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Monday, March 1st, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: CN, John didnt report catching fish all winter, his first catches came from 2/20 which I consider to be late winter. His first trip on 2/5 appeared to be poor. Like I said, Trinity is an entirely different nut, things happen there that go beyond theory, and what you may have experienced your whole life. Believe this, fish start going nuts there very early in the year, and it doesnt make sense because it is a mountain reservoir with much colder temps. If anything, the shit should hit the fan later than other systems. But it doesnt, something that took me several years to figure out. Your comments are offensive, you should not judge anybodys honesty and character publicly, do it privately, thats why we all provide valid e-mail addresses (something I noticed you didnt do). Stay in the valley and struggle for another month or so, you aint ready for Trinity. Go play on the whiskeytown reports page and leave this one alone, there seems to be plenty of BS going on there now.
    City: carmichael

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: CN, it is clear by what you say that you either dont fish Trinity much, or you dont know how to fish Trinity. This is the easiest time to catch good fish at Trinity, it always seems to happen much earlier here than at other places, and this is something that took me 3 years to learn. I always got in on the tail end of the hot bite because I waited until April to hit the place. My best day at trinity came last year in Feb in a snowstorm, water temp was 45 and we hammered smallies from 2-5 pounds on spinnerbaits in 2 foot of water, with a kicker 6.5 pound largemouth. Trinity goes against all theory, its happening now and John is honest. I believe everything he says. I suggest you stop criticizing him because you arent as successful as him, take his advice to heart, and get off the couch and go catch some 4 pound smallies before the fishing gets tough.
    City: carmichael

Thursday, February 26th, 2004

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: John Gray,Do you ever catch ish under 4 pounds? Keep it real.
    City: sacramento

    Tips: Go ishing with John.

Tuesday, February 24th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 44-46

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Thought I'd go up and beat the storm. Glad I did. On the water @ 8 and started picking up nice ish by the Ballpark right away. Checked out a ew avorite holes and ound ish everywhere I went. South wind has packed the tailings up by the river with debris so turned right around and went back to the ballpark and picked up where I let o. Don't know why I let there in the irst place. 9 ish total 2 smallies and 1 Lm, all over 4 lbs.(I've got pictures) O the water by 10:30. Fun morning.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Mr. Mellow please contact me, I seem to have misplaced your #.

Sunday, February 22nd, 2004

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    Water Temp: 44-46

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Got back on the lake again or a while today and ound that the big dogs have moved up. Picked up 4-10 and 4-2 LM and several Smallies over 3. Best 5 on my cul-m-rite, 19.26. Caught 5 LM and 7 smallies and still got home or the last hal o the race. Picked up 1 Smallie on a crank or the only reaction bite but was having so much un with Gitzits and worms that I didn't throw reaction much at all. Weather report doesn't look too good or the middle o the week but it will have to get really bad to put o the bite now.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Debris is really spread out in the North end so use care.

Thursday, February 5th, 2004

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    Water Temp: 42-44

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went out or a while and ound things as to be expected. Not many bites with the water this cold but a ew nice smallies have moved shallow. The weather report or the next week is promising with lots o sunhine, which means more ish will move up every day. Guess I'll plan to meet them there. I'll post again as soon as it gets hot. Should be in a week or so.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Slow way down when the water is this cold. Past experience indicates that the longer days and slightly warmer temps should start a rip bite. When it starts, hang on.

Saturday, September 13th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 71*

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: using 4" robo worms on darties in about 10 to 15 eet o points in coves provided 3 lb. smallies that were ull o eggs. also caught lots o 13" smallies on shad rapalas. my 7 yr.old son caught a mama on a chartruesemini spinnerbait. had no idea the smallies would be spawning at this time o year.
    City: redding

    Tips: the bite was on and the ish didn't mind what we threw. cranks worked in the morning and plastics in the aternoon.

Saturday, August 9th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 77

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: This was our irst trip to Trinity during the summer time. We usually go during the spring (we live in the Modesto area). We ished the south end on Thursday. During the day we caught mostly small ish o o grubs. Picked up one keeper with a white spinner bait on the islands across rom Cedarstock. Couldn't get much in Papoose. At night, we ished the island across rom Cedarstock again and caught a ew ish that were a little better size. We then started ishing the main lake points and caught a #4 and a couple o #3's. On Friday we ished the north end. We caught a ew in the tailings o o 4 inch worms out deep but nothing up tight. We then headed to squirrel gulch and picked up several nice ish but they were deep. For those ishing the tournament Sunday (one local said there is a tournament Sunday) We graphed a lot o ish in squirrel gulch but they were deep. We caught several keepers one that was #5. We caught most o the ish o o the island out deep where the creek channel runs through. We caught them on 6" keeper worms in pumpkinseed and a chartreuse tail. You will have to be patient and work or them. We did graph a lot o ish in the tailings out deep in squirrel. My question is, why do people not night ish more at Trinity? We didn't ish the north end at night, but I am sure that we could've caught good ish at night in squirrel or in the tailings. O course, you would have to have a good moon to ish the tailings. Great Experience. Happy Fishing.

Friday, August 1st, 2003

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    Water Temp: 78.6-80.6

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: got the itch to get back up there, let town at 0315 and got to the stuart' ork ramp at0445, overcast skys and 70 degrees with a drop or two o rain on the windshield, sat around till 0545 and put the boat in, the lake is about 30 t down, moved away rom the ramp throwing a rip bait, then a crank bait and nothing, water a bit murky, picked up my spinning rod and dug around to ind some MGM hooktails an stuck one on, pitched to a stump and got bit right o and up comes a very small smallmouth, reload with another hooktail and throw at some willows and bang! another small ish. This kept up until 0915 when I ran out o the #109C hooktails, Had a 50 pack but went through them quickly just swimming them around any wood or rocky points in Stuart's ork and down in Papoose. Ended up with 38 with only 2 keepers that went 4 lbs, must have shook o as many as I caught, Over in Papoose the water was much clearer and you could see those little guys coming up ater the hooktail, saw one decent ish charge my bait but hit short and took o. Got out at 0945 and the air temp was 75, not a lot o activity on the lake, 3 others ishing and maybe 6 ski boats, one jet ski, reminded me o Shasta in early october. This was my irst crack at the south end and John at MGM gave me some good advice about where to go down there.
    City: Redding,Ca

    Tips: swimming a 4 inch MGM #109C(chartreuse tail) hooktail on a 1/4 oz darter head rom the bank out to 19t, also caught a ew on hula grubs, the two best came on the hooktail over in Papoose.

Saturday, July 19th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 81

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Launched at Trinity Center 0500. Fishing with two clients rom Medord. Started at the lats by the airport, clients throwing a Clown Stayee and a Perch Jitterbug, I caught the only ish on our irst stop, a 2.5 lm on a all White Spinnerbait. Next stop the n.w. point going into Eastork Matt caught a small Bluegill, and I caught a 5.2 lm on a 3/4 oz. jig, it was a very nice ish and ater taking pictures with Matt and Curtis we released it. moved into the tailings about 0700 throwing black hooktails and jigs, moved to the east bank and ished our way out o there, no takers. it was now 0900 and Curtis had still not caught a ish, moved to the center part o the lake where Matt had several small ish and I managed a 2.0 lm and a 1.5 sm. on a hooktail. 1200 Curtis gets a nice 2.0 sm and makes us both happy. Now Matt and I are throwing cranks, I get a another 2.0 sm and Matt loses a 3-4 lm who comes out o the water and comes unbottoned. Then he loses a 5+ sm at the boat as he tried to lit him into the net, that was a mistake he won't orget soon.A very good day with two nice young men
    City: Redding

Wednesday, July 16th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 75

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished with clients rom Illinois yesterday and generally had a slow day.Started with Spooks and cranks in the tailings, and a Citrus Shad crank produced right o. It remained the hot color all day. First time in a while that Gitzits weren't top dog. Tried the Wyntoon lats, East Fork,and Squirell Flat with little success so went back to the Tailings and scored a double, decent LM o the same bush. Wind came up about 1. Sometimes that gets the action going on the shallow tailings but not today. The Lake Lice were not a problem at all today, in act the lake has been very quiet on the North End during the week. Less than 10 rigs in the parking lot when we came in. I'm attributing the slow bite to the bright moon. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Go early and late.

Saturday, July 12th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: I will be at the lake or 7 days starting July 19. Staying in the Trinity Center area. Any recommendations or lures and areas to ish would be appreciated. I know that the lake is high this year and what eects on the ish at this time o the year. I have ished the dredger pilings in the past.Thanks

Wednesday, July 9th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Yo Fellas!What is the lake level?thanks,Mike
    City: San Jose

Sunday, July 6th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: In at Trinity Center ramp at 0500 ran stright to east bank and started throwing topwater, only one very big blow-up but no hook-up. Switched to spinnerbait, irst cast brought a 2.5 smallie connected with 2 more smallmouths on the same bank, headed or the tailings as soon as my graph showed 25' o water I started throwing my avorite black hook tail made by MGM Lures two more smallmouth to 2# then a 3.6# black, moved to east bank o creek channel throwing a 3/4 oz. ootball head with a 5" Yamamota hula grub tight to the bank, caught a 3.4# smallmouth that picked it up on the all. Ater 0900 I only managed to land two more qua;ity ish and several dinks. Out at 1530.Not to bad aday.Jim Mickelson i you read this give me a call, I lost your number.
    City: Redding

    Tips: Bite is good early morning and poor in the aternoon.

Saturday, July 5th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 67-74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished the last couple o days with a party rom the Scottsdale, Az. area and I think they really enjoyed the weather. Fri we tried a little topwater but couldn't get much going so moved to the lats to work the smallies and they were pretty cooperative. with every one catching a decent ish. Sat AM we skipped the topwater and went directly ater bigger smallies. We had a great early smallmouth bite. I any o you Wyntoon campers were awakened by the sound o "COME TO DADDY" that was Hugh with his irst 3# smallie. The smallies were taking Gitzits retreived very slow on the bottom. I you aren't getting hung up a lot, you're ishing too ast. Had reports o smallies to 5# taken on nightcrawlers on main lake points hal way down the lake. The Warden I talked to on Fri. said they had seen a lot o really nice ish. The cooler temps have kept the big guys going a little later than normal.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: The boat traic seems to put the ish down about ten o'clock so go early. Thanks to the Scottsdale bunch or catching on to the bite and making my job much easier. Who said girls can't cast?

Thursday, July 3rd, 2003

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    Water Temp: Low 70's

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished tuesday and Wed. with a party rom Redwood City. Tues. was pretty good Wed. was not. Ive never been able to igure out why Trinity can be so hot one day and cold the next with no apparent condition change. Well, it all became perectly clear yesterday. We were ishing the East Fork and a couple trolled by and I asked them how they were doing. They replied that they had been doing really well until today when the ishing had really gone cold. He went on to say that there had to have been a small earthquake as that would shut the ish down every time. At Last!!! I now have the perect excuse or those tough days! Just when you think you've heard it all.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Gitzits still seem to be the hot bait or smallies. Flats are holding extraordinary numbers o ish to 3 lbs. You just have to wade through a lot o smaller ish. Downsize your tackle a little,those 2 lb smallies don't have an ounce o quit in them.

Sunday, June 22nd, 2003

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    Water Temp: 72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught 8 Smallmouth ishing rom 2:00PM to 6:00PM. The ish were 10" to 14" and were all caught with a clear tube bait near rocks in the north end.
    City: Weaverville

Sunday, June 8th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished with clients 3 time this week with reasonable success each trip except yesterdays' which was exceptional. I was ortunate enough to have a client who was an accomplished angler and was able to igure out a very eective Gitzit retrieve. He was rewarded with at least 30 keeper smallies to 3.5 lbs. We targeted lats 6-20' with nearby breaks. The bite was pretty much all day. The retrieve had to be pretty slow and the bite was just pressure most o the time, but we had several doubles and many times 4 ish on 4 casts. Tried targeting LM in the willows with limited success (1 over three) but why mess with them when the smallie bite was so good.
    City: Weaverville

    Tips: Gitzits with a little Crawdad Bang up the butt was hot. Smallies were also hitting Pro Gold W/ Red Flake consistantly, but you couldn't have pried that Gitzit out o Dennis' hand with a crowbar.

Sunday, May 25th, 2003

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Anglers- Caliornia B.A.S.S. Federation is holding Open draw tournaments on Trinity on June 29th and August 10th out o Cedar Stock Resort. No ailiation required, guaranteed your own boat. Flyers can be ound in Weaverville @ Millers Drive In, Long's Drug, and Mini-Mart just out o town on Highway 3. In Redding @ Phil's Prop, Berry's Barber Shop on churn creek and hartnell. Also you can print an entry @ www.caliorniabass.org. Cut-o date is the Monday preceeding the event (June 24th and Aug. 4th). Any Questions call me @ 530-243-7348. Tony
    City: Redding

Monday, May 19th, 2003

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    Water Temp: 56

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished a tournament with the Cottonwood Bass Club, My irst with the club. Got on the water at 5:22 am and didnt do much till I ripped a lone smallmouth in squirel gulch at about 9:30 it was a 2 1/4 lb. Ripped on a Lucky Crat, Ghost Minnow, StaySee. Then we headed south and Got onto a pretty good blade bite. Bladed 6 smallmouth Clones which were 2.5 lbs.
    City: Redding

    Tips: Use Chartuese spinnerbaits with double willow golds. Also try ripping and lipping submerged willows.