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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, September 23rd, 2006

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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Pretty breezy in the AM, then calmed by noon. No action for trout or bass on the rock wall or ADA pier until about 2:00. Then, within about 20 minutes of each other, hooked a 17" Rainbow and a 15" Largemouth, BOTH on a pumkin senko from the ADA Pier.
      City: Antioch

      Tips: Persistence. Try different things and stick with it.

  • Merced County
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      Water Temp: n/a

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Started out fishing jerkbait and picked only two fish 22" each.Tried top water but not a swirl.About 10:00 switched to bait fishing.Started out about half way to Portaguez cove in 70' of water.What i do then is just drop straight down and drift until you get a hookup and imidiatlly drop a marker bouy.Then i will use the trolling motor to stay on that spot.I cought about 20 fish,never really count.Largest was 7.5lb.Appear's they are pumping water back into the lake becouse the water was swirling around my marker pretty fast.
      City: Salinas

      Tips: I think the reaction bite should get better here in another week or so.But all the fish you want on Anchovie's right now good luck

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      Water Temp: not sure, warm

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: My girl and I just moved to the bay area and took advantage of the free fishing day on Saturday. Those licenses are really expensive if you aren't a resident yet. Anyway, fished from about 1 pm to 3pm.
      In Island Pond we caught one about 2 lbs and lost 2 on a T-rigged green pumpkin tube. Small cranks, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits were ignored, but it was probably a bad time of day for those. Another guy said he and his son did pretty good with bass and bluegill on live worms and flys. Great first trip in California.
      City: Rockridge

      Tips: I guess you need to go slow and look for a little shade (as the fish see it) in the middle of the day.

Friday, September 22nd, 2006

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 65.8

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Went out with a buddy who was pre-fishing for a club tourney. We started with topwater around the south end of Franks and Soundmound areas with lots of bites from small fish. Tide was dropping, I switched to a beaver a picked up a 3 from a deep point in the current. Picked up another close to 3 on a swimbait off a small tule island, again in the current. We switched to crankin and got a bunch of littles ones, plus a 5 on rat-l-trap... from a small tule island with lots of current..Hmmmmm. Mid day when the current slowed way down we switched to punching mats, got another 3+ and about a half dozen decent 2LB fish. Bounced around catching lots of jig fish from points and ledges 8-15ft in the current. We set up on a point just as the tide turned around and got an 8 on jig. Finished the day with some fast action on a buzzbait and spook inside Franks on fish up to 2 1/2. Around 30 in the boat today with best five about 22lbs.
      City: TRACY

      Tips: JIGS and Cranks in the current. Punching mats when the sun is high and temp is up...CURRENT, CURRENT, CURRENT... Did I mention current

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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I hunt ducks out there from a kayak, you just got to do your homework to find them. Lower Sherman Island is a good place from what I've heard but I have my own sweet spot.
      City: manteca

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: As Cooch mentioned in a previous post, Clear Lake is not pretty right now up close - you wonder how fish live in water that color - sometimes almost a burnt red color. Trust me - they are doing fine!! I took a fellow Wed for his first experience at the lake. One of my big thrills when guiding happens when someone is on a legendary big fish lake for the first time - and a legendary bass is the first one in the boat! Then I get to tell them - "Yea, this is a normal Clear Lake bass!!" That happened last year when a client's first bass (after a dink)was 7-2. Wecome to Clear Lake! Wed it was a 7-1 that took a 10" black Power worm about 9 am for first fish honors. Unfortunately, it hit my worm as I was showing him how to worm a rockpile, but the effect is the same - wow! - what a lake!!!! I showed him many areas that might help him in an upcoming tournament - all in the south end. We found the worm bite to be fair but only a fish here and there - no real concentrations of bass anymore. We did get a 4-10 on a white DD-22 crankbait in Horseshoe Bay. This "teach the lake" produced 15 bass for us - but a real nice limit of 22 lbs 2 oz. I was happy with that and he was really excited about learning and the nice bass he caught - about half of our total number.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I have noticed a few "self-contained" clients that bring their own gear have been doing very well on the Yamamtot Kut-tail worm - either 5 1/4 inch or the 7 inch. I fish them too but these fellows each fish them different and get the same results - lots of quality bass. Big fish was caught on a previous trip by a client with that worm. Finally, no more sitting on a spot catching bass after bass - if you don't get bit in a reasonable time - move! I would like to mention more areas we did well but this time of year I have to respect the client's "right to know" when they hire a guide.

Thursday, September 21st, 2006

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

      Report: Friday we left out of Half Moon Bay to go to the Farllons but the windy weather prevented us from reaching our destination. Capt. Tom Matuch of the "HuliCat" knows these waters very well and brought us to a location where we were able to fish in 180 feet of water. I started out with one of my old diamond bars and did well. Fishing near me was Bob Trice of "River2Sea" and he brought some knife jigs for us to try. I changed my old heavy jig to this thin knife jig and was very impressed with how it casted and how fast it went to the bottom. Once again I hooked up with some nicer size fish. I used the new jigs for the rest of the day and I recommend them highly to anyone who goes rock fishing. After catching a lingcod with the squid knife jig I had Bob give it to ohter people to try and everyone who tried it raved about it. Seventeen full limits plus lings were caught that day. A few people got seasick the water was pretty rough but all in all it was an enjoyable day. Didn't make it to Lake Berryessa this weekend but hope to be there next weekend. 'til then...........................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: prinston by the sea half moon bay

      Tips: change is sometimes good,variety is the spice of life are we talking about fishing.

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Russo's today. We started with spooks and gunfish fishing deep water with current, bends in the river and cuts wit moving water, got one 2.5lber right away then missed two decent ones then caught a bunch of 1-2 lbers. Fished around Franks some but I wanted to find some fish somewhere besides Franks so we went to Potato got a few but nothing to talk about. Tide was mid way and going out, poked around the main river and still only got small ones. Went back over by Franks (gave in to the pressure) and started catching fish again we got a few 2.5 lbers and a bunch of 1-2 lbers.
      City: Martinez

      Tips: Most of the fish were in the current and 1.2 were caught on top buzz bait and the gunfish, a few on a speed trap and a few on a jig.

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      Water Temp: 70.0

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launced out of Tracy Oasis for the Nor Cal Tourney. Weather was clear and calm but was was pretty stained due to the recent winds. First spot we hit was at the west end of grant line canal. We picked up one keeper on a chartrues blade. Lost one about 2# on a speed trap that came off at the boat working the current edges on outgoing tide. Headed toward victoria and got another keeper on the speed trap on a totally stopped retrieve. they seem to hit it on the pause. We got our fourth keeper on a red rattle trap in union point area along the rip-rap.
      got bit about five or six times on a green punkin 5" senko/wacky on outside of weed edges on low tide buy could not keep em hooked up. One senko fish was rock solid when i set the hook and actually pulled drag and came unbuttoned. Hooked fifth keeper back in grand line canal on a crank and had it bounce out of the net and come off. best five went 9+ lbs. Only weighed in four keepers for 8.22
      City: turlock

      Tips: slow down and flip, the fish are there somewhere it think you just need a slower presentation. Browns seem to be the color.

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

      Report: Hi, I'am thinking about going to this lake very soon.I have never been there just looking for some help on where to fish for LMB.I,am tring to get around to different lakes this year. if your ever in my area e-mail me i have a 1992 nitro. thanks
      City: greenfield,montery county

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 68-70

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I do my best to post reports when there is something to report. I've been on the lake 5 days out of the last 12. Did you notice that I haven't posted? This lake always goes through a late summer doldrums period where the fishing slows a little for a few days. This year it has lasted for a couple of weeks. A fellow called last night asking for advice as he was planning a trip here this weekend. I told him the best thing he could do was stay home and polish his boat. I have no clue what's happening, but on Mon and Tues this week we could only catch a dozen or so fish a day for a total of maybe 10 lbs,( yes, that's 24 fish for 10 lbs.) I really thought I had these fish trained better than that. I"ve been blaming it on the smoke, but Tuesday it was clear as a bell and was the worst day yet. I've about run out of excuses, so If anyone has any new ones, I could use a little help.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: I'm planning to find out this weekend if things have changed. I'll let you know.

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 68-71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: FIRST TIME FISHIN' THE OLD DELTA. GOT A TOTAL OF 8 LMB. NOTHIN' TO BRAG ABOUT; 3# WAS THE BIGGEST. I TRIED THE NORTH PORTION OF FRANK'S. THE TAKERS WERE INTERESTED IN KLACKERS AND SENKOS. IT WAS WINDY, WINDY, WINDY. A FISH AND GAME GUY SAID IT'S WINDY 350 DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR OUT THERE. IT WAS NOT VERY FUN. I SPENT MORE TIME FIGHTIN' THE BOAT IN THE WIND AND WEEDS OFF OF THE TROLLING MOTOR THAN ACTUALLY FISHIN'. THE FISH AND GAME GUY SAID THERE ARE SOME PLACES IN THE STICKTOWN AREA THAT ONE CAN HIDE OUT OF THE WIND. DON'T KNOW WHERE THOUGH. I'LL STICK TO THE LAKE FISHING.
      City: WINTERS

      Tips: DON'T GO ON WINDY DAYS. THE WIND IS A PAIN OUT THERE. GOOD LUCK TO YA.

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: N/A

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: AT 5:00PM I fished the South Lake after being away for awhile and threw nothing but dark colored senkos and spinners.No luck at all with worms today but did however manage to stick a 8 pound hog with my favorite spinner in about 6-8 feet of water.I swear these fish only eat when they want to.
      City: SAN FRANCISCO

      Tips: Senkos,Jigs,and Spinners all work at this lake. You just got to apply the right technique to the right situation and know that presentation is everything. Rule of thumb for lake merced is to always fish sloooooowwwww! goodluck

Tuesday, September 19th, 2006

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

      Report: Hey Don -- I will let a few of the guys in the club know that you are looking in earnest for a probable partner. Know that it is hard to find one as I went thru that myself but there are a lot of good boaters out there that might be willing to offer you a spot. Many of the guys I am not that up on, are from the SB area as well as up in Casitas area so possibly, you may try there. If you know Kelly Ripa, he may also know of a possible.. Hang in there Don and a GREAT SALMON catch! Yum Yum!

      See Ya ! Bob

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      Water Temp: SBjDaDBxCEc

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: DCKRvP <a href="http://ynfltbfdfyhe.com/">ynfltbfdfyhe</a>, [url=http://iallmstihtkc.com/]iallmstihtkc[/url], [link=http://rwuahmahxael.com/]rwuahmahxael[/link], http://acfbtcezgmdn.com/
      City: gboesx

      Tips: DCKRvP <a href="http://ynfltbfdfyhe.com/">ynfltbfdfyhe</a>, [url=http://iallmstihtkc.com/]iallmstihtkc[/url], [link=http://rwuahmahxael.com/]rwuahmahxael[/link], http://acfbtcezgmdn.com/

    • By

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The bite here has been fair and sunday it was good for me pumpkin green 1/4oz bullet head jigs with a 208 single tail grub ( yamamoto ) work on bass to 3 pounds in 18 to 25 feet of water.Most fish were around rock piles and on edges of brush piles the bigger fish were in the 20 foot plus deapth. Also working are carolina riggged baby brushogs in watermelon red/blk flake.This lake will only get better here in the next 3 or 4 weeks as the bass will really start schooling up on long points and will start holding bass with deeper water near by and also humps crank or blade these areas as the bass will move up on these areas and stay. I caught some bass on baby bass pop-r's but my bigger fish fell to jigs. there not much traffic to slow the bite so if you'll can hit this lake its getting that time for bigger fish.
      City: kerman ca

      Tips: Areas to fish 5mph humps and rock piles brush piles trees all in this area. Dam area i like in the afternoon. East wall mid morning and 5mph all day. I like the 5mph area best Swimming area has nice drop off also that holds nice bass. 559-689-3255

  • Sacramento County
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      Water Temp: 72

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: It's been since June when I last casted a line. Was able to get on the water this day, thanks to my sponsor Jim(Lincoln Hillbilly), who let me pilot his Basscat for a while. I don't think the air has ever felt better on the lake than it did this day. See I'm not much one for church, I find my peace on the water... And it is peace that I was looking for on this day, not bass for once. I haven't been on the water as of late due to the birth of my son on July 4th. I dreamed of the day when I could take my boy(In a Ranger of course) here on the water where I have fished since I was about 8. That will never happen as he passed away on Labor Day. I spent the day in deep thought and enjoying every breath that I was allowed on the body of water that I find my serenity. Though a topwater bite would have made the day, I was unable to find one. I was satisfied to feel my first tug after I had cast my secret wacky worm on my best spot. After that it was two more on a drop shot, and my largest on a jig that was pushing about 3 1/2 lbs. I left around 11, as it was time to go get my son and finally bring him home....in an urn. I don't think the air has ever felt any worse as I got off the water, than it did this day.
      City: Rocklin

      Tips: Take a kid fishing......

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      Water Temp: dunno, i *freeb

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: right now, lexington is gettin ridiculous. if you thought the clarity of the water was anywhere near bad before, dont show up to fish here. that is hard for me to say, because this is MY lake. been coming here since 6, and i know ALL the spots. but, right now, with all the pipe work gettin done, with the constant fire dept. copter takin off right over my favorite spot, and with the RAPID falling water levels, fishing this lake is gettin too damn hard. i come here at least twice a week, and i churn up the waters with almost all the tackle i have, and every day its a different spot and different tackle. as a fisherman im used to change, but as i say, its freakin ridiculous.
      City: santa cruz mnts

      Tips: strike-king rocketchad ( yellow) seems to be the most productive for SMB (small mouth bass) catching everything from 8'' dinks to 15'' 2lbers. also, chartruese (spelling) spinnerbaits, and although i have had no luck with them, i hear buzzbaits (red) have been turning out those reluctant ones hangin out in cover. matt out.

Monday, September 18th, 2006

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

      Report: Cranked the banks tonight for one keeper. It was really really slow up there. Not a bit of wind and even the birds seemed to be hunkered down. Reminded me of that earthquake weather most people talk about here. plunked a drop shot craw and several other styles with little luck. Got three more dinks on the craw. Called it at about 7:15.
      City: Goleta

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 70-77

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took the day off from work and spent the day at the lake. We took 13 fish with the best 5 coming in at just a tad over 13lbs. Big fish was 4lbs+. Today everything worked, drop shot, white spinnerbait and the crankbait. It was nice again all day until just before 5PM it clouded up and the wind kicked in, that triggered a pretty nice crankbait bite once we found a spot sheltered from the wind. All in all another good day, but we did work pretty hard to get bit. Spent the day mid-lake to the north today.
      City: Petaluma

      Tips: I will say one thing, I am not catching numbers like I did last year and I'm beginning to think it's due to the water level, the lake sure seems very low right now. It just seems that the spots I've relied upon to produce 10-20 fish are now just producing 3-5 fish. Oh well....