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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Christian Bass League started the year with an open event. 24 teams fished and we had several father/son teams show up. The bite was on first thing in the morning and then was slow the rest of the day. The top finishing teams all threw dropshot, tubes or finesse worms. Join us next month at New Melones on Jan 14. Call David for details. 209-988-5818 or e-mail me request schedule.
      City: Turlock

      Tips: The fish were from up the river to Cottonwood. Find your favorite spot and work it good. Never give-up, my son caught most of our limit.

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

  • Riverside County
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      Water Temp: 60.8

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I only caught one fish today (very tough bite) the one I did catch was worth the pain! Check this 27.6" bad boy out. If I can figure out how to attach a picture I will???
      City: Winchester

      Tips: Mornign Dawn on a drop shot; casted right up against a rocky ledge & worked it towards the boat. About 10 to 15' out, he hit! The fight was on (5 lb test). Fun, fun!

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

      Report: Does anyone know the limit on trout on this lake? Also the limit on salmon and minumum size. How many trouts and salmons are allowed a day?
      City: san mateo

      Tips: I've been fishing oroville for many years and always wondered what the limit on these fish were. Once in a while I'll catch a salmon by accident and wondered if I should keep it. I always wodered if I should fish for salmon or trout. Just weren't sure of limit on salmon. I think the limit on trout is five. Wish I knew about the salmon.

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: There is a jig & Reaction Innovation Doublewide Beaver bite of rocky structure in 15 - 20' of water. Also slow rolling 5" swimbaits on a Spintrix head produced some fish. Was fishing the south; Jago to Konocti. The bite wasn't hot but we picked up 8 - 10 a day going 2 - 5.9 lbs with a few dinks thrown in.
      City: Kelseyville

      Tips: Slow presentation & the bite is very subtle! That rock you thought you ticked might be a bite!

    • By

      Water Temp: 52-53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Mike Sperbeck must love his new Ranger 520! He called and said "we're going to Clear Lake again." So I said - "whatever!!" Like it was a hard decision!!! Anyway, we started fishing just before dark on one of our favorite rockpiles and he put his energy to good use - sticking a 7 lb 9 oz bass and a 7-3 (first two of the trip) as darkness fell. He was using brush hogs. Mike did have the good vibes about going since the weather was fantastic for late Nov and the bass were pretty big! In fact, when we left after the 6 hr trip, we had boated a 35 lb limit and 18 bass total. Again - no more dinks - only one 2 lber and 2 around 3 /12 - everything else 4 1/2 up. Mike did let me catch the biggest, 7 lbs 14 oz, but I only caught 7 of the 18. I caught the big girl on my D&M Piranha swim jig in about 30 feet of water. Most fish wern't that deep - average about 12 to 25 feet. I must say this was not a red hot bite. After dark it was one here - one there - working hard with different baits on different structure. Compared to my last guide trip, at least last night they would eat the bait rather than play with it! The final blessing - no fog during the trip!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We used a variety of baits, mostly bulky plastics. The exception was my 5 1/2 lber that I caught using the same red shad 10" Power worm that my client used to fool his 8-2 on my previous trip. Brush hogs, the new Yamamoto 5" Flappin Hogs, jigs, and Piranha swim jigs were our most effective baits. Mike is even leaning how to use the swim jig - it takes talent at night, har!!! Everywhere we fished had deep water access and some type of rock structure.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: low to mid 50's

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The bass fishing continues to be hit and miss due to the recent weather patterns. The most productive tactics have been Dropshotting, Dartheaded worms and Nail weighted Senkos in shad imitating colors and green pumpkin. Lots of keeper size fish are being caught, The big ones haven't shown up yet.
      City: Shasta Lake

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

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

      Report: I did not go to the lake this past weekend but my son and his wife did. He told me the weather was nice but crisp and the water was colder than last weekend. He went out on Friday with his wife Sarah and my friends Albert and John expecting to have limits for everyone in no time but it was not to be. John caught the most trout which was two and Albert landed a small bass that was not a keeper. On Saturday Henry, Sarah and their buddy Bill set out for what they hoped would be a more productive day of fishing. Henry decided to head towards the Dam and they started catching trout almost immediately. Bill caught the most fish with Sarah right behind him and Henry landing a couple while steering the boat they totaled out the day with eleven trout and one bass with Bill catching the most fish. Albert informed me that he limited out on trout on Saturday too (see photo). Some of my readers have asked me where to buy minnows on a continuous basis and I recommend Sweeny's in Napa but if anyone knows a place closer to the lake please let me know. 'til next week.................................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.
      City: Napa

      Tips: any questions happy to help you out,fishing related.

    • By

      Water Temp: 58

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Thanks Sid for answering my questions. I've been having lots of action on trout plugging for them as well as trolling. Catching a few keeper bass as well. No real size though except for one hybrid bass that went just over 4 lbs. I caught most of my trout in the south end. I was wondering how the trout action is by the bridges? Last time I fished the poke bridge area there was lots of shad and birds. That was 3 weeks ago.
      City: san mateo

Saturday, November 26th, 2011

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 57.8-59

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Markley Cove Resort and fished the marina area for the first half of the day was fishing with may dad and he started off the day looking for the reaction bite and i threw a drop shot behind him we marked most of the fish between 25 and 40 feet deep with lots of bait suspended around the docks by the marina. Dad proceeded to catch some spotted bass right underneath the docks on a #7 shad rap working it really tight to the docks almost like a jerkbait.
      I caught some nice spots drop shotting a margarita mutilator in 30 feet of water. The bite was tough fish were definitley suspended and use of electronics was a must look for bass suspended around points and docks.
      City: Suisun City

      Tips: fish slow and give the fish a chance to bite once you find fish stay there fish it thoroughly. If trying to target bigger fish secret is to throw a swimbait and count it down to targeted depth got some big followers but none to hook maybe smaller size we were throwing seven and six inch soft swimbaits in shad and trout colors tight lines.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 52-56

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched from ladds @ 7 and was forced to stay close to ramp for about and hour till the fog burned off enough to take off. Went for stripers and only had one HUGE blowup on a g2 punker but no hookup. Only striper action the whole day. But came across a great shallow crankbait bite in 14 mile slough while tossing l.c. fat CB squarebills caught 16 bass for the day lots of 1.5 and 2's biggest went just under five pounds.
      City: Stockton

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 50-55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: We started fishing at 9am and caught our first bass at about 10:30. My dad was using minnows and cranks while I was fishing rip baits and a 7'' swimbait most the time. We caught a total of 15 bass! The fishing is slow, so fish your baits SLOW! I've seen people go and chuck rattle traps all day and catch dinks. I caught a 5+, 4+, and two chunky 3's on the jerk. Nothing on the swimmer. Smaller bass came on the drop shots. My dad nailed a 6, 5, and a few 3's on minnows. We left the lake at dark. What a fun day! Our combined limit was around 25lbs.

      Tips: Fish shallow. Fish slow. Don't give up on the lures you're confident will work.

    • By

      Water Temp: Don'tknow yet

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Manny, isn't that fish a dink? LOL Congrats on a great fish. Heading up to Clear Lake today for a 2 day fishing trip. Will post if we do any good.
      City: Visalia

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Anybody have a clue why Lake Sonoma is so tough. Plenty of fish showing up on the graph and a lot of small fish following your lure But to hook up with a quality fish is far and end between. I haven't seen a report in years of a big stringer. Help!
      City: sebastopol

Friday, November 25th, 2011

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started 8 0clock , went right and hit the first three point on the main lake . Drop shot was the only thing I could get them to eat. Biggest was 2 maybe 2 1/2.. Graphed fish in 25 to 40 feet suspended , could not catch them tho .

      Any tips for catching suspended fish or just fish in general on this lake this time of the year would be appreciated.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 52-53

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched from Ladd's at 7:30 am and got off the wter at 11:30 am; went to Fourteen Mile Slough and started fishing at the pump house (water was flowing) Caught my first fish 3.25 lb in 6 feet of water with a Senko drop shot, caught three keepers and the other three were dinks...Caught them on Senko (912), dropshotting, and on shallow crankbait in shad color. No bites on Black/Blue jig today.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Saw lots of fish on the graph but I think the rains the day before had an effect on their willingness to bite.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 57-59.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Day after Thanksgiving took my 6yr old son out with me. Slept in and hit it around 10am Started in the Bidwell creek arm of the mouth of the middle fork. Was slow till the fog lifted. Had a couple of unwanted small salmon on Roboworms. Moved back into the creek arm and found schools of small bait fish on the Lowrance running at 10-18 ft. in 25-35 ft. I texas rigged a Robo up front with my son on a dropshot, and we bagan to load up. 7 over the slot for the day. My sons being the largest at 18 3/4 inches. Hit close to 20 fish in 3 locations. Moved to the Dam boat ramp and landed 4 more keepers at 3pm till 415pm.
      2 were Smallmouth! Great day and my son was trooper all day. Fished it hard till the end. Slept all the way home!
      City: Olivehurst

      Tips: Went texas rigged insted of jig head or split shot. Dead sticked it a lot. The dropshot was dragged a little more aggresivly. $ 1/2 in on both worms. Oxblood on the texas all day, and Withces Tea on the Dropshot.. Actually used some old leftover Magic worms at st and Robo's later on. Look for and find Schools of bait. All our fish regergitated bait!

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

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

      Report: To Diehard
      Yes you can use crickets for bait and according to the Bureau of Reclamation if you are lucky enough to catch salmon the limit is five and does not have to be part of your trout limit. There are trout all over the lake so that would apply to Putah and Pope as well.
      City: Napa

      Tips: Feel free to call me at 650-583-3333

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 58

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hello Sid, I've been catching lots of trout trolling and casting. Do you or anyone know if its legal to use crickets for bait at the lake? I would catch a trout or small bass and would spit out several shads. then I would use the coughed out shad for bait and it wouldn't take long to get a bite. I was wondering how well crickets would work in this lake. Oh yeah , one more thing. Is it legal to keep five salmons in this lake. I was told the limit was five for trout and salmon combined. I was wondering how the trout fishing was up north inside of putal and poke creeks.
      City: san mateo

Monday, November 21st, 2011

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at 8:00, caught 2 keepers and some shorts on a shad crankbait in openings at Frank's before 10:00. Then only a few shorts all day on plastics and crankbaits.I tried Mandeville island and some docks in sand mound and piper. On the way back to Russo's at 4:00 stumbled on a fun senko bite in the tules inside Frank's. I caught three keepers and four fat 11 inchers in the next 40 minutes. Made my day.
      Biggest fish was 4 lbs on a tennessee shad Jackall crankbait.
      City: russo's

      Tips: All my bites came in or on the edge of moving water.

    • By

      Water Temp: 52 - 54 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Luanched out of Ladd's at 8:30 a.m. and was off the water by 2:30 p.m. With a near empty gas tank I decided to run to the Turning Basin and fish my way back to the luanch ramp. The bite was tough for me today, just managed 2 bass and 2 stripers on a white/sparkle 3" tube. I had a cuople followers on a chrome/blue jerkbait. The surprise of the day was while I was flippen a brown/chartuese 4" Reaper as I was bringing the plastic back to the boat a salmon grabbed it, but I did not hook it very well. The water was clear enough to see the salmon come from underneath my boat and grab my Reaper as I was starting to lift the plastic out at the end of my flip.
      City: Stockton

      Tips: Be sure to fuel up so you don't feel restricted to where you can fish for the day.