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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Caught several bass in Potato Slough and the main channel of the San Joaquin River. The water was quite a bit clearer in many locations. Several dinks but 8-9 keepers including a 4 pounder. The fish were hitting brown/red jigs and sweet beavers in close. Also did well with crankbaits. The largest fish took a KVD square bill in sexy shad. That one was also tight to the tules. A just legal striper also wanted my lipless crank. All-in-all it was a good day to be on the water.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: I towed some folks in that were having engine problems. I lost a little fishing time but felt good about it anyway. I hope I'll be able to count on fellow fishermen if I break down in the future. Could happen to any of us.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went to whiskey to fish from shore last night from 11:30 to 1:00. Caught a couple dinks, one small keeper and an 8.5, my second biggest ever, all on 6" green pumpkin senko with some flake. As the tide dropped it got harder to keep my bait clean.
      City: holt

      Tips: All the bites came after repeated casts to the same spot, and one to three feet from shore. I wouldn't have had enough patience if I had been fishing from a boat.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 80

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Clear lake Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th. Fishing was good in the evening on Thursday but a lot tougher during the day on both days. with the arrival of the millions of silversides all over the lake it has made it tough at times but also good if you find yourself in the middle of the feeding frenzy. My friend and i were all over the mid lake and south end of the lake and we caught fish everywhere. buzzbaits,crankbaits,jigs,and frogs all got us fish from a variety of areas. As many of the recent posts for clear lake have stated it is important that you move around till you catch one and then camp till you clean that spot out, every place we caught a fish yielded at least several more. it is hard to decide where to fish right now since the fish are doing everything you could think of right so fishing deep and shallow are good options just fish whatever you like.the fish being caught right now are meant to spoil us as most of our fish were 4 or bigger with a 7 and 8 caught by me Thursday night for a 27lb limit. the slime is everywhere on the lake but it has not slowed the fishing, but be prepared to have about 7 dollars for pressure washing the boat afterwards. i want to thank Jimmy from Clear lake bait and tackle for all of the tips that led to our excellent trip. Also if you have never stayed at Indian Beach off highway 20 you are missing out. Not only are they reasonable, have good dock access, and fishing off of the docks you are pretty much centrally located on the lake making it easy to run where you want quickly. water temps are in the 80 degree range and the weeds are clearing out a bit already.
      City: San Lorenzo

      Tips: if you fish an area that you feel should produce with no luck try other baits till you find what they want. sometimes it took us a couple passes to get them to react and also make several casts to the same spot to get a reaction bite as they are heavily feeding on the silversides and are by no means starving. i caught an 8 after casting 6 times to a clump of tullies with a buzz bait.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 79.4

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: On the water again at 4:30 am armed with a black buzzbait with a black lizard trailer and an old school WATSON RAT. Caught a 2lb'er in no time. As it got light enough to see I started to play with the rat. I set up on a maim lake deep water chenk rock point thew the rat up tight and a 6 plus ate it. Moved around to the piers and no reaction bite. Dart head fish on the piers at atout 20 feet. Moved to a isolated rock pile in the middle of nowhere and found bass busting shad on the surface in spurts every ten minutes or so. Pick up my custom painted spook and just murdered them. Last fish of the day was a 5lb even that ate the spook so deep the rear hook was in his or her chrushers. Off at 9:30 am.
      Awesome day.
      City: Nor-cal

      Tips: Get on the water early, look for bass busting shad after daylight. Work the main lake points early tight like on the bank. That bite only lasts no more than an hour.

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 78 ish

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Hello All, I went out on Sunday wiyh a friend and we had a ball! Lots of fish in the boat on soft platics. Nothing huge, everything from dinks to 2lbs, one stiper. we put in at Orwood and the bite was on all morning.
      City: martinez

      Tips: I am a little suprised at 'Myboatsfaster'?? I am embarrassed for him and anybody else that thinks like this!!! We should all help each other out there! Good job Riverrun and Bubba. I am sorry for people that run into to bass fisheman like ' myboatsfaster'. His name says it all!

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Really!!!??? Just cause someone is fishing in a spot you want you get to wave them off cause your pre fishing? Its public water just like the ramp....if i get there first and am fishing i'm not gonna move because you want me to, i got here first go fish somewhere else then check back...if you get to the ramp first and pull out your boat then i have to wait and the proper thing to do is pull your boat out then go wipe it down somewhere else so other people can pull out. I know i probably started a sh.. storm but i quit being so damn selfish
      City: petaluma

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: " If you are fishing and somebody in a bass boat that is pre-fishing a tournament comes up on you and waves you off a spot, move along and give them the spot (i'm trying to make some money)"

      YOU MY FRIEND ARE A TOOL....

      PLEASE... "TRY" AND WAVE ME OFF "YOUR" SPOT

      this is the reason i fish. to ge away from people like YOU!!

    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: launched 8am paradise. nice morning. stayed local as motor needs tuning. worked moving water and tules. crankbait bite was decent and also worked dropshot in cuts. caught 7 keepers and many dinks. no brag today.
      City: sacramento

      Tips: no tips today. but for myboatsfaster, anyone can see you are trying to get people riled up so just throttle back on the nonsense. it doesn't do anything but start a mess here. quit being a _disturber. and if you really do any of those things, you'll get yours.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished 5 - 8:30 pm. Great topwater bite mostly on Rico's and spooks. Targeted main lake and secondary points. Highest percentage structure had stickups and/or stumps near or right on the point. Caught around 25 fish with 6 over the slot. Best fish was a 21" LM. Estimated weight 3.5 - 4 lbs. Real fatty!!!
      City: Sierra Foothills

      Tips: What worked for us was throwing right up against the shore. Twitch-twitch = explosion!!! Shaded shorline seemed to be a good choice.

      Ripping accounted for a lot of the smaller fish. Still had to work for all of our fish. Slow down especially around target areas. Great Lake!!!

Monday, August 20th, 2012

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Night fished for 3 days. The quality was good but the bites were fewer than normal. Averaged 8-10 fish per day. Largest went 9.75. Was fishing south, only a few reaction fish (blades) that went 5 lbs. each. Limits were 21 - 28 lbs. The last night was the lightest in bites but yielded the largest fish. Texas rigs & a few senko fish (big fish was on senko) Weeds are starting to breakup. I think the bite will pick up in the next month. Congrats to Manny Frias who got the 9.75 his largest to date!
      City: Kelseyville

      Tips: Look for clean water with structure. If we caught one, we could usually get another @ same spot so if you run into one stay for a while. If you don't get bit, move!

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Spent the late morning fishing the Weekend Island area before the wind kicked up. The bites were few, but managed to catch three bass: 4 lbs, 2 lbs 8 ounces, and one more fish around 1.5 lbs. Could only get the fish to hit drop shot roboworms outside the weed mats. Saw another angler pull up a 11 lbs bass from the Narrows near the rocky point.
      City: Livermore, CA

    • By

      Water Temp: 75-80

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Weather: 90-100 daytime 60s at night
      Lake Level: dropping fast\Best Depths: 2-25 feet
      just go fish everything is working. southend has a good deep crank bite going. best bet for me has been buzzbaits and chatterbaits in the north end
      Big Bass: 2-25 feet08/17/2012 - largemouth - 9.69
      9.69 and a 8.67 in a night tournament
      Events: WON tournament 8/25-26 night contact steve modino at WON Bass
      Guide Information: Clearlake Outdoors\Name & Number: 707-262-5852\Pricing Specials/Open Dates: spend 100.00 in store and get quagga inspection free

      Tips: move around till you catch one then fish area and you will catch more

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The reaction bite has been holding steady for the past month. Headed out with Markie G at noon. Fished till 5:30PM. Totaled 50+ most on reaction bates. Go visit Oroville Outdoors and pick up a pointer 78 that mimics the pond smelt and/or baby bass. You will not be disapointed!!! 5 fish over the 15" slot.
      City: East Foothills Oroville

      Tips: Love the Middle Fork but I do not think it matters that much. One you have "ripping" down you will have a hard time going back to soaking worms and dropshotting. Especially this time of year. Love this lake! Take a friend and hold on!!!
      O yea, got a ticket for too fast in 5 mph zone. No mercy!!!!!!

Sunday, August 19th, 2012

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 83

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I had family visiting this past week and we spent most of the time at the lake. My nephew's son Ari who is three was so excited when he caught a fish that weighed about a pound. Each time he told the story about the fish it grew bigger (a true fisherman in the making, see photo). Alexia, Jake, and Nana joined me everyday for fishing lessons. Nana was very interested in learning how to cast and different techniques of catching fish. They all had fun and even landed some nice bass. We spent every day they were here on the lake and enjoyed the great weather fishing, swimming and picnicing. On Sunday my son limited out on bass. Next weekend I plan on bringing hotdogs and cornmeal balls as I saw many carp and catfish in a few coves and plan on catching a few. 'til next weekend......................................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.
      Now is a good time to book a guided fishing trip.
      City: Napa

      Tips: fish are active early catch bass on top, carp breaking water all over and trout about30ft catfish hungry will be a good week coming up.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched H&H 630am; caught a couple just past the barge in Little Connection. Decided to try territory we're not familiar with so headed to just east of Frank's Tract. Big tourney going on so tried to stay outta their way. Continued to hit sporadically on speed traps, red eye shad lipless in red craw. Most 1 to 2 lbs but brother did get a nice 3.5 lber on monster shad senko...this color pattern catches. While working a point, met a cool lady basser named Allison...gave way to her to let her work the point through. Not sure if the point produced but hope she placed. She was very cool.
      City: folsom

      Tips: Worked outside weedlines with senkos as the tide went lower.. during high tide early on, blazed the lipless across the weedline top at 45deg angle comin' away from the tules. Also worked ends of tule strips and cuts with 1/4oz lipless and followed with senko...seemed like lipless had em looking and the senko gave em something slow to grab.

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

      Report: That last report was for August 19,2012. Sorry

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

      Report: It was very windy, but spent the afternoon fishing the Weekend Island area. The bites were few, but managed to catch five bass: 5 lbs 10 ounces, 4 lbs 10 ounces, and two more fish around 2 lbs. Could only get the fish to hit drop shot roboworms outside the weed mats.
      City: Livermore, CA

Saturday, August 18th, 2012

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 84-86

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I took a client yesterday afternoon/night who has done very well on previous trips, but struggled some last night. I think the lightning in the distance scared him, LOL! He landed a few, but lost most of his fish. Because of a southern front moving in, I wasn't sure how the bite would be. Those fronts can shut off the bite. But it turned out to be great before dark, especially using topwater. Maybe the best topwater bite in August I have had ever at Berry. We missed several, but landed largemouth up to 4 lbs 10 oz, using Storm Chugbugs. Including a Robo worm drop-shot largie, the first two in the boat were almost 8 lbs combined weight. After dark the bite turned off 'til midnight when we found a few good spots in the main body. I don't use the D&M Piranha swim jig much in the summer - but they wanted it last night! 5 hits and 5 in the boat including 3 1/4 and 3 1/2 lb spotted bass. We also caught a few quality smallies up to 3 lbs. Only 12 bass landed, but the 5 best were 17 1/4 lbs. Quality was amazing and - no dinks! All bass were caught surface to 20 feet. Could not get deep bass to hit.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I think the bass would have hit ripbaits too. Wish I had tried them. We found most of our evening bass hanging around isolated patches of weeds. I think a frog would have worked too. We only got one nice bass on a plastic worm. Something with a blade, or topwater seemed to be the trick. Client lost a few on a spinnerbait.

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 75-80

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Spent three days on the water, August 17-19, fishing a two day club tournament and one practice day. Fishing was great for numbers. Spent most of our time up the North Yuba River arm, pretty much as far back as we could go. The lake is LOADED with bait fish right now, with bluegill and bass fry everywhere and balled up like crazy! We caught well over 200 fish in three days, but finding anything over 12 inches was difficult. Managed to squeak out a limit on my practice day. 4 small keepers on Day 1 and only 2 keepers on Day 2, but with a 3 pound kicker. Nobody could find anything over 12 inches, so my 3 pounder managed to take big fish and the tournament for me. I had good luck throwing a Spook in baby bass color when the clouds were present and you could see bass busting the surface. Switched to drop-shot pretty much exclusively after that. 4 and 6 inch Atomic Custom Baits in Autumn Rose, Bluegill and Desert Rose. Also roboworms in Margarita Mutilator and Morning Dawn were productive as well.
      City: Reno, NV

      Tips: Fish the walls after the no-wake zone in the north arm, find the shady pockets. I think the big fish will be moving up as soon as there is a little fall in the air. The bait fish are definitely there! Check out my blog at andrewmartinbass.blogspot.com

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 70-71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched 7am B&W since New Hope is closed for maint. Great start, great day catching lots of 1-2lbers on craw colored cranks, (speedtrap and lipless) as well as senkos in monster shad. A couple 3-3.5s on the senkos.
      City: folsom

      Tips: Started with cranks over the weed tops and outside edges, then went to senkos just outside the weed edges.
      Great day all the way to the end until at the boat ramp, a bassboat pulls behind us, my brother already on the way to get the truck and coming, and this guy wants to try and back down before my brother. He doesn't make it and my brother backs down. my brother hadn't seen him til he was already down the ramp so yeah, it was tight for 2 but he still came down. then he gives my brother "the look", and then his bud can't get his glittery Ranger on the trailer straight. If he hadn't been in such a hurry to trailer and cut my brother off, maybe it woulda been a better day for both of us. TIP: have some boat ramp manners.