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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Sunday, April 27th, 2008

  • Benton County
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      Water Temp: ~62

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: This lake has been going downhill. There is hardly any bass! The one that you see are spooked and you dont see a lot, but id you're trout hacking, you will catch something.
      City: Santa Cruz

      Tips: For trout...chartruse powerbait!

    • By

      Water Temp: 60 +

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: My buddy John was down from Oregon so we went out and made a day of it. We started at 7 and fished till 3 and had about 24 fish between the two of us.
      Biggest fish was a 6.3 on a sweet beaver and she was ready to drop eggs, so got her back in the water quick. We had a couple of 5+ and a few 4+ and john missed one about 10 lbs. The 10 hit a swim bait and so did 3 of the other big fish.
      Great day, some ticks.
      Z
      City: novato

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 63

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished this past Sunday in the middle fork from 10:30 to 7:30 and we did not have any kind of a reaction bite. Threw spinnerbaits, flukes and crankbaits alot, no fish! Between two of us we caught 43 fish. Probably 10 were over the slot. Senko's worked the best, then sweet beavers around trees and only a few on live minnows.
      City: Rough and Ready

      Tips: Some fish appear to be starting to go to the shore. Senko's caught the most fish.

    • By

      Water Temp: 61

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the Chico Conservation Bass Club tournament on Saturday the 26th. 80 boats showed up in support of this clubs effort to make Oroville Lake a better place to fish. One dollar from each entry is used to buy Florida Strain Largemouth for this lake. For those of you that e-mailed me about info on this tournament, hope you were able to make it and most important that you had a good time. I reported last week that I thought bedding fish would be a factor in this tournament, but it didn't happen as only 3 fish over 4 pounds made the weighin with the winners having 12.38. There was 1 bag in the 11's and it went right into the 10's from there. We culled to a 10.54 with a 3.99 big fish which was good enough for 4th. It got hot out there and thats all I can think would have moved the bigger fish to deeper water and off the feed. We had no pattern, throwing jigs, tubes and an occasional worm. Senkos were mentioned as having caught some fish, but no mention of reaction baits working. Today (Sunday) is a 100% bass team tournament and many of the anglers in that circuit were in this tournament. Their results will be posted either later tonite or in the morning and you can guage their results against the ones from Saturday. Next tournament for us will be next Sunday as we fish Anglers Choice along with the Future Pros in that circuit.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: We saw boats in every location, whether it be on points or in coves. Fish everything till you get bit. Dead sticking the bait seemed to work best. Stick with darker colors in the shade. One old gentlemen told me once to throw chartreuse when the pollen starts falling off the trees and we did get bit on a cotton candy lizard with a chartreuse tail. Skiers are out. Good luck

    • By

      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: fished for 4 hours found lots of beds and cruisers from 1ib to 5lbs, caught a 5.5lb rainbow on a rattle trap, caught 2 bass 1 went 1lb the other about 3lb lost it at the boat, spent most of the time trying to get a few girls of there bed.
      City: san ramon

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 50-57

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I was able to tag along with a friend - visiting beautiful Trinity Lake on Fri and Sat. He was there 2 weeks ago and did very well with a few smallies over 5 lbs. No so this time. While the scenery was breathtaking with new snow all over the surrounding peaks - the cold weather didn't help the fishing. In one day (Fri) it went from cool (very cold in the morning) to very warm the next (Sat). Friday we did very poorly, catching only three - he did have a nice smallie over 3 lbs. Sat was a new day and a new set of willing bass. We caught 19 or 20 bass - half smallies and half largies. Biggest were largemouth barely 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 lbs. We were casting a variety of slow sinking baits (Senkos, flukes, etc.) to cruisers and once in awhile one would take it. We saw several big bass but they were not interested in anything we had to offer. The bite seemed to start about 10 am. Most of our fishing was done at the north end.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Since I don't get to this lake very often - (twice in the last 25 years!), I am not one to offer tips. Even when I fished it several times in the early 80's, I always have had a timing issue - never there at the right time. Yea, lame excuse, but true! This lake is probably like most in Nor Cal - the bass can't figure out when spring arrives. We caught most of our fish on flats and walls with an attached flat. Not much action on steep structure or stumps.

Saturday, April 26th, 2008

  • Mason County
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      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished for 4 hours in the afternoon until the wind blew me off the lake. Caught 12 bass all 2lbs or less on points and shoreline mud lines from 3-15ft. All caught on drop shot cut-tail worms. Tried senko and crank but no joy.
      City: Foster City

      Tips: If you see a mud line fish it with a drop shot 4" worm

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Took my two boys out for a trip to the lake. Started them out with a mojo rigged baby brush hog watermellon red flake. I was throwing a vixen topwater. Ended up with 15 on the brush hog and 6 on topwater. Most fish were Berryessa specials 1.5-2.25 lbs. My older son did however get into a 4 pounder on the brush hog and was able to get his first bed fish at 3 lbs. Dad had to get in on some of the fun and I was able to get a 7.5 lb bed fish. Best 5 over 19lbs. Great day on the lake even better when it is shared with your sons.
      City: Vacaville

      Tips: All the brush hog fish cane on the inside edge of the weed lines main lake 10 -15 ft. Topwater fish came on the sides of the points. The water is very clear so long casts are a must. Not much of a reaction bite clear water and little wind. There were alot of empty beds but some fresh fish were moving up and looking. Take a kid fishing.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 62

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Very nice day (weather wise) out on the delta. Just a slight breeze, and very warm temperatures. Blue bird skies which means trouble when it comes to bass fishing. The fish weren't exactly jumping into the boat, but they were there, feisty and hitting reaction type baits. Stayed on TULE islands and worked points that drifted out to main channels and deeper water. Caught fish both in shallow and in transition to deeper water. Tossed KVD's sexy shad and got some pretty solid 2's and 3's on them. Once the limit came, went hunting for bigger fish. A lot of takers on a wacky style senko (green pumpkin). Water was pretty clear and was able to see fish swimming back in the tule brush. saw a good sized female cruising and tossed my worm in her direction...she turned around, and disappeared...then tick tick tick. I set the hook....and fish on!!! I've never been able to do that before...so i was going stir crazy just knowing i caught a fish i saw swimming in the shallows. Too much fun. Lots of fish, but no size worth bragging about by delta standards (biggest went 4.5 lbs)
      City: el cerrito

      Tips: found clear water on islands adjacent to channel breaks. most fish caught on all points of those islands. Fish are aggressive and are hitting just about anything that comes in their way. Senkos are still a great fish catcher after all these years.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the Delta for the first time in years. I use to fish it all the time, got into steelhead 'n salmon fishing and got away from the black bass. I wanted to see if I could still do it and WOW!!!!! I only caught two darn fish!!! Fished the outgoing, got there a little late but went to White Slough and had a good time....O by the way threw a bluegill colored speedtrap; first fish 9.5 lbs. (2nd biggest of my life) and an hour later a 12.7 lbs!!!! Took quik pix and got them both back home...I screamed so loud I scared everyone in White Slough for an hour!! Two guys offered up $$$ for the fish (only jokingly)...I thought I was going to puke I was so excited!!! So I guess you can say I'll be black bass fishing this spring and summer!!! Wow Wow Wow....Truly felt privileged to catch those two warriors....
      City: Livermore

      Tips: Well the one thing I did do was get that trap close enough to their beds to anger them enough to whack at it so give it a shot....good luck... please put those big females back boys, I know there was a boat near me that was "meat" fishing that would have kept those 2 girls in a heartbeat.....

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: fished whiskey slough. very windy. caught about 15 up to 3.5 lbs. mostly senkos. launched out of whiskey slough and hated the launch ramp. very narrow, and difficult to see as I backed down. glad my buddy was there to tell me if I was going to hit anything. Hooked onto something gigantic and came off, but had a giant scale about size of a quarter at end of my hook which was clear but tip was sliver/olive. wondered if it was a giant carp or a striper.
      City: clayton

      Tips: don't launch out of whiskey slough by your self. Take a buddy. The out ramp is much lower on the side farthest from the dock, and so helps to have your trailer as close to the dock as possible, otherwise if you have a big boat it wont sit on your trailer right.

    • By

      Water Temp: high 50's low

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished the Delta today for four hours early this morning. Fished the outgoing tide for 25+ large mouth. Most fish were in the 2-5 pound range with about 4 over 5 pounds. Largest was 7 1/2 pounds. Drop shotting and wacky rigged senkos (6")
      City: Antioch

      Tips: fish are holding to cover in 2-4 feet on high tide early in the morning.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 58-59

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: ALL RIGHT I JUST READ THE LAST REPORT ,AND I FISHED THUR- FRI-AND SAT MORNING FISHED THE KEYS MOST OF THE TIME,AS I FOUND FISH THERE THAT I DIDNT FIND ANY WERE ELSE.DID NOT FISH OUT SIDE OF THEM VERY LONG.OK THIS IS NOT FOR THE BASS TOURNAMENT GUYS THIS IS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO CATCH THEM ANY WAY.!!!!.FIRST DAY- 11 BASS 5 CROPPIE.THE SEC DAY MORNING TILL NOON I CAUGHT 15 BASS AND 4 CROPPIE-THAT EVENING 5:30 TILL DARK =OVER 25 BASS AND 2 CROPPIE.THE EVENING BITE WAS OFF THE HOOK..!!!!OK--- NIGHT- CRAWLERS- FLY LINE,CLOSE TO SHORE,NO DEEPER THAN 5 FEET
      City: REDDING

      Tips: IF YOU ASK BOB AT IN AND OUT -HE'LL TELL U I BOUGHT 4 DOZEN.AND HAD 2 DOZEN TO START WITH. THE FISH WERE HITING IT ON THE FALL,AFTER IT HITS THE BOTTOM , CAST TO A NEW SPOT,I DID SEE ONE GUY CATCHING THEM ON SINKO-MOST OF THE BASS WERE 3-4 LB A FEW WERE OVER-A 5-1, 7-9-I KNOW IT CHANGES EVERY DAY.GOOD LUCK

    • By

      Water Temp: 60-64

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: On the water by 6:45, decent bit, there were 3 of us in the boat, caught 8 total. Best fish went maybe 3 lbs. All fish looked healthy and fat. No real definite pattern. Fish were in 3-6 ft of water typically relating to brush.
      City: Watsonville

      Tips: senkos

    • By

      Water Temp: 65-71

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Well I went out again this weekend after stating I wouldn't go back for a few weeks.....just love this lake! Not much has changed. The water has come up a foot or so from last weekend. Visibility is still poor. It has cleared a little bit in a few areas but over all cloudy. Water temps were great and you'd think the bite would be on but it wasn't. Got on the water around 9am and off by 3pm. Only had a few "dinks" on plastics and nothing on everything else I chucked at them. The anglers I chatted with all were having the same results. Reading the previous post from yesterday....maybe the late afternoon/early evening bite is better.
      City: Le Grand

      Tips: Wish I could give you something here.

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 61

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fishing:Good
      Young and smallish spotted bass are on ALL main lake rocky points. Wasnt able to find anything bigger than 15" so maybe a slower soft plastic ((Senko)) presentation will provide better results. Trolling for trout also working out well on needlefish.
      City: Atwater

      Tips: Fishing was good , desipite a tournament going on. White spinner baits and a shad lipless crankbait worked well.

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

      Report: Fished Saturday during the heat of the day for 4 hours...Hot! High 80's! My first trip to Oroville since I've moved down here. Couldn't find a pattern that worked until we started fishing senkos in the trees. Hungrydog caught and released a 14+" crappie on a 5" june bug colored senko. I caught 5 spots 12-15" on senkos and 5" kalin grubs. Lost a 4-5 pounder at the boat.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: Fish the shade around the trees if you can find them!

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Well not to often do you use San Luis and calm in the same sentence but it was like glass.These condition's really hurt the reaction bite.I started below the windmill's and picked up three fish on a Jerkbait.Two were about 18" and one 26" about four pound's.Well I fished for about three more hour's and nothing but follow's but that's a good sign they are going to go off soon.Well I switched to throwing a Rat-L-Trap,silver,and picked up two more in Dinosaur Point area.Both were nice 28"fish.So then I trolled for awhile with the Rat-L-Trap from the Tunnel Island toward's the highway.I trolled for about 20 minute's.I was kind of daydreaming when I looked over and my pole was bent double.I thought I was snagged but I looked at the meter and was in 70' of water.I fought that fish for about 5 minute's and got one look at it before it came undone.BIG fish over 20 I would say.Well of course I trolled for another hour and never had a bite.
      City: Salinas

      Tips: Get there as early as you can the bite wont last long.

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 60 - 65

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished the back of the boat Saturday. The day warmed up to about 75

      Tips: There are some really big fish to be caught that are either moving on to or off of beds. These fish are suspended in vertical laying trees.

Friday, April 25th, 2008

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 66-69

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fished this past Friday from 1pm to dark in the lower section of the Narrows. I wasn

      Tips: My patterns for spots were on the sides of the points - nothing