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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Friday, July 24th, 2009

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 77-82

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Two trips to discuss - Tues night in the usual nasty wind and Thurs in the usual hot, calm sauna. I donate a trip every year to the fine Christian college in Rocklin - William Jessup University. Two great guys went with me - one who had a previous good trip with me at Oroville. Could history repeat? Yes! While the numbers wern't real good, he caught his personal best - a nice 5 lb 2 oz bass! His partner also caught a nice one about 3 1/2. Unfortunately, the partner lost several in a row because of the wind. While clients and I have been using brush hog and Kreature type baits lately, after some munchies at dark, they started casting them the black light for the first time. Great first-time experience in the dark of the moon! They loved it!! I then tried again to get bit on a 10" Power worm which has been a little off this summer. My first cast hit the water and line jumped within 10 seconds! nice 3 something pounder. I caught one more also on the worm. They caught the other 5 with the big one being a special thrill for me because it jumped but I didn't see it. When I netted her I had no idea she was that big. Nice surprise!! He had waited a long time for a 5 pounder! I'm not sure about our 5 best, but around 15 lbs. Thursday - yes, daylight, two more fun clients wanting to learn the lake better. So we ran around - and ran around! Didn't fish the whole time but did a lot of metering and discussing seasonal movements. Unfortunately, the fellow in the back of the boat - usually the "hot" seat, didn't catch one. He is an excellent trout fisherman I hear and kind of new to bass fishing. His day will come. I fished maybe half the trip, letting my "middle" guy run the boat. The bite really was slow until we hit the "last" spot - a dropoff near "honeymoon" cove. At 1 pm, we found 'em - sort of! He and I caught several there between 2 3/4 and 3 1/2 lbs. He also caught one that was deformed and starving - very sad. He is an excellent "stick" and I enjoyed watching him fish. He was using his big brush hog - black/red - the same one I use a lot at night. Again, we only caught 7, but our limit was 15 1/2 lbs - nice quality summer bass.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: The bite seems to have slowed some - at least for some of us. This spring and summer - so far - just doesn't seem like the 'ol Clear Lake bass factory! I was encouraged to finally see some bait - silversides I think. Problem is - hard to see bait at night! Thursday we did some frog fishing in several areas without a sniff - though not after 1 pm. Most of our quality bass were only 10 to 18 feet deep. We did fish deeper but couldn't get a deep bite. Lots of carp on the meter for the first time - all depths. All our bass had 30 feet of water close by. I did notice that our bass were caught in the green, dingy water (day trip). There could be bait there that we don't see.

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

    • By

      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: to cheap to pay at the booth, so i went to the dam and parked there and walked down to the water and fished 1 hr and nothing,seen couple of nice bass,cruiseing by.....
      City: los banos

      Tips: don't be lazy

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

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

      Report: fished empire & mildred for 5 bass to 8.8lbs! 4.5lb frog fish caught along the levee near white pumps at empire & 8lber on a rainbow trout colored senko in mildred in the submerged trees!
      City: napa

      Tips: black & red river 2 sea frog & wacky rigged 5" rainbow trout senko!

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

    • By

      Water Temp: 85

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: 7 to 20 feet of water almost any thing works right now. Bass in are boat up to 6pounds first fish of the day 4.14 on a jig and many more around that size. Fish the flats where they drop to deeper water thats where they are. The water is droping fast fish them while you still can.
      City: chico

      Tips: work the flats that still have tree cover for the best luck texas-rig top-water jig and crank all hookin fish

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

      Report: Never fished clear lake before,great trip. Hired guide Bob Myskey-good man. Boated 21 fish in 5hours, all drop-shot. Made me cry to be culling 3lb. fish. Wife even caught a handful, & she's not a fisher. Usually just reads her book.Want to go back again.
      City: Linden

      Tips: Wacky rigged Zoom worms & Baby Brush-hoggs,Watermelon Candy. Feel the pressure-Be slow.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 81

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Took my daughter and her new boyfriend out about 5:30 in the evening and went up the south fork. It was hot and no breeze. The fishing was slow at the start but after the sun was off the water thing picked up. We had a couple on spinerbaits all under the slot but picked up about 8 on grubs and lost 5. 3 over the slot biggest just over 3lbs. all fish were in about 10' to 15'. Fished till dark. Lost somthing really big, had it on for about 60 to 70 seconds and it came unbuttoned. I have caught some nice fish out of Oroville but what ever it was that had to be the largest I have ever had hooked at Oroville.
      City: san jose

      Tips: Used dark blue and fire cracker grubs worked very slowly in 10' to 15' and blue spinner baits. Good luck

Monday, July 20th, 2009

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 72-74

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: went out today and tried for some stripers in the morning. caught about 8 of them and missed probably 20 more. mostly off spooks but one miss on bubble pop. caught two keepers one barely keeper and one 4 pounder(both released) and the rest were almost keepers. then went to bass fishing and caught one off spook. a 9 pounder flipping a coonasty beaver and one dink off frog. off by 12 because of all the wakeboarders and waterski turkeys.
      City: Brentwood

      Tips: there are still stripers in the delta just not as big but they are fun to catch. bass was slow today

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 78-80 deg

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: This was my second trip to Clear Lake. What an amazing fishery. Some club members and I from Southern California came up here to catch these Clear Lake Bass built like line-backers. We fished it from 7/20 thru 7/24 from 5:30 AM to about 2:30 PM every day. Even though the algie is in full bloom and thick there were plenty of bass to catch. I had two techniches working for me. Throwing 7" Robo's in and around docks for the first couple of hours in the morning. Then later when the sun got higher I would pitch jigs in the tules and on the shady sides of docks. What I ended up with is 73 landed bass in the 2.5 to 4 lb range. I did land one of three giants that weighed 8.3 lbs, and missed about 25 bass from not setting hard enough when they would swim off with the jig. I lost one 6 to 7 pounder that the jig tore out of her mouth when she was a couple feet from the boat (at least I got the fight out of her). The one that broke my heart I never even saw. I pitched a jig up tight deep in the tules. As soon as it hit the water I felt that slight pressure and set hard. She charged out of the tules like a freight train leaving a wake and splash that was equal to a Labradore Retriever diving in. I fought her for about two seconds until she went for my trolling motor and knocked the jig right out of her mouth. I did throw the frog in grassy areas with no takers. I did catch two bass on Friday morning on Splash-Its. That was the extent of my top water action. I did notice a bunch of small shad up tight in areas where I was fishing. I can't wait until next year. Clear Lake is awesome!
      City: Canyon Lake

      Tips: Work 7" Black Grape and Oxblood Robo Worms texas rigged from shore to 18 feet early morning around docks. When the sun is higher casting shade under docks pitch jigs up tight to tules and docks. Use Black in the darkest stained water and Pumpkin in slightly visible water.

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 77

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: crank am,tight to shore,narrow dirty starts to clear past stork flats,johnson,clark and cachuma bay rocky areas with walls
      City: la canada

      Tips: chartreuse cranks stained area,drop shot peoples worms 4.5,sinko tight to shore ,most fish are 1.5 to 2lbs,smallie 1-1.5.

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 73-75deg

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took a 2 day trip to the Pro Teen rally to support our youth and grow our sport. Andy the cooch does a great job with this event we need more people to help with todays kids and teens.
      I tried to locate fish not knowing what level of skill my teen would have that I draw. What I found was the high tide over the hydrilla type grass with current had a Buzz Bait bite but you have to work for it. Senkos and cranks got consistant bite for me on both days, frogs were slow for me but some had success. The most bites for people in the event came on senkos on barrin rock walls and sparse or isolated tule clumps with hydrilla grass on high tide. The big fish are being caught deep under the vegetation trash bombing if your looking for the 5 bite plan.


      good luck
      City: Elk Grove

      Tips: current,top and bottom of tides

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: warm

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: In the several years I've been fishing for bass, I can say I've learned alot and that these fish are not as easy to catch as I once thought. Many times slow fishing with plastics is the key, yet it gives me A.D.D. This last weekend was what I think fishing for bass is all about. TOP WATER ACTION. Started out at redbud and found fish along weed beds, mostly. On occation, bass would come up to hit the surface. After many past trips fishing with my fly rod and much dissiapointment, I decided to give it another try. Great Idea! I had so much fun out there watching bass explode on my frog patterns. Missed a bunch, but that didn't bother me a bit. My brother fished senko's and learned a few things himself. In 8 hours a fishing, 16 or so fish, all under 3 pounds.
      City: Fort Bragg

      Tips: It seems that many fish are hangn out along outside of weed beds. Just put something on and see if it works. The fish are hungy. Caught fish on Norman CB, Watermelon Candy Senko, Brush Hogs, Frogs.

  • Nevada County
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      Water Temp: 84-88

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: we could do no wrong tonight. We fished about 4 hours and we lost count. we caught them on just about everything we threw. The water was hot in places and the fish were tight to shore where you wouldnt expect them.Some small fish came deep but the really huge hogs were in the last foot of water.
      Killer b"s, water dogs, and ramon's took alot but the homemade thingys kicked butt again.
      City: auburn

      Tips: All the fish we caught over 6 pounds came on reaction baits.
      Last week was tough, this week incredible.This lake is strange.

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

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

      Report: Couldn't wait to get there, then saw the water in the lower lake. Wow it looked like pea soup.
      And since I don't have a boat I was confined to fishing from a dock. My main comment is does anyone know how to clean all that green crap from my reel? Did manage to catch 6 nice bass one about 4+ lbs mostly on pumpkin senkos the large one was on a flippin hog.

    • By

      Water Temp: 77-82

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Long day yesterday (until 5 am this morning)! Towed my Ranger home from Donner Lake yesterday, took out trout stuff (had to do something on mini-vacation!), put bass stuff back in boat, then towed to Konocti Resort, guided from 7 pm to 2 am, towed home, in bed by 5 am today. I met a former client (his 16 yr old son had caught a 9 lber at Clear Lake on a previous trip) and his wife to provide her first bass trip!! He hoped to get her "hooked"! No pressure on me of course. I got him fishing with a robo worm and then showed her how to cast and work a brush hog. As I was working the bait on our first cast out to 20 feet - felt a hit and gave her the rod. She set it again (not a pretty sight!) but managed to land a 2 3/4 lb bass. I made the second cast, pointing out the basics of casting and then gave her the rod to retrieve the hog. As the bait got to deep water, I though I saw the rod tip jerk - AT THE moment she set the hook!!! I couldn't believe my eyes - she had one - her FIRST cast ever working a bass bait! I netted her 3 lb 2 oz bass in a state of shock! Any thought of being tired was gone for the rest of the night. Who said guiding isn't fun - most of the time!!!! Was she done? Yes, after she landed the biggest of the trip - a little over 3 1/2 lbs - in the dead time, a little after dark. You should have seen her cast after an hour or so - very nice! Her husband was catching a few (and losing a few!). He got his groove on and caught a few more for his total of 8 bass. I fished the D&M swim jig - only about 2 hrs of the trip, landing the token catfish (a first for that bait) and the smallest bass at 2 lbs. I did get one more on a brush hog. They caught 11 of our 13 bass and I think she will be back! Is there a tournament in their future? As in previous trips, most of their better bass - several in the 3 lb plus range - were caught in 15 to 25 feet of water. There were some shallow ones however, after dark. The jig bite has been good this year, but we didn't use any last night.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: We didn't stray too far from the resort - Konocti Bay to the narrows, and caught a few at Sea Breeze. I have read the forum comments about the lack of numbers and size of the bass at Clear Lake this year, and I agree. While I have observed these ups and downs for 30+ years, I am amazed at the total lack of baitfish this year. I wonder why the jig bite is good? I do know that Terry Knight knows what he is talking about. He feels the pulse of bass fishing at Clear Lake and keeps up to date!! I love discussing the "the state of the lake" with him - several time every year! Many good anglers try to keep him informed of our successes and failures. If you get a bit discouraged about the bite at Clear Lake, just go to Oroville or Berryessa during the summer and see what you catch. Then go to Clear lake and catch a few 2 1/2 to 4 pounders. You will be fine!!!

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: did not check..

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Oroville with a friend, new to bass fishing, and wanted him to catch fish. we went straight out to the main body and caught fish on points on topwater. when the sun came up, we caught fish in the canyons in the shade. AFter that, it sucked. Water was about 140 ft off full pool (around 760). Many below the slot, a couple in the slot, one maybe over it.
      City: where the fish are....

      Tips: topwater first thing in the AM, then find shade, then go home.

  • Calaveras County
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      Water Temp: 77

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Caught 7 2 smalmouth to2# 5 large mouth to3#
      City: castro valley

      Tips: top water,worms on points

Friday, July 17th, 2009

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 74-77

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out with two of my buddies who want to learn. Bad time to take them out, haha. Bite was real tough. Fished drop-shot and dart head with only about 5 bites all day. Caught one little smallie on the dart-head. Still beats working anytime.
      City: Folsom

      Tips: Not much. Folsom really sucks right now. We tried South Fork, North Fork, and Peninsula with little results or action. Also fished from 15-30 ft. Only fish came about 20 ft. Maybe they are down real deep?

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 80

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: fished the weekend, did our best late morning to early afternoon, boated mostly all largemouth a 4.5, 5 and a 6lb and several 2.5 all between 11:00 til 2:00 using plastics and the 5lbr was on top. also got a 4.5 smallie at night and me an my buddy lost 2 fish at same spot that were pigs
      City: medford

      Tips: fish the early afternoon, temps were in the 100's and i cant believe we were catching fish at that time of day

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 85+

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Thanks for all the tips, but what we really needed was some dynamite and morphine. We fished from 9-2 am with 3 bites one fish. Everything black from topwater to jigs. Got back to camp,slept til 8 am, and was back on the water. We are on float tubes so we're not able to cover as much water as needed. We kicked well over 2 miles with 3 more fish. The one that I caught went close to 4 lbs and must of felt sorry for me, cause when I went to lip it, it decided to spit the hook and jump into my lap. We stared at each other for close to a minute, I weighed him with my boga, then set him free. I have twin babies on the way and might have 1 or 2 trips left before they are born, Amamdor will not be my final destinations.
      City: Galt

      Tips: The one that I caught was on a texas rigged 4.5" green pumpkin tube. It was in about 20' of water,on the down wind side of a rocky point. I really didn't want to write this report but I did it for the guys who were kind enough to offer thier advice. Thanks again.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 78

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Orwood, Fished the weedlines and Cheese Matts with White Frogs, and Buzzbaits.I did not throw anything else from 2:00pm-6:30pm. Caught about 15 Bass, best 5 went about 16#s. Largest of the day was a 6.3 on the Buzzbait. Missed my share of blow-ups but threw the frog back in there and stuck about a 1/3 of them again. Just went out to have fun. Just be carefull there are out of control H2o ski boats that come around points without a clue.
      City: Delta Area

      Tips: Throw frogs in white, no other color seem to produce like the white, in heavy covered weed, when weed turns a little sparce pick up the Black Buzzbait.
      TIGHTLINES ALWAYS ><>J