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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, February 1st, 2002

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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: was up at the lake with my son and saw a ew bass sitting up shallow on the banks. they were in the 12 inch range hanging out in just a ew eet o water. as soon as we got within 10 eet o their location they would spook. didnt have my ishing pole with me at the time so was unable to attempt to catch them. wow, did you say someone caught a 8 pound large mouth on a castiac. that would have been neet to see.
      City: Antioch

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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished riday morn. Caught 2 ish and missed one other. Fish were 3 and 4.3. Both released.Mike
      City: Morgan Hill

      Tips: Water is real cold. Fish slow. Fish were rom 8 to 15 eet deep.

Thursday, January 31st, 2002

  • Lake County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Can anyone give me some help on how to ish minnows up there? I'm going up to try it, but I have no idea how. Thanks or any and all help. Please email me at imahucker1@hotmail.com
      City: vacaville

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      Water Temp: 44 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water was exceptionally clear rom what i thought it would be, stayed at the south end all day, ( what a beauyiul day it was) Fishing was slow but i did manage two toads on a weapon jig with craw trailor loaded with smelly jelly and boy did they hit it hard. irst ish was 6.1 lbs very next cast 8.ll lbs. Retied my knot ater those pigs but then picked up my crankin stick and beore i even made one crank a monster came straight out o the tules and hit my crank with a Mike Tyson right hand knocking the crank out 6 t in the air. Never saw him again, I would say 10 to 12 Lbs. Eight hours o ishing, 5 minutes o action, Saw alot o people killing them with live bait (too easy). Well good luck to all and be sae!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      City: santa rosa

      Tips: Cranks did absolutely nothing or me and I love to ish them. I'm sure the crank bite will start very soon!!!!!

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      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: A man ishing a crappie jig nailed a big 3 lb rainbow all quiet on the lake untill the resh shipment o rainbows came in, A sanransisco man ishing the boat dock area or striper Cought and released a 8-9lb largemouth bass on the Castaic swim bait. Lots o large mouth and striper in the area at that time.
      City: Pittsburg

Wednesday, January 30th, 2002

  • Solano County
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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Hi, I had been out on the Delta 4 times all ready but I can't get a ish. I ell like a moron!!! I'm setting in my oice and as I take a look around I see the ollowing magazines, BASS MASTER, FISH SNIFFER, IN-FISHERMAN, BASSIN AND NOT TO MENTION 4 BOOKS ABOUT BASS FISHING ... ok I admit the sport is new to me, I used to ish Salt Water with live bait but I even went out and got me a boat, nice Lund aluminum v-hull. I launch out o Orwood Resort and I don't know the Delta well, I read a lot o reports about inding clear water.. Where is the clear water ? Even my wie is making un o me, She tells me that I don't know how to ish... Maybe she is right ..

      Tips: Can't tell you, It's a secret!

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 45 to46

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: In at 12 noon at Bailey Cove. Installed new Pinpoint on bow so had to try it out. Should have picked a better day or a test run. Cold wind out o the north, spent our hours playing with the new depthinder, trying to stay out o the wind, and trying to ish. Well, the depthinder had it's problems (which I think were operator error), couldn't stay out o the wind, and got skunked as ar as the ishing. The Blonde in the back even got skunked. That lead me to believe that the ishing is really tough. We had maybe 3 or 4 bites between us. Better luck next time.
      City: Cottonwood

Tuesday, January 29th, 2002

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: cool

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I went on a rare rom the bank type ishing trip.The only reason I did not take out the nitro was a small radiator leak on my truck can ruin a good day.Once a year I get my nephew and take him to boat show, so I decided it was time to take him to the meator capitol once nown anbasstic now called slammador or trout.I was shocked at $$$22.00 or two people rom the muddy bank'sheck he is 9 years old ull price or kids too!!!! any way the lake was slow all over the one day we go the most any one caught was 3 ish that we saw and we moved around..caught 2 ish rom 6 am to noon no bites on power bait????? where was I did not eel like amador that day maybee og held ish down.. but what is it to launch now?? 45$$$$22.00 rom the bank pete sake cant take a kid there to oten.. So beware to ill your wallet ater 21 years o ishing there it is getting to be a bit much or a little crowded lake..Send them back to pardee or where ever these people came rom..Give us our bass lake back or maybee cut us a brake in the summer months on price we only catch and release...
      City: sacto

      Tips: love this lake but not sure o its aordabillity..see ya when the water warms

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 49.2 to 50.1

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: In at 1:00pm at Jones Valley or an aternoon on the lake. Upon arriving at the parking lot to ind some idiot had burned down the portable toilet and vandilized the "CLOSED FOR REPAIR RESTROOMS", I hope Shasta Recreation Co. promptly gets the necessary repairs completed. It looks like SRC. have not been there or at least a week. Enough o that, back to ishing. We ended up with 7, all small, 1.8 the largest and the Blonde caught 6 o them. I was there to drive the boat. We had a relaxing aternoon anyway.
      City: Cottonwood

      Tips: All ish came on 1/2oz. jigs in about 15 to 25 eet o water.

Monday, January 28th, 2002

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: cold!

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Friday and hal days Saturday and Sunday. South Delta Friday and Saturday, Central/north Delta Sunday. Friday caught 14, unortuately they were all small except one or maybe 3 lbs. Still was un. Better ish came rom old river again, on crankbait or T-rigged worm. Rest rom Widow's Island/Italian area. A very slow presentation was the ticket or me. I missed a number o ish, and bad line caused me to break two o. One o those was a typical small keeper, but the other elt much more solid. Could not get a good rythm Friday,missed ish, but had some un. Saturday got on the water and on 3rd cast missed a solid tap on worm ished near some wood, but no urther hits in that general area. I was puzzled by this, knowing that ish should be in here, so started looking nearby with slow rolled spinnerbait. No luck. Moved to nearby lat, and started using a rip bait with the slowest cadence I have ever tried, literally waiting a ull 5 to 30 seconds at times between twitches. Water was pretty clear, and in 30 minutes or so put 9 solid 1.5 to 3 lb ish in boat rom one spot on the lat. The key seemed to be having ound a large group o ish earlier the past ew weeks in here, and when not in the typical places, to start looking around. The area I caught them out o was a large riverbend lat with weed clumps at 3-6 eet that gradually tapered to deeper (8-10 t) water on one side, and dropped o steeply to 12 eet on the other side. The ish had moved up on the lat, and while sluggish, were hitting the rip bait. Surprisingly in the past the steep dropo side has not been nearly as productive as the gradual sloping side, and that was true this time as well. Moved o the spot, and picked up scattered ish in other old river areas as well. Checked some spots North near Widow's and Italian again, but only getting hits rom real small ish, so called it a day with a total o 16 decent ish by noon. Sunday decided to launch out o the Hook, got a late start, and ran into Taylor. Fished a short while throwing a crankbait and T-rigged worm. Lost two on crankbait, and missed one on worm, conirming that ish were still in there, but did not eel like beating the water, so decided to look or new areas in Frank's, Piper and Sandmound. Tried worming, blading, jigs, and cranking with no luck. Tide was high with pretty good current, dirty cold water. O the water by 2:00. No ish in the boat.
      City: hal moon bay

      Tips: Real slow retrieve or the worm and rip bait worked best or me Friday and Saturday. The bottom line in the South Delta or me is i I ind clearer water, I settle down and hunt hard with the rip bait. I the water is dirty, I use T-rigged worm. Jig has not been kind to me, but that probably has more to do with the operator, and may be why I am not getting bigger ish. Gotta have some weeds or wood (ideally both) nearby. I you don't see any bait or birds, keep moving until you do. I you know ish are in the area, just keep looking and trying dierent nearby regions. I'm still struggling to ind the bigger ish, but numbers are at least keeping me happy, even i small.Good luck,and God Bless,Rob T

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      Water Temp: 47 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Had to go out and try the new electronics. Got out about 11:00 and ished till dark. It drizzled a little bit and it was reaken cold. Only other boat on the lake pulled out at about noon. So I had the lake to mysel. Fished up in the ront o the lake and my partner lost two on a lizard. We moved to the back and I got a 2 pounder on a grub shallow. Got one more tap on the lizard but that was it. Moved to some rockpiles and picked up a 2 1/4 and a good 3 pounder on a crankbait ished shallow. I was amazed they slammed the crank in that cold water. Got dark and called it a day with a bitchen sunset.
      City: Madera

      Tips: Fish slow and cover water till you get bit. Coldest water I ished this year and they still want a crank. Better ish were on the cranks and were generally shallow.

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 54/51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I ished the FBC club tourny. At least it didn't rain and the wind wasn't too bad. The og heading up rom merced alls was scary though. Only weighed 2/3lbs or 24th. caught 1st on a Yamamoto Salt& pepper Hula grub wuth a 1/4 Jighead, 2nd on a texas rigged Pro 34s brn worm. Tried all over: cotton, temperance, river. Also caught a ew small ones on a green weenie dropshotted. Winner was over 10lbs, most people with higher standings caught limits.
      City: Fresno

      Tips: even though ish were caught at

  • Westchester County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I'm just wondering i one o you ishermen can give me directions to these new quarry lakes. Please email me or post it up or other ishermen. I have no idea where that are at. I live in Fremont. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. Pboi
      City: Fremont

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: spooned the bridge structure 20 - 30 t deep, caught 4 to 2 lbs. spotted more (and bigger)on the electronics, guess i was using the wrong lures or the big ones!
      City: santa rosa

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      Water Temp: I'm not putting

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished ater the snow stopped just or the novelty o it all. Caught one about 3 lbs on jig o o a big rockpile, but deep, and missed another one that hit my jig while I stopped to pee. I tucked the rod under my arm to take care o business, and it just sort o started moving o slowly. I missed it in all the excitement o trying to zip up with one hand, and set with the other. I guess I'm sold on deadsticking jigs now.Lots o trout seen breaking the surace. There are not supposed to be trout here according to the ranger who lives on the lake, but they are here. They are apparently wild ish, since they are pretty small and I have not heard o any trout plants here. I hope the bass are chowing down on them and getting at or me to catch them in the spring!
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Slow, and deep. Make lots o noise to get them interested. Do you want to know where I sunk the Christmas trees?

Sunday, January 27th, 2002

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      Water Temp: 45

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: 10 boat club tourney. Recent rain raised water level & muddied it up. Wie, son, & I managed only our bites boating nothing. We drop shotted, split shotted, cranked, spooned. Bites came split & drop shotting. No ive ish limits. 1st had our ish or 9 pounds & big ish or the day was a 5 1/2 lber. Most ish that were caught were on plastics that were split/drop shotted or texas rigged.
      City: Delhi

      Tips: Hopeully another club member will log on or tips because all we did was get resh air and exercise our arms.

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: ?-cold

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: American Bass Anglers club launched 5 boats- 1-26-02-Fish appeared to be very scattered and at 25 to 30 t deep.3- 10lb. limits were caught- paper tournament-.The bite was real lite just a eeling o weight while pulling rod.The level o the lake is down about 200 t. Most ish were caught on 4 inch dark worms. A couple o times it elt like ish were just biting the tail o the worms.
      City: Martinez

      Tips: ish reel slow, when moving the rod test or wieght and use a pressure set o the hook instead o swinging the rod.Good Luck

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: 51-52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Carson Creek area,west & east banks o the main lake.Caught 10 bass & one trout..Had one Black app. 2 1/4 lbs.Rest were spots rom 13 1/2 in to 16 3/4 in.Caught 2 cranking,nothing on spinner bait.Other ish came on 4 & 6 in worms rom 20 to 50 t deep.Tough day,started at 6:30 am & let at 2: pm..
      City: Riv

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 46.6

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: All I can say is it is cold. But what the heck, it beats the hell out o working. We started at about 9:30, headed up the north ork and stoped at one o our hot spots. Dad hooked a dink and I hooked a smally. We went urther on up the north ork and stopped at another one o our avorites. We had a somewhat consistent bite going using grubs and worms. Mainly S&P. As it got later dad has some great hits on orangecraw. We ended up with 16 total or the day. TIPS: Fish slow, everything is a simple pressure bite. I you catch a ish, stick in the area or a while because there is probably another.Changing your bait color oter boats another ish.
      City: chico

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went late to avoid reezing to death, in at Bailey Cove at 140pm, lake up to 38 and a little bit, air temp 44 and no wind, ran over just north o the caverns erry in the McCloud and stuck on a mgm156, two casts and stuck twice busting my darter head o, re-rig and move to a little red mud bank with not a lot o rock and get a pulldown and up comes a at 1.9. back in with the 156 and get another on the next cast, 1.6. put on the mgm 109 4 inch and get 3 more in the next 100 t o bank, move to the west bank near Ycotti and stick another clone at 1.6 on the rainbow 99. got in the shade and got bit twice more on the 156 but only got back one inch o my 4 inch worm on both occasions, not bad or a short aternoon go back to the ramp at 440 pm and laid out a swimming pool thermometer or the ride back, got it down to 22 degrees at 50 mph,, a bit nippy. a ella named Tim Garner has opened up a bait and tackle shop in Shasta Lake City at 5044 Shasta Dam Blvd and stocked it with a good supply o MGM stu and the necessary ootball heads and darter heads , and usual bass are including spinner and buzz baits. Got a nice large ish tank with three spots in it and it is a kick watching them chasing the crawdads, his phone number is (530)275-3700. He also carries trout gear and has live minnows(2 sizes) and nightcrawlers. Nice guy and he will bend over backwards to take care o bass ishermen.
      City: Redding

      Tips: The MGM 156 was the main attraction today.