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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Wednesday, May 30th, 2001

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      Water Temp: 75degrees

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Caught a ew on reaction baits and plastics. No topwater what so ever. Morning bite not as good as it should o been. Alot o the ish would ollow right up to boat beore hitting or tuning away. Biggest almost 3#. Three weeks ago had the best day at Eastman in my lie. Lake was all to mysel ater I got out o school and only one small boat trailor in the parking lot besides my boat. Right o the bat caught around 15 2 to 5 pounds on reaction baits. As the sun went down I caught a pair o 6#,8#,9.5# and one pushing the 10# range. Got pictures o them all, then were released to be caught again another. I guess Eastman still has the ish you just have to hit it right.
      City: Madera

Tuesday, May 29th, 2001

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

      Report: Arrived just before 3pm and walked to fish the Dam side of the lake from the shore as well as the left side of the boat ramp. Caught one small bass on a Berkely red floating worm (imitating a night crawler) on a texas rig in the tullies near the boat ramp. Then walked to the dam to fix a carolina rig with the same worm with no luck (even with the wind on my side). On the second pole I decided to throw a spinner bait over the same area and nothing. Saw some nice cover about 4-6 feet deep and lots of weeds so I thew a buzz bait to see if there was any top water action. Continued to do this down the shore for about a half mile. Eventually picked up one small one on the buzz bait in a small cove protected from the wind. As I walked back I ran into a guy who was fishing a 4" grub (looked like a spider grub or a hula grub) with a jig off one of the points. He said he caght 2 fishing the bottom as far as he could cast the bait and he was fishing for about 20 min. He also said that he and a buddy went fishing in tubes in the far back arm near the dam and caught 13 bass fishing that same rig on Memorial day. I guess the fish are running deep at the moment which explains why fishing shallow cover seemed to come up with nothing. I should also note that they have been letting in water for the last couple of days so the side near the Horse stables seems a bit colder than the dam side of the lake. I'll stop by tomorrow as well after picking up a couple of grubs from the tackle store.
      City: Sunnyvale

      Tips: Can't seem to locate any bass in shallow cover (no signs of life in the shallows either). Time to start fishing deeper cover near the shore.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Arrived just before 3pm and walked to fish the Dam side of the lake from the shore as well as the left side of the boat ramp. Caught one small bass on a Berkely red floating worm (imitating a night crawler) on a texas rig in the tullies near the boat ramp. Then walked to the dam to fix a carolina rig with the same worm with no luck (even with the wind on my side). On the second pole I decided to throw a spinner bait over the same area and nothing. Saw some nice cover about 4-6 feet deep and lots of weeds so I thew a buzz bait to see if there was any top water action. Continued to do this down the shore for about a half mile. Eventually picked up one small one on the buzz bait in a small cove protected from the wind. As I walked back I ran into a guy who was fishing a 4" grub (looked like a spider grub or a hula grub) with a jig off one of the points. He said he caght 2 fishing the bottom as far as he could cast the bait and he was fishing for about 20 min. He also said that he and a buddy went fishing in tubes in the far back arm near the dam and caught 13 bass fishing that same rig on Memorial day. I guess the fish are running deep at the moment which explains why fishing shallow cover seemed to come up with nothing. I should also note that they have been letting in water for the last couple of days so the side near the Horse stables seems a bit colder than the dam side of the lake. I'll stop by tomorrow as well after picking up a couple of grubs from the tackle store.
      City: Sunnyvale

      Tips: Can't seem to locate any bass in shallow cover (no signs of life in the shallows either). Time to start fishing deeper cover near the shore.

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I got on the lake about 8 and tried some top water stu in the south no luck, i guess i was a bit to late. water was calm no wind and warm. so went trolen around the dam and got a ew nice trout 1.5 lbs. with a repala in maybe 10 eet o water. nice day only about 10 boats on the lake.
      City: livermore

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 73-75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started the day throwin spooks and stuck a 5 and a hal right in the irst ew casts. went down that bank a little urther but no more ish. sun came up & out so went lookin or bed ish. ound about 10 or so. ish on beds were caught on senkos and drop shot chartruese gitzits. should've probably lipped the willows but wanted to bed ish so i will do that next time.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: don't spend all day bed ishin unless you know where they are all at because they were ew and ar between or me. smaller ish are still shallow and bigger ish have moved back into deeper water.

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      Water Temp: nice!

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Who else but personal watercrat operators would do great things like rip behind your boat over your lures when trolling? Or buzz between the bank and my boat 40 t. away when I am working that area. To call these peoplle maggots is an insult to maggots.
      City: Gold River

      Tips: When ishing in an area inested with personal watercrat use a spiderwire type line. I you get real lucky with a cast, decapitation may result.

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      Water Temp: 67-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Drop shoting again in 10-25 eet. Fished shallow in the morning around 10-15 eet. Then moved to 20-25 eet in the aternoon. I caught 31 ish total, one was on a spinnerbait ater the wind came up. The biggest was a 3 1/2 lbr. Everything was a pound or bigger. Only caught 6 that were below 12". I ished rom 6:30 t0 4:00.
      City: Salinas

Monday, May 28th, 2001

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

      Report: Mark - Not all jet skiers are lake maggots! I you want some better ishing try going somewhere else. Besides, what did you expect on a holiday weekend? The weekday evenings and early mornings are very pleasant on olsom lake. Besides Folsom is a big lake and there are several areas to ish where jet skiers don't ski. Maybe it's not the skiers that are ruining your ishing but perhaps your technique or equipment! I am an avid bass isherman and jet ski owner. Your misconceptions might be the bad experciences you have had, but it's unair to act like Folsom belongs to you and the bass.
      City: olsom

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

      Report: wanted to ish calero on the holiday monday, but i knew that place was going to be packed with water skiers, so headed up to Loch Lomond, havent ished here in a while, but because o all the trout ishing hardly anyone was ishing or bass. I caught a total o 15 bass all in the pound range with the biggest going 3 pushing our. Fish seemed to have been everywhere, caught them on steep drop os in 15 to 20 eet and as shallow as a oot. Texas rigged Manns dragon in the green color, tossed the water senko but was getting short strikes, but the dragon got them. Hey i your looking or reuge rom jet skiers at calero and anderson, give the loch a try. Rangers told me some one caugt a 9 pounder later in the week so well see i this is a bassin lake.
      City: san jose

      Tips: green Manns dragon in the six inch size texas rigged.

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

      Report: ished pit arm out o jones valley this weekend . caught lots o small schoolies in the coves on 3" pumpkin seed worm. also caught a ew on top with a crickhopper. tried lots o dierent baits , but best bite was on the small worm. biggest ish was only 1.5 , but was a un day on a very beautiul lake. bluegill bite was excellent too.
      City: oakland

      Tips: go deeper or bigger ish , but tons o small ones are irresistible. check the coves and submerged trees or good sight ishing, they're everywhere right now!

Sunday, May 27th, 2001

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 76-78

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I sort o made a promise to mysel during the 28 years that I have been ishing Amador, that I would never ish there during a major holiday, 'cause I would probably be depressed when I saw so many boats on the lake at once! Well, yesterday I broke that promise when some olks wanted to be guided Saturday, 3 or a day trip, and one ella or a late-aternoon night trip. I really didn't expect a whole lot o success, except early in the morning maybe, and at night. Was I ever in or a pleasant surprise - the bass didn't know it was a holiday. They were biting!! We caught 13 on the irst trip and 18 on the second, or a total o 31 bass. I haven't done that well sometimes when I have the lake to mysel! We started on a point in Mountain Spring and the guys had a triple hook-up, using Magic worms. They lost every one, amazing!! One was pretty big. But they soon made up or that, landing several up to 3 1/4 lbs. Ater a nice breakast at the lodge, we went out again, and started ishing Senkos, which worked well right up to quiting time. About 1 pm, one o the guy landed a 3 pounder on a bubblegum Senko, and missed several others on that color. Green and chartreuse Senkos were working well also. Our 5 biggest were about 13 lbs. My evening client was pretty new to bass ishing, so we tried several techniques, until he ound something he liked. The Senkos wern't working as well later in the day. We threw rattletraps and landed three, in the Jackson creek arm. I saw a ish boil, threw a salt and pepper Senko at it, and the bass nailed it - about 2 1/2 lbs. Great un! I started throwing a Chugbug topwater lure as soon as I thought it would work, and picked up a ew in the Carson arm - one about 2 1/2 lbs. As the sun set, we made our way to the main body where we both threw topwater, and Mr. Client got the hang o it!! Ater a couple o missed ish - he landed several, including the biggest o the trip at nearly 3 lbs. The topwater bite was awesome on the Chugbugs (Tennessee Shad), not so good on buzzbaits or spooks. I think we caught around 10 on topwater. We night ished with 10" Powerworms on main lake points, and caught about 6, but only up to 2 1/2 lbs. The weather was really cooling o ater several warm nights, and I think it slowed the night bite. He was very pleased as he caught his irst worm ish, at night, no less! Needless to say, it was a long day or me, but I was very pleased, as any angler or guide is when the ishing is "better that expected"!! I would like to apologize or the guy driving a white bass boat in the late aternoon at a 60+ MPH speed. I see somebody do that during most o the trips to Amador, but why when the lake is packed with boats?
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The weed situation is out o hand, and as the lake drops, the weeds will be right on the surace. I would suggest the lightest baits you can ish, such as Senkos, weightless worms, etc. Rattletraps and topwater will be a good bet. How about rogs?

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

      Report: Decided to get lost in the South Bay area with my girlfriend and ended up at Calero @ 2PM. First time I've fished this lake, but it's close to my new job so I'll be fishing/posting here a lot (good or bad). We headed off towards the horse stables and fished the back cover. The water level seems a bit low but there's enough water for fish to hold back there and nice cover. Saw a great deal of action from the Carp spawning (yes those are carp, not bass) in about 0-3 feet of water. Ran into a guy who was fishing night crawlers and caught 3 rigged with a carolina rig (but didn't catch and release-- bad, very bad). I stopped and educated him a little bit on catch and release and showed him and his sun how to fish a jig and pig. After my second pitch near a tree I pulled a 3lb bass from the water and released the bass (showing him how to correctly handle bass). We then proceeded towards a dropoff/rock cover area where he caught his bass and tried fishing with plastic worms (both brass and glass and carolina rigged) but caught nothing except for weeds. I then tried texas rigging some worms near the cover on shore and had several bass/crappie look at the bait but no takers. By 4PM it was so windy that we had a tough time casting so we left. Later in the week I'll try the other side of the lake. BTW, there is a small farm pond in the field across from the IBM office space on the road to Calero. Has anybody fished this little farm pond (no farm there anymore but future office space)? Are there fish in there? If you see a guy out there in a blue PSU or Penn State baseball hat, stop over and say Hi. Good luck out there.
      City: Sunnyvale

      Tips: Please, please, please... practice catch and release. Try fishing this like like Clear Lake on windy days; if it gets windy on one side of the lake, go to the other side to escape the wind.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Decided to get lost in the South Bay area with my girlfriend and ended up at Calero @ 2PM. First time I've fished this lake, but it's close to my new job so I'll be fishing/posting here a lot (good or bad). We headed off towards the horse stables and fished the back cover. The water level seems a bit low but there's enough water for fish to hold back there and nice cover. Saw a great deal of action from the Carp spawning (yes those are carp, not bass) in about 0-3 feet of water. Ran into a guy who was fishing night crawlers and caught 3 rigged with a carolina rig (but didn't catch and release-- bad, very bad). I stopped and educated him a little bit on catch and release and showed him and his sun how to fish a jig and pig. After my second pitch near a tree I pulled a 3lb bass from the water and released the bass (showing him how to correctly handle bass). We then proceeded towards a dropoff/rock cover area where he caught his bass and tried fishing with plastic worms (both brass and glass and carolina rigged) but caught nothing except for weeds. I then tried texas rigging some worms near the cover on shore and had several bass/crappie look at the bait but no takers. By 4PM it was so windy that we had a tough time casting so we left. Later in the week I'll try the other side of the lake. BTW, there is a small farm pond in the field across from the IBM office space on the road to Calero. Has anybody fished this little farm pond (no farm there anymore but future office space)? Are there fish in there? If you see a guy out there in a blue PSU or Penn State baseball hat, stop over and say Hi. Good luck out there.
      City: Sunnyvale

      Tips: Please, please, please... practice catch and release. Try fishing this like like Clear Lake on windy days; if it gets windy on one side of the lake, go to the other side to escape the wind.

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 73-75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: What's up with this lake! Bass West said it was a hidden jewel. I threw my whole tackle box into the tules and didn't get one bite all day. I did have un trying to catch a monster bullrog underneith the moss bed. Scum rogs make'em horny it seems.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: What ever you use there, make sure it's weedless. It's a mess down there. Had to clean o the motors and transducer all day long.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This was the irst time I have ished at oroville. This lake is awesome. I took my girlriend and her son,and they had a good time hookin these crazy spots. It's alot o un to see the expression on a kids ace when he catches a ish. We got a late start, around 9:30 but it was crazy once we did. I started in the middle ork, and tried what looked good. In the irst hal hour we caught ten ish. The bite slowed a little, so we bounced around looking or rocky shoreline. Everytime we went to a new spot we would catch ish. Just an abundance o ish at this lake. The majority o the ish we caught were on jigs. Watermelon senkos caught some and so did pink magic and keeper worms. The jigs were o the brown and purple variety. We caught 40 or so ish, and missed around hal that. The majority o the ish were in the slot, but the second ish o the day was 17". We caught 5 that were over the slot. Just a nice day on the lake.
      City: El Dorado Hills

      Tips: Get here early i you want to catch a ton o ish. I talked to a couple o guys who got there early, and they caught 75 ish. The bite slows down in the aternoon, but there are plenty o ish to be caught all day. Good luck.

Saturday, May 26th, 2001

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

      Report: I started fishing around the boat ramp, caught 1 Bass on a 4" June Bug Power Worm, it was about 2 lbs. It was really windy out, alot of weeds! I then fished the back area by the horse stables...caught 1 more there about the same size on the same bait. That back cove needs more water. They were hitting alot better back in that area!
      City: Sunnyvale

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I started fishing around the boat ramp, caught 1 Bass on a 4" June Bug Power Worm, it was about 2 lbs. It was really windy out, alot of weeds! I then fished the back area by the horse stables...caught 1 more there about the same size on the same bait. That back cove needs more water. They were hitting alot better back in that area!
      City: Sunnyvale

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      Water Temp: 70-75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: One o my best days in a long time. Caught alot o 16-21" but no keepers. Me and my buddy boated 20 total between 5:30am -2pm. Lots o action in the no wake zone in the shallows and near the dam bumping jigs and sluggo's. They will take any plastics though. The temp was about 90 degrees, and the ishing was just as hot.
      City: Fresno

      Tips: Fsih the shallows slow, keep your shades on and watch the shallows or opportunities to spot ish. smill jigs with trailers and plastics work best.

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

      Report: My dad and a riend took me out to Folsom or my birthday. What a day. Started irst light in Rattlesnake arm. Fished rock piles, only got ish shaking worms. Moved into the willows in the coves. I took the advice o another NCBF nutcase and threw Morning Dawn Magic worms. Stuck two 2 1/2's and a nice 4 pounder within about an hour in the willow trees, and I mean IN the willow trees. Only stayed until noon, but what a birthday.
      City: Nevada City

      Tips: Morning Dawn is the ticket, everything else wasn't producing as many ish. In the willow trees.

  • Tuolumne County
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      Water Temp: 73-76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started in Angles arm at 4:15 am.Caught a ew on worms & crank baits,couple o keepers.Went too the main lake area at app 7:30 am & caught most o the ish here,between the loating out house & Tuttle town ramp.Caught app 25 blacks & spots,12 were 13 in too 2 1/2 lbs..All on worms & cranking a med size plug.Most o the keepers came on worms o dierent size & color.We quit at 10:30 am.Bigger ish were Spots & caught rom app 15t deep.
      City: Riv