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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, November 2nd, 2013

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 61-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Mike Sperbeck and went to the lake Fri afternoon/night for some quiet time of bass fishing. Wow!! When we hit Henderson Point about 6 pm - there was a November party going on. Didn't see a burger stand however! Nine boats on both sides of the Henderson wall, 3 or 4 boats on Shag, and a few elsewhere. I have never seen that in November - with boats fishing up 'til dark. I know there was a party somewhere - maybe today! Anyway, Mike and I fished Henderson and surrounding area for a few hours and still were able to catch some quality bass. We hit some of our favorite area on the way back to Red Bud, where Mike was able to land a 6 lb 7 oz bass - our biggest. I lost a real big bass after a good battle. Not my night! We landed 8 with the best 5 slightly over 25 lbs. All caught on jigs - fairly shallow - 5 to 20 feet. Nada on topwater.

      Tips: I must say that I lost the big bass on one of "Cooch's Wadda jigs - and I don't think it was the jigs fault. Ran into Cooch - at night no less - and he wanted me to try one of his jigs which he was nice enough to give me. Obviously it was of interest to a really big bass. I would expect the water to cool pretty quickly now - which should cause the more compact "brush hog or jig" type baits to be more attractive to large bass. Big bass do tend to prefer "bulk" type baits in cold water. Longer, plastic worm type baits aren't as effective in cold water. Also, downsizing is often necessary during the winter days - but not at night.

Friday, November 1st, 2013

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65 -67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Friday 11-1-13, my buddy and I launched at about 8:00 AM out of Capell Cove and started fishing in Skiers Cove. There were many schools of baitfish but we could only catch one fish. Next, we headed to just inside the opening of the Narrows and fished from there all the way to the farmhouse. A few more fish were caught. About 1:00 me tried behind the Big Island and caught a couple more fish. Because the bite was slow all day, we quit early with a total of 7 fish. Nothing big. All fish were caught drop-shotting 4½ in. Roboworms. Other techniques were tried including top water with no success.
      City: Pinole

      Tips: Jigging spoons in schools of baitfish should work. However, we didn’t try this because another boat nearby was having no success with this technique. Perhaps they had success at another location.

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Weighed in an 18.3#, 36.5" striped bass by 9am and back out after the picture. Switched to fishing for lm bass and got a couple 2# each in trees and drop offs. Day was actually slow until I decided to leave at 3pm but a striper wouldn't let me go. Then saw fish feeding across the lake so I stayed an extra hour and caught 7 more stripers to 3#. Had a blast.
      City: dublin

      Tips: Lm on soft plastic in the trees and crankbait on the drop. Stripers on top and 10-15' deep on plugs depending on when and where you find them.

Sunday, October 27th, 2013

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Picture of Fishing with Sid























      Friday at sunset I headed out with Bob for some night fishing. Bad move on my part should have checked the calendar a little more closely to see what phase the moon was at. It was pitch black out there and we decided to wait for a moon lit night to try again. The next morning I took Art out. We started the day in the Narrows where we were landing small bass. I decided to go for trout because I could see them on the surface all around us. I trolled through the area and sure enough we were getting hit after hit. Art was using a blue and silver "Speed Trap" crankbait with a feather trailer and I was using a white with sparkles crankbait with a feather trailer. We were very happy with the outcome (see photos). Art asked me if fishing with a plastic worm really works so I said let's go do it. I set him up with a senko worm with brass and glass and threw it into four feet of water as he reeled it in slowly I asked if he could feel the bottom and he said yes. He practiced for awhile and then we set off to find some bass. His first cast he could feel the bottom as he reeled in slowly. He felt a tap but did not set the hook but on the second tap he was ready and set the hook on a nice two pound bass. On the way back to the launch ramp we trolled through a large ball of bait and we hit a double hook up it was a little hectic trying to net two fish at the same time but we managed. I showed Art some new spots to fish that he had never tried before and we had a very enjoyable day. 'til next time............................................................................good fishing!!!!
      www.fishingconnection.net If you have any questions or stories you would like to share please email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at 650-583-3333.
      City: San Francisco

      Tips: Follow the bait

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Hey OttaB...thanx huge for the response and tip...I always wondered about doin' a rip retrieve with a crank...good stuff! Really appreciate it! If ya see a tracker 185 walkthrough with a couple guys and a yellow lab, that's me, my bro, and my pooch buddy!
      Anywways, for the report, my brother and I launched 6:15 at B&W and just worked the Moke down toward Tower. Slack tide was real still so we threw topwater...bro threw a spook and I threw an Ish frog.... lots of blowups but couldn't hold the bite, so I tied a clown/clear spook on...bro already had 3. Immediately got a violent blowup and it was a 23" striper. From then on, it was junk fishing for about an hour and a half. Decided to look for moving water and went up to Sycamore. Water was real muddy so went just outside Sycamore on main channel to find some moving water. I immediately hooked up a couple 1-2lbers on red craw RedEye shad, bro tied on a DD22 in what looked like a Tenn Shad, picked up 4 2lbers in about 40 mins. We kept jumping back and forth on either rock wall/tules and throwing deep divers...I didn't get much, just a few barely keepers, but my bro picked up about 6 more 1, 2, and 3lbers on his deep diver. Dang, just didn't work for me but now I'm tyin' on deep divers just to catch one!
      City: folsom

      Tips: Like OttaB says, look for moving water, which when we found it, our hit percentage increased. Since I didn't hit as much, I have no real tips. But according to my bro, he would cast diag to tules, then slowly work a deep diver across the weedline and pause on contact, then rip it through. They'd hit on the pause or the rip. Dang, I gotta practice!

    • By

      Water Temp: 62-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Another late start out of Orwood at 7:30. Cold but not as cold as I thought it would be. Fished top water on the north/south cut just past the bridge to the north but no takers. Little further north got shaker striper and a dink + a few more blow ups.

      Started fishing tule island points with S-waver, Arashi Storm and still no takers. Couple keepers on jerk bait in Mildred Island. Left Mildred at 12:45 and the wind started howling. Tucked into Disco Bay and caught 3 more keepers on drop shot. 10 in the boat but only 5 would have kept. Best was only 2lbs 6ozs.

      All in all pretty slow disappointing day. I'm guessing there was a fast moving front that moved through the region and it shut down the bite?
      City: San Mateo

      Tips: When the wind kicks up duck into Disco Bay and flip the docks.

      I thought the shad patterns would be the key by this time but I was wrong. Should have switched to bluegill or craw at some point. Best bites were on Roboworm Pumpkin Punisher.

Saturday, October 26th, 2013

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Deepv... I was using the red craw color. I was fishing it around tulle points that had grass around them. Casting it out,steady retrieve, but was working my rod like a jerk bait. Never stopped reeling just jerk,jerk. It gave the lure a nice action.
      City: elk grove

Friday, October 25th, 2013

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: na

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hey OttaB....what color Arashi were you using?
      I think only ones I have are the red and rusty craw, which have produced but on par with my red eye shads. Maybe it's where i'm presenting them. Any insight is helpful and appreciated!

      Thanx!
      DeepvBasser
      City: folsom

      Tips: none, I'm trying OttaB's on Sat and Sun.

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65 - 67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Friday, 10/25/13, We started fishing halfway back into Cherry Creek using top water baits with no success. We were looking for breaking shad but seen none. As the sun hit the water, we switched to drop-shotting. By 1:00, we caught only a few fish with one about 3 lbs . Other techniques were also tried with no success. Next, we tried part way up Dry Creek without success. About 4:00 we moved to Smith Creek (where the outhouse was) and fished the first 100 yards on both sides. Over the next hour,6 more fish were caught all drop-shotting 4½-inch RoboWorms. We ended the day with 10 fish.
      City: Pinole

      Tips: Look for bass chasing shad on the surface. Last year at this time with the water temperature at 65 – 67º (same as this year), we had two really good days by finding breaking shad.

Thursday, October 24th, 2013

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Jeff and I fished the main portion of the lake today, worked our way to north fork. Fist fish a nice 16 1/2" or about 2 1/2 pound spot. Not our best day on the lake, ended up with 7 spots, most 13-14" Tried assorted baits, could not get it to pick up any. Fish tend to be getting fatter now days. Still nice fish trip, thanks Jeff. We fished mostly roboworms in tan to brown shades.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat needing a fish partner, let me know and lets catch a few spots. I'm available most of the time. Email me at jewelweaver@earthlink.net. Lets catch a few.

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 67-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I was telling my buddy - spoonmeister Rick Tietz about a slower than expected spoon bite during my Berryessa guide trip last Fri - after his good trip 2 days before. 'Bring your Duh! spoons and we'll catch 'em!!" So we hit the lake yesterday and after a few hours of intense spooning, Rick said - "Wow - the bite slowed down!!" "I told you so!" - I said with great glee!!! Fun to be right occasionally!! We worked the main lake (with the same dead calm clear water we have seen for the last week) and really didn't catch many bass - but they were in the 3 lb + range (spots). We decided to try the narrows during the later afternoon - and - there they were - giant schools of shad! We did catch quite a few smallies, spots,and one nice largemouth, but we still had to work for them. Lots of missed hits which is rare when they are aggressive. We both agreed that a cooling trend (next week) should get them going. There were a lot of bass near the shad, but they seemed to spook easily - one or two bass and that was it - had to move on.

      Tips: Can't speak to any other bait - only used spoons! Are my elbows aching today? Naw!! As you probably know - move around until you find the bait. Bait does move a lot - as this report proves! Some areas that looked good had no bait, one non-appealing wall hosted tons of bait - 40 to 65 feet. I had never fished that wall seriously during my 45 years at Berryessa! We are always learning, aren't we?!! I was using black shad color most of the time while Rick was using his newer morning dawn color, though he changed color often. And watch out for those trout - they will give you a thrill when they take a spoon!!!

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 64.2 to 65.7

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Shasta is 122' down and fishing very well and getting better! Throw reaction baits early (top water, spinnerbaits, ripbaits and crankbaits) on main and secondary points. After the sun gets on the water pull out to the 20' to 30' range and fish down baits such as darthead worms, 1/2 & 3/4 oz. jigs and brass n' glass.

      Tips: What to use
      1.) Super Spook's: Bone, Baby Bass, Okie Shad
      2.) Lucky Craft Sammy 128: Ghost Minnow, Ghost Trout
      3.) Spinnerbaits: Ganns Stilleto 1/2,3/4 & 1oz.: White on White, White & Chartreuse and Clear Glimmer Flash
      Rodstrainers: Same sizes in white or chartreuse and white.
      4.) Lucky Craft Pointer 100 DD and Staysee 90: Chartreuse Shad, Ghost Minnow and Phantom Chartreuse Shad
      5.) Norman Deep Little N: Chartreuse and white and Texas Shad
      6.)Gann's Draggin' Jig: Green Pumpkin Candy with a 4" Green Pumpkin Yamamoto double tail.
      7.)Mothers Finest Mojave Oxblood w/ Red flake on a 3/16 oz darthead OR a Brass 'n Glass rig. The Brass n' Glass is an old school way of catching quality spotted bass and the Shasta is PRIME for it right now.

Monday, October 21st, 2013

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: as low as 64.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Sid‏














      Fishing with Sid


      11:38 AM








      To: Sidney Silberberg, lake b Peter Kilkus new






      Picture of Fishing with Sid























      The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting cooler and fishing is getting better. Last Saturday was fairly windy so I decided to go in the back of the Monticello Ski School which provides shelter from the wind to fish. I used senko worms with brass and glass on the weed line in shallow water and was very successful in landing some nice bass the largest being four plus pounds. When we were ready to head home the wind had died down a little so I went to the west side by the BOR and trolled in. We went through many bait balls and hit trout up to three pounds all the way in. This past Saturday was a perfect day weather wise. The water was calm and the temperature dropped to 65 degrees. I started off where my wife had caught her 10 pound 2 ounce bass a few weeks ago hoping that I might get lucky but too no avail. I decided to stay in that area because of the size of the bait balls all around me. It paid off big time I landed a good size limit of trout and Albert landed some nice trout the largest a little over three pounds and a nice bass too boot. We went in early because it was getting cooler and the sun was starting to set but it had been a great day of fishing (see photos). 'til next week..................................................
      City: San Francisco

      Tips: knowing which way the wind blows tells you where the bait should be.thats a good start for finding the bait balls.

Sunday, October 20th, 2013

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 63 - 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Figured it time to head back out to clearlake. Had not been out there since spring. Tiger and I fished from the narrows south, both forks, started with rock piles where we knew them and other deeper spots we had luck on in the past. Overall we did catch 12 fish but no real size, couple 3.5 and a 2+ and a couple other would be keepers but the rest dinks. Overall best 5 maybe 12 lbs. Nothing from the rocks for us, not a single fish. Tiger got two on a jig and I got a couple on dropshot and the rest came on senko (some with splitshot). Most of the fish came after 4:00. Alot of fishing with no bites - crank bait, rattle trap, spinner bait, swim bait, even a spook in the shallows. Limit out Tackle was very open with local info and what's "hot"- thanks for that! He told us there was alot of pressure on the lake the last 3 days. We are going to stick with our excuse that the big boys (FLW Two day tourney and ABA finals) with 150+ team boats over 3 days bringing who knows how many fish back to the weigh-in is why we were a little light :) Young girl at Clearlake oaks landed a nice catfish about 10# when we were pulling out. Weather was beautiful all day, almost no wind.

      Tips: Missed several hookups on plastics for some reason.

      Did not fish north end of the lake at all - maybe should have tried it.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Had to get the fish bug out of my system for a couple days, so shore fished Lime Saddle from 7am to 8:15am. First cast a 15" spot. Ended up with a total of 8 spots, all other fish a nice solid 13 1/2" to 14". Bite was super soft today, but plenty of fish to be caught. All caught on roboworms in brown shades.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat that needs a fish partner, let me know and lets catch a few. I'm available most of the time. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net Let pierce a few lips.

Saturday, October 19th, 2013

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 67-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I took another guy and gal out yesterday, introducing them to a lower water level Lake Berryessa! They were learning to bass fish, but the bass didn't cooperate as well as I had wished. We started off with a 2 1/2 and 3 lb spotted bass which they successfully fought and landed, using 3/4 oz Duh spoons. We started about 11 am, hoping for a good late afternoon bite. I really didn't happen - bass wouldn't even hit topwater. The lake was dead calm and very clear all day long - tough conditions. Also - full moon was up at dusk. Should have been night fishing?? My buddy Rick Tietz and a former client had done very well on Wed. We struggled finding baitballs yesterday - some days they are hard to find. Find them and you find the fish! We did end the trip with several more bass - just not very good quality. Metered lots of good off-shore structure and did find some bass - they just weren't feeding.

      Tips: Our best fishing was in the narrows. The main body was gorgeous and we could fish anywhere. Hard to find slightly off-color water. Quite a few bass boats our there yesterday - running around quite a bit. I had them use a variety of baits, but all bass were caught on spoons.

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Couldn't keep them off my topwater in the morning, but they were birds of prey instead of bass. A hawk repeatedly tried to attack it even after seeing me reel it in and heave it again. Got it away from the hawk, threw around a point and a cormorant? grabbed it. Once had to untangle one and set it free without it taking out my eye. Finally had to switch to subsurface lures.
      City: dublin

      Tips: Lots of bait and fish chasing them early in the south end but cranks and Senkos no good for me. Had trouble finding any fish on the graph later in day.

Sunday, October 13th, 2013

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 63-65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: launched out of paradise predawn. Nothing until the sun started to rise. Popping frogs and crank baits. First time trying the new Arashi square bill and the bass were inhaling it. One fish had the whole lure in its mouth and not a single hook was stuck, still got it to the boat. I even got a few stripers in it. The frog bite was not as good as it has been but still got some decent fish. Flipping brush hogs produced some but nothing big.
      After slack tide action slowed. The wind that picked up around Mildred isl. didn't help matters either. Off the water by 1.
      City: elk grove

      Tips: The best locations I found were the sparse tulle points that had some current, whether it was from wind or tide. Always throw back to a spot with a different bait. I was getting multiple fish off points some with a crank and then a brush hog.

Saturday, October 12th, 2013

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 61.7

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched B&W around 6:45am and started down the Moke throwing lipless cranks. Brother immediately picked up a 1.5lber and then 2 more solid 2.5lbers. For every solid keeper my bro landed, I hooked a dink or barely keeper. Tried senko's but only managed more dinks. My bro stayed with his lipless as well as a speedtrap, both in craw with orange belly. Don't know how many, but he finished the day with a bunch of 1 and 2 lbers and I finished with as many dinks. Not one keeper for me today. Oh well!
      City: folsom

      Tips: Whether low tide, incoming, or high tide, my brother threw to the tules and got hit at the weedlines. That was his pattern. I tried it, but just didn't work for me. I had no pattern...had no luck today. But still a good day for my big bro.

Friday, October 11th, 2013

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Shorty fish trip today. Launched about 7am, off the water at noon. Jeff and I got 9 spots, one was a small mouth. A couple were decent size, around 15" or so. The rest 13-14", maybe one smaller at under 13". Fished Texas rig roboworms and drop shot, a couple fish caught at 50ft, the rest 25-40ft. Tons of boats on the water with them all doing a pre-fish for the tournament tomorrow. Great trip, thanks Jeff.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Anyone with a boat looking for a fish partner, let me know, I'm available most of the time. Email me at Jewelweaver@earthlink.net Let catch a few together.