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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, June 16th, 2012

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 76.= 78

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fishing Diary

      2012
      June 16

      While it is largely a fact that I have saltwater in my veins the winds have stirred up the salt pond for most of the last month, so I made a phone call to a special friend who knows all about freshwater fishing and said, "Next time you have an opportunity to squeeze me in, let me know." Sidney Silberberg is the special friend and today was my lucky day.

      Lake Berryessa is a couple hours from me and yet I've never fished it but not to worry, Sid knows the place like the back of his hand. I met him at one of the launch ramps on the south end of the lake where he already had his fully loaded Lund in the water. I was prepared to see the freshwater version of a "Tred Barta porcupine" when he told me the number of rods he was bringing. Let's just say he's got everything covered! I was allowed to bring up to three sticks myself but I chose the two staples I own... A Fenwick trout rod/Penn 420 SS (coffee grinder) and a Penn Pursuit/Abu Garcia Ambassador 4600 C3 (level wind), both sporting fresh line.

      It promised to get hot today so I planned ahead and donned my Mojo shirts and a pair of shorts over a swimsuit and wore a pair of water shoes from Lands End. My Mojo cap and Kaenon soft cores completed my ensemble. Polarized glasses are a MUST HAVE if you plan on fishing.

      Sid started us off by trolling and I took notes of the various lures, depths and water conditions. It wasn't long before we had a bass attack and I cranked the feisty golden-hued fish to the boat. A very respectable 2 to 3 pound smallmouth bass got deposited into one of the forward live well. He was soon joined by a 2 pound rainbow trout. Another bass followed before we decided to run a short ways to another spot.

      A nice breeze picked up just as I had discarded my T-shirt, bringing enough relief from the heat to get by with my performance shirt. Since I had caught a few fish on Sidney's gear I decided the put my trout rod out and troll with it a bit. It was promptly bit and whatever hit it started to take line. "It" turned out to be a great fight and I landed my first ever squawfish which was around 4 1/2 pounds. I followed it up with another trout.

      With a light chop on the lake we headed for the opposite side to get some protection and take a break to hang out with Sid's family on a patio pontoon boat. We snapped a few pictures of some of the catch so far and tossed a couple of lines out to check for catfish. After a quick hamburger and beer we cooled off with a dunk in the lake and then I got schooled in the fine art of using a senko from the shoreline. I practiced for a few minutes before we headed back out.

      We found a nice area to drift using the senko technique and I also tried casting a couple of topwater lures. The next time we hooked up I told Sidney to bring one in since I had lost a bass earlier. He let me net the fish which was a nice largemouth bass around 4 pounds. Throughout the rest of the afternoon we scoped out areas hiding bass and I learned a lot about the structure that they prefer at different times; During the day-to-day and over their lifecycle.

      In one small cove I had a huge takedown and fought the biggest bass I'd encountered, so far, to within five feet of the net before it leaped and spit the hook. Sid figured it was a 6 pound class fish. I was really starting to enjoy fighting bass and I wanted another shot at a big one. We paused to dunk ourselves again before moving on.

      Well when you're fishing with a pro lightning can strike more than once! A short while later I got to fight an even bigger bass around 8 pounds, but alas it too found freedom before the net. Sidney took it in stride but I know we both would have loved a photo op with both of those largemouths!

      It was a pleasure not only fishing but getting to experience a fantastic lake with plenty of wildlife. Sidney pointed out several osprey and bald eagle nests, grebes, Canadian geese and we saw plenty of deer as well.

      If you want to hire Sidney (who is also a very talented angler on saltwater too) then contact him at his web site here or call him at (650) 583-3333. I'll be adding Sidney to my endorsements page.


      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      City: Napa

      Tips: Baha Bev you did good

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71-72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: launched 7am at new hope; fished just outside sycamore for a few 1-2lbers; wasn't quite low tide but was going out; caught fish both inside and outside weedlines on shallow diving and lipless cranks. also picked a couple up on dandy baits slk spinnerbait slow rolling through sparse tules and over weedlines. tried senkos but nothing...plastics didn't work today...buddy whacked a 3.5lber on lipless so i changed back...fast retrieve parallel on top and outside weedlines and hit a 4.5 striper. 3rd bud was throwin to tules and back and hit about 5 barely keepers and a couple 13"ers. quit at 1pm; good 1/2 day on the water.
      City: folsom

      Tips: low tide always throws us but they're not always outside deeper so we worked red eye and rattle trap lipless as well as really small 1/8 oz shallow diver bombers (spinning) at 45deg casts to the tules and just fast retrieved across the veggie tops, no pause...hits came mostly on top or just past the veggie line. most everyone we saw was flippin'. we stayed with cranks, but i'm sure everyone caught today.

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 74-77

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I had a "teach-the-lake" guide trip Monday night with two guys learning the sport - and the lake. We had our heads in the Lowrance HDS-8 as I showed them lots of neat ofrf-shore structure. We did fish several hours after dark, but the bite was slow and there was enough wind that fishing was difficult. I think they had several fish they didn't feel and they missed several. We did manage 6 bass up to 4 1/4 lbs. Friday afternoon/night, Mike Sperbeck and I gave it a shot for about 6 1/2 hours. Fishing was still not great, but not bad. He caught 8 and I had a grand total of 1. Yea, but mine was about 6 lbs!! Didn't mess around with the 3's and 4's that Mike was catching. Yea, that sounds good!!! Beautiful evening - warm and no wind.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Mike fished the evening before dark with Senkos and I fished buzzbaits and Chug Bug topwater baits with not a touch. We were up by the state park. After dark we fished several areas in the Clearlake arm and had our limited success there. I caught my 6 pounder on a brush hog, about 30 feet deep! Mike was using brush hogs and Senkos for his fish and they were fairly deep also. They like his hogs better than mine! Our best five were around 19 lbs.

    • By

      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Last night we got on the lake at 6 pm and started in the 5mph area work the west bank sack to the bouy line and we caught 31 bass inside the 5mph area all on jigs the bass in that area were between 1 & 1 1/2 pounds. Then we move out to the main cove under ranger station and work back down the east bank too the ramp we caught 19 more bass 17 were still in the 1 to 1 1/2 pound range we did manage to land 2 that were 5 1/2 & 3 1/2 pounds for are two biggest fish. All in all the little bass were a blast to catch alot of the fish made several jumps out of the water. We got off the lake at 2:45 am all the fish were jig fish and all came in 5 to 25 feet of water. We talk the a few other on the water two anglers in different boats both had some good bass big bass for one angler went 7 1/2 pounds.
      City: madera ca.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68-74

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This week fished better than last week and topped off with a trip out Sat with a great client that nailed a 4 lb spot on a swim bait up the North Fork. We took another over 3 lbs. and several over 2 lbs mixed with the usual bracket fish. We keyed on incoming water and rocky banks taking bass on blades, swim baits, and jigs. During the middle of the week we took many nice bass from the main body and the slot as well as the West and North Fork with the same patterns including tubes. The top water bite is still off and on and most off unless you fish in the evening.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Seems like the bite was better early and tapered off in the afternoon. Typical for this time of year.

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the REBC club tourney in the morning. We fished on the Dry Creek side of the lake fishing trees in 20'-30' using a drop shot. Caught a lot of small fish and 8 keepers. Best was almost 4 lbs. Total weight for best 5 was 12.3 lbs. Stick to the main lake areas near wood and rocks. Also look for grass lines.
      City: Rohnert Park

      Tips: Use at least 10 lb fluorocarbon, 6" Roboworms. If you are not getting bites, change colors. If the bite slows through the day, change colors. That worked for me and I was able to continue catching fish all morning.

Friday, June 15th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Disappointment and Potato Sloughs. Nothing real big but caught several fish in the 1-3 lb range. Best 5 probably around 12 lbs. Everything seemed to work including shallow and deep cranks, buzz baits, and spinnerbaits. Never got around to soft plastics or jigs but guess they would have been ok since the bass didn’t seem all that fussy. Several fish chased lures and a few slapped at them without hooking up. Biggest fish were 5-8 feet deep or just outside the weed line.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: Use the wind - the breeze was welcomed.

Thursday, June 14th, 2012

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: went thurs and got a lot of bites and hooked most of them. Unfortunately not alot the hooked ones were keepers. Couldn't figure out what was going on even tho I released all 25 fish including a 13lb+ catfish that wore me out. Fished main body, narrows and wragg canyon. Junked fish and caught some, on topwater, jerkbaits, blades, tubes, dropshot and grubs. Even tho I fished deeper,didn't catch anything deeper than 13 ft.
      City: orinda

      Tips: If it's big fish you want, I'm not much help, as my bigger fish were only 2.5-3lbs. If you want bites throw the plastic. Keep moving til you find fish.

Tuesday, June 12th, 2012

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 69-73

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This past week started out with a full moon and lots of weather changes that really had you looking for a pattern that would work. I found that as the week progressed the bite did get better even though the winds got up to 40 mph. Tubes and senkos work well in the first part of the week and the bite seemed to change to a more reaction bite from mid week on. Blades and swim baits working really well on points and ambush spots from 2-5 ft. down to 20 ft. With the full moon we also fund a late spawn bank on the main body and took some really nice large mouth and spots up to 4 lbs with jigs and shacky head worms.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: On tuff weeks or even a tuff day on the lake, if the bite is not happening start changing things like going to a reaction baits.

Monday, June 11th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70 - 72 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Luanched the Custom Valco "BASSBUSTER1" out of Ladd's about 8:30 a.m. and was off the water by 3:00 p.m. Went out to Big Al's (light 19) area first for the first few hours. My 5 fish limit came on mojo shotting 6" zoom trick worms, all small males. last couple hours decided to run around back through 14 Mile Slough searching out some future punching spots since there is alot less cover this year. The larger bass are diffinately holding in the heavier cover now. Stuck three nice bass up to 5 pounds using Strike King flipping tubes. I'm ready to switch over back to my sweet beavers, but have so many tubes left I'd like to use up the supply first.
      City: Stockton

Sunday, June 10th, 2012

    • By

      Water Temp: 74.5 to 76.0

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: We got on the lake at 7:15 pm last night again it was windy but the bite was good. Bass were in 8 to 20 feet of water and all are fish were caught on jigs. We had 17 bass 6 of them weight in at between 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 pounds. Bullet head jigs in pumpkin green/black green crystal or bullet head jigs in junebug both worked. They were 1/4oz. jigs and 4" yamamoto twin tail grub trailers.We got off the lake at 12:45 am. All the bass were caught in the 5mph area.
      City: madera ca.

      Tips: isolated rock piles long points flats nite time fishing has been very good on jigs. 1/4oz bullet head & 3/8 & 1/2oz.football head both work ive been using bullet heads for most of my fishing now im only tying them with 20 strands of silicone or one pad it make a difference and exposing the trailer works well.

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

  • Calaveras County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Hit the lake over the weekend for a few hrs on sat and sunday. saturday my son and i caught about 10 with most being really small best of the day was a 1.5 lbr my son caught on a smallie beaver. sunday i went out by myself and did a lot better in comparison. 10 keepers up to 4lbs and they all came off 301 hula grubs. fish were in the 10 to 20 range and favored the shade of the docks most bites were on the drop.
      City: San Lorenzo

      Tips: use any color jig that you want as long as it is green pumpkin and you will catch fish right now. i did not stray far from the south shore launch

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Oak Bottom at 8am and ran out approx 1/2 mile around the islands. Wind was at a slight breeze and water calm. Used a UV flasher (Shasta Tackle) with a 3 foot leader and a silver kastmaster. Ran downrigger down only 15 feet and trolled around the shallow points in the middle of the lake. Every pass I hit a 20-24" rainbow. They were hanging around sides of the shallow points. In 3 hours, we hit 9 rainbows over 20" and almost a dozen Kokes (biggest 18"). After cleaning the trout, the males had nothing in their stomachs and the females were will of snails and grubs plus full of roe. It looks like they are spawning on shallow water beads and the males are protecting the beds. Lots of fun with double hookups at times!
      Take a kid fishing, he or she will remember it forever.
      City: Cottonwood

Friday, June 8th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: On the water by 6:00. Fished all around Victoria Is. where I could get out of the wind. 5 fish early on frogs but none in the boat. None on spinners or cranks. Tried worms but the dinks were biting off the tails. Caught a couple on swimming white flukes. Best luck was with 6" green Lizards. Only one at 3# the rest were smaller but fought well. All the fish were caught in @ 5'-6' water and ambushed from deeper shade. Sun at my back.

      Tips: find bait fish. If my boat was in 5' of water, I was over the fish. So I'd suggest to back off a bit.

    • By

      Water Temp: 69 - 72 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Windy, Windy, WINDY!! Luanched the Custom Valco "BASSBUSTER1" out of Ladd's about 8:30 a.m. and was off the water by 3:00 p.m. My original plans was to fish around Big Al's (light 19) for the day, but decided to seek shelter in 14 Mile Slough. Junk fishing with reaction baits was the only way for me to be successful today. Bass and stripers on crankbaits, lip-less cranks, spinnerbiats, swimbaits, and even had a few blow-ups on the frog(no hook ups this time). All the bass were 2 pounds or less. The stripers were schooled up near the pump house and mostly under-sized, but fun to catch under current weather conditions.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: Look for the calmest water possible or try to fish aggressively in the wind. What ever your preferance is in fishing the delta.

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: 1st trip here, well worth the drive. on the water at 7:30 off at 1:30 with 32 fish. few on top water in the early am. the rest came on combination of darter head robo worms, senkos, and drop shot. threw a few big baits but no takers-but lost interest soon as the smaller baits were putting fish in the boat
      biggest was a lm at around 3 lbs
      City: cool

      Tips: bigger fish came in deeper water around 30-35 feet smaller fisher were 5-20 feet

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Collins while camping with the folks. Collins Lake Camp ground has definetly improved over the last few years. Very clean good job. White spinner baits and shad colored swim baits were the ticket in isolated trees in about 4-8 feet of water. Wait for the wind to blow and go get'em. Best fish 3 lbs caught over 20 in two days top water worked at sundown. Best Collins day in a long time.
      City: Yuba city

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Thanks for posting about Jerry. His reports were always right on, with plenty of commentary and great information on everything from road and ramp conditions to the where the best hamburger joint could be found. I was sorry when he quit posting and will for sure think of him with the next cast.
      City: Delta

      Tips: Live every day without regret.

Tuesday, June 5th, 2012

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68 - 71 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Luanched the Custom Valco "BASSBUSTER1" out of Ladd's today around 8:30 a.m. and was out by 2:30 p.m. Windy conditions today so I decided to run all the way back into 14 Mile Slough and started fishing at the bridge and worked my way out. Frogs and buzzbaits during the out going tide was the ticket for me.
      City: Stockton

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: •
      Fishing with Sid‏



























      From:





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      This report covers Memorial Day weekend through this past weekend. Memorial Day weekend had it's ups and downs with the weather but all in all turned out to be a good fishing weekend bringing in limits of trout and bass and including a nice size catfish caught by Dan and weighing in at 9.5 pounds (see photo of Dan and some helpers Quinn, Aiden and Jaden). This past weekend I went out with John and his sons Jason and Edwin. Our first stop was in the narrows where we trolled past one of my favorite spots with no luck. My aim was for the boys to catch something quickly so they wouldn't get bored and lose interest. We headed to another area and tried our luck there. Once I explained how much line to let out and what to look for it made a big difference and they started to get bites. We started off with both boys getting hookups at the same time and landing two nice size bass. After that first doubleheader they kept catching fish for most of the day. We ended up with limits and very happy boys (see photos). Hoping next weekend will be as good. 'til then..................................................................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.






      http://www.fishingconnection.net
      BOOK A GUIDED TRIP
      AT LAKE BERRYESSA
      City: Napa

      Tips: if u need a tip on lake berryessa call me