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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, September 8th, 2007

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: After paying the outrageous fees, to the dam fsihing poppers and frogs. my buddy caught 2 spots withing 1 foot of the same cast. The dart fishing on the almost exposed humps. Picked up 4 more. Off the lake about 11 am. The ski'ers were stacked up at the ramp
      City: Sacramento

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      Water Temp: 75 to 77

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished morning till about 11:00 am. The lake is way down so some help getting your boat in the water is helpful since there is no dock. The fishing is great. Fish are schooled up big time and are chasing bait. We threw crank baits all morning and the style and color did not seem to matter. Some fish prefered a slow retreive while other fish wanted something faster or more eratic. The fish are suspended in the upper 10' of water near shore and off shore following bait. We covered alot of water to find schools and then sat on them and cought big numbers with best fish going 2 1/2 lbs. A friend of mine fished that same day until about 4:00 pm and cought them all day with cranks. Good luck and be careful in the low water.
      City: Lincoln, Ca

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 75-78

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well, after hearing about all the "good" fishing reports (yea, right!) and after a week at the Columbia River, I headed for Clear Lake to see if my clients could catch a few. Thursday evening I fished an hour before dark - no bass. After dark I fished until 11 pm and landed 4 to 3 1/2 lbs and lost the "monster of the year" in Konocti Bay - using a black Power worm. Darn!!! Friday I met my clients at 6:15 am - one a pretty good fisherman and the other new to bass fishing. Not any more!! They both did very well I thought, using Robo worms and Power worms. In fact, by 10 am they had eight quality bass up to 4 lbs 1 oz and several over 3 lbs. I managed 2 dinks! The only disappointment was that the now "pro" newby lost the biggest of the day by Rattlesnake Island - maybe 5 lbs. Ugh! His partner and I then discussed "hooksets" - that only one was necessary - not a series of them, har! I think he was excited! He did get her to the boat however!! I believe they learned a lot about the lake and we did alright - 19 bass with a limit of 18 lbs and change! Today I knew that all the tournament boats would be present and they were. Find a rock to fish! Today was the first morning of "dew" on the boat - lots of it which meant "heavy moist air" which can slow the bite some. One doesn't usually see this in early Sept. Anyway, I met a nice out-of-state father/son team - exciting about seeing Clear Lake for the first time! I told them there was a "hatch" of bass boats today - they "emerged" after Labor Day!! Did the moist air affect the bite? They caught the first 4 bass - 2 each - and they were very small! We looked over the lake as best we could with the traffic - they might be fishing a future tournament. They were sold on the lake when dad landed what looked like a "holdover" bass from last year - a "FAT" 4 pounder. Dad was in the back seat and was the hot stick - he caught most of the quality bass out of the 14 we landed. Lots of "missed" bites today for whatever reason. We fished the same last spot by Rattlesnake that I had during the previous 2 trips. The bite has been pretty good for quality bass. Today - not a touch!!!!! Overall, I was very happy with the two trips - great folks and reasonabily good fishing.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: While my clients were fishing plastics - worms and Yamamoto Kreature baits, I threw a few reaction baits with no takes except for one frog blowup. I was just showing 'em how to fish a frog. Friday I was looking for a different color worm for one of the guys to use and I pulled out a "plum" colored 8" dead ringer worm. I said "try this". I haven't used that color for 2 years. Bingo - that is the color they wanted in the afternoon. Amazing!!! Today, black Power worms and black/blue Kreatures worked pretty good. We fished as many ledges and we could and that seemed to be the preferred structure, especially if it produced shadows under the water. That is important now that Clear Lake is "clear"!! Dock shadows were also good "structure".

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: On the water first light my partner p/u's up a 2.5 - 3 pounder and I p/u a spook fish and my parnter had several short blow ups on a popper. That was about it for top water. For the rest of the day it was drop shot and lots of smaller fish but I did manage to get a 5.8 on a brown and purple jig. Other fis in the 2 pound range came on a small swim bait. A decent day but wished we could have manged more bigger fish. Labor day I p/u a 5.4 spot on a small swim bait. All in all a fun day.
      City: Lincoln

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      Water Temp: 76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched Saturday morning and headed to the main body to drop shot. Picked up three fish, 1-2 lbs, in the first 10 minutes. Headed up South Fork and fished rock walls and some more structure for a decent day. We got about a dozen really nice fish on board and farmed about another 6.

      The last turn up South Fork prior to Salmon Falls had bass chasing bait like crazy.... we got a few on chatter baits that threw up at the boat and had "friends" follow them up to the net. Definitely in frenzy mode at this point. It gets shallow up in this area so be carefull. One guy had a few trout and salmon hit a white rooster tail in this same area. Crazy day.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: Here is a tip that is guaranteed to humble most of you, take a fish scale with you. You'll be amazed at how fast your so called "5 pounders" turn into "2 pounders" and your so called 21 pound bags turn into a 10 pound bag once it is actually weighed.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 77

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: 12 good fisherman hit the lake friday afternoon looking for salmon,Cats and bass.
      Most of the time I was using a lipness crank bait, Kastmaster and drop shot.
      What are all those spots on the Bass? The fish smell and look sick. Went out saturday until 4pm, most of the time in the Middle Fork and down to the bridge. The better Bass were in the main body.
      I did get 10 or more on a Brown/Purple Jack's Jigs.
      Stay in 30 ft or deeper and as close to the bank. The morning bits came on a pop'r and a rip bait.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: Look around, the lake is full of bait.

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 73-76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Fishing for me was very slow. Spent a week up
      there and the bite was just off. Everyone I
      spoke to was struggling. Did manage some 2
      pound fish and had a few followers in the 5
      pound range but no takers. Water level continues
      to drop. Fairview ramp is way out of the water.
      Not sure what shut the bite down but would be
      interested to hear what "those in the know" think.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Do a rain dance so we can get the ramps wet next
      year.

Friday, September 7th, 2007

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launch ramp is still closed

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 72-75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I had a good fisherman out today and we wanted to fish a lot of different water. We started in the West Branch with a good bite on just about every thing we threw at them. Went out to the main body and also the North Fork and back down to the main body and then back to the West Branch. We threw tubes, worms, blades, pop-r's, spooks, lipless crank baits and senkos. All produced hits and landed 61 with 6 over the biggest was 2.45lds.
      City: Paradise

      Tips: Steep walls, mud lines, shade lines, points were the focus. Bass came from one foot to 35ft.

Thursday, September 6th, 2007

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 70's

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Every Thursday evening Tracy Oasis Marina has a "Turkey Shoot"...starts at 4:00 over at 8:45. I've been fishing them for about 2 months now...What a Blast! Everyone catches fish and for the most part all on topwater and their BIG! Entry fee is only 40 bucks which includes the launch fee and big fish. Weekends used to be all I looked forward to but now it's "Will Thursday ever get here". If you have the time ya gotta do it!
      City: Livermore

      Tips: Thursday evening Tracy Oasis Marina

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 80 thurs 68 Fri

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Something is going on I don't understand. The big fishies they no bite for me. The wife and I caught 12 keepers but nothing over 4 pounds. Maybe 13lbss best 5. It was slow and the bite was lite. Friday was worse. Champion Boats everywhere? Henderson point had a boat every 100 feet apart. Horseshue same athing. What'sa goin on?
      City: orangevale

      Tips: Top water early. darthead 1/8 worms and tubes. No much of a bite. Rattletraps in afternoon when the 6 mph winds were creating 3 foot waves work.Sure love the weatherman. You can see the bass under the docks but they won't eat anything?Back to the Delta for me. Can't wait for the strippers to come in this fall.

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 82

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Launched Thursday around 3:30 pm with my 1st mate Matt. Only ramp open is Hobie at Brown's Ravine. 5mph limit is posted for the whole lake now but it still doesn't get rid of all the wakeboarders or wave runners. F'ing idiots, I'm taking a painball gun next time to have me some target practice! =)

      Fishing was slow, 3.5 hrs on the lake and picked up three shakers, largest 1-1.5lbs. All fish were caught on spinnerbaits. We tried drop shotting, rattletraps, swim baits, texas rigged sinkos, buzz baits and nothing else produced a single strike. We saw another bass boat getting out of the water and they only got one fish....looks like the meat shut down for the day. We're heading out for a Saturday morning run tomorrow, maybe they'll be back in hungry mode.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: You don't want any tips from the boat who just spent 3.5 hours catching 3 fish for a combined weight of 21oz...............

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 74 to 76

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Had the opportunity to fish Clearlake for a couple of days during the week after the Labor day weekend.Fished primarily around Henderson point and in the several areas near Shag rock.Tuesday evening landed 10 bass ranging from 1.5 lbs to 2.5 lbs with two weighing in at 4lbs 8 oz. & 4lbs 11 oz.Almost all were caught slow cranking a Berkley Frenzy diving crankbait in Threadfin shad color parallel to the bank about 20 ft out.It was non stop action for a couple of hours.I also lost several near the boat along with a few that felt like possible 5lb+ fish that never made it into view.The larger fish came later in the evening on a pumpkin senko fished weightless on a 5.0 superline widegap hook close to the bank.The following morning was a repeat performance using the same technique.I had 10 fish in the boat by 9.00 a.m and I didn't launch until after 7:15 a.m.I would have to say that the Bite is still on @ Clearlake at least it was on Wednesday & Thursday!
      City: Manteca

      Tips: Cast out parallel to the bank as far as you can and then give it a couple of quick cranks to get it down and then back off and crank very slowly.They will Hammer it!!Use a sweep set to set the hooks.Go easy on the big ones!!

    • By

      Water Temp: 75-80

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Some members of the Redwood Empire Bass Club fished over the weekend with mixed results. Like the previous report the bite was tough but they still managed to catch bass up to 5 lbs. on crankbaits,jigs,spooks and shakey head worms. Most of the fish were caught from 6 to 20 feet.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: The Redwood Empire Bass Club is welcoming new members, both boaters and non boaters to fish with us. Our next tournament is at Clear Lake on September 22nd. Please join us at our next meeting on September 12th at 7p.m. at the Rohnert Park Community Center on the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. Our guest speaker will be Wayne Hinrichs who will be sharing with us his success's on the WON and FLW Pro Tour this year. For more info log onto rebc.net or call me at 707-758-5762

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: Cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished both Sunday and Monday for about 2 1/2 hrs each day. Caught 1 small bass at South Lake each day, tule dipping with 3/8 oz. black and blue jig with a 4" YUM Wooly Hawg trailer in pumpkin green color. The water appears to be falling and the tules are growing back at the John Muir Drive Pier.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Try jig fishing the tule walls - vertically fishing each little hole in the reeds and swimming the jig occasionally along the points and breaks in the tules. Try to use jigs with a rattle and use scent, if you can.

  • Shasta County
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      Water Temp: 77-79

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Spent 3 days on houseboat, walked the banks and caught lots of fish. Nothing over 2# but lots of 12"-15" fish. Caught fish on just about anything and all day long. My 8 year old son hammered fish all weekend swimming a smoke/clear colored grub on a 1/8 oz. leadhead.
      City: Mckinleyville

      Tips: fish mud lines and shade pockets.

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 75-77

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Two members of Redwood Empire Bass Club fished the main lake throwing crankbaits, jigs and drop shotting in 15 to 30 feet. They caught 14 bass up to 3.5 lbs.
      City: Santa Rosa

      Tips: The Redwood Empire Bass Club is looking for new members, both boaters and non boaters to fish with us. Our next tournament is at Clear Lake on September 22nd. Please join us at our next meeting at 7p.m. on September 12th at the Rohnert Park Community Center on the corner of Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. Our guest speaker will be Wayne Hinrichs who just completed a great tournament year by placing 5th in WON Pro circuit and 8th in the FLW Pro circuit for the AOY(angler of year). Log onto rebc.net for more info or call me at 707.758.5762

Monday, September 3rd, 2007

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 80

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Labor Day weekend has come and gone. You can see at the Big Island all the aluminum boats going for kokanee, trout and salmon between 55 and 80 feet. You can see the fisherman on the shorelines going for catfish with the bells on their rods. It was an extremely hot weekend and I choose to fish from the marina in the shade for carp, catfish and bass. In the evening the crappie were coming out hitting on minnows according to my friend Tony. George and his sons caught some carp in the evening and some huge catfish. Your best bet for catching anything was in the evening when the sun went down. I trolled in my favorite cove with my new jointed Rapala and caught six bass in less then two hours no size to speak of but it was fun. Hope the weather starts cooling down so we can get back to some serious fishing soon. These guys (see photo) caught their first carp at the dock with me and learned a little about being patient. When that 24 inch carp hit his bait and took off with it we had twenty minutes of fun as he brought the fish in. It took a combined effort of all three to land the fish and they did a great job!!! 'til next week....................................good fishing!!!!!!!!
      www.fishingconnection.net If you have any fishing stories you would like to share please email me at bestguide@hotmail.com or call me at
      650-583-3333.
      City: NAPA

      Tips: after the sun goes down more comfortable to fish

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

      Report: My God.....Do i have a story to tell you. Ok so my friend and I decided to catfish Clear Lake this morning. We got to M&M campground around 7am and baited up 4 poles with chovies. Within 30 minutes my friend lands a nice 7.50lb channel. After that we got nothing till 11am when i caught a small 3 pounder. Here's is where it get unbeliveable...at approx. 12pm my rod just goes from straight up to doubled over!!!! My rod was just BENT!!!! I quickly set the hook and was in for a battle. The fish quickly started spooling my 15lb test. It keeps taking runs while my friend keeps coaching me. After 5-6 solid minutes. We still dont even get the fish close enough to view it. As soon as it got near shore it kept taking monster runs. Finally we got it close enough to see it, my friend see's it first and shouts something that i couldnt believe. "ITS A STURGEON!!!!!!!" My reaction is "you must be mistaken" I horse it in where i can see it and sure enough, it had spikes. "ITS A STURGEON!!" Then i went crazy trying to haul this thing in and thats where i made a mistake. As it was nearing shore my line snapped "F#@%#^%%@#%@#@#&#*@!!!!!!!" Me and my friend just sat on the shore thinking of how we just F#$ked up. It had to be a good 30-40lber. People, there are sturgeon in Clear Lake. I know i will get alot of "ya right, pals" but it happened. Me and my friend plan on fishing the same spot after work tomorrow. Will report back!

      Tips: didnt get nothing the second time i went :(

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished Clear Lake from 10-2 on Sunday and took 10 fish. The bite is still very tough. Half my fish came on the shakey head worm the other half came on the Senko, including my big fish of the day a 4-3. Best 5 went just over 14lbs. Fun day on the lake a lot of pleasure boaters but (surprisingly) very few fishermen.
      City: Petaluma, CA

      Tips: Be careful out there, water levels are dangerously low in some areas.