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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Monday, October 1st, 2001

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Shasta Recreation has a new number its (530)275-8113, perhaps they will tend to the loat problems at Packers, Hirz Bay and sugarloa i more olks call between 10am and 430pm. thanks
      City: Redding

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

      Report: I see Patrick didn't post this trip yet, so I'll help him out. Started out rom the marina at 6:30 pm or the abled Lake Sonoma evening topwater bite. It's Pat's boat, so we went his way--he preers the Warm Springs arm. We went up into a stand o trees and stopped to ish just as the sun was going down. He threw a buzzbait toward the shore, I threw a big-ass spook through the trees toward the channel. Pat was the irst to hook up with a 3 3/4 or 4. Big chunky belly. Great ish. We kept at it, and soon it was my turn. WHAM! I knew it was a nice ish, but irst I had to get her to the boat. The little hussy managed to wrap hersel around a branch, so Pat and I (mostly Pat) had some tricky work to do to get her out. But we got her. And what a ish! She weighed 7.5, but looked bigger, as ish this size oten seem to. I said "that alone will make this trip worthwhile even i I don't catch another ish." Stupid thing to say, even in the heat o the moment. Though we gave it our best shot, we both got skunked or the next three hours or so, missing hits or getting tapped by dinks too small to get to the hook. Pat inally managed to land a couple on his buzzbait toward midnight. Another couple o nice ish, actually--3 1/2 or so each. I had a slam on a Senko but somehow managed to miss the ish. We had some motor trouble so we called it a night soon ater that, lucky to get to the marina.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Let that spook sit or a while beore the retrieve. This ish swam straight down as soon as I let her go, and I've no doubt the spook "called" her rom her hiding place deeper down. I counted 20 seconds beore reeling in. This ish did make the trip worthwhile, by the way. Great moment.

Sunday, September 30th, 2001

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I ished my avorite lake Thursday or about 6 hours, and a riend and I ished at night or about 5 hours. I landed 4 bass during the day and we landed 4 at night. Like Rick said, it was good and bad. About 6 pm I careully chose what crankbait I would try - a shad-colored large at-ree shad. The FIRST cast produced a beautiul 6 pounder. Good choice I thought!!!! Didn't catch another ish cranking. About 6:30 I saw some huge marks on my new Lowrance X-15 and threw a Weapon Jig with Madman craw trailer to 'em! Three casts later - thunk!! I thought I set real hard, but I guess not, as a 9 to 11 pounder jumps and spits the jig! So that was the good, bad, and ugly o it!!! Our night ish were 1 1/4 to 2 1/2 lbs, caught on worms. I ished Friday morning or a ew hours, and caught a 4-1 and a 2-12 on the Weapon jig. Both were shallow. I missed another large ish about 11 am, and decided to take my tired body home!! Caught ish all over the lake.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Bite is really slow, but quality can be good i you are lucky. The shad are deep, and so are a lot o the bass. I think deep-diving crankbaits will become increasing eective in the weeks to come.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: 8 ish to 3.5lbs and a ew dinks. A 13.1lb limit. Put us third in a club tournament out o B & W. The action became extremely hot. You could say we were smokin. Came within 1.2 lbs o my buddy Blademan or second. We were ired up- more on that in a minute. The winner was John Maes. He made our jaws drop with a 8.35 and a 6.72 and a limit over 20lbs. Buzzbaits were our choice or the start o the day, but they produced only one short strike. Other anglers reported some success however. I was gripping. It wasn't until 8 o'clock when my partner landed our irst keeper on a spinnerbait. Time or an adjustment. We thought we had established a pattern on Friday ishing weed patches near current seams. It wasn't working this day. I made an experimental cast to a slack water area and it produced a 3lb. We then caught a couple more ishing behind the weed lines in areas that were deeper while the tide was low. Got the limit ish on a tule patch and we took o west to catch the incoming tide. We crossed a couple o cruiser wakes in the Mokelumne. Missed the timing on a couple causing the hull to slam down. Within a minute all hell broke loose. Smoke was billowing out o the console right between my legs. I cut the throttle, switched o the ignition and looked back to see lames and smoke licking around the rear hatch cover. On some good advice I remembered I stored the ire extinguisher in a ront compartment away rom the batteries and uel. I pulled the pin and my partner lipped open the hatch and lames as big as a roaring campire erupted rom inside. We needed the help o a second unit handed to us by a nearby boat to completely knock it down. It was the starting battery and luckily the lames had not burned through the uel line next to it. It gets better. Flames burn upward, ortunately. There was a can o starting luid laying in the bottom o that same compartment. We thanked the help and we sat down to assess our situation. Trolling motor was still working and we were a hal-mile rom the launch with three hours to go. No worries. The tide was due to shit in our avor. We agreed- Let's ish. We rode out the tsunamis created by the cruiser traic but still managed to cull our keepers and replace them with a couple o twos. I caught one a rattletrapp, and my partner lipped one. We rolled up on the trolling motor on time as i nothing happened. The burnt hatch cover hanging open and the white ire retardant all over kinda gave it away. We were one o the hot teams on the water and or a minute, we were the bomb. The cliches keep lowing.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: The blade pattern alone isn't likely to win tournaments, but it is alot o un. It requires patience. The majority o casts do not produce strikes or any number o reasons. Unsuitable depth, too much or too little current, inadequate cover, improper presentation- the list goes on. Key-in on the subtle nuances o each strike until a pattern begins to develop. Then expect it to change somewhat everyday and sometimes a ew times during the day. Get in the zone with the blade and be the bait.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: launched out o holland and headed or ranks tract ished around the washington cut and alse river, picked up a small 12 incher on a red/black jig nothing really happening or me in that area hauled back into mound slough and got into some boiling stripers, caught one 15 incher, and lost one that probably would have went on a speed trap. the ish were gone as ast as they appeared. continued with the speed trap and picked up 1.5 and decided to head back to holland tract thats when my outboard died, the butthead just quit. i stood on the trolling motor or about 1 1/2 hours trying to make my way to the launch (picked up two more while bitching at my boat) then i decided to give the thing another shot and she started back up. it's a good thing i have a appt with the shop on wed. could have been a more productive day i the motor didn't stall.

    • By

      Water Temp: 67-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My son and I launched out o Ladd's at 6:00 a.m. Went to Mildred and ished the outer tule islands. We were tossing white/chart spinnerbaits....white buzzbaits...Senkos, and cranks. I picked up my irst ish ( 6 inches) at 9:00 a.m. on a Senko. We went inside Mildred and trolled or Stripers or an hour. Had a possible hit....but not sure....could have been submerged weeds. Headed back to Tiki Lagoon area, and tossed white/chart s/baits, where my son (Steve) nailed a keeper (barely). Went back to the area around the Stockton Yacht Harbor. Tossed s/baits without any results. Called it quits around 12:30 p.m. Tough day.
      City: Manteca

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 70-72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: While preishing or the upcoming Newbass event I ound some ish in an area (I'll disclose ater the tournament)that I had never ishing beore. Did try crankin', bladin' and dropshot up the North ork with no success. Moved to this area and got bit on a blade our times in about 10 minutes. This included a 5.3 lber' that inhaled my bait. Blade was plowing thru BIG schools o bait as it came back to the boat. Got mysel a plan which I'll tell about on October 15, but with lake soooooo low, there is very little visable cover let in the water. Rock piles become important with the water level here as well as ditches breaks and droppos. Those with good memories o low water years will do good because they know where these things exist. Good luck and I'll clue you in on my pattern later.
      City: Roseville

      Tips: Try a variety o ideas, with the lake so low, the ish and bait are compressed into a smaller pool now. Fish the right combo o cover (rockpiles) and bait and you'll ind ish.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I took Benjamin Smith, winner o a trip I donated to the Rally at Clear Lake, 01. He is a student at Live Oak High school. We ished Saturday rom 7 am to 2 pm, on a beautiul, but unortunately very windy day. We had the typical east wind in the morning, then a south wind or about 2 hours, then a switch to northwest wind. I havn't seen that combo at Oroville or years. It really made teaching Benjamin the basics o bass ishing rather tough. While he wasn't able to get a jig bite, he did very well split-shotting a morning dawn magic worm!! He caught 4 and lost another 4. He biggest was a at 14 1/2 inch spot. I had hoped it would be over the slot, but it wasn't. I ished a brown/orange Rodstrainer jig most o the time, and landed 10, with three over the slot. My irst one was the biggest - 16 inches - caught in 10 eet o water. Most o our ish were 10 to 30 eet deep, caught in the main body and north ork walls. It was a unny type day - I would catch a bass or two on the jig, get Benjamin to ish the jig, and neither o us would get bit. He would go back to the worm, and I would start catching them again on jigs. This happened two or three times. Finally, I gave up and let him ish the worm. Weird!! He seemed to have a great time and was always very excited when he hooked one!! I really enjoyed his company. I don't like to make excuses, but I know he would have done much better i the wind hadn't caused so many problems. The north ork actually sounded like Clear Lake or awhile!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Oroville is stable now, and there are active bass rom 10 to 40 eet. Jigs continue to work well or quality spots, and shakin' or split-shotting worms is a sure bet. We didn't try topwater or crankbaits, since I elt the water was still too warm. As soon as we get a ew nippy nights, the topwater bite should break wide open, especially in the late aternoons! We saw pond smelt and some bass on the meter rom 60 to 80 eet, all over the areas we ished. We did not try or them.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: ????

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: i went to whiskeytown yesterday with my dad lookin to catch a limit o trout and we sure did. anybody lookin or a un time oughta get some light rod and 4 lb. test and go out to the powerhouse just to the let o carr powerhouse there is a big school o rainbows and brookies just waiting to be caught, the bait that caught us the most ish was any color power bait with a tiny slitshot right down on top o the trebble hook. then all you do is cast it into the school and let it sink and when it gets close to the bottom jig it up a ew times and let sink, continue this until it gets too close to shore or a ish gobbles it up, also I had luck on a white rooster tail. nice day o ishin hope some other people would try it.
      City: redding

      Tips: Any color power baitwhite rooster tail spinner

Saturday, September 29th, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 67

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fun day but a slow start Sat. Let Dell's (the place has a new name & $10 to launch) at sunrise. Fished the south end with Senkos & cankbaits with just a ew bites so decided to learn more about Middle River. For some reason I decided to try Iovino lat tail worms and about noon the bite turned on. Caught 6 keepers to 2.5 lbs within an hour. Then decide to keep going up Middle River trying spinner baits and rattle traps. Finished with one more keeper and a ew dinks beore the water skiers and other assorted boaters got to be too much. Fun day but hot.
      City: Castro Valley

      Tips: Senkos don't seem to be working their majic in the Delta at this time.

    • By

      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went ishing with "Marshall the Man" yesterday out o Del's. Check this out...we were ishing on Old River. Anyway, I looked down and saw a salmon about a oot under water, then it disappeared. We grabbed our crankbaits and started iring away. Nothing. We then went to the other side o the river and continued throwing crankbaits. I put on a craw-colored Fat Free Shad and on the irst cast, it hit...a salmon! Almost 9 lbs. One thing about the delta, you never know what's on the end o your line...I would've rather a 10 lb largemouth...
      City: Livermore

      Tips: I only had 10 lb line and was too lazy too change it...don't be lazy.

    • By

      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launced out o paradise. ishing was pretty slow really. Most ish on spinnerbaits and one on a rog. The water was very stained so I didn't get to throw any plastics. One problem I had today was the # o misses on the buzzbait. I missed probably 5 strikes. One made quite a large lush but nothin to show or it. My guess was because o the stained water they were missing. 6 ish 1# to 2#.
      City: Auburn

      Tips: I should have thrown a larger bladed spinnerbait because o the water conditions. Also with hindsite, I should have thrown some type o popper or rog more.

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

      Report: Bitewas really tough.. ished our club championship. only had two keepers.. 9.8 lbs.. inished third.. only took 14+ or our ish to win . some were sunked.. caught on ish at about 8am on a brush hog thew other on a 7 inch red shad worm. went back to same dock about 1 and caught the other ish . in between only about our dinks. some in club said they caught several dinks. looks like thew lake had a good spawn .. we caught our ish o dock south o monitor island.. not much wind. thats the lowest i'm seenthe lake in several years . some o our good spots were short o water winner o our club caught all ish cranking beore 9am . we tried everything and nothing worked or us..
      City: SUNNYVALE

    • By

      Water Temp: 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Tough bite this morning. Started o at 7 am and got one about 3 lbs on a buzzbait right away. Missed two more in the next 10 minutes, then no more topwater. Got two on a 6" silver senko and Chris got one on a 5" junebug senko. Missed one on a rog, and missed one on a jig. Tried throwing a Castaic trout or a while with no luck. Got one o my senko ish in the FAR south creek channel.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: hopeully they'll start eeding up or the winter soon

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

      Report: Fished rom 6am too noon.Nothing on top water or crankbaits..We caught 12 bass,1/2 blacks & 1/2 spots,rom 12 1/4 in too 16 1/4 in.All ish were caught on worms,4 to 8 lb test line & 1/32 to 1/4 oz bullit heads.Cali.,Keeper & Preator worms,4 & 6 in.Most o the ish were caught in the main lake areas rom deep water close to the bank & open deep water.There are a lot o rocks & humps just under the water & the lake level is changing ast...also i you are up in age like i am,it's a long walk up to the top o the ramp.
      City: Riv

Friday, September 28th, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 69 ish??

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Spent the day ishing with around Mildred's with Ed Cole, and had a really good time. Mostly threw cranks, being that cranks were the most consistent or the day. Fish mostly came cranking outside tule banks near deep water, and a ew came in the same areas on worms. Only had one blade ish and he came unbuttoned beore getting in the boat. Fish ranged in size rom about 4 inches to a solid 4.8 lb on the speed trap. One nice one about 2.5 or so on one o those big red DD22's. Just cranking that bait in by itsel is like ighting a 1 pounder. No ish on Senkos, but with the wind we did not use them very much. Ed picked up a risky 2.75 near the Stocton yacht harbor that ought like he was a 7.25, and striper about 4 or so pounds on a worm.All told, about 15 ish total, best 7 or probably around 15 lbs or so. Not too bad being that we both were ishing new water or the most part.
      City: Rohnert Park

      Tips: Just want to say thanks to all you guys out there who oer to take olks out to ish when they got no boat. Those back seats that are oered are greatly appreciated by us. It's just another example o how the ishing community is ull o really great people who are willing to give a little to help keep our sport great, and accessible. I plan to give my open back seat to olks when I eventually get into my own boat as well. It's a great way to meet new people with the same interests, and learn new water and techniques.Big thanks to Ed(eddremax), Alton(skeeterscreamer) and all you guys that oer those back seats.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got it igured out, out o Bridge Bay with Steve at 630am, lake down near 100t, ran up the Mccloud above Shallow Point and got on some ish in 21- 40t, had 7, all legal or a change on jigs, most were in the 30t plus area, Steve had as many with only a ew dinks, my biggest went just over 2 lbs, The aba is out there right now or day two with 14 plus lbs in the lead but I don't know who that is,lake still a bit murky, shad on surace mid-day being chased by the small bass, lots o activity above Dekas rock, we wnet back early as I had some people coming over. Lots o ABA guys out or the practice. High pressure building and should bring the ish back up in a ew days, sosme reports o ish being taken as deep as 50t and requiring the bladder to be tapped to allow the released ish to get back down again.
      City: Redding

      Tips: I was throwing 3/4oz to get down to the ish, especially when the wind blows

    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I went out irst thing Friday AM into Waters Gulch. The bass were chasing shad up into the shallows and I thought it was gonna be easy pickins.... no topwater ish, and I managed to rip a ew. I looked at my graph and instead o the ish suspending about 9 eet down like they had been doing or sometime now, they were at 17 eet. Also, the rip ish came on twitches, this made me conclude it was going to be a tougher day. So I packed it up and went into Elmore and tried cranking, blading with no takers. Eventually I gave into the dropshot and started picking them up.At 10:00 it was back to Bridge Bay to pick up Russ Meyer (no relation) our relator, who needed a day away rom the phone. I you need a realtor up here I can't say enough good things about Russ. So we head out to "just go ishing". I took us up to an Island in a cove past Obriens where I had graphed a ton o ish and sure enough we dropshotted and spooned a lot o ish. We stayed there and ollowed the bait or over a hour until it shut down. At about 11:30 the new ront was on us and I had to put my sunglasses on or the irst time. We just could not get any topwater, so we just took our time ishing jigs and managed to get some decent ish the rest o the day. We got o the water around 6 and came back to steaks and the giants game!!
      City: Redding

Thursday, September 27th, 2001

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 73

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished 13 hrs rom 4:30 pm till 5:30 am. Fishing was real bad and real good at the same time. Only got 3 ish, two 2 pounders and an 8.7 at 2:30 am. Missed one good ish. All ish came on jigs in 5'-20' o water. Probably went 5 hours without a bite beore getting the 8.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: Use worms in the still prevalent weeds and jigs otherwise. Main lake points seemed better than in the coves.

    • By

      Water Temp: n.a.

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started at irst light rom Eagle Pass the dock is still inbut they have taken it out at Buck Horn due to low water.Went across the lake toward the let side o dam,decided tostart with a blade and had a ew bumps,but no takers, so I started to throw a senko rom about 3 t. out to about 10 t.First ish was a smallmouth 13" next ish I set the hook and it elt heavy so I thought it might be a large cat.It stayed right on the bottom.When I got it into the net and weigh it,it was a nice 4lb. 9oz. large mouth which is back in the lakeand still growing.That is a nice Black Butte bass.Caught 3more on senko then trolled one more bass two channel catsand a nice crappie.Lost a nice bass which looked to be 3lbs.plus,only 2 other boats ishing.
      City: Corning