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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Monday, December 31st, 2012

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 45-48

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Weather: we have clear skies ,down to low 30s in mornings
      Lake Level: 5.67 ,full is 7.56\Best Depths: 2-30 you can always find a few shallow
      slow ,the minnow guys are doing ok in the clearer water,there is a few being caught on big swimbaits
      night guys are doing good
      Big Bass: 2-30 you can always find a few shallow
      8.6on a huddleston last week,several 5-7 on minnows/nightcrawlers
      Guide Information: clearlake outdoors\Name & Number: 707-262-5852

      Tips: water is muddy at both ends and midlake is fishable
      HAPPY NEW YEARS
      GET OUT AND FISH!!!

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Lake level has risen considerably but not quite up to the tules yet. 3 launch ramps again available. Water is muddy and gets worse heading towards the dam. Lots of floating debris including big logs so watch out. Lots of guys fishing. Heard a guy say it wasn't easy fishing but he caught a few sm and I saw him catch maybe another in the south narrows. I caught a 2# sm 10' off a shallow cove bank near stick debris on a spinnerbait. Couldn't get bit on a jig but had 4 bumps on a Mann's 30+ crankbait trying to go over rock piles/drops. Saw the trout guys nailing them shallow and close to shore.

      Tips: Fish for smallmouth? I usually don't because of the bigger and heavier baits I like to throw because of the wind you often see here.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My son and I fished the North Fork and Folsom Point over the New Year’s weekend. I caught several fish slow rolling in 15 to 25 feet of water. Biggest fished came in at 3.4 pounds but, we also caught several fish in the 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. The fishes are looking very healthy with tight bellies in preparations to the spring spawn. We stayed in areas that had a lot of rocks and worked the points that had transitional structure changes from rocks to grass bottom.

      Tight Lines.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Carolina Rig and Texas Rig was the method used that produce fish. Lure of choice were GYB senkos (oxblood) and large 6inch (ALL white) flukes. Majority of the bites came on the pause after a few jerks.

Sunday, December 30th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 47

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Breezy and water is muddy and cold. Launched at Buckley Cove 10:30am and left at 3:00pm. Slow-rolled spinnerbaits and chatterbaits for one hit in the Calaveras river in a deep pocket.
      City: Manteca

      Tips: Fish slow and deliberately. Then slow down some more. Watch out for the floating debris in the channels!

    • By

      Water Temp: Upper 50s

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Cruised the bank casting for bass. I hooked two fish both around 22". Lake was at previous full pool . Good time to get out take some pics mark some structure build some too. I think a lot of the big linsiders have been harvested. Didnt see all the Asian fishermen as I did in the past, this and the fact that trolling for trout has improved tells me that the biguns numbers have dropped off considerably. There are signs that stripers are spawning in there too. Look for this fishery to improve a for a few years following the rise. I think there is better potential for this lake than the harvest everything you catch model at least a slot limit on the bass.

      Tips: Get out there catch some fish and release the bass.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: Unknown

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fishing was slower than it has been lately. We fished up to the log boom on the middle fork. As usual, the rock piles and points were the hotspots, between 10 and 40 ft of water. Cast a 3.5 smallie beaver on a spot remover about 10 ft off shore and retrieve slowly, parallel to shore. We boated 52 fish up to 17 inches, and almost all were over 13 inches.
      City: Oroville Ca

Saturday, December 29th, 2012

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 48

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Really tough bite! I pretty much tossed a swimbait and A-rig tell 2pm. Went to every wintering area I had on this lake with no success. I finally broke out the drop shot and managed one 2 lber, and that was it for the day.
      City: yuba city

      Tips: Wait for some stable weather to get out here. The post front conditions and rising water made it very tough.

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished north fork from around 11:00 to 3:30.
      Marked some fish but bait spread out. landed a couple of spots in the 2lb range on dropshot 5" wacky senkos. Caught trout on cranks and a 8" trout on a 3/8 oz spinnerbait.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: Find the stained (not muddy) warmer water and go slow.

    • By

      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: 1 3#'r on a swimbait. Nothing on jigs or jerkbait. Water level has come up a little.
      Now just touching the tules.
      City: Monterey

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Shore fished Lime Saddle from 8:30am to 10:30am. Got 7 spots, one 16 1/2", one 15", with the rest 12-14". Also one trout, small, about 12-13". Fished Texas rigged roboworms. Most fish hooked about 15-20 feet. Bitter cold morning.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: When shore fishing, work the worm all the way back to shore, even shallow. Many were hooked say about 10ft, like the bass follow them and take the worm as it gets closer to shore.

Tuesday, December 25th, 2012

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Shore fished Lime Saddle from 8am to 9:30am. Got 8 spots, 2 right at 15" on Texas rigged roboworms. Colors didn't seem to matter. Rain got too much and had to leave.
      City: Magalia

      Tips: Fish slow

Friday, December 21st, 2012

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished Collins yesterday afternoon for about 4 hours, but couldn't do much because of the howling wind. Hard to get away from it in this lake - being so open. I did most of my fishing at the lower end, near the dam. I missed about 6 or 7 fish - including a pretty good one - but landed 4 up to 2 lbs - all spots. Wind at 25-30 mph made feeling a bite impossible. All hits were on a D&M Piranha swim jig - craw color. I was using a Yamamoto Swim Senko as a trailer. Fishwere all over the water column - from 5 to 25 feet.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The lake is 10 feet from full and will fill within a week. Water will probably be dingy again for a few days. Bass will probably move quite shallow as the lake fills.

Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Shore fished at Lime Saddle roboworms Texas style 8:30am to 10:45 am. Got 8 bass, largest 16 1/2", 15 1/4" and a 14 1/2". The rest were all 13-14" or so. Slow fishing compared to past trips. Got one 13" trout as the worm fell. Funny, they don't fight at all compared to a small spotted bass. Like maybe a 6-7" bass fights, maybe less!! Cold, cold.
      City: Magalia

Monday, December 17th, 2012

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 50-52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Weather: rain, we got some snow on saturday clear now thru wednesday
      Lake Level: 3.50 and rising\Best Depths: 2-30
      I havent been out but guys throwing big baits are doing good , Ive seen photos of 40 pound limits
      Big Bass: 2-30
      several 8-10 pounders being caught
      Guide Information: clearlake outdoors\Name & Number: 707-262-5852

      Tips: get out and fish

Saturday, December 15th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 47.4

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched from Ladd's around 9:00 am and fished in Fourteen Mile slough bite was slow but caught 6 nice bass the biggest was 3.25 lbs. Most fish were in 6 to 8 feet of water and caught all fish on a shad colored rip bait. I missed three other fish, the bit was suttle and I didn't get a real good hook set. We got off the water around 1:00 pm as the wind picked up and the water was getting rough.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Cast the lure out, reel it down and let it sit...give it a twitch and let it sit for 20-30 second count. All fish were caught as the bait was sitting still.

  • Alameda County
    • By

      Water Temp: 54-56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Cold front came through and seem to have affected the bite. Had too work the jig fish harder and really slow down. Got about 10 bites to 3 lbs. early and shut down later when it started raining. Brown 1/2oz. jigs did the trick,quit around 2pm.
      City: Bay Area

      Tips: Be prepaired for the weather and bring good raingear.

Friday, December 14th, 2012

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 56 to 57

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: First time back on Berryessa after several weeks. Fished from about 1100 to 1530. Overcast skies and near calm conditions. Only debris was small (1 to 2 foot) branches and assorted crud. Nothing spectacular but the smallies were chewing pretty good. Caught one small spot near the first point before the Narrows (across from the sunken island). Then the fun began. Along the North shore of the first cove in the Narrows hooked up with my first smallie on a jig with 420 beaver trailer (just slowly dragging it). Next three smallies, including a really nice 5 lber, were caught on a spinner bait (3/4 oz. Revenge with a clear/black hula grub trailer with chartreuse highlighter on the tips) from the point at the start of the rock slide and down that shore. All very healthy and fought like hell. Love it when they get near the boat and go into the dive mode. 5 lber had my 704 Lami Cert Pro bent in half.
      City: Windsor, CA

      Tips: All spinner bait fish were caught in 40 to 45 ft. of water with fish suspended at 25 to 30 ft. Didn't venture up to Putah but probably still close to mocha colored. Stayed pretty much in the Narrows due to limited time.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 49-52

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I have not been very good at reporting lately but these last few weeks have been some of the best weeks of Fall/Winter fishing I have seen. Average numbers have been from 40-50 with high days above the 60 mark. Most of the bass have been in the bracket but many over as the average bags have been around 10 lbs. Good bags have been 12-14 lbs. I had a great guy out today for just 5 hours and our total fish count was around 40-45. The exciting thing was his best bag went 16lbs-14oz. His two biggest bass were 5lb-4oz lg mouth and a 3lb-8oz spot. I don't have to say he was pretty excited about his day!! Today we did not get real fancy as all we used were senkos. With this storm and the 50 feet of new water, it has brought the bigger bass up. Last week were using blades,rip bait,drop shot, jigs, finesse jigs with worms, spoons, A-rigs, just to mention a few of the patterns.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Don't mind the weather. Go out and experience some great fishing.

    • By

      Water Temp: 49-52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Mike Sperbeck and I launched at the dam today, fishing from 10 am to 4 pm, mostly in the main body. Too cold to run around much and there is already floating debris! Be careful!!! The bite was slow but steady until about 3 pm, when it died for us. The sun came out for about an hour around 1 pm and the spotted bass liked that - bite was pretty good. All the bass were good quality (including one largemouth) except for 2 undersize. We had 6 "overs" but nothing much over 2 lbs. Possibly the now extreme cold weather has slowed the bigger fish bite - or we got on the water too late this morning. Clay/broken rock banks held most of the fish - at the 10 to 25 food depth. We could not really get anything going with deeper bass.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We both felt that the bass seemed "on a diet!" None of them seemed to have the nice bellies that have been evident in previous years. The jig bite was good for me this morning - and I got two on a D&M Piranha swim jig (green pumpkin). Mike was using various soft plastics on a dart head. Not sure how many total bass we caught - somewhere around 30.

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Mr. Benjamin John Crowley. I am desperate for some action. its already December 14, but was wondering what part of the lake you found the steelhead and bass chasing shad? That bite may be over by now but i was thinking of barrowing my buddy's boat and heading up to the lake hoping and wishing for that kind of action.
      City: san mateo