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Saturday, October 12th, 2002

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    Water Temp: cool

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Hit Sonoma with the little woman or my 33rd birthday Thrus night thru Sat night. Camped at Thumb...was very, very quiet until Sat aternoon. No one was on that arm until Saturday...pure ishing bliss...plus the little lady got naked or swimming! Fishing was interesting...and majorly dierent than any other Sonoma trip I've done...ALL SMALLMOUTH ACTION.Friday hit 4 smallies, all about 1-2 lbs, and all nice ighters or their size. Saturday got me 2 more, plus saw 2-3 steelhead running the channel into Skunk, and many rainbows(small). No luck trolling Needleish, KwickSilvers, and Blue Fox lures. For the Smallies I threw grubs, senkos, dropshot and lipped. Not much on that selection(blue, green senkos 4" and green w/ red lake twin tailed grubs dropped and darterheads). The best lure ALL WEEKEND was...well...I have to save that one. Keep yer worms, grubs, spinners, and spoons in the tackle box boys and think rattle-traps.Also, i you are thinking about camping in October, think WARM equipment. The days are beautiul, but the nights cool WAY down with that Lake Sonoma wind. I brought my mountianeering 4 season GeoDome tent, 30deg bags, and leese and was comortable. Good luck!
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Diving, lipped rattle-traps. Can't tell you the make or color since I'm going back next week!

Monday, September 30th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 61 - 70

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: John and I went out to celebrate his quitting his job!John got the irst ish @ 10:10 on a Joe Divola special (oxblood hand pour) at Jimmy's point on the east side o the north end. Then we went to eel good rock (10:55) and got hit a good group o small LMB's John hit one on his lucky rattle trap and I got one on a 1/8 oz white spinner bait. Ten minutes later a double, same baits or each or us. Farther south I got another on a ire tiger shad rap and then one on a senko. This one made John crack up. It was a small 1+ LMB and he said "it is barely hooked want me to net it? just then I thought no I'll just lip it quickly over the SNAP! broke another one. Hey that's one reason you never go bass ishing with just one rod. Glad these things have a warranty!All in all a un day 4 ish in the boat each, plusa a couple "almost got it to the boats" no size to speak o. Wind ater 2:00 kind o sucked and we didn't land one ater that, not rom lack o eort.
    City: Paciica

    Tips: Throw it right in ront o them i you can ind them and they'll hit it. 8 ish caught on 6 dierent baits. Fish in both shallow structure and deeper water (15-30). As always all ish released although one rom the rattle trap had a pretty sore lip.

Monday, September 16th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 71

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished saturday 9/14/02 with a riend rom 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. I caught two ish (largest 2.8 lbs.), one at 9 a.m. and one at 2 p.m., both drop shotting with a worm. No top water bite, or takes on brush hogs, jigs, or lures. First ish caught just outside the weeds, and second ish deep. My riend caugth one ish deep, also drop shotting with a worm. Tough ishing.
    City: Novato

Sunday, September 15th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 68-71

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Went with my son Tom (in out boat) to celebrate Jimmy's 12th birthday with his dad John (snag)and uncle Jim (Sonoma ledgend - in the other boat).Got on the water at 8:00 and the og was real thick went towards the dam and tried there or an hour until driving was sae. Headed north and stopped at a point w/good structure on the east side. 9:10 Tom has the irst ish (very important) his irst smallie! Then Uncle Jim hooks a small LMB. Then it is John's turn another small LMB. Funny they both neglected to let the birthday reel in their prize ish. Then I stuck a 3.8lb LMB and Jimmy got one o his own - It was a beautiul LMB that was released beore photographed or weighed but must have been at least 5lbs. Went north to Happy Cove, Uncle Jim hit a couple small LMB's and Jimmy hit Pogey (blue gill). We moved all the way north and ound the water too shallow so we ished the rock wall on the west side. Jim and Jimmy hit on a double, a 2 lb and a small one! Shortly ater that John hit his third LMB and we were heading south. Stopped at a cove on the east side to avoid the never ending wind and Tom got back in the game with a 1.7lb smallie - great ighters! Then I hid another LMB, big belly on this one. Jim and Jimmy hit another. We ended the day with 17 ish and I believe 87 snags and break-os or the snag amily. Jimmy won the stick ishing portion o the day had a great birthday.

    Tips: Fish were caught on spinner baits, crank baits, plastics. spinners best on the small ones.

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: ???- HOT

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: I was up in Cherry Creek Sat, Sun & Mon morning over the Labor Day holiday weekend.Not many ish were caught but I did get a ew early in the morning on purple and brown jigs or white spinnerbaits. All the ish were less then 3 t o water and holding tight to trees mixed with rock.Lots o boat traic but the lake lice were behaving(relatively speaking) this weekend. :)
    City: Cotati

    Tips: Summer is TOUGH at Lake Sonoma. Fish early in the morning, late in the evening and at night. What I need is a tip to get my DAD ishing. 4 days on the water and he wet his line or 5 minutes... max. OY!

Friday, August 30th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 75

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Float tubing Yorty Creek, got out on the water at 7:30 AM, ished until 2PM. Hooked 8 bass, landed 4. All were in the 1 - 2.5 lb range. Had a ew hits on top water early in the morning with a ire tiger sputter bug, however, all bass were caught on a green/white/blue/black spinnerbait (small bait with carolina and willowlea blades). I didn't catch any ish on wood. All ish were holding tight to weeds, close to shore (in less than 5 eet o water).
    City: Petaluma

    Tips: Work the weedbeds early in the morning beore the boaters arrive. Good luck!

Saturday, August 10th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished with my son and daughter today. We started by trying or some o the monster catish. Set baits at 07:25 a.m. No luck and we pulled up anchors at )9:30 a.m. Went ater the black crappie and caught over 80 o them by 01:00 p.m. Caught lots o largemouth bass - did not want them, but they were on the bite - they love those small clear tube baits. One bass was over 8 pounds. We had a great day. It was a hot day - no heavy wind. Lots o boats on the lake. We took lots o photos today - digital. I you want to see the ish we can show. Lots and lots o bait ish all over the lake. Lots and lots o great weed cover or those nice big crappie. Don't bother with the bass - too easy. This lake is a blast! Anyone can catch ish here. Saludos, Wes
    City: Healdsburg

    Tips: Fish just o the weed line in 15 to 20 eet o water.

Tuesday, August 6th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 69-74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Wie and I on the water at 5:40am. First bite at 10:48am, a keeper at 13 1/2 inches, on a carolina rigged grub. 1;22pm. hooked a dink. We ished buzzbaits,crankbaits,jigs,rip baits,carolina grubs,lizards,senko's,zara spook,countdown rapala's. Covered the area rom Bucks campground in warm springs up to the narrows in dry creek. Did not spot a single school o baitish on the graph on all that area. It seems as though the lake is in a cycle o lack o ood or the population o ish seeing as there is very little cover or the bait to hide. There's hardly any weeds,brush, or tree's in the water anymore.
    City: Sebastopol

    Tips: From what I've heard rom other guy's the better plan is to night ish.

Saturday, August 3rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 75

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished Yorty Creek with my brother who came back to CA rom school. Thought it might be a good day with a topwater bite with the cloud cover but it was very cool all day. Fished rom 7:30 - 1:00 and had a rough day. Right o the bat I had a huge ish explode on a rog but set the hook too soon. Had a couple more bumps but no hookups. Towards the end o our trip missed a ish on a buzz (no trailer hook) then ended up catching a dink. My brother and I did end up catching a bunch o bluegill but nothing o note. Also noticed baitish schools on my sonar along with small schools o bass busting on the surace.A riend ended up hooking a bullrog on shore (he was obviously bored), started bringing it in, plopped it on the weedmat then BOOM. A giant bass explodes on the bullrog but when he sets the hook his rog comes lying back at him.
    City: San Francisco

    Tips: There are quality ish in the weedmats, i you can cover the water with a rog and buzz you should be able to ind some good ish. I just wasn't able to catch them!

Friday, August 2nd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 76-78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Started out Friday evening around 6:00 in the Warm Springs Arm. Hooked 1 on a crankbait, but it came unbuttoned. Kept going around and on the weed mats, but no takers. No top water action to speak o. Finally landed a keeper near dusk on a crank. I switched between cranks, brush hogs and senkos until midnight. Landed 5 ish, 3 keepers rom 1 to 2.5 lbs.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: No real pattern other than points and rocks.

Friday, July 26th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 77

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: A pretty good night. Ended up ishing straight through because the bite was so steady. Frogs in the grass pads did well and Senko's on the bank caught smaller ish. But the jig and pork rog saw steady, hard hitting action in about 6-9' o water, catching mostly 3 lbs. or better. Largest ish o the night was 4.5 lbs. Beautiul night and great ishing!
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Fish seem to stay near the deeper water but are not going there. Most ish were caught near or on the bank and none deeper than 24 eet. Frogs and buzz baits in the morning, plastic and jigs later on. Work the shade under trees and grass pads and be quiet; they spook easy.

Tuesday, July 23rd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 77 F

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Sonoma County Belly Boat Bass Club held a night tournament at Lake Sonoma on July 20 -21. Winning weight (4 ish) was 20.03 lbs, with big ish o night o 8.34 & 5.80 lbs. 2nd place was 7 ish or 14.79 lbs in this team tournie. Other nice ish o 5.49 & 4.02 lbs were weighed-in as well. 27 anglers participated. Bass went or blades, cranks, buzzbaits & sot plastics.
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: For more ino on club and/or to see photos & all the results, check out our website, http://scbbbc.homestead.com.

Saturday, July 20th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Launched at 7:00 Am beore all the jet ski terrorist came out o the network. Not such a great trip (Again). Fished until 2:00 PM. caught 6-8 DINKS. About hal were on Senko's and the rest on cranks. Sonoma is not being too kind this year.
    City: Daly City

    Tips: #214 Senko, Black baby Senko, baby bass and craw cranks. Most o the ish were on rock and wood.

Saturday, July 13th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 78

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got in the water about 7:00am threw plastics in warm spring and cherry creek. All in all a air day landed about twelve. all o them were small biggest about 1.5 pounds.
    City: Petaluma

    Tips: Root beer sencos were the ticket o the day I don't usually use that color. Bigger ish are a little deeper. lot o amall ish in the shallows.

Friday, July 5th, 2002

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    Water Temp: Mid 70's

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got there at 6:20 ished until 3:30. Caught alot o crappie, but no size. Too much boat traic to ish the main lake. Look or weeds next or adjacent to deeper water. Caught a nice bass 6.25 on a lizard. And a huge redear 2.21 all on a jig and wax worm. Also caught the wrong moon phase. I think that aected the size. Overall beautiul day ishin.
    City: Oakley

    Tips: Look or stained or weeded water. Guarantee ish are in the thick, because o the sun and plenty o shad.

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2002

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    Water Temp: 72ish

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Took a riend out bass ishing or only his second time this last weekend. He always kind o made un o my bass habit, twanging the "Deliverance" theme whenever bassin' came up. Recently, however, he's expressed an interest in trying it. We got out airly early--on the water by 5:45am, or so, and went to Yorty or some buzzbait action. And action it was. Overcast sky, glassy water. I caught 3 3lb'ers airly quickly. He caught one 3lb'er about an hour into it, and laughed like a little boy--a 46 year old little boy. Actually, his ish jumped twice and came unbuttoned the second time, but he was so stoked he didn't care. It was all the better, really. The topwater bite trailed o in Yorty, so we moved up to the Dry Creek arm to one o my avorite spots. One ish--mine--on a shallow dropshot. I was determined to show him the entirety o the lake. It took hours more than I thought it would take, but he loved it. Trying to get this guy hooked. I caught one more along the way on a crankbait on the banks opposite the marina, and that was it. Great day on the water with a good riend. But the bite died, really, ater the clouds cleared and the sun came out. We did try some tree shaking and drop shotting, but had little success. Buzzbaits in the morning were money. We missed a ew, too, doing that. The bite was on early. I'd appreciate a hint or two rom those who know me as to where to drop a line ater the sun shines its relentless head. The last ew times I've gone there, over the last two weeks, the pointer minnow bite has been a sure thing, but not this time. I want to catch ish, and I want those with me to catch ish. It's or un, you see, and what un it is! C'mon, you tournament hardcores. Throw me a bone or the aternoon bite!
    City: Santa Rosa

    Tips: Topwater in the early AM on secondary points and likely areas i.e. lats close to deeper water and structure. Pointer minnows ater that bite dies down, and i that doesn't work, bring hand grenades. Catch and release, o course.

Wednesday, June 19th, 2002

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    Water Temp: perect

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: ished rom 11:00 to 16:00,in the warm springs area caught 6. 5 largemouth and 1 smallmouth,ished long shallow points with grass and rocks,used crawdad crank's,senko's and 2 inch manns auger tail grub's.the smallmouth was the largest at about 3 1/2 lbs.the largemouth's were clones o one another about 17 1nches and 2lbs a piece.
    City: Oakland

    Tips: summer tactic's

Sunday, June 9th, 2002

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    Water Temp: 64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: On the water at 5:30am and went to work in Cherry Creek. Most o the lake was windy but we did ind a ew calm area. We tried poppers, spooks and buzz baits, but no takers. Only a couple o blow ups. I switched to a Senko(194)and landed 4 bass to 2.5 lbs within 30 minutes. I started to experiment with other colors, but no luck. Swithced to a spider grub (194) and wham another 2lb'er. The best ish came on a a Brush Hog around noon - 4.0 even on the Berkeley Digital. We ished until 1:45. Best 5 ish about 11 lbs. Not a bad day.
    City: Rohnert Park

    Tips: Most o the ish looked they had not spawned and were all caught shallow

Monday, June 3rd, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Does anybody need a partner? I've been dying to get out to Sonoma, but I cant aord to rent a boat..
    City: Santa Rosa

Tuesday, May 28th, 2002

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Aternoon/evening ishing. Got a ew bass early on, none big. Trolled the shoreline - nothing. Reverted to the old standby, night crawlers and bobber. Quite a number o big sunish (1 IS a number, isn't it?) and a lot o little ones. Good time. Hot. Evening cooled down, but ishing didn't inprove. Fun anyway.
    City: Healdsburg