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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, September 22nd, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70 - 71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished inter-club tourny out o Ladds. Headed to middle river area. Water has cooled - some places below 70. Lots o numbers or us, but only two keepers. Very short reaction bite early. Best ish came on top. Must have boated 20 or so, about hal on plastics and the others on mix o crawdad cranks and blades. Didn't throw stinkos. Some stripers thown in or good measure and even landed a HUGE crappie on a small craw imitation! Best bites came rom Tules (correct spelling) very close to drop with some current present. Our club, Riverbank Bass took second.
      City: Sonora

      Tips: Plastics drited with current on drops outside o tule points, or try crawdad cranks rom outside o weedline down.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: same

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Based on these reports it would seem like I have the lake to mysel. Had to wait in line or my spot near Beale's this morning. Maybe some o you could break-o a report. Folsom Point launch is closed. So is the sailboat ramp at Brown's. Got out o the Hobie ramp at 10am just as a ragatta was starting to launch. 9 ish, best 5 going 9lbs including two smallmouth caught shallow. Fall conditions? Water level dropped rom 403.25 to 401.43 in seven days. I'm wondering what's going to last longer- clearing the rubble at the WTC or this reaction bite I've been on. Hopeully webmaster Tony will consider the amount o vital ino above as permission to tell a short story. Business travel took me near a smallmouth lake up north I'm amiliar with where a business partner was vacationing. He brought his camolaged duck hunting ski and he asked me to show up and provide a guided outing. The boat and his buddy were perectly matched or Jeerson state ishing. At sunset I recommended poppers and the riend tied one on the end o his carolina rig. I explained that the popper is normally a weightless presentation, but who knows, maybe I would learn something. My client nails a nice 2.5lb smallie and the riend insisted on harvesting. I took them to experimental water ater that.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: Understand the orage o the lake. Please e-mail me with more ino on Folsom's Pond smelt. When & where do they spawn? When will they go deep? What sends them down?

  • San Diego County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I caught 12 ish 6 crappy and 6 bass
      City: San Diego

      Tips: I would recommend the croppie jig

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: 68-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Tough day or me..One striper around 4 lbs irst thing and a couple more hours o casting resulted in a LMB that whent about 2.5 lbs..Got right in the mix o a decent boil that had some BIG ish blowin up on bait but I just couldn't get one to go..Flat water and a nice day to be out there..Tons o bait in the upper water column..I did catch a ish on a spoon that I have never seen beore..it was about 10' long..spiny ray dorsal that extended allmost to the tail..a dark brown color with a bit o orange on its belly..small mouth that was kinda like a red ear but a little more leshy ans it had a deep body like a perch ..anyone have any idea what it is?? I should have taken a pic o it..Anyway..the bait guys are gettin some but it was tough or me today.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Lake is comin up..algea bloom pretty thick in some places..I know theres ish in around the thick bloomes but I like to try to ind clean water ..it's there you just have to run and look or it..

Friday, September 21st, 2001

    • By

      Water Temp: n.a.

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Out a irst light, chop on the water went rom Eagle Pass ramp across the lake toward let side o dam.Tried top water but ot much chop.Tried a 5" senko caught 2 bass both pickedup as it lay dead on bottom started to reel in slack and ish were there,they like the salt and hold on or a long while.Caught 2 more keeper bass and 2 nice channel cats trolling small at ree shad .Caught 2 more casting in about 10 eet o water on same at ree shad.Had motor troubles so o the water about 10:00, still a real nice morning.
      City: Corning

      Tips: Fish bunched up just look or them.

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

      Report: In at Packers at 7:00am. Fished Waters Gulch or 4, then moved to points on south side o main channel west o Bridge Bay or 8 more. Largest being 2+ lbs. all the rest 12" clones. The wie caught 9 on M54 carolina rig. I caught one on a jig, then had to switch to worm or the other 2. All ish caught in 30+ t. o water. (Hey Jerry, I guess I'll have to call her MRS. Fuller now.) Out at 12:30.
      City: Cottonwood

      Tips: It seemed the only way we could get bit was to ish around 30' deep and very slow.

    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: headed or hirz bay this am, got there and backed down on the south ramp lining things up with the loat, just got into the water and backed o the end o the ramp! get out and look it over, toss the rig into 4-wheel drive and ease my boat out spraying the ront o it with the red mud, get out and move back towards the auxiliary ramp just around the corner but no loat in and its rocky. To say I am upset just doesn't cover it. Said the heck with it and start to leave and down the ramp comes a ella with a big jet crat so I start yelling at him and he is probably iguring I have lost my mind. He stops beore the waters edge and I yell at him again and start walking that way. He waits and I give him the news. Now he is pi--ed o! I just want to say to the Shasta Recreation Company, THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR LOUSY SERVICE, MOVE THE DANG FLOAT OVER TO THE AUXILIARY RAMP SO PEOPLE DON'T DAMAGE THEIR EQUIPMENT. I went home and cleaned up my rig which is neat because I just washed and waxed everything last week. guess I should have stayed in bed.
      City: Redding

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished 2nd In-Law trip on Sonoma rom 10am to 11pm. We started on Yourty, working our way South along the East side. "Dad" picked up a little bass on a Bomber model A within the irst 2 hours. Man the ish seem DEEP! Riged some senkos, bombers a-plenty, mostly around the shoreline and deep on trees. Didn't get much.Moved our way back twords Yourty on the West side....stared when we could see the bridge. We changed to topwaters, with a rog("Dad"), hula popper, skitter bug...not much. Did see ish jumping tho agout 40 eet rom shore...real randomly. I caught a little bass(like 1lb) on a diving crawdad rattle/crank, but not nuch else the rest o thae day. Ended up catishing with the jingle bells until 11, smoking a cigar and talking about Spring.Man, Sonoma is just a tough nut to crack...but then again it's my irst year bass ishing.PS> We released all our tiny ish...mabe we'll catch them much bigger in Spring...unless there's ish to catch in October.-Luty-
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Man...I wish I knew.

Thursday, September 20th, 2001

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

      Report: I came up on 9/16/01 or a week o ishing and un at beautiul clear lake. I struggled through the morning on 9/16 and decided to check out the weigh in or the Stratos tournament. I spoke with several o the competitors and they gave me all kinds o useul inormation. I continued to struggle and only catch small ish until Wednesday when I decided to go to Mendocino or the day. That was un. I got several good ish on a white buzzbait. Returned to Clear Lake on Thursday, went out about 1:30 pm. ished the mats with the rog, threw a buzzbait and spinnerbait. Cranked around docks and rocks, nothing. About 6 pm. Caught one o my biggest ish ever on a dark green / red lake Proessional series snag proo rog 11.3 lbs. Talk about un, thank you lord or 65lb Powerpro. It was the only "keeper" size ish caught that day. On Friday(last day ished) I started about around the Konocti marina throwing a 1/4 oz white Duh buzzbait and stroked the nice ish or about 2 hours. I had 7 ish that morning on the buzzbait with the smallest weighing 5.00lbs and the largest at 7.95lbs on my cull'm right. I lost the buzzbait on the 8th ish about a 9 pounder that hit the lure as I was liting rom the water. Scared the bejesus out o me and broke my 17lb P-line. I caught three other ish that day on the rog with the smallest about 5lbs with the largest at 8.40lbs. This was the inest day that I have ever had on the water or big ish, I had to leave the water at 1 p.m. Best 5 ish 35.9 lbs. (wish I would have been ishing or money) You can guarantee that I'll be back or more!!!
      City: Lakeside

      Tips: I don't know, as I was only able to get on them one day. However, I ound the rog ish in the nasty green scum in shallow water (Had to use a push pole to get to them). Most everyone I talked to told me to ish the smaller mats outside in about 8 - 9 eet o water, never got a ish out there (3 days). All my rog ish came rom large (huge) thick mats. The buzzbait ish were holding on any wood cover in 1 - 2 eet o water.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 74

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Since driving over the dam has been temporarily suspended, launching rom Bidwell was no problem. Workers are still removing tons o dirt rom the lower parking lot so be sure to close all your truck windows beore launching. Another irst or Oroville is the sign posted stating there is no night boating allowed. Fished the main body and toward the south and had some pretty hectic action on white/chartruese blades and actually got 2 over 15" throwing o rocky points and letting it drop and very slowly retrieving. Others came on a white tube ished with a 1/4 darthead. Many, many slots and line stretchers and you could see bait ish being gobbled by the mouthul and every ish brought into the boat had to be played a bit to have them toss most back into the water and not on the boat carpeting. Broke o 3 on a brown/orange jig (got to change my line more oten) but had a real nice day and things are getting better all the time. Must have caught 30-40 between us with a total o 6 over 15". Tried ripping and topwater while my partner was hauling them in the boat so went back to plastic. Have some un.........head or Oroville.
      City: Wheatland

      Tips: Slow rolling blades and tubes were the ticket. Launching at the lower Bidwell ramp was no problem as there was no traic in the AM but could get hectic with more boat traic so have your boat all ready and backing all the way down the short ramp is advisable....as my buddy ound out!

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hey Patrick- You've down-sized enough drop-shotting.Throw the super spook on outside trees up the main body.However i you would like to downsize to 1 1/2 inch reapers you can get 4 baits out o a six inch worm...........I will sell you the six inch worms and give you a "FREE" skirt to wear while your ishing...........POWER UP WHITEFROGGY Give me a call----G-Man
      City: Windsor

Wednesday, September 19th, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Well my buddy and I hit the delta once again. This time we launched rom oasis marina near tracy. The water down there is pretty nasty. We didn't really use senkos like we usually do because o the poor water and the ast current. We caught 8 bass to 2 lbs on the trusty speed trap in delta craw color. We were heading home when we saw schools o shad getting slammed by stripers. We stopped and started throwing rattle traps. Nothing. The ish were blowing up all around us. I threw on a whits shad speed trap and bam a striper a little over ive pounds. My buddy had two nice ones on a silver and blue rattltrap but missed them. It was a great day all in all.
      City: Alameda

Tuesday, September 18th, 2001

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I've lurked here or quite some time, enjoying the reports on Spring Lake and Clear Lake. I thought it might be time to contribute. I've only really started to bass ish with any seriousness over the past 6 months. However, as my wie says, "I'm hooked and a goner".I took the tube out on Spring lake at 7am yesterday. God was it beautiul...og sitting on the water..completely still. No one around.I ished the northwest side o this lake or a couple o hours lipping into the tall tull-like weeds that ollow much o the shore. Only caught one ish. Don't know how much it wieghed but I measured it at a tad under 19 inches. Great ight too! I love watching these ish rush to the surace then turn and dive in a split second. This one gave a nice show too jump out o the water. Anyway, caught it on a black ive inch senko with red lecks. Only one other opportunity to set the hook, caught him, but he threw the worm in moments.Best luck I've had at Spring lake is lipping worms o the tule, but not into the masses o weeds that are out there. I look or masses o the weeds that seem to plant themselves in masses about ive eet o the edge o the tules and I lip into the clear area between the weeds and tules.Something else interesting too. I can't tell you how much luck I have casting directly to the spot where a ish suraces near me. I know i I get my worm there within 30 seconds o his jump, I have a real good chance o hooking him. Oddly enough, I cant say I have nearly the same luck doing this at Clear lake.One more thing. Anyone think there's an extraordinary amount o ishing pressure at Spring lake. I get the sense the ish are pretty wise out there. Its why I almost never go larger than a ive inch senko and oten smaller!
      City: Glen Ellen

      Tips: medium to small worms rigged Texas. Tubes with red-plastic rind ollowing.

Monday, September 17th, 2001

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished disapointment slough and mildred today, it was an outgoing tide. caught a 5 and a 3 on a wht/chart buzzbaits early, across tule points. At 730am I started pitching senko's caught one more 3 and three 2's, 5 inch grn/pumpkin. The bite slowed down or an hour only small ish were biting. Moved to mildred and stared lipping and pitching a grape 5" zipper caught a couple more 2 pounders but had to cover a lot water to get them. Headed back about 11am and stopped at a tule berm across rom Tinsley Island and the buzzbait bite was on again caught another ive 2+ pounders and some dinks. Pretty good day "to bad my ishing buddies could'nt come".
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: Hit as many tule points as you can in the morning with buzzbaits ,the points must be wind blown or have moving water. Look or new areas

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out at about 5:30 and ished until dark. Used small dark-colored plastic worms texas rigged. Caught 3 small bass beore sunset. At sunset I changed to a small jerk bait. Right as the sun went down I had a streak o 6 ish on 6 casts. Nothing too big (biggest was maybe 2 lbs.) but it was un. Nobody else out there ishing.
      City: Mountain View

      Tips: Small plastics in about 10-15 eet o water while the sun is up and then reaction baits as the sun goes down.

    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went and ished the East side again last night, no luck! Only been spending 1-2 hours ishing lately, but MAN! I'll have to check the posts or lure advice.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: Lately no luch with, MGMs, Senkos(pumpkin), spinners, Poppers/topwater.

Sunday, September 16th, 2001

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

      Report: Slow bite, one fish on topwater early around big island. Found a nice submerged island and got 3 nice fish drop-shotting in 15 feet. 4 fish on the day. Hopefully the bite will pick up soon!
      City: vacaville

      Tips: Go Deep!

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 73*

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: CAUGHT 12 FISH TO 4 1/2 Lbs, Fishing mainly points on the outgoing tide rom 7:30 to 11:30.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: all ish came on red crankbaits or splitshoting red worms.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Newbass sat near connection and picked up 4 ish 2 senko and 2 blade. Let there at 9:30 and went to isherman cut. Fished at my spot or 1 1/2 hour and not even abite. Switch over and started to ish open bank and docks. Around 11 a.m. my partner threw his senko into a dock and that's when that 8 lb suck it down. About yank the pole out o hands. Never got another bite ater that.At 1 pm. we only had 5 ish and I told him that we need to cover water or a reation bite. Pounded the banks or alittle an hour and nothing. Told him I had another spot about 3/4 miles rom there that we could try. It payed o or another 3 lb on rattle trap as there was too much current or a senko.At the weight in we thought we had about 6 ish or about 19-20 lb and was happy it came out 22 lb.Best ish in a tourney or us not counting wimpy's we use to ish where we also had 22 lb which was or 5 ish limit.
      City: sacramento 95831

      Tips: seko's in calm water near tulles. On docks the ish will be suspended so you don't need it to go to the bottom. Just pitch it out and let it loat by.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went ishing with a couple o buddies that had a bass boat. Launched at Lautizen's at sunrise and headed or a point with tullies. Within 15 minutes, I caught a nice largemouth well over 5lbs. Bite was slow, otherwise. 2 hours later, one o my riends caught a 8lb catish and my other riend inally got his irst ish o the day, another 5lb largemouth. All were caught on plastic worms (color did not seem to matter) around grass or tullies. Caught and release severaly dinks but had a total o 7 keepers (not including the cat). Not too bad or a morning's work. We'll be back or the stripers, soon!
      City: San Francisco