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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, May 24th, 2008

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

      Report: Didn't get on, my own fault, but here is further information on the inspections.

      You must have your boat's registration papers (I didn't) to prove the county of registration.

      Boats registerd in San Benito county (San Justo),
      and San Luis Obisbo counties and south are all
      banned.

      There can be absolutely no water in your boat. This includes the lower end of your motor. Be sure to lower and drain before approaching the lake.
      City: Montere

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got to the lake at 8am, had to pay $19 to launch my float tube...What a rip-off. Inspector was giving me a hard time about me being from Tahoe. My tube is brand new and never used so that was fine...but he was saying that the lakes are only supposed to be for people who live in the county. I asked the guy if he and his family ski's or snowboards. He said yes, curiously...So I told him that the slopes are only for us Tahoe locals. I spit near his shoe, got my money back and left.

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

      Report: UPDATE -- Correction to last entry --

      There were two teams that got 5 fish and big bass was 3.57 not 4.57 as noted -- Sorry for the incorrect info
      City: SM

    • By

      Water Temp: 62-67

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Gold Coast Meet today -- 10 boats on hand -- winners in with 6 and change, big fish 4.56

      Lady Cachuma roared her head today as we were greeted with rain and cold and wind. A really poor day to fish with at least 4 boats coming in with zero's. Lots of fish caught === 11, 10,12,12-1/2, 12-3/4 but seldom a 13 keeper to show. I think only one boat had 5 the rest were one and two's - Main lake was VERY rough with swells breaking over the bow and giving us both a shower. All I can say is -- Well, it's finally over! TOUGH OL DAY TODAY FOR SURE.
      City: SM

      Tips: Some drop was working, big fish in with a jig someplace in Santa Cruz, shad colered Flirt worm got some of ours as did senkos. Nothing on a crank today. San Antonio up next on June 14th.

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 68.5

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The fish have been moving around and are as unsettled as the weather. Three weeks ago I was into good numbers. Then the heat hit and the fish moved out into a total summer mode and now this week with rain and much cooler temps the bite is some what better. I have had some limited success on early morning topwater but the fact that the fish have all the shad the want to eat in the shallows has made the bite on " artificials " just that much tougher. One week the eat reaction baits the next week ripbaits but it has been a steady pick with a plastic worm. Sometimes shakey head works better than dropshot but the worm is the same. Oxblood light red flake! If I had any advice to give to a person who would like to catch a bass here it would be this. Buy some brown 1/4 oz. Burrhead jigheads from tacklewarehouse along with some 6 inch fat and 4 inch straight tail worms in the oxblood light red flake color. Get some mega strike or other actractant and your set. It is very easy to use the burrhead and since it is weedless it is a good way to search the area first. Once you know where all the brush is you can go back over the same water with your dropshot. I'm glad that the shad are making the bite easier for some but if you are not using bait you will have to make the fish react as they are pretty well feed right now.
      City: Ojai

      Tips: Fish fast in the first hour....back off and worm until 11:00 or so and then haul out your big top water punkers and trouts etc. as the fish seemed to ebb and flow with the baits proximity to the bank. Seeing clouds of bait in the shallows makes me keep on moving until I find a nice sterile point where the fish are waiting for some action....Right now for me anyway...the points are better than the quiet water that looks so juicey in the backs of the coves....lots of grass starting to emerge and the normal morning topwater thing is days from happening...

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 68-70

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Last minute fishing trip opertunity on Saturday. Got up there about 1030 and fished til 400. The light rain and wind wasnt terrible, and didnt push the boat. Lake levels have dramaticaly risen and now the water level is level with the bottom of the tunnels near mclure point. Fishing was poor, perhaps due to the weather and water clarity or perhaps the rising water level.

      Main lake water temp was 68 , but 70 in the coves. Additionaly the grass carp, and bait fish are heavily concentrated up in the cotten creek area.

      Even trolling failed to produce anything.
      City: Atwater

      Tips: the worse than usualy water quality might suggest switching up colors, but with as little sucess as I had I have no tips to give.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 60-69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took out a father/son team today. Weather was diffenately an issue today. The wind and rain was a nice change from the past week of 100 degrees. I would of liked to have had the guys throw some top water first thing but the wind was to much. Instead I had them throw tubes,senko's and jigs. For the half day, they ended up with about 30 bass with 6 over. We spent most of the time in the West Branch and the top of the main body. The guys had a great time even with the weather change.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Colors on the tubes were clear sparkle and water melon, on the jigs,brown cinnamon/purple, green pumpkin and water melon. And same colors for the senko's

  • Palo Pinto County
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      Water Temp: 66

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Hahahahahah....Its funny seeing lots of people complain about this lake....YES!!!! It gets pretty nasty out there at time...BUT it also TURN ON ALOT TOO!!!!!Have fished this lake the past year and with a friend of mine...SEEN COUNTLESS 8-9lbs pulled out!!! I myself just caught a 5lber on a HUDD!!!!

      LEARN THE LAKE b4 you HATE ON IT!!!!! Algea BLOOM IS IN FULL EFFECT!!!! RIGHT NOW!!!! So adjust and you will get BIT!!!!

      Dont hate this lake cause you cant fish it RIGHT!!!...lol..... :-)
      City: Gilroy

      Tips: JIGS are the TICKET!!!!! BLK on BLK!!!! FISH TULLIES TIGHT AND SLOW!!!!

      Then write a report and tell me how you did!!!!....lol...

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: thought I'd get out of town for the weekend and fish somewhere new. Heard this place produces somes good fish.....................this place sucks. the water looks like guacamole. all i saw was dead fish. I guess I've been fishin the delta too much.

      Tips: Fish the Delta.

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Hadnt fished Somoma in a lond while. With Clear Lake and Delta nearby Sonoma doesnt compare. In other areas Sonoma would be a awsome lake. we are spoiled when it comes to bass I guess. Bite wasnt off the hook but The "Janitor" got a near 5lbr on a spook, a 3lb bed fish and some barely legal guys. I got 4 fish up to 2.5lbs and The Jnitors neighbor pulled in a few as well.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: Finnese for #'s and early top water for some bigger bites.

Friday, May 23rd, 2008

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Had a great day on the water.. Started at Calero caught one trap fish and one buzzbait fish. Calero has been slow so packed up and went to Anderson, good decision. It was around 10:30am when I got on Anderson. Got a four pounder on a buzzbait within 15 minutes of being there, then I just started slammin them.. The top water bit was on and these were not the usual Anderson dinks. Good chunky fish between 2.5 - 4lbs. Also got a few trap fish, one Carolina rig and 4-5 drop shot fish.

      Barley anyone on the water for Friday do to 60% of the boats getting turned back failing inspection. I think that is great all those wake boarders never drain the water out and get turned away right away. Suckaaa's
      City: San Jose

      Tips: It's pretty much open now..

    • By

      Water Temp: 66

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Long slow day of fishing. Went out with my brother all day for 13 dinks between him and I in about 12'-20' of water. We tried reaction baits: still to early for Spooks, poppers, cranks, spinnerbaits. We scaled down our baits and slowed down our presentation as well to hook up those dinks. We caught them on finesse worms, and tubes, dragging slowly along the bottom. Nothing on a jig but did get 1 on a hula grub.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Wait another 2-3 weeks for a reaction bite. Use darker colors in morning then switch to lighter colors during midday

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Inspections are $7 from the hours of 8am-sunset. Your $7 pass is good for 30 days, so keep it. You wil not be allowed to launch prior to 8am due to inspections. Rumor has it that the Santa Clara Water District can only afford to contract this Marina inspection company until the end of July...Then what?

      Tips: Be the first one in line...It took me 30 minutes to get my pontoon floattube out on the water.

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Inspections are $7 from the hours of 8am-sunset. Your $7 pass is good for 30 days, so keep it. You wil not be allowed to launch prior to 8am due to inspections. Rumor has it that the Santa Clara Water District can only afford to contract this Marina inspection company until the end of July...Then what?

      Tips: be the first one in line if you want to get out there semi-early...took me 30 minutes of waiting, filling out form, and then inspection.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 64-67

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I decided to fish the keys Thurs afternoon before my guide trip on Fri. I know I could handle the wind in there at least. From 2 to 8 pm I had a great time - maybe I will start to like the south keys better (not enough rockpiles)!! Using 5 and 6 inch Senkos (wacky rig) with the Gami 2/0 weedless senko hook, I was 13 for 13, then lost the next 2, and then landed a 5-10 and a 6-2. They were all over the Senko about 7 pm, very shallow - my best 5 just under 25 lbs!! Lots of fun. Today I was privledged to guide my first deaf clients - great guys!!! There are tournaments being held now for hearing impaired folks - I don't know much about them but I think it is a great thing! It was very interesting to watch them communicate and be excited about the fishing - in sigh language!! It was chilly at 6:30 am and so was the fishing. We hooked several on Senkos and Robo worms that we just couldn't put in the boat. About 10 am the bass got a little more serious about eating and we finally had a good day - around 25 bass up to near 4 lbs - no big ones except the 8 lb catfish one of them landed. Was he cussing in sign!? The #301 Senko was the best color as usual. We fished the east shore north and south of Red Bud. Wonderful day to be a guide!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I was going to mention that I tried bending the 2/0 Senko hook out a bit - maybe that helped some with my catch rate on Thurs! Fish in the keys were no deeper for me than 5 feet and today in the main lake - about 5 to 10 feet because of the cloud cover moving in. Great day to be on the lake weatherwise too. One doesn't get to see a front move in directly from the EAST very often! Clouded up at 11 am, total dark cloud cover at 1:30 pm, rain at 2:30 pm. If you love weather like I do, this was great! Water temp will probably cool again for the 17th time this year! Some of these bass are probably ready for a mental institution.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Inspections are $7 from the hours of 8am-sunset. Your $7 pass is good for 30 days, so keep it. You wil not be allowed to launch prior to 8am due to inspections. Rumor has it that the Santa Clara Water District can only afford to contract this Marina inspection company until the end of July...Then what?

      Tips: Allow yourself an extra 30-60 minutes of waiting for inspection.

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I was just wondering how the bass fishing is in mild rain. thanks

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

      Report: The man is letting us back out on the Santa Clara lakes as of Friday, May 23. Boating inspections will be $7.

      Tips: water is super clear.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Looks like the man is going to let us back out on the Santa Clara Valley lakes as of Friday, May 23. The charge for boat inspections will be $7. I will be pi55ed if they charge the same for a simple float tube...

  • Alameda County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Got out on the water at 7am fished for 2 hours, it was too windy to stay out any longer. I had 4 bites, but 2 got away. The two I cought were 2 lb, the second was 4 lb.
      City: San Ramon

      Tips: fish near the christmas tress that were planted earlier this year(right after the fallin tree)