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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, January 20th, 2007

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 48/49

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fish showed on sonar at from 20 to 60 feet. Only fished for the last three hours of day-light near Capel Cove. Got skunked!
      City: Middletown

  • Santa Barbara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 51.5---- 54

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Got to the lake and surprise three club tournaments. I pulled out of line and let everyone go by. I launch and the starter is spinning but not engaging so I went out on trolling motor power and fished the drop offs and humps just to the right but nothing so I came back in. Fixed starter in parking lot re launched it's 10:00. I start throwing the jig and cannot get bit. I toss the spoon and verticle jig it nothing. Start casting the spoon at the walls BAM! two pound smallie. I caught only three smallmouth this day but they all came off a spooon in 35 feet in this manner. After that initial smallie I started a combo "verticle" when there were fish under the boat and "casting" at the wall when there were no fish under the boat spoon run along the walls. It didn't go well until I got to a mainlake point and caught 3 Largemouth in one tiny spot. All 14-15 inch fish. Went in and got lunch and back out to drag a worm king on a drop off from 20 to 70 because they put in trout on this day. No takers so I switched to a 1 ounce hula grub and started catching fish on the same spot in 50 feet. All 14-15 inch fish. I pushed on and caught a few more jig fish and spoon fish on the walls and went to see the weigh ins at 3:00. The few guys that I talked to didn't fair that well....I don't really know the results. I went back out and at 4:00 straight up I caught my best fish of the day. Smallmouth that I won't call a three pounder but a dog none the less. Went to pull the boat out at 4:00 the starter started spinning again ( Good thing I was at the dock ) so I guess I'll have to investagate it. I am sure that the bigger fish can be had on cranks by now and it won't be long before the largemouth that are in 10 feet and not eating will move in for the annual flip bite that's right around the corner. I was bummed that I was unable to fish early as I'm sure that at first light and for an hour there are reaction fish shallow. In this water temp it's been my experience that the fish will turn on very briefly one time a day on cranks...I suppose with the cold water they don't need to eat as often. I see a lot of guys fishing fast. I'm moving along and fishing fast but I'm using the lures speed on my side and not really burning down the bank but picking it apart with the deep water tackle. I had no takers on the silver buddy today but feel that a tailspin will soon be in the mix as the vibration was not the key and the tailspin will allow me a better perpindicular speed type of presentation to the fish. . The trout that they planted were VERY VERY dark. At first glance at the fish cleaning station I was worried that the big bag of fish the guy was gutting were smallmouth. Nope! They are just not those ridiculous Fillmore trout. The trout bite remains very hot trolling on top. Pearl/red needle fish or anything white....Small rapala etc.....I wish I could fish for trout somedays but the weather this day was spectacular...High skies and no wind...That's usually the death knell on this lake. I hope the ABA on Sunday went well.

      Rip
      City: Santa Barbara

      Tips: I notice people look at me like I've got crawdads coming out of my ears when they come up on me when I'm fishing a wall and they ask me how I'm doing. You can pitch a spoon out in 40 feetof water on a wall and catch a fish just as it settles...I know because that's how all three of mine came. Is it luck. To some degree but all three fish came from what I call clasic winter smallmouth spots. Not a Kastmaster with a feather or any other spoon than a..... Hopkin's style chrome 3/4 spoon!!!! will fall fast enough to make the fish really stupid and whack it. That's why the 1 0z. football head for my jig. I can feel them I sure wish I could translate all the bites into fish but I'm just not out on the water enough. Best of Luck,

  • Santa Clara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 45

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: It's been tough for me lately. I did catch 4 good size fish in 40 feet of water but dang!!! had to work really hard for them. The shallow fish didn't want to play with me on this particular day. Maybe my presentation was yucky . Tried everything in the box for shallow fish but no love........ Oh!, by the way leave Zack alone. Stop crying and fish alot. Tips don't guarantee catches. Don't get so caught up on tips. You need to stop crying and put tons of fishing time in to learn how to catch Bass or any other fish for that matter.
      City: San Jose

      Tips: Fish are shallow and deep. Stop being a cry-baby and catch some fish. Maybe then you can give tips too instead of other fishermen/women doing all the hard work for you. Tips!!!? I usually catch the trophy bass here in about 15 feet or less on slow crawled plastics.

  • Amador County
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      Water Temp: 48 degrees

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: launched at about 7:30am fro the north shore ramp. Water was cold as hell, beautiful outside otherwise. Fishing was tough. Threw everything but the kitchen sink. Started fishing between 35-45 feet of water and got a few bites, but nothing. Went shallow between 12-25 feet and marked tons of balls of bait. Threw jigs, drop shots and darter heads, but nothing. I picked up a swim bait for shits and giggles and first cast got a bite. Second cast, got a 1 1/2 pound spot but came off at boat, third cast a 4# trout. Only 1 guy said he caught anything. Even went out deeper to about 90 feet and fished really slow. Came up with nothing. I was the only one on our boat that caught anything.

      Tips: Hell, normally i'm better than this, but maybe even I need some tips at this lake. First time there. This cold front shut em down i think.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 40-43

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The Redwood Empire Bass Club held their January tournament this past Saturday and most teams found little or no bite. Out of 11 teams there was only 2 limits. Top weight was 17.71 lbs with a 4.92 kicker and 2nd place was 15.54 lbs. Most teams stayed on the south end after launching out of Redbud, but the big bag came from up north. I stayed around the narrows all day and my partner and I caught 9 keepers to 3.25 lbs for second place. Mostly caught on Yamamoto Hula Grubs and Robo Worms in 20'-25'.
      City: Rohnert Park

      Tips: Fish VERY slow. Move the bait a couple of inches the pause, move a little more then pause. Stay in contact with the bottom and be patient. Browns and pumpkin colors worked the best. There was virtually no bite, just pressure as you crawl along the bottom. Try rip bait on the north end.

  • Yuba County
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      Water Temp: 44

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished about 3 hrs Sat. Beautiful day sunny and no wind to speak of. Caught 1 nice spot 3.4 #s on a big jig off of a main lake point in about 20 ft. I threw a big jig all day looking for a big bite. Caught 1 nice fish might have caught more on a drop shot or shaking a small worm. 2 people I talked to at the ramp had a slow day as well. I did manage to catch 4 trout for dinner at the boat dock before leaving. Thanks to a fresh dump from the stocking truck. I figured I had to justify my 16 dollar launch fee somehow. Have to be rich to fish on a regular basis anymore. Good luck.
      City: Y.C.

  • Alameda County
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      Water Temp: who knows

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Actually, color did matter Perry.
      City: Orinda

      Tips: shad color roboworms. stick to the riprap. mid depths probably five feet.

    • By

      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Second time ever to Del Valle. First time in a boat. The three of us caught 9 fish in five hours. 7 LM and 2 big rainbows. Biggest LM was 4lb 3oz. One trout was 4-5 and the other 5-3. All fish were caught near the dam on dropshots - roboworms (color didn't matter too much)
      City: Orinda

      Tips: slow presentation.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: unk

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started out in mainbody to let my other holes replenish(I have holes all over the lake) saw only two boats in south fork early. In about twenty minute I had about 15 pounds tossing a six incn swimbait and jigs. The 4.5 and the 5 came off the swimbait. Moved around a little bit and started culling 3 pounders for a limit of 18. It felt like a spring bite as the fish hit aggressively. Last week it was all blacks and this week it was spots (go figure)
      City: Sac

      Tips: The water level has been steady (unusual) for many days and has allowed the algae to start growing on the rocks and shallows. Agae equates to bait, fish, fisherman. Set your drag, put on new line and enjoy, Jimbo

  • Mariposa County
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      Water Temp: 53.6

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Great day for numbers, between the two anglers we probably had 30 fish but only 2 were keepers. Lots of 12-15 inch fish and all weighed about 2#.
      City: San Martin

      Tips: Dropshot points early, Senko on shallow structure when the sun gets over the hills. structure

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 44-47

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Joe Everett and I got on the water at 9:30am @ Bedwell and headed up the Meddle Fork for some fun fishing. Stoping at the water falls using Jigs and dart heads with a Aaron's Magic Worms. (something in browns and purple) Using light line and dead sticking the bit was slow but go for 30 plus bass. Most of the bites came in 15-25 ft. Later moved into the main body on steep banks finding 1.5-3.0 lbs. The sun was out in the afternoon, but the morning was better with the clouds.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: Fish next ot deep water, light line (8 lbs)let it sit in 25 ft and wait.

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 49.5--52

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: slower then it had been the previous two weeks, pretty cold in the morning before the sun came up- caught a few nice fish in 10-17' on spider jigs in the morning, the Carolina rig bite dried up for us, we just picked at them on the spider jigs- I had 3 for 10.2, best fish 4.79- not a banner day but it was fun. My partner had four for about 6.5 pounds- please needle the fish caught deep properly, a bunch of floaters at the ramp
      City: HB

      Tips: the fish we caught were eating dads

    • By

      Water Temp: 49-51

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: 35-60 feet,no bite,just pressure,purples,ox blood,sweet beaver,drop shot,watch line for movement,outside points and drop offs,lots of same size fish 1-1.5 lb
      City: la canada

      Tips: outside points and drop offs,must watch line for movement

  • Westchester County
    • By

      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: First off Mr ?, it is unknowledgeable guys like yourself that are killing the bass population in our local lakes. None of the bay area lakes are stocked with ANY kind of bass. When they are taken home by fisherman that are to lazy to read and educate themselves on the subject of bass conservation, it takes a long time for that same fish to be replenished.

      Now on to my report.... I fished the bass pond in the afternoon and caught 1 small mouth and 2 largemouth on a senko and a spider jig/hula grub.

      Tips: Work deep and slow, but you know that already. And catch and RELEASE the bass if you want your kids to be able to fish for bass in our local lakes.

Friday, January 19th, 2007

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 43

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Bon, the stripers are still locked in the same area As i seen you in l2 weeks ago. If you go out ,all the way at the end and 5 houses back . Just tones of stripers. Email and i'll give you more details. Good luck


      Discovery bay still has stripers running pretty good.
      City: discovery bay

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Anyone know of any good places to rent a boat
      City: san jose

    • By

      Water Temp: 52 to 53

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Bass here are on the small side but there are still a few to 3 pounds. Jig fishing is still holding up and drop shot is also working. Bass are in 25 to 50 feet of water and holding tight to structure.Tube baits and hula grubs may be two baits youmay want to try also the bite is slower and changing up the look of theses bait may get you a few more hits and hookups on bigger fish. cinnamon with purple/blk flake tubes also dark green pumpkin blk flake and watermelon red/blk flake are all good color. In hula grubs the dark green pumpkin and watermelon red/blk flake are my favorties. Use a bullet heads in 1/4 or 3/8 oz for the tubes and 3/8 and 1/2oz football heads for the hula grubs. trout plant was earlier this week. 559-689-3255
      City: kerman ca

      Tips: Target bass holding tight to cover i like getting over a target area im fishing and jig my baits stright over the top of the area im fishing always keeping in contact with the structure or bottom. BASIC COLORS HERE DONT CHANGE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

  • Butte County
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      Water Temp: 58

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: beautiful day to fish. We threw worms on points most of the day. caught 10 keepers over 15 inch.Witches tit with green tail worked best. 6 inch on 1/4 dart head. 40 to 30 foot range. shake a little don't move a lot. hula grubs and smaller worms worked also.
      City: orangevale

      Tips: slow down

  • Westchester County
    • By

      Water Temp: 55-60

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Slow day today. Not much action. Only caught one today, my bud kevin caught it. There was a lot of people and i didnt really like it but what can i do about it? Anyways, didnt see people catch more than 3 today. Biggest one i saw was about 3.5-4 pounds caught on power eggs and plastic worm combo. The man casted out really far, and when i mean far i mean really really really far. Over all, slow day.
      City: fremont

      Tips: Go during the weekdays, less crowded. Also, cast really far.

    • By

      Water Temp: unknown

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished in the back lakes with some bright colered twin tails, bright plastics, then dark plastics, didn't catch anything. Any tips? Can you catch any bass in the back right now?
      City: P-town

      Tips: Reponding 2 my message! lol jk :)