Submit
Report

Northern California Lake Fishing Report

Limit:

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

  • Merced County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: hey frankc yep you can get them to hit the spook from bank, I like to the bullfrog pattern, yellow belly dark green back....... or silver with blue back pencil popper is great shood be a good top water bite any time now......good luck dont forget to throw the white flukes if you can...................laters
      City: salinas

      Tips: catch and release unless your really hungry.......................llet them grow

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 67....with wide

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: May 19th thru may 22,2009
      Mcloud arm, camping at ellery creek. Active bite for small 6-12" spotted bass in less than 15' of water. roostertails and spinnerbaits worked best. tried senko's and failed. I couldn't find anything larger. FIshed from the inlet of the mcloud arm and fished as far as Hirtz bay. Saw rainbows above ellery creek, but they wouldn't bite on lure or bait or trolling. decided to avoid the pit arm, save it for another day.
      City: Atwater

      Tips: try the pitt.

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

  • Westchester County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: SAL: Horseshoe lake has some bluegill but not a healthy population and most of them are pretty small. I did once catch a 1 pounder here, but those are pretty rare. If you want a good local spot to fish for bluegill try the Niles Community Park. There are two small ponds there, go to the one with the two fishing docks off of School Street. Go to where there are some big submerged trees in the water, right in front of the island. On hot days the bluegill will be chillin right by the shore. There is also some good sized bass at this pond, but they are finicky as hell. Shinn Pond (which also has a lot of sunfish) is right next to this pond, walk on the trail to the right side of the parking lot on School St and it will be on your right side.
      City: Fremont

      Tips: I would wait for the water to heat up a little more for the sunnies to come out. Crappie nibbles on a small treble hook with a bobber work well, in white or pink. Feel free to email me if you have any questions and good luck :)

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Up the Pit for a week. Hundreds of clones in 15 feet of water.One nice largemounth 6.5lbs.off the bank, the other larger spots all came off the trees with senkos and spinbaits some 3-4lbs. the spawn was going on big time.One night spooks were the ticket.A good time was had by all. Oh just anote for all of the rude skiers KISS MY A...
      City: Lakeview Ore.

Monday, May 18th, 2009

    • By

      Water Temp: 75+

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Slow in numbers, but good day in size and weight. Largest went 9.4 lbs. Fish all caught in shallow water near shoreline. Senkos....
      City: Morgan Hill

      Tips: Last weekend lake was crowded and it received overflow from Anderson when Anderson closed because it reached it's limit of boats. Fish early or weekdays to avoid pleasure boats & jet skis.

  • Tuolumne County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70-75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: fished from 5:50 to 1:30 pm. in the badge packers tourny. shot up to woods creek and spent the first 5 hours there. lots of debris, no bites on top water. saw tons of carp. as we worked our way out got one on a jerk bait and one on spinner bait. picked a cove off the main lake and got two more using the above lures. nothing else all day. we used almost every lure possible and nothing was biting. talked to some others that went to the river mouth and hammered out a number of small fish. Last year we pulled 12 lbs out of woods creek. this year only about 3 lbs. disappointing trip.
      City: modesto

      Tips: Not tips from me.... anyone else have any ideas on what to use and where.

  • Trinity County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Lots of fish on beds, and up shallow. normal spring patterns worms, senkos,jigs,tubes. I got the bigger bites on a crawfish crankbait fished right on the bottom, fish were aggressive and just crushing it. I also started fishing shoreline timber and stuck a few on main lake points. if you want the big dogs throw the swimbait,anything that looks like a kokanee salmon,they love em good luck. trinity alps was a shady ramp out way on the point check out minersville or trinity center.
      City: eureka,ca

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: does anyone know if night fishing is allowed on berryessaS

  • Santa Barbara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 70-74 +

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Fri,Sat,& Sun. most were caught on a drop shot,mix of LMB and SMB 1 to 4 1/2 lbs. also one trout that we had to keep (umm good). 75+ between four of us all released.Did get a few on Crawdad colored crank baits after seeing alot of red in the live well.
      City: Long Beach

      Tips: The wind is your friend use it !!! wolf packs running along any muddy off colored water we could find.

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 72.5

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: started off sunday morning by launching out of orwood went up around holland tract one miss on a sammy and another miss on a frog. then went into a dry spell with no bites. then got a 4 pounder on a white frog. released it and next cast hook into a 2 pounder. then decided to make a run up to little mandiville. within 5 casts i got a massive strike on tuli point with a sammy seemed like a striper blow up. made 10more casts to another tuli point and get a 2 pounder. last fish of the day got to hot and headed home.
      City: brentwood

      Tips: the seemed to like white frogs and sammys. tryed to flip but too much vegetation. all fish were in or next to weed mats.

    • By

      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Hot ! started at 8am Caught one fish 3.9 lbs on a drop shot , tried every thing I could think of , left franks at 2pm
      City: DIXON

      Tips: maybe start earlier

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 61-66

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I did my double duty again Friday - 1st trip at 7 am and 2nd at 7 pm - no nap in between - couldn't sleep! The day trip was really fun with a talented lady angler and her "I like hunting better" husband. This was her birthday present trip from him - to learn the lake. One can't tell the difference between Fridays and weekends now - bass boats everywhere!! We spent a lot of time running to spots and did work some on off-shore structure so they can learn how to do that when summer and fall come. The fishing part was very slow - she caught the only bass - a 4 pounder. I broke off a big bass to start the day using 10lb test - that is the end of 10 test for me! Don't even know why I used it. She missed 3 or 4 others too. She had a good hookset too. Great people!! The night was much slower that those of last week. Another great client - first time night fishing with the black light. Again, we missed several, probably spawners moving the bait. We did land 6 bass to 4 1/4 lbs but did not hook any big ones. Limit was only 15-16 lbs. Highlight of the trip was that he DID NOT hook the same tree as others did last week!!! I warned him not to be number 3! We fished the west side of the Oaks arm and the lower lake arm. Baits used during both trips were plastics, Yamamoto Kreature baits (#301) and green pumpkin Power worms during the day, along with a few beavers. Brush hogs and dead ringer worms at night. Tried topwater a bit - no takers. Overall, slower than last week.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Sometimes I stop and think about the pressure this lake receives during the spawn - I hope the lake can sustain it. Towing back to Yuba City the last 2 Sat mornings (about 4 am) on hwy 20, every second or third vehicle heading west was towing a bass boat. Granted, there is not a lot of traffic, but really amazing. I know the Future Pro tourney was last weekend, but I was still amazingly amazed!! Looks like a battle brewing again this summer with weed growth and the sprayers trying to slow it. With the lake down 2 to 3 feet from last year, frog fishing and Senkos could take center stage. We'll see!!

  • Merced County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: hey bassmaster,thanks for the infro,and i might go up to the big lake next,can you throw spooks for the bank and expect to catch anything ? my boat is still in the shop getting fixed from dthe mishap at don pedro...
      City: los banos

  • Sonoma County
    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Got on the water 5:30 am fished yourty found fish in 20-30ft.nothing in shallow water through everything I had and my buddy to.Water was green, talked to one guy he was using minnows .Another guy fishing said that he got hit once all day.Weather was good something should have happened?
      City: Redwood city

      Tips: Watch out for the skiers. Going to whisky slough or los banos crk. next week

  • Trinity County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Thanks for the follow up post Jbass. I just wish there were a few more posts on this lake. I understand the problem because I've been on this site for years and seen the things people say regarding the catch and release of the smallmouth in this lake. But for those that just want to catch a few take a pic and let them go I really wish we could get more help. With that said I plan on enjoying the lake and it's beauty no matter how the fishin' is this next weekend because I only get to enjoy this lake once every few years. But it's always better to come home with some great pics of some beautiful small mouth and Large mouth.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: But if anyone has any tid bits you could give me I won't turn them down...LOL. I left my email if anyone feels better about givin' some info out that way. Thanks to all that post on this wonderful lake.

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

  • Amador County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Tough conditions but we managed to catch 19 between the two of us. Pretty much every fish came on a split shot rig with brownish 4-6 inch worms. Fish weighed 1 to 3 lbs. I had a bigger fish that broke my 6lb test. I still haven't caught the 8 lber ,but I know there in this lake.
      City: Galt

      Tips: We found a wind blown bank with grass in about 5 feet of water. This area held some quality fish. Fish stopped biting after it hit 90... Fish early and late. Pray for some clouds.

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Jon... most of the bass that's hit top water (popper R) which we were using were post spawn bass...those bass were feeding. Try popper R a little later in the morning for an example...when the sunlight are about 10-15 feet off the shore line and shore line with weed beds. Also try some floating jerkbait above weed bed.. try that nxt time
      City: elk grove

    • By

      Water Temp: 66-68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I tried topwater (rebel pop-r with feather trailer hook) crack of dawn for an hour and nothing. Fished the south end. Caught a few smallies on plastic worms and all were pregnant. How in the world is it that the smallies haven't spawned by mid May? Crazy.....more evidence for a late season this year.
      City: clayton

      Tips: Quite a few fish were in the muddiest part of the mud line, which always amazes me.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Yes .. top water is open for business. Whatever top water u have n if they're there... they'll hit it. Dust off ur wake bait cuz Now is a great time to use it. Few have spawned n few more will soon.
      City: elk grove

      Tips: Don't be suprise to find smallie, spotted, n LMB on one mile stretch of the bank. They're feeding ...big time !!! Use crankbait to find them, once u find them...fish slow with plastic worms..etc. Have fun n keep ur line tight.

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 65 to73

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Rivers End about 6:15 am . Started with top water popper. Caught a couple of Black Bass and then saw up the canal from Me bait being chased on top. Went there and threw my dying shad popper. Big swirl behind it and then it just got crushed. 15 pound striper !!! Caught 5 more that were in the 2 to 5 pound size before it shut off. Threw cranks and Senkos the rest of the day. Ended up catching 22 legal Blacks, and 6 undersized . HOT DAY. Drank about 10 waters and still lost 5 pounds when I got on the scale that night. In the afternoon the drunk, music pounding, shouldn't own a boat crowd came out so I stayed in back waters. Biggest Black Bass was only 3pounds 14 ounces.
      City: Brisbane

      Tips: Work top water and swimbaits in the early AM. then throw jigs, Senkos, and Brushogs . Dark green seems to be the color.