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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, April 20th, 2012

  • Alameda County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I saw a lot of green but only caught 3. Biggest only 2# largemouth with a belly full of eggs. Water was very clear. I could see down to 14 feet in some areas and must have seen around 40 or 50 bass in the spawning flats and coves. Some were just cruising but a lot of them showed interest in the lures I tried but most would not commit. The ones that did seemed to be mostly slapping at the baits. Missed a lot of fish. A large striper took my swimbait at 8am. I had a freshly tied knot on my flippin rod spooled with 20# fluorocarbon but the line snapped shortly after the hook set not far from the boat. I'll keep the drag set looser in the future...

      Tips: Fish shallow where you see Christmas trees or other brush. I caught a smallmouth on a Rapala type lure and the 2# largemouth on a brown plastic worm there. Hope it works out better for you.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 65-68

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Wow the bite is on fire this is one of the best big fish years I've seen in a while! Can't wait to see the results for the future pro and wish I was fishing it cause I got them figured out here's some tips for the guys who are fun fishing and just wanna catch fish Morning dawn robo worms on a dart head or drop shot but you really have to fish it slow I mean pretty much dead sticking the bait and letting the boat move your worm, fish are staging near spawning areas in 3 to 15 feet. If you wanna catch a little bit bigger fish senkos in the trees will be good for a couple nice bites right now but I definantly think the tournament will be won on swimbaits and the A-rig... good luck and tight lines everyone please feel free to email me if anyone has any questions. FISH ON!!
      City: Orangevale

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 56-63

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Caught 28 bass from 10-2 up Squaw Creek, rock walls, back of coves by the running water and wood and sunken trees. Bass more agresssive and hanging onto the baits. Through blue/salt and pepper curl tail grubs on 1/8 oz dart head, and small blue worms, 25 keepers and 5 over 2 pounds. One had a lizard in it's mouth. They are getting ready to go...
      City: Redding

      Tips: Small light jig heads, slow falling, then feel the weight on the line and set the hook, then hang on. Lot's of fun!!

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I had freinds down a week ago fishin the McCloud water temps were in the low 50s they were using mostly rubber ie: drop shots and sencos. The fish were slugesh and far in between.Any one been fishin the pit? what's the water temp?My crew and I are coming down in a couple weeks. Hopefully the up coming week of warm temps. will move the fish up from the secondary points.How about one of you locals give us a report.
      Thanks
      Si

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Friday and Saturday (April 20-21). The water level is very high and warming up quickly. The coolest water I found was 66 degrees in the main lake and up to 74 in some of the shallow creek arms. Most areas in Yorty had at least 10 feet visibility. Caught at least two dozen bass. Most fish were 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds. Four were in the three to four pound range. Much tougher fishing on Saturday than Friday with the combination of hot, sunny, weather bringing out kayakers and pleasure-boaters and ANOTHER tournament.
      City: Santa Rosa, CA

      Tips: Every fish was caught on a wacky-rigged drop shot Root Beer/Red & Gold Flake 5" Senko. Threw lots of crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but nothing worked for me except the Senko. Although most fishermen on the lake appeared to be sight fishing, I was not. It was easy to locate fish if I fished in areas I knew were mostly left alone. Shallow areas and coves along the main lake were very productive as were deeper shorelines blocked by submerged trees in Cherry Creek arm that were tough to reach in a boat, but easy in my canoe. Dirty water also seemed to be much more productive than the very clear water. Cast right up to the shore line and work the Senko (slowly) to about 10' of water.

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

  • Napa County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Correction - My previous report should read
      Thursday 4/19/12 not Friday
      City: Pinole

    • By

      Water Temp: 67 - 69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Friday, 4/19/12 was a beautiful day with air temperature in the mid 70s and water temperature from 67 - 69. There was little to no wind. At times, the main lake was slick. My buddy and I caught at least 10 fish each. Both of us had several fish over 3 lbs but less than 4 lbs. Our best five weighed 17lbs. 2 oz. Larger fish were all females. The fish are starting the spawn. We saw many pairs of fish in shallow water who would move away when they saw us but would soon return to a certain spot. We could only catch a couple of these by casting to them from a distance where they couldn’t see us. Only one of the fish we caught showed any signs on their tail indicating bed preparation. The fish were caught casting 6-inch Roboworms and wacky-rigged Senkos. .
      City: Pinole

      Tips: The water temperature is right. So the fish are ready to spawn or spawning all over the lake.

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 57-61

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Nice couple days of fishing with son. No wind and water warming. Over 50 fish between us with a nice 5.5 pounder as big fish caught on wacky o-ring senko.
      City: Reno

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 60-65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I haven't posted a report in quite some time, but today was too good not to share. The wind blew and blew hard all day, but the fish rewarded us for sticking out a testing day on the river. My dad and I started out fishing Whiskey and immediately put a 4 and a couple 1-2lb fish in the boat. Then at about 7am after about 20 minutes worth of fishing we got the first big bite of the day, a nice 8+lb fish in the boat. So we continued to fish Whiskey and work our way out toward Empire cut. We got about five more 2-3lb fish in the next hour before getting our next big bite of the day. This fish went 9.75lbs! We cont to fish Whiskey for the next hour, but the bite slowed considerably, only boating two more two pound fish. So we made the short run to Mildred to try to manage the gale force winds. Got into Mildred and first cast got a three pound fish. Two casts later landed a nice 9lb fish. We were only able to stand fishing in there for another twenty minutes or so due to the winds, and we only got one more two pound fish. We decided to head back into Whiskey and run the water we had had success on earlier...good choice! We fished for about ten minutes before getting our next big fish, this time it was a true Delta GIANT!! This fish tipped our scale at 13.5lbs. After running all of the same water we had run earlier we managed a few more 2-3lb fish and one that went just over 5lbs. This was hands down the best day of fishing that I have ever had in my life. I have managed to put together a couple 30+lb bags in the past, but they have been few and far between. So to have a day like this was truly a blessing! And to get to share it with my dad is the icing on the cake!
      City: Turlock

      Tips: We were able to catch 2-4lb fish all day on Spro Little John cranks in a couple dif colors. The 8lb fish and the 9.75 both came flipping Yum Money Craws. And the rest of the fish over 5lbs all came on blades today. The wind really got them keyed up on the blade bite today. So for as tough as it may be to get our 17' Crestliner to stay positioned in the wind, I will never complain about the wind again!

    • By

      Water Temp: 59-61

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Still chocolate milk with maybe 1.5 - 2 ft visibility.
      Senko's were the main ticket. Lots of tic's but a lot of short strikes. Picked up close to 20 or so in the 1.5 # range with a couple pushing 2.
      Nothing on jerk bait but did have a decent one a crank. We did get a few on a blade as well.

      New ramp fees: $18.00
      City: Lincoln

  • Siskiyou County
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      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Can any one tell me the water temp.up the pit.The last post was in the low 50s.In the main lake. I'm coming down in a few weeks for our annual trek.
      Thank you in advance.
      Si
      City: lakeview

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 63

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I am a moron , I wrote the previous post talking about the dirty water thinking it was algae or pollen . It just hit me ,the lake just turned over . I have fished Folsom for many years and have never seen this . Maybe it will disappear as fast as it came ?
      City: Granite Bay

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 58-60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I thought a warming trend was coming in starting Sunday. I was wrong. A cold, cold front came in Monday. Nearly got blown off the lake. Even some sections of the Narrows had white caps. I think it put the fish down. I caught a few on a still worm (like below post stated). I did not stay long.

      The water was clear to stained depending on where you were in Narrows.
      City: Leo

      Tips: Don't fish cold front in the spring (of course)...

  • Solano County
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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: @ WESLEY, I wasnt really talking about you, or delta fishing, ive just been reading tons of reports that seem suspect.I probably should have posted on another body of water. I agree with you though, bigger senkos and bigger plastics do generally catch larger fish, not always but mostly. FYI, There are hogs on beds right now in Potatoe Slough!!
      City: VACAVILLE

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 64

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Bite has seemed to toughen up , I think its the calm before the storm . Catching around 2 fish per hour with a three pounder for every six or seven fish. The water is turning brown and its not mud , must be algae or pollen , the south arm seems to be all colored with the north arm being half brown and half clear. It will stop site fishermen from finding spawners.
      City: GRANITE bay

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 50-57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Last three trips out my clients have done really well as the lake temp is on the rise as also the lake now at 25 feet from the top. With bags from 11-lbs to 15 lbs and Tuesdays bag at around 14 lbs with a nice spot at 4 lbs. Reaction baits were working early but most of the bites coming from worms, senkos and drop shots. This is the week we have been waiting for, it is all turning on with these warm days and nights. Overnight temp was 56 degrees. There will be even greater movement now into the shallows. Along with the nice females a lot of smaller males are biting as well and some of the male have been close to 2 lbs.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Up to this point the bass have been somewhat scatered, but with the warmer water they will start to school up. The 100 fish days are around the corner.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: In oroville, do they inspect your boat for the usual? I was just wondering if they did, that way I can prepare my boat for inspection.
      City: san mateo

Monday, April 16th, 2012

  • Napa County
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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: City: Benicia

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 58 - 62 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Luanched the Custom Valco "BASSBUSTER1" out of Ladd's today about 8:30 a.m. and was off the water by 2:30 p.m. I concentrated fish around TikiLagoon area today. Surprising this morning during the bottomed out low tide I was not able to spot a spawning bass or active spawn beds. It was a finesse bite to start today casting from shallow bank side to deep torwards the boat docks using 5",6", and 7" straight tail power worms on a mojo shot rig and spinning rod. Also used 6" zoom lizards.

      When the tide finally started to change and was incoming around 1 p.m. I started working tules with a spinnerbait on my way back to the main channel. 9 bass today from 1.5 to 4.5 pounds
      City: Stockton

      Tips: Sunny blue bird shies fish heavy cover, shaded areas, or fish deeper. Wish I tried a carolina rig along some drop offs I was scanning.

Sunday, April 15th, 2012

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 65-66

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Sunday afternoon(2:15ish) Launched the Nitro from Whisky Slough. Headed to my spot..found a Sea Lion there having a field day with the buffet offered on the incoming tide..Began with a double willow 1/2 spinner in white..nada!..went to my speedtrap in all white...nada..picked up the Jig Rod black and Blue flipped the tully's...nada..senko..nada went to a chartreuse and green speed trap and hooked up 13...boated 9. largest went 4.5 lbs...At one point (high tide)...3 casts 3 fish..off the water by 6:30..back at it sunday!
      City: Ripon

      Tips: Junk fish..til you trigger them to bite.Ive never thrown the color of speed trap I threw sunday before that day..I worked for me estimated bag for 1/2 day fishing about 20-21 lbs..