red crawdad speed trap and called it a day at 12 noon. Like the previous report the reaction baits worked best but when the water warms the senko, worm and swimbait bite should bust wide open.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: The Redwood Empire Bass Club is welcoming new members both boaters and non boaters to fish our tournaments with us. Please join us at our next meeting On April 9th at 7p.m. at the Rohnert Park Community Center at the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. Our guest speaker will be Pat Wilson from Penngrove. Pat has fished over 30 Tournaments as a co-angler in the FLW Series and has won five tournaments and over $116,000 in career earnings since 2000. He will be sharing all his winning techniques he has used fishing as a backseater. Our next Tournament will be at Clear Lake on April 19th and I expect someone will weigh in a 30lb. limit. For more info log onto rebc.net or call me at 707-758.5972.

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    Water Temp: 58-62

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: All the reports ive been reading have been keepin me away from here.Cold muddy no visibility etc. MY buddy and I just wanted to get the boat in the water so we really were expecting the worse. As soon as we drove over the bridge I could tell the water was clear. dropped in ran the boat to warm her up and headed for main lake across from the marina. A tuber said he was cathchin smallies on a shad rap. We crancked ratte traps and misc.cranckbaits. Broke a nice one off on a bluegill DT 16 it was a strong fish. Followed with a senko and pulled a 2lb smallie. we tried alot of different stuff in the same area but nothing .my partner lost one on a 3/8 jig in shallow water. We went to warm spring side to try some feeder creeks. One lost fish all the way back in the creek that was a senko fish I had hooked and reeled and then nothing. Didnt even feel it shake off. We decided to try some rock piles that have done well in the past. I immediately hooked up on strike king #3 bleeding shad. My partner hooked up a4lber on a flat DT-10 shad pattern his first good fish of the year. High fives were in the air. Wished we had more time but the trolling motor battery wasnt charged fully oops. We had a good time but cut short I think we coulg of had a pattern goin but when a battery is dead what do ya do.
    City: Guerneville

    Tips: Fish when you can fish dont always belive what you read judge for yourself. Ive already had a few good days this year in some of the "worse conditions" cold muddy water, bluebird skies,cold fronts, etc. Go when you can even if the weater seems unfavorible ITs all up to the fish when there biting there biting no matter what the focast is Time on the water=fish in the boat

Sunday, March 16th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished for three hours on Sunday afternoon in the 5 to 20 foot range in Warm Springs Arm. Used drop shot, carolina rig, split shotted a worm, and jigs but no bite. Bass must be deeper than 20 feet.
    City: Novato

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 52 TO55

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: THE MUD STILL HASNT SETTLED OUT YET. FISHING WAS BETTER LAST WEEK . I HAD 9 HITS AND LANDED 7.THIS WEEK THE FISH WERE IN THE SAME GENERAL AREAS BUT THERE SEEM TO BE LESS OF THEM.I HOOKED 4 AND LANDED 3 IN THE 2 TO 3 POUND RANGE. TRIED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING AND WACKY WORMED SENKOS DID THE TRICK.FISH TREES AND BRUSH PILES THE FISH ARE TIGHT TO COVER.NO OPEN BANK FISH YET. I THINK ITS STILL A COUPLE WEEKS AWAY.WE NEED SEVERAL DAYS OF 70 PLUS DEGREES.
    City: SANTA ROSA

    Tips: STICK TO SENKOS IN DARK COLORS AND USE SMELLY JELLY.

Friday, March 7th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 51 - 58

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: In the morning, my fishing partner and I started fishing up the Warm Springs arm. Water temp was 52

    Tips: It appears the fish are starting to stage in deep water and getting ready to move up to the shallower water as the temperature goes up. If the bite is tough, try downsizing.

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

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    Water Temp: 53

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Two members of the Redwood Empire Bass Club fished last Friday afternoon and landed five bass up to 3lbs. caught on crankbaits. As the water warms and gets clearer the big females should start staging for spawn soon.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: The Redwood Empire Bass Club is welcoming new members both boaters and non boaters to fish with us at our next tournament at the Delta on March 22nd. Please join us at our next meeting on March 12th at 7p.m. at the Rohnert Park Community Center at the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. Our guest speaker will be Sieg Taylor from Clear Lake sharing his swim bait techniques that helped him win the WON Clear Lake Pro Am last year with 62.96 lbs. For more info log onto rebc.net or call me at 707.758.5762.

Sunday, March 2nd, 2008

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    Water Temp: 53.1 surface

    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished on Sunday in the Warm Springs arm. Picked up one around 4lbs. Started back toward the island fishing points. Picked up 10 fish total one upwards of 5lbs. Best 5 for 18 lbs.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Fished slow using jigs and brush hogs with brass and glass.