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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, February 21st, 2009

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      Water Temp: 48-50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished most of the day with jumbo minnows. Didn't have a single bite on the minnows. Started flipping a small jig near the deep water around the dam and got one bass (about 12"), let 'em go.
      It was great to be out on the lake but a hard day's work for one fish. Didn't see any fish moving shallow yet.
      City: Fresno

      Tips: Fish SLOWWWWWW.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 49-51.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think folsom has turned on yet.

      Fished Friday from 1-4. calm and sunny, marking scattered fish in 15-30ft. couldn't get bit on deep cranks, jigs or dartheads.

      Saturday brought the storm in. Fished from 10-3p with no bites again. Imainly fished a rof12 hudd while my buddy was throwing a darter. Water was 49 by the dam and 51 by the dyke (didn't go up the forks). Fish were marking shallower than the previous day between 10-25 ft, but weren't feeling bitey. I have a feeling we missed the bite window.

      I would say that judging by the lack of schooling fish on points or steep walls, the pre-spawn hasn't turned on yet. Perhaps after this next storm rolls through it will be game on.

      Keep those reports coming in guys.
      City: EDH

  • Nevada County
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      Water Temp: 47-49

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: 17 fish in a long day. fishing turned on when the clouds rolled. 1 fish on a darthead senko. 1 on a spinnerbait. a 5# on a 1 ounce lipless. The 14 other fish came on either a sppedtrap or a big O. The biggest went 6#.
      Most fish came in coves with deeper water. 8 ft. was the magic number.
      City: auburn

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

      Report: we fished all day with few bits tried everything rip, crank, worm, jig, d shot, every color but no fish. we tried the main lake, coves points and trees. any suggestions
      City: concord

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 49 - 51

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Saturday and Sunday. Most fish on Saturday were in 25-35 feet of water off of rocky points with flooded timber. Most fish came on 1/2 ounce football jigs with a hula grub. Several were caught on darterheads and two on a spinnerbait. Caught around 20-25 fish between two people, mostly spots with a few smallies. Sunday was stormy, but the fish were happy to eat. Found a gradual shelf adjacent to deep water where the fish were activly feeding. Caught 7 fish in 30 minutes, all on the jig. Only fished for 2 1/2 hours on Sunday, but managed 9 fish between the two of us.
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Hula grub! just slowely drag the jig. If you find a spot where fish are holding, work up and down with a jig or darterhead. Also, the lake is coming up fast. The water came up several feet in the 3 hours we were on the lake on Sunday.

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      Water Temp: 46-50

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished small club tournament Saturday. Very tough bite. All fish were caught on main lake chunk rock points in 15-30 feet. No takers on swim baits, one on rip bait the rest on worms. My take is that the fish are scattered due to the bait fish starting to scatter.

      Tips: Fish main lake since the creeks are staring to get murky due to the rain. I have heard of some swimbait fish being caught but we couldn't make it happen, stick with the worms for bites in tough conditions.

Friday, February 20th, 2009

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The first big storm of the year rolled through last week. It was quite cold and nasty. Once last weeks storm passed, it warmed up quite fast. Having three consecutive days of warm weather, I figured flipping wood should be a solid afternoon pattern.
      We put the boat in around 12:30, and worked our way up the main lake, jumping from one piece of wood to the next. The water was still quite cold, 54 degrees, so we made sure to work our baits slow. Starting out with Brush Hogs and Jigs, we were unsuccessful. Finally after tying on a 6

      Tips: <a href="http://www.russnyders.com/">Rus Snyders Guide Service</a>

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 50-52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Some of the water was stained in the main body. Look for long points, flats in 20-40 ft. Banks in the narrows the banks with small rock, using jigs, darter heads, drop shot and fish them all slow. You can get a limit but it has been tough.With the water changing, rain and wind coming reaction baits might be a good thing.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: Rip baits first thing in the morning.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 49-53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Started in Little Venice for the first hour and didn't get a bump. Ran to the tract and got bit here and there. I threw everything, but could only get bit (11 times) on the jig. I was surprised the quality wasn't better. I didn't have a fish over 2 1/2 pds. However, it was pretty much dead calm and sunny the whole day. Hardly the best delta conditions. Would have love to have been out there on Sat, but wanted to stay out of the way of all the tourney rats. Saturday's weather was that good delta weather and it showed with the weights in the American Bass tourney.
      City: Roseville

      Tips: It was typical fishing on a calm late Feb day. I expected the fish to be scattered and they were. some in 1 foot and some in 10 feet. Bite was pretty light. I was just blown away that I didn't get bit on anything but my prototype jig.

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: so with the tip from Sneako...I went out...fished the bbz on the point and I outdid him...I caught five 11 lbers...and threw the little spro for nada...put on a tru tungsten and caught three 6 lbers....yeah baby....
      City: La Jolla

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 52-53

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Yeah! Fishing Day!

      02/20/09 Lake McClure

      water temp: 52-53
      Water clarity: 8ft
      Wind: Initially calm but progressed pushing easterly at 2-4mph
      Time:1130 am- 3 pm

      Not much has changed at McClure, the trout are still biting with easy limits possible. I initially decided to troll and could only hook up once I added the flashers. I did best with the all silver needlefish, which is still consistent with the all shad all the time pattern they have been on. The fish are still in the top 10ft, and while my late arrival may be part of it, it did seem if some of the frenzy was gone.

      I had my son with me, and couldn't muster up finesse tactics...I gave an attempt to try out My friends new spinnerbaits, which I like. ANd I tossed some Norman DD-22's ..which I also very much like. Needless to say McClure isnt ready for reaction bites.

      I talked to a few rare bass fishermen on the lake and at the boat ramp. The consistent story is small bass on soft plastics at 25-40ft.

      I talked to the Lake officials...er rangers..er MID guys and while Mcswain has been stocked with over 22,000 lbs this month, they weren't aware of what McClure had recieved. I guess DFG stocks as they please there, without a schedule.

      Mcswain remains incredibly low and despite massive brown and brook trout plants fishing was really slow. I saw only two boats at 11am, and one reported a dead bite. They also said They hadn't seen any Browns..... So where are they? Not at the brush pile..the major hot spot on the Lake.

      Additionally Mcswain isnt releasing anymore...making the downstream inflow to the merced a waste land of mud.
      City: Atwater

      Tips: Trout: long line trolling kastmasters,minnow baits or shad patterns.

      Bass: deep 25-40ft with soft plastics.

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: BRUSH AND STICK UPS 0-10 FT,FEW DEEPER 25-40,BROWN JIGS,GREEN WEENIE,CLUB TOURNAMENT CAUGHT 9.10 AND 6 LB ,SAME BITE AFTERNOON
      City: LA CANADA

      Tips: BROWN JIG,GREEN WEENIE GRUBS,BRUSH AND STICK UPS S

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 52

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: caught my fish on swim baits 5" thanks rick at rickstopshelftackle.what a bait

      Tips: throw em slow and deep

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      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: rain has helped still no fish.water levels are rising with rain thank you! should be soon. wish they would stock it instead of ralphine.
      City: santa rosa

      Tips: slow presentation. put in work.

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 49.5-50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Brutal weather day, sideways rain and high winds!! So we threw the deep diving craw crankbaits all day on the rockwalls around Frank's. Fished them as slow as the blowing wind would allow. Probably would have been a shorter day but my Bro caught 2 fish right away to get us going. Total for day was 6 fish- 7.5, 6.5, 4, 3, 3, 1.5.
      City: Ripon

      Tips: Deep diving- Craw pattern crankbaits on rock walls sloooow.

Monday, February 16th, 2009

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 50s

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out today with not a lot of hopes with the storms and the winds and everything. got out and fished and it was 48 degrees air temp, 20 mph winds and raining. not the best conditions. fished for about 2 and a half hours until it got real windy. caught a 5 and a half pounder of a spinnerbait. no other bites. through a crankbait as well nothing
      City: Brentwood

      Tips: dont really have any except for rain and wind equals bad conditions to fish in. spinnerbait was a revenge black widow color

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out today with high hopes of some monster fish on swimbaits. started casting a spro bbz slow sink and caught 5 10 pounders!!!!!! in the first 5 hours. it was unbelievable. the bite slowed to nothing and went to the spro bbz 1 the little four inch version in blue back herring. caught 2 5 pounders on one point. phenominal day out. will be coming back soon!!!!
      City: San Diego

      Tips: throw swimbaits on points

Sunday, February 15th, 2009

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: fished at the forebay at hwy 33 along the rocks and it was raining and windy,with no fish not even a bite.......fished 30 min.....does anyone know where i can get a abu garcia closed face premier 704.....or a 508... or a 1044
      City: los banos

      Tips: stay home to cold and wet

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

      Report: Hey John, I was just wondering if you are going to have any tournaments this year. By the way, how is the water level doing ?
      City: Eureka

Saturday, February 14th, 2009

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Finally, some rain. Charlie and I managed to get out and do some fishing just before our first big storm of the year. Because of the last few small storms, the water is already starting to dirty up. Our first stop was Packwood Cove. The bass are just starting their transition from winter to their pre-spawn mode. We caught a few two pounders fishing 10-15 feet just out from the spawning flat in the back of the cove. Small rock piles and wood were both holding fish. Towards the afternoon we worked our way up north. At each spot we would pick up a fish or two using tubes and jigs. Because the overcast conditions, brown/purple was definitely getting the most bites. The reaction bite still seems nonexistent. Just to check, when arriving to each new spot, we would pick up a swimbait, spinnerbait, or ripbait. After making a few dozen or so casts without getting bit, we would go back over the same piece of structure with either a tube or jig and catch a couple. Before heading in we spent the last hour fishing by the bridge at the south end of the lake. While most of the fish throughout the day seemed to be sucked tight to the bottom, below the bridge I saw some larger bass suspended at 20 feet. With the rain starting to come down hard, I positioned the boat beneath the bridge while tying on a weightless 5

      Tips: <a href="http://www.russnyders.com/">Rus Snyders Guide Service</a>