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Sonoma Lake and Reports

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Sunday, September 19th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 70

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Contrary to the previous report the reaction bite was awesome on Saturday. With over cast skies and ripple on the water the condions were perfect for crankbaits and top water.First fish cranking went 4lbs. and my partners was 3.7lbs.Cranked a bunch of 2lbs. along with some dinks but mostly keepers.Tried top water and immediately got a blow up which went 2.5lbs.and continued to get fish with some big fish blow ups that missed the bait.Overall best five went 16lbs.Caught over 30 fish between us.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Crankbaits and top water in trees and grass beds from five to fifteen feet.

Saturday, September 18th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 69-71

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hit the lake today to see how the bite might be in September. Fished points, coves, sand, mud, rocks, weeds with everything in the tackle box and ended up with nothing but dinks and one keeper to 1.5lbs. Had a 4lber follow a spinner up to the boat and snap at it right there, but it missed. Had another follow a black and blue jig to the boat, but no hits. This lake continues to baffle me.
    City: San Mateo

    Tips: Still learning this body of water, so unfortunately, I have nothing to offer here.

Sunday, September 5th, 2004

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went up to Sonoma friday morning at about 0800. Was worried about getting a late start, but found fish right away off of points and thick grass beds in about 10' of water. Ended up with about 20 fish total, 18 came on a deep running crankbait in shad color, and 2 on a dropshot. Was a pretty good day until i came back to the parking lot and found the drivers window on my pickup smashed in. Had 40+ cds stolen plus my wallet and cell phone which were in the glove box. Was out in my float tube at Yorty when it happened, and i was the only car in the parking lot when i got there. The sheriff said that this has been happening a lot lately at yorty and the main launch ramp. DO NOT leave anything valuable in your vehicle, because it may walk away on you. Nothing was visible, but they busted out the window anyway. They also ran up over $800 on my credit cards before i had a chance to cancel them.
    City: R.P.

    Tips: The crankbait bite is hot right now. I couldnt get any to go on topwater, but they are chasing shad all over the place. All fish caught were fat and healthy and looked like they had been gorging themselves on shad. Be careful what you leave in your truck, some piece of $#&@ might decide to take it.

Friday, August 20th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 75

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took the afternoon off work and headed to the lake around 1:30. I fished around mid-lake tossing a jig and a crankbait around some trees. Started out slow until I came upon a bare bank holding a lot of fish while cranking. Switched to a drop shot and caught several small bass, not much over a pound, but fun on 6 lb test. After several dinks, I headed down to the "S" turns and fished the rock banks and trees. Landed a few more on a jig and drop shot. As the sun started to set, I tried some top water, but no action, although I did have a couple blow ups on a frog over some weed. Off the lake by 8:00. Overall a great afternoon without too much boat traffic.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: If you are looking for numbers, drop shot around the trees. Use your graph along the banks and when you start marking fish drop shot 4"-6" worms. Best colors were watermelon & pumpkin.

Saturday, August 14th, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Started out about 7am caught 2 right away on rattle trap pitching towards clusters of trees. Then 2 more later on trolling with deep diving rapala. Seemed to surface early for shad, but died out around 10 to 11.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Try taking long casts into the deeper areas when it gets hot.

Thursday, July 29th, 2004

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    Water Temp: ...............

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: got there at about 8:30 it was nice cold in the morining then got hot at 11:00 the fisging was good but the bitting really hard to hook only cought 1 samllie
    City: south san francisco

    Tips: find a really quiet are try lucky craft and plastics

Thursday, July 1st, 2004

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Out in my tube today. Fished from the public ramp out on the main lake.Only fished about a mile of shoreline. Great topwater bite until about 9am. Lots of smallies and largemouth to 2 lbs. After the wind started up, senkos were working well. Only caught largemouth, but they were all between 3 and 4 lbs, with one going 7 lbs. Nice fish. After 13:00, very few bites on senkos. Switched to ripbaits. Good thing I switched, mostly smallies 2-4 lbs with 1 at 5.2 lbs. Thats the largest smallie I've ever caught at Sonoma.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Fish slow with plastics. Fish fast with ripbaits.
    Just wish the water skiers and jet skis would stay at least 50 yds from me.Some sure do pull a huge wake.

Monday, June 14th, 2004

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got to the lake around 5:00 PM and fished until just about dark. Got three nice ones from shore, the last one was close to four pounds and I had an audience yelling and honking their truck horn. Nice fish. Beautiful hot afternoon. Tried some top water, but no takers or swirls.
    City: San Rafael

    Tips: Senko Senko Senko all three were on the same #214.
    Catch and release....my friends think I'm crazy

Sunday, June 13th, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Dropshottin Dave, You are legal if you were fishing with a partner. Limit is five fish PER PERSON.

Saturday, June 12th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 71

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Fished our local club event and fishing was fair. But this report is about the big suprise we got while fishing. We fished the Dry Creek arm and had just put a fish in the livewell that gave us our limits. We were ready to start culling (boy there are some skinny fish out there right now) when a boat with two Game Wardens pulled alongside and asked us if we had any fish. We told them we each had a limit and were culling fish. They proceded to inform us that we were now illegal for "highgrading" which is not allowed in California. We were shocked! I've been fishing tournaments for 7-8 years now and that was the first time I'd ever heard that. We questioned them a little but not too much since it became obvious we wern't going to get a ticket. We made a call to DFG in Yountville this morning and they confirmed the ruling.
    It goes like this: you can have up to 4 bass in your livewell and still keep fishing. Once you put that 5th fish in the well, you are limited out and MUST stop fishing. Culling bass with five fish in you livewell is illegal even in a tournament. I know there are a lot of you out there with a lot more tourney experience than me but I'm sure that we all put 5 fish in the "well" before culling to improve your weight before the weigh-in. I asked how all the major circuts get away with that but they just shrugged and said it's still illegal in California.
    I don't know where to go from here...obviously our local club will have to change our by-laws to accomodate this new revelation and I would like to know if other Bass Clubs will be doing anything too.
    City: Ukiah

    Tips: Watch out for the Game Wardens if you are culling with five fish. As for the fishing--topwater in the A.M. and deep plastics afternoon.

Saturday, June 5th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 70-71

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Headed out around 5 pm Saturday evening to avoid all the ski boats. We decided to start up the Warm Springs arm since I haven't fished there in a while and before I could get the trolling motor in the water, my buddy Max was reeling in a fish. Then on my first cast I caught a 12" bass and 2 cast later a 14" keeper. We were both tossing blades and continued to catch about a dozen fish up to 3 lbs within our first 30 minutes. The wind was howling all evening which made it very tough. After dark the bite really slowed down and we only managed a few fish. Off the water around 12:30.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Reaction bite is going strong around the windy points. Fish in the evenings to avoid the boat traffic. For plastics, try brush hogs or grubs.

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2004

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    Water Temp: i forgot

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: started kinda late. took out my grandpa and can't do the 4am fishing trips. so i left the city at 630am got on the lake at 8 and started fishing around 830.....well i had a good time and he told me he did too..i limited out around 12 noon.
    the only problem i had was getting my grandpa into some fish..i got 6 and then he got a dink. i wonder how guides do it...
    he was using all my stuff and all my equiptment is pretty good, shimano reels and lOOMis rods...maybe he is just rusty...i'll fix dat..
    i left kinda early because my grandpa wanted to get off the water. he told me, "grandson we got our limit let's go have lunch"....my response ..sure grandpa =)...
    City: san francisco

    Tips: well..........keep in contact with your lure!!!..i fished deep...i always fish deep or most of the time....if you can teach your grandpa how to catch a limit in 5 hours, maybe u should be a guide....i want to......

Sunday, May 30th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Launch was empty upon arrival @5:48am, we even got to use the dock. Wind was kicking at 20 knots & water was rolling! Fished points & wood directly across ramp. Very slow & no big fish,Post spawn & fish are back in to hibernate mode. All the campgrounds full, no bass boats out today, guess they know when to stay away. Worked up & down te lake, should've stayed home type of day. Caught & released about 10 fish pushing 3 #'s. Soon as sun warmed up Skiers came out in droves, roiling waster & making the shoreline muddy. I think it's time to hang it up for the year & start applying for your out of state tags & concentrate on Salmon. See Ya Next Year!
    City: san francisco

    Tips: STAY HOME.

Saturday, May 29th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 66

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: didn't have a lot of time to fish so headed out from the marina in a rowboat to shore. the water is real clear, you can see atleast 10 ft down in most areas, but there is heavy mudline. on the shore across from the marina i picked up a 1 1/2 lber rigiht away swimming a brown jig through the mudline. fished some more mudline but didn't get anything. next, i went on to the mainlake, and turned right around, it was a lot windier than i thought and without a trolling motor i wasn't going to try it. came back by the marina and fished a rocky point. Second cast to it fishing about 20 ft. down, caught a 3 1/2 lber dropshotting a senko. that was it besides one other hit on a jig, little fish just bit the trailer off.
    City: windsor

    Tips: find cover in atleast 10+ ft. of water. slow presentations, jigs, dropshotting, carolina rigging etc.

Tuesday, May 25th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: got up to the lake at about 7:20 and headed up to dry creek area. we fished in yorty creek, and found 2 bass on drop shot and senko, then went to warm springs and got 4 more on same lures. so on a rating of 1-10 id give today a 3 or 4. i dont know what happened, i guess it was just too cold.

    Tips: caught bass on points, and rip rap and near wood.

Saturday, May 22nd, 2004

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    Water Temp: 62 - 67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the northern part of the lake today. Caught most of our fish after the sun came out (1:00pm or so) ... fish were in 4 - 20 feet of water holding close to brush and laydowns on or near points. 13 keepers for 3 people with the best going 3 lbs (on a senko). 4 were just barely keepers, the rest were healthy 1.5 - 2 lb fish - all largemouth. Splitshotting and Senko's were our keys. Didn't get any bites on spinnerbaits, top water or crankbaits. Got one nice 2 pounder on a brown jig.
    City: San Mateo

    Tips: Cast in tight to submerged brush and laydowns

Friday, May 21st, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took the tube up to sonoma today. Got in at about 6:15 and fished the marina area. Picked up a total of 11 fish including 4 or 5 smallmouth which was kind of fun. Most were between 1 and 2 pounds with a 3.6 and a 3.0 smallmouth thrown in. Got bit off just about every piece of wood I threw to. They seemed to be sucked up pretty tight to cover in about 2-10' of water. Got a pretty good bite going real early with a buzzbait, and the rest came on senkos and Luckycraft staysee. Most bites were very subtle, so you just had to watch your line. Best part of the day was 3lb steelhead off of a flat on the staysee. Was off the water at about 12:00 when the wind started kicking up.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: They were much more active today than I have seen in the past few weeks, and were sitting on the outside edge of the laydowns. Great morning on the water, too bad the wakeboarders are showing up soon.

Sunday, May 16th, 2004

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    Water Temp: About 65-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took a break from my Saltwater fishing and did some Freshwater fishing. Got to the Lake at 6:15am, windy with whitecaps, fished coves for protection. Fish seemed to be mostly near or in the wood closer to the points. Fished Senkos dark colors any size but we caught fish on spinnerbaits, dropshotting and jigs. Fished Yorty and Cherry Creeks at about 10 am fish were closed to main channels. All fish were small in 1#+ range but it was fun. Fish were in the mostly caught in about 8 to 15 feet of water. Like to thank Frank for his reports and information it certainly help make our fishing day alot of fun!
    City: SoSF

    Tips: Go early leave early or stay late, launching is a bear!!!! Have patients, fish are there but spooky. Do not fish with 50+ braid too much wood!!! Enjoy the Lake!

Saturday, May 15th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 65-67

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Back again on Saturday afternoon for the REBC T.O.C. Fished from 2pm-1am. The wind really kicked up makeing it tough to keep the boat in position. Tried to repeat Thursday's spinnerbait bite, but no action. The wind was out of the north Saturday, but from the south on Thursday which may have affected the bite. Started throwing senkos and landed 2 keepers in Brush and Yorty. Fished Cherry for a while then ran south to the Warm Springs arm. Caught several more keepers on brush hogs. Finished the night with 10.5 lbs for 5 fish. Top dog went 20 lbs for 5 throwing brush hogs. Check out some photos at www.rebc.net
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Fish really slow and drag the bottom. Never felt several bits, just saw my line move or the line got heavy. Brush hogs in dark colors. If the wind calms down try some top water, buzz baits or poppers if calm. The spawners are all done so fish the points and outer areas of the coves and secondary points. Main lake area should also produce.

Thursday, May 13th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 64-65

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Made my trek up to Sonoma thursday afternoon, very windy. I went for the late bite starting at 2:30pm and fished until 10:00pm. I decided to run to Brush Creek and caught 3 fish in the first half hour on a spinnerbait around wood and lost one about 3 lbs. I stuck with the blade for a while searching for bass since I was fishing a club tourney Saturday. Then went up Dry Creek and saw some cruisers, had a few bites, but no keepers. Then went into Cherry Creek for a few small fish and had some top water action after the sun set. Couldn't find the big ones, but ended with a small limit.
    Water temp was 64-65 in most areas, but I did find some water near 68 in Cherry.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Weightless Senkos when its calm or on a jig head in the wind. Brush hogs will also produce.