Submit
Report

Northern California Lake Fishing Report

Limit:

Saturday, October 6th, 2001

  • Riverside County
    • By

      Water Temp: 63-66

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well,It was pretty good, we were catching alot o ish o an old bait in the box called a "crazy Shad". I used silver and black, my partner used gold and black. Both worked exceptionally well. We caugt a total o 23 ish and 3 o the bunch were 7 pounds or better. The largest weighed in at nice 11 lbs 14 ozs. All ish were released and it was a real good day. Alot o ish working the surace, all the people we talked to were ishing worms texas rig. They were not catching that many. We were even realing them in around a ew olks. They saw us catching ish and they come right up on us where we were ishing. I know back in Texas that will cause alot o problems. But we laughed as we caught 5 ish right in ront o them. It was a great day or using top water well "crazy shad".
      City: San Marcos

      Tips: I you don't have 3 or 4 crazy shad lures in your box. You can also try a tiny torpedo, anything with a blade on it. Just rake it across the surace with a 4 second hesitation.Usally the ish will nail when the ripples settle around the bait.

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Jim Conlow came up or a amily aair and managed to get by or some ishing, in at Packers at 610am, 52 degrees, lake at 100t and only dropping 2-3inches per day now, we were the irst ones there this am, things a bit chilly at 50 mph up the McCloud, ran up above Shallow point and started with a spook type bait or Jim and a deep diving crank or me with a bass on my irst cast and Jim's second o some rocks, ended up with 27 to 2.5 with the best ive runnning right around 12, got 14 o o one point with 9 on the irst pass through and 5 more about an hour later. most were caught in 2-25 t but the better ish came out o the 25-30 t neck o the woods on the MGM #54 and my usual jigs, jim caught his on jigs and a trout pattern worm on darter heads. I did manage to lose a good one in 35 t that came un-buttoned ater a couple o surges, ran back to packers at 1030 am and out at 66 degrees and very little boating traic or a saturday. Jim, thanks or coming, I will be happy to ish with you anytime. Thanks a bunch or the reel.
      City: Redding

      Tips: used the MGM #54 3inch sluggo, yamamoto twin tails and 3/4 oz jigheads. a 6 inch trout looking worm on a darter head, deepdiving rapala and a spook looking surace lure. the cooler weather has improved things quite a bit.

Friday, October 5th, 2001

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68-71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launced at about 8am. It was very overcast and quite cool. My big motor isn't running right so I was on the trolling motor all day. Headed south throwing topwater with no looks. Changed to a chartreuse shallow crankbait and picked up a 3.2, 1.7, 1.5, 1.9, and 1.4. Tried spinnerbaits, they only were getting hit, with no takers. Threw plastics as well, nothing. Decent day. Spoke with others who struck out, so I felt better about my day. First day out in over 3mos. regardless of my slow day, it was great just getting out!
      City: San Jose

    • By

      Water Temp: 68-71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launced at about 8am. It was very overcast and quite cool. My big motor isn't running right so I was on the trolling motor all day. Headed south throwing topwater with no looks. Changed to a chartreuse shallow crankbait and picked up a 3.2, 1.7, 1.5, 1.9, and 1.4. Tried spinnerbaits, they only were getting hit, with no takers. Threw plastics as well, nothing. Decent day. Spoke with others who struck out, so I felt better about my day. First day out in over 3mos. regardless of my slow day, it was great just getting out!
      City: San Jose

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 74-77

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The daytime ishing at Clear Lake Tues, Wed, and Thurs, was as slow as I have ever seen in the early all. I really don't eel bad, since everyone seems to be experiencing the same thing. Lots o long aces. I know what tournament pressure does to the lake every all, but this was brutal. I always try to igure out why these things happen, and it may be (just my theory) that the combination o 100 degree days, no wind, and dying weeds have created a lack o oxygen, causing the bass to be lethargic. I noticed that the dinks were active on Tues, but even they wern't biting much on Wed and Thurs. - the hottest days. The cooler weather that will hit this weekend should help the bite - I think! Ater a one keeper bass day on Tues, I took some other clients on a brie 4 hour trip to some good night spots at night. We wern't even trying to ish real hard, but the bass were practically jumping in the boat. What was most interesting is that is was quite breezy at night, and I think that helped. I think we landed 9, including several 4 and 5 pounders. Spinnerbaits were good. I though it was amazing that I came back to the point that was so good at night - this time at irst light on Wed, and the bass were gone - not a bite. Wed night I took my Thurs client out or two hours or his irst night ishing experience. It wasn't red hot, but we got 4, including his 5 pounder. Most olks I talked to agreed that you had to get your ish by 8 am, or it was over. Again, cooler weather should help that problem! This too shall pass!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The Yamamoto salt and pepper grub works well in the all during the day. It will catch a lot o dinks, but it will catch quality bass as well. I use it on a 1/8 oz darthead. It works great around docks. The Terminator night spinnerbait and various crankbaits are working well at night, along with brush hog and Power Hog type plastic baits.

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71.6

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started on a cool and windy day in the south end. Only one ish on topwater until the sun came up. Went way upriver to the log boom and caught 5 more on topwater and grubs. Fish were very close to rock piles. Switched to craw crankbait and third cast had a 2.5lb smallie that elt like a rock it hit so hard. I caught one more smallie on the crank beore calling it a day. This was my irst outing on Pardee or bass. The ish had no size except the one smallie. The lake closes at the end o the month.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: topwater irst thing then S---L---O---W way down with grubs and such. Then switch to crankbaits mid day. concentrate on dropos and structure.

  • Palo Pinto County
    • By

      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out this morning about 9/30am started throwing a buzz bait and got one right away about 2#.switch to a spiner bait and got a ew more nothing big.
      City: Watsonville

      Tips: Evening bite is the best this time o the year I ben geting ive or six ish on cht.spiner bait and lippin jigs.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went tubing in tubing in the 1st pond.(didn't eel like dragging the kickboat over the levy)Started thowing a spook o points o weeds and got 6 ish up to 2lbs.Overcast sky lasted till about 11.30 so the topwater bite was pretty steady all morning.I missed 3-4 ish that just swirled on the bait without coming back or it.I also got 2 good ish on a white and chartrues 3/8 oz spinnerbait later in the day when the wind started picking up.All in all a nice day on the water.
      City: remont

      Tips: Right now topwater an dreaction baits.As soon as the weeds die back it will be pig&jig time

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: In at 6am at centimundi and a bunch o mud, lake right at 100t down and I know its gonna be tough to get a boat out, ran over to Big Backbone with a ull moon on and a little high cloudiness and starting throwing top water with no results at all, picked up the jigging rod and hit 7 but all small except or one smallmouth at 2.0 o the island that is near the north side o the entrance to big backbone, water lat and no surace activity anywhere,went over by the dam to take a picture o the old towers coming up, Haven't seen them in quite awhile, go back to centimundi and put the truck in 4 wheel drive to get over the mud hump getting the boat out. I wouldn't advise anyone to use this ramp with anything less than a ull size pickup and preerably 4 wheel drive. its down to less than a lane wide. temp going in was 53, coming out at 1030 was 61, things have cooled o nicely over the past two days. Water is clearing up nicely now.
      City: Redding

Thursday, October 4th, 2001

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Does anyone know whether this lake opened back up again ater Sept 11 when it was closed or security reasons?Either post or drop me an email.Thanks.T2
      City: Foster City

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out yesterday or an early bite, ull moon had the lake lit up so I was on the water at 5:30. I started with the spook on a point leading into waters- 5 blow ups only one in the boat. So I went to the staysee-black aurora- Lucky crat, and ripped a 3 pound salmon- what a sot ish!! The bait is really getting balled up, and the bass are still moving airly quickly, so eventhough I spooded a ew I think the water is still to warm to get that great spoon bite going. I just read Robs report and I had the same experience he did. I had had enough o wormin so I got my jig out and went to some deep water with very big rocks and caught some this way, however, no real size dierence, except that I missed a big ish- Shasta will do that to you. What happens to me is you start thinking its all dinks, or some good ish in the 2.5-3.5, and then you arent ready or it. The dierence is that you get used to your bait getting hammered and then you become a little desensitized to that bigger ish just subtly picking up your bait- you think its a small rock pile or something. Gotta concentrate, those big ish that everyone catches in the spring are out there.
      City: Redding

Wednesday, October 3rd, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out o Holland in the light og Wed.Had great a.m.with outgoing tide.Found ish tight to tules and weed pockets.Started with a 2 lber on a senko and then a ew dinks on that too.Big ish was a 7+ on a chartreuse buzzbait in 3 eet o water!!.Rest o the day I had blow ups on poppers,rogs and buzzbait but no hookups.All other ish came on black senkos --ranged rom 1-21/2 lbs.All in all a un day.Tight lines
      City: Napa

      Tips: Try topwater over and adjacent too weedbeds.Senkos-throw tight to cover

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Great day on the water in my book. Strated o lauching at Konocti and ishing point right outside the lunch area. Got one keeper on a weightless super luke, and about 8 other dinkers on a yo-zuri pin's minnow. Let to head or rock wall on south side o Konocti bay. Landed 4 crank ish - all dinks, 3 magic worm ish - all dinks. Around noon, we decided to switch to live minnows. I know it's not the most honorable way, but it really payed o. My partner landed a 3 pounder, then I landed a 5 pounder. My partner then hooked into a 5 pounder.Ran out o minnows so we swtiched to topwater. Bite was hot on smaller ish all aternoon. Picked up about 20 or so more dinks, and one 3 pounder on Rebel Pop-R and Rapala Skitter Pop. Picked up more minnows and started at it again. Right o the bat I land another 3 pounder. And 5 minutes later, I pick up a beautiul 6.5 pounder, my best ish to date. About a hal hour later, my partner hooks into a monster! Over ten pounds!! Only its a catish:) We thought we had a big one on there or a bit. 12 pound cat can eel like a big bass when you dont see him or 10 minutes! ALl ish today were caught on 6 pound test, which made landing these pretty ish a blast. Look or dropos in 15-20 eet o water with vertical structure such as dock pillars or trees. Also ind rocky walls and crank em all day, it should produce well. All in all, we got 54 bass in the boat, biggest 5 bass going 21 pounds. This lake makes my home lake (Berryessa) look bad!! Good luck guys!
      City: Vacaville

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The Hirz Bay ramp(s) are closed, packers has been ixed up with the loat back in and the mud scraped up, sugarloa has the loat back in place, in at 615 am at packers, 67 degrees, lake down at 100t, drited out and tossed a crank bait at the island on the way out or 4 dinks, ran upstream to some points just south o Shallow point with the wind building or 2 more at 1.8 and 1.5 on jigs, wind up bigtime at 20 plus with gusts to 30 by 8am, poked around the edges or about 5 more dinks till the sun hit the east side o the McCloud, used the BPS pumpkin pepper twin tail skirted grubs on 3/4 oz heads, 1 ounce would have been better with the wind. the ish are not as suspended as they were a ew days ago and have moved back up a bit to 15-30t. The two legal ish I caught came o the same point in 21 t and were in the mudline ormed by the wind. out a 1030, temp up to 78, 104 yesterday and heading that way again today or another record heat day. Come on cool weather!
      City: Redding

Tuesday, October 2nd, 2001

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I decided to do some bank ishin' with a couple o buddies,we hit up the burner and a couple o other spots,we went to alder point,and as soon as we got there we saw a ish loatin belly up,we went down there and it was a bass,with sticks stuck in the gills,aint that some bullshit!we couldn't believe it I was so pissed o,it probabally weighed about 3 pounds or so,that could o been a toad in a couple o years.aint that some shit!
      City: castro valley

      Tips: i anyone see's anybody with a bass on a stringer ,or i you see any people killing a bass,you should tell them catch and release(i they even caught it!)

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I thought I saw Rippin Rod on that guide trip, now I know it was him. Me and my Labrador went past you in the Sac on the way to the Dam around 2:30. Looked like everyone was having un, I'll say hi next time. well just ater I saw R-Rod I graphed an Island out in the middle o nowhere and sure enough there were a lot o bass on it, all smallmouths, all dropshot, and some OK size as well. Yesterday the bite was excellent rom 6:00 until I let at 7:30. Some ish on spooks but most just wormin, didnt get any jig ish :(... I saw some very good ish just cruising under the surace and chasing shad, but they were to easily spooked. I you have a tourney coming up be sure you have a spot that you can get a spook ish on irst thing(like always-duh:)) but it seems that with this extended hot weather the topwater dies very quickly. There are a lot o boils but not the type I am used to where you get hammered when your bait gets in there with em.
      City: Redding

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: MY WIFE AND I PUT THE BOAT IN AT PACKERS BAY AT 5AM AND AM HAPPY TO SAY THEY HAVE THE DOCK IN PLACE AND HAVE CLEANED THE MUD OFF THE RAMP. THINGS LOOK PRETTY GOOD THERE FOR AWHILE. ITS A LITTLE TIGHT GETTING OUT WITH PACKERS BAY HOUSE BOATS STACK IN THERE BUT STILL PLENTY OF ROOM. WE CAUGHT ABOUT 15 FISH AND HAD A 4LB SPOT AND A 2 1/2 LB LARGEMOUTH WHICH WAS A NICE SURPRISE.MY WIFE TEXAS RIGGED THE BLACK WITH A MGM WORM JOHN THE OWNER OF MGM MADE FOR HER. I GOT THE 4LB SPOT ON A TEXAS RIGGED 4INCH WATERMELLON GREEN MGM WORM . THEM MGMS ARE GREAT WORMS.WE WORMED ALL OF THE FISH,BUT WE DID CATCH A FEW ON THE DROPSHOT RIG. THE FISHING WAS THE BEST OFF OF MAIN LAKE POINTS AND IF YOU CAN FIND A MUDLINE ITS SEEMS TO HOLD BETTER FISH.NOT MUCH FOR BOATS OUT THERE TODAY
      City: ANDERSON

      Tips: MAIN LAKE POINTS FROM THE BANK TO 25FT WAS GOOD FOR US TODAY

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished last night rom 7pm to 1am. Went up Warm springs side just past the no ski area and ished topwater baits in and around trees coming out o the water. I threw a black/blue buzzbait and Dave threw the spook. Hooked up a nice one on the buzzbait about three lbs. About 5mins later Dave connects with the spook and its big. Jumps once and takes him into trees and this bad eeling comes over you. We go towards him and I think he's gone. I start moving and pulling Daves line around and sure enough he's still on. We get him out o the tree and land him. 7.5lbs o beautiul healthy ish and no camera. Duh! Back in the water he goes. About an hour goes by and nothing. Then hook another on the buzzbait and its big. No control over this ish. Start bringing him towards the boat to keep him rom getting into the trees and he comes unbuttoned. Oh well, on to the next one. I'm sure that one was about 15lbs(dreaming). I thought it would get better, but it was tough or the next couple o hours. Nothing up on the banks at all. I was buzzing and and senkoing and nothing. Dave was trying dierent stu and nothing. Finally close to midnight we started getting a ew bites o the banks with senkos(214). Rocky banks near or on points. Got another nice one on the buzzbait at Madrone. Went back to the marina and ished a little more and nothing. Time to go home.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: Need the cool weather to get this lake or any other lake going. Forget ishing or numbers and throw big topwater baits. Go early morning or late evening with your mind set on catching a ew monsters. You might get lucky. SPOOK that lake to death. Big ish came out o a tree in about 30or40 eet o water and hit on deadstick spook. Could have ished deeper with jigs maybe, but I was in topwater mode. Water level way down so keep your eyes open or stickups, especially at night. Plenty o them just under the water. I'm listening to you G-Man.

Monday, October 1st, 2001

  • Riverside County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70+

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I ish Perris a lot,The best colors or me is Smoke,Purple or Green lake w/brown body worms. Fish the point areas by boat or shore. Stick to the structure areas. I you don't catch anything sometimes really small worms work best. Change up your colors to ind what works best. Drop shot works well when there is a lot o weeds drop it in the holes between the weeds. iteen to 35 t deep is a good depth. When walking the shore be patient and slow when reeling you worm in. I have caught over 6 pounders with this combo oten.
      City: Fontana

      Tips: Good luck!!!!!

    • By

      Water Temp: ??

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: got to the lake at 1:30 pm, it took or ever or my partner to get ready, once their ished rom shore on the bernosconi side o the lake, walking towards the east end waded in water about 3-4' deep and caught ish like crazy, 2nd cast o the day nailed a 23.5" bass weighing 6.5 pounds long and skinny bass. caught a ew more at 17-19" let about 3:30 and weighed ish at the marina and released bass back into lake. see you on the water
      City: moreno valley

      Tips: try using a reverse green weenie or a weenie in a bun (plastic worm) rigged with a split shot throw around stumps, have to be a die hard to get here though wading throught the water and all. only way unless you have a boat or tube. try using green line either stren or berkley trilene or these clear water lakes have un and good luck