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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, December 24th, 2000

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: COLD!!!

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Arrived at the launch ramp at 8:00 am and the motor would not go down. Tore apart the hydrolics and got launched by 10:00 am. Fished the main river and around Eucalyptus Island until dark not a bite. In one spot I saw lots of fish wakes in the shallows around vegetation Couldn't coax them to take anything.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Tried jigs, cranks, rattle traps, plastics and spinner baits.

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: 61

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Another tough weekend or chabot. Went sat and sun or a ew hours each day and nothing doing. Good thing I am ready or christmas. Cause it sure was worth the time just to get away or a while. Merry Christmas to all you ishermen out there that read this report
      City: Castro Valley

      Tips: It would be a good idea not to ish this lake on christmas day

Saturday, December 23rd, 2000

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Calero today only for a couple hours. Got two fish a 4# and a 2.5# on jigs in about 15 ft of water on the wall straight out from the launch.
      City: SAN BRUNO

      Tips: Just drag a jig around on the rock banks and across points

    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Calero today only for a couple hours. Got two fish a 4# and a 2.5# on jigs in about 15 ft of water on the wall straight out from the launch.
      City: SAN BRUNO

      Tips: Just drag a jig around on the rock banks and across points

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49-50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Sugar Barge. Fished Rip baits in the morning in Franks Tract area over grass beds in 2-4ft. and caught 6 quick keepers. Ran out to the Main San Joaquin and fished slack water eddies (inside of river bend)in 8-10ft with drop shot rig. Stuck a 4.5 # and a 3#. Fish were purty active. Caught 11 fish total, best 5 around 17#s.
      City: Danville

      Tips: Don't pound an area to death. The fish seem to be in schools and when you find them they can be caught easily. Keep movin til you locate them. I caught fish using 2 entirely different retrieves:Hard rippin and dead stick/shake on drop shot. Plan to launch near the area you want to fish as the fog can keep you from runnin for a few hours. Keep it safe! tight lines, Michael Birch

    • By

      Water Temp: cold

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: put in at the break around 9:30, headed over to driftwood marina, saw two other boats throwin' jerkbaits, tied one on and nailed a 2.5lber, not another bite. picked up a senko, started flippin the docks, bingo! three good fish, all about 3lbs. slow fall bait was the deal. had to watch the line close, just the slightest movement meant he was there! off the water about 1:30. pulled one 2lber. out of the barge cove. black/blue flake senko. let her hit the bottom and do not move it, sometimes took two-three minutes for the bite. started out splitshottin' witches-t, three dinkers.
      City: walnut creek

      Tips: seems a slow falling big bait worked well. maybe shakin' a jig/pig 8-10ft. don't move it, just shake it.

    • By

      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Franks Tract and adjacent main river area for a few hours this afternoon targeting Stripers. Geez, it was slow. We put one 7lb Striper in the boat on a hairraiser, and a 2lb Largemouth on a swimbait. Flat calm, but pretty cold. Suprised it was so tough today.
      City: San Mateo

    • By

      Water Temp: ???

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished for about 5 hours with no luck. Fished outside of the weedbeds with cranks and senko's. Not one bite.
      City: tracy

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 50-52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished this lake or the very irst time started out around 11;30 slow at irst,then bang the ight was on landed a nice 4# ished around the dam area had two other nice ish at 3-9 and 2-7 ish were caught on spit shotting junebug color brushhog had a nice day I will deentally ish thislake again please practice on catch and release.MERRYCHRISTMAS
      City: arbuckle area

      Tips: TRICK IS TO FISH AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 56-57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished rom daylight too 1pm...Caught 8 bass too 2 1/4 lbs...All ish came on plastic's,rom 20 too 6o t deep..Fish were caught on sharks,Skirted grubs & 4in worms.All ish were caught between points o the main lake going into med.size coves on darter heads,1/2 to 1 oz ootball heads,split shotting & drop shot.Lost one on a drop shot cali.worn that tore loose ater a 1 min. ight. These ish were spitting up small shad,about the size o your thum nail.
      City: riv

      Tips: Slow & deep

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fred and I ished primarily the main lake. Caught 9 between us and enjoyed a little sprinkle rom Mother Nature. Fish came on cranks, jigs and worms, 5-30 eet. Greens, browns and purples seemed to work. Worked chunk rock banks and points.
      City: Marysville

      Tips: Not too ast. Look or bait. Use the wind.

Friday, December 22nd, 2000

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 48-50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out for 4 hours. got 4 keepers and one dinker with the biggest going 5lb 1 oz on rattletrap. Got a 3 and a 2 also flippin b-hawgs. tight lines
      City: Castro Valley

      Tips: try slow fallin presentations. i also threw brass and glass on all my stuff

    • By

      Water Temp: 48-50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out for 4 hours. got 4 keepers and one dinker with the biggest going 5lb 1 oz on rattletrap. Got a 3 and a 2 also flippin b-hawgs. tight lines
      City: Castro Valley

      Tips: try slow fallin presentations. i also threw brass and glass on all my stuff

    • By

      Water Temp: 56-59

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Ran around Frank's and the Break. One small fish in the AM on a crank in Franks. Fished the break on incoming tide and managed 7 fish between 1.5-5 lbs. All came flipping big worm. Good luck and stay warm.
      City: Antioch

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, I guess it is only air that a client with the last name "Noel", and his buddy, should have an early Christmas present! Believe me, they did!! I got to see some clients that really knew how to set the hook, hold on to some o these big bass. I believe they set a new record or my guide service, catching 5 bass or 40lbs 2oz. Ater weighing them careully on three scales I have on the boat, the ive came in at 6-8, 6-9, 8-4, 8-11, and the inal ish o the trip, 10-2. Both caught their personal best, with one beating his 9-2 with the 10-2. They caught another at 5-11, and I managed three - 5, 5-1, and 5-6. Somebody had to catch the "dinks"! I believe this is my irst trip ever where a lot o bass were caught, with NONE under 5 lbs. Amazing!! These guys were excited, making or a trip I won't soon orget. We started around 4pm, and by dark (5:40?), we had our irst ive in the boat or over 30 lbs, all on Rodstrainer Jigs with Yamamoto grubs. Many olks know how much I love the last hour o light or late all and winter big bass ishing, but even I had trouble believing this! Ater a short coee and hot soup break, we went out and battled the wind and rain. Not many bites, but they all counted, and they were all on big red/black brush hogs. The ish we were catching were only about 15 to 20 eet, so we kept 4 in the live well or a photo, and later released them where they were caught. The guys decided to go another hour (good decision!), so I took them to a rocky point north o Konocti Inn, where I have caught airly nice ish, but never a monster. About 11:30 pm a client missed one, and two minutes later, the "Noel" client gets bit, and the struggle is on. For 49 degree water, I stood with the net ready or an eternity!! Finally, when I lited it in the boat, I knew he had a chance - 'cause he talked about a "ten" the whole trip! Lie is good sometimes! Wouldn't you know he gets it ater the irst photo shoot! So, more photos, and back into the water it went. He will have a iberglass mount made with the measurements we took. The holiday greeting "joyous Noel" is appropriate or this happy ella.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Ater dark, the jig bite did not happen. That really amazed me, since it was red-hot beore dark. I cranked a little beore dark, but no takers. Big brush hogs and Berkely Power Hogs have been very good since the cold weather set in. Remember to use a large hook - I use the Mr. Twister 5/0 keeper hook. This is the best big bass worm hook I know. It is a thinner hook than some, allowing inexperienced people to have a better chance at hooking a big bass on a weak hookset.

Thursday, December 21st, 2000

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well started at 1:30 today. Fished the same spots as yesterday. Caught 3 up to 2 Lbs on the 7" red shad in 25'. then fished the horse shoe side and caught 1 Ripping a 5" rogue, 2 more cranking. So 3 fish in 25' very pale color, 3 in 5' with more color. Wierd guess the fish can't decide what depth to hang out in. Largest went 2lbs. Only boat on the lake today, left at 4:30.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: 3 on a Berkley Red Shad Powerworm in 25' of water. 1 ripping a Silver Ratttling Rogue Rip Bait in 5' of water. 1 on a Fire Tiger Wiggle Wart in 5" of water and one on a pale red Crankbait in 5' of water.

    • By

      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well started at 1:30 today. Fished the same spots as yesterday. Caught 3 up to 2 Lbs on the 7" red shad in 25'. then fished the horse shoe side and caught 1 Ripping a 5" rogue, 2 more cranking. So 3 fish in 25' very pale color, 3 in 5' with more color. Wierd guess the fish can't decide what depth to hang out in. Largest went 2lbs. Only boat on the lake today, left at 4:30.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: 3 on a Berkley Red Shad Powerworm in 25' of water. 1 ripping a Silver Ratttling Rogue Rip Bait in 5' of water. 1 on a Fire Tiger Wiggle Wart in 5" of water and one on a pale red Crankbait in 5' of water.

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: O.K. This was a trip o a lietime! Me and my buddy got to clear lake around 7:30 in the morning on Monday ater a 10 hour drive. Air was 30 degrees and the sun was shining over head...Now I normally don't write my reports but this time I igured I should since Clear lake is so hot right now! The winter bass bite is better here then anywhere in the world...We went out on the 18th and ished Wheeler point and got on a school o bass at 5 lbs..Pulled out 8 ish in one hour all over 5 lbs. Then went in and ate..Went out or a night session..40 degrees went out and 29 when came in..NOT one bite...Shag rock was loaded but no takers...No big deal though..Now tuesday was the day...Went out with Keith Clow the KING OF CLEAR LAKE. Dont let anyone ool you Keith know's this lake better than just about anyone..I you need a guided trip email kclow@mail.telis.org...Now this day was absolutely amazing..We went out to some oshore rock piles and irst cast a nice 4 pounder or my buddy then a 4 pounder or my sel..Then the big boys started biting..A 8-6, then a 7-3, then a 7-1, anothe 7-6, and then the 9-6 or my buddy..I could not believe it..We were hooking all day in 18 to 25 eet o water. We were calling the 5 pounders small and it was no big deal, Really!! This lake is the most amazing lake in the U.S and I just witnessed the best bass bite ever..I you love big bass go to clear lake and sit on a rock pile..You are sure to hook a hawg o a lietime...
      City: Huntington Beach

      Tips: Tip; Jumbo Minnows, and big jigs..They need to see the silhoutte. Also , be careul in the Rattlesnake arm..The indians are damn crazy over there and they were shooting bullets at us and I am not kidding...BE CAREFUL...OR DONT GO OVER TO THE RATTLESNAKE ARM..

    • By

      Water Temp: 49 to 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well talk about a great start to the Christmas holiday. We went out Thursday night the 21st, with Larry Hemphill who is a proessional bass ishing guide, and boy did we have un. We started about 4pm and by the time it got dark we had 5 ish or a little over 30lbs. My partner and I both caught are personal best, he had one 8lb 4oz, and mine was 10lb 2oz. My trip started with a 6lb 9oz, then an 8lb 11oz and then my third ish was the 10lb 2oz toad. We did not catch anything under 5lbs the whole night. This was a trip that you only dream about. The person responsible or this once in a lietime night was Larry Hemphill, what an exceptional guide he is. I cant say enough about him and i you want to learn a lot about bass ishing and a chance to catch some quality ish you should give him a call he is worth every penny he charges and thensome. You can reach him by email at lunkerlarry@hotmail.com, phone is (530)674-0276 or you can check out his web page at www.theishsnier.com/hemphill. You would thoroughly enjoy your ishing experience with him; he is a 1st class guy. I personally will ish with him again very soon. By the way my partner and I went out on Friday morning and we caught three ish over 5lbs 2 ish about 41/2lbs and one little ish 3lbs, not nearly as good as Thursday night, but not to bad either. Last thing I have to say is thanks again to Larry I had truly wonderul ishing trip.
      City: Modesto

      Tips: CALL LARRY HEMPHILL AND READ ALL OF HIS FISHING TIPS THEY ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY.

    • By

      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hit the water about noon, and did not get bit until about three. We put two ish in the boat or the entire day. Nothing on the rocks,nothing deep on drop shot, or carolina rig. Got both ish in the middleo trees with a our inch witches tit reaper on the bottom.
      City: turlock