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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Thursday, May 25th, 2006

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 69-71

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Agree with previous reports. Fished main lake and Dry Creek arms from 8am to 2pm. Caught several bass to 2 1/2 pounds using drop shot, brush hogs, and senkos. all were in 5 to 10 feet of water.
      City: Novato

      Tips: Move aroung to find fish.

Wednesday, May 24th, 2006

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 69.9

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at Capell 2 6:30 am. $4 truck in lot.went to a cove on east side saw bait busting.Fish on first cast.Lots of hits could not hook them.Caught a couple on flukes and swim baits.Stayed for a hour at the spot.moved up the east side by farm house caught a couple there on senko's.went up to vineyards slow trolled the flats 10 ft. caught a couple trolling senkos.They bit everything.Went back to the first spot had a lot of followers would not bite.Threw a TD crankbait. Caught a few .Then 10 minutes later wide open crankbait bite.Caught 2 bass on one lure.Caught about 20 bass.
      City: S.F

      Tips: keep moving and trying different things.

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 68-69 Degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: OK, the sun is finally appearing in Cent Calif!.
      Cachuma has turned over, last week 72 and murky.
      Today much better vis and temp dropped 3 deg or so. Patchy morning fog burning off early. Not a lot of fish in Cachuma Bay on wall. A few fish on crankbaits but mostly small. A lot of fish on flats though. One real nice dropshot Largemouth in 20 ft near dropoff. Wind came up pretty good after 1pm.
      City: Santa Barbara

    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: My wife and I went out to CFW to try out the new boat. I saw baitfish being pushed against the bank on a point on the south end of the lake. Caught em on poppers, spinnerbaits, and drop shot worm. I even had two two pounders on one popper. Total of 19 for the day. Fish were mostly on the small side but it was a lot of fun.
      City: Citrus Heights

      Tips: Just go

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 60

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: This is more of a lake report than a fishing report. The lake level is currently 3' above full pool.They are releasing approx 13,000 cfs out of the lake, 10,000 down the river and the rest into the tunnel. However the inflow is up around 17,000 which means the lake is expected to rise a few more feet. If it comes up 3 more feet, approx. 1/3 of the Trinity Center parking lot will be under water. They have already shut off the power at Cedar Stock dock and are using generators for the store and Gas pumps. This because the transformer is under water. Cedar Stock will be open for the holiday weekend, but they may have to suspend operations at Trinity Center. Call ahead if you're planning to head this way.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: Cedar Stock # is 286-2225.

Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 71

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: I took a father and his 6 year old son (his first fishing trip) to Berryessa. It was supposed to be a 6 hour trip but turned out to be a 4 hour trip from 10 am to 2 pm. They got lost! Not the best hours since the bass were on an early morning bite I heard. I caught several in Markley Cove waiting for them. Once they arrived, we stayed in the narrows and caught several - all three species - using 4 and 6 inch black grape and morning dawn worms. About noon, I suspected a bite and gave the rod to the child and told him to jerk. He did, and while it wasn't pretty, he put a 2 lb 2 oz smallie in the boat. Hope his photo will be in the "Sniffer"! It was a nice fish but had already spawned. Mission accomplished - nice bass for the young man!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: As was mentioned before, enjoy the good fishing while the fish are shallow. They will move off the bank soon. Topwater can be good all day in June!

    • By

      Water Temp: 68

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: AWSOME. Wife and I started out at Steele Park and caught fish all day. Everything worked. Spooks poppers rip baits rattle traps wow. Wife was doing her thing with grubs catching 15 nice mix of smallies spots and blacks. Wed I caught 2 channel cats 8 lbs on back to back casts with a grub on 5 lb maxima. This line is the best. I can't believe how strong it is. Caught one huddleston fish over 4lbs in front of fallen tree. Real cool when you can see it come out and eat that trout. Wed we caught at least 50 bass. Thursday was slower and went to narrows. Only caught 25 fish. What an awsome lake. Hope they don't screw it up like they want to. Deer everywhere, Geese with little yellow babies . Everything was so cool. Room didn't have a phone, alarm clock ice machine or coffee maker and only $119.00.
      City: orangevale

      Tips: Fish are guarding there beds. Wide open bite. Don't have to use lucky craft baits. Use all your old stuff. Awsome bite all three days. Lots of 2lbers with an occasional 3 or 4 mixed in. Poppers in the morning or when they break water near you. I had a double on one occasion. 2 on one popper?

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 65* to 69*

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Great Afternoon on the Delta.. Got on the water around 4:30 high Tide...4:31Pm off water 7:30

      5 Bass in the boat up to 2 1/2 Lbs..see photo..
      Lost 3 at the boat.. missed a couple of bites..

      Fished Chartrous Spinner bait w. Brass Colorado Blade.. and Christmas Tree Senko... Spinner bait won out today.... No Senko bite...
      City: Stockton

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

      Report: Fished South Lake and impound at dusk for about an hour and a half. Tossed a white Bass Assassinator spinnerbait and got 2 short strikes at the Impoundment, but no fish. Moved to the other side at the bridge, where four other bassers were at it tossing crankbaits and Senkos. I switched to a 4 inch blue plastic worm, Texas rigged and flipped the tules for a few minutes...not a bite. The fish are there. Several were caught this week by the guys I was fishing with, however not this time.
      City: Daly City, CA

  • Sonoma County
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      Water Temp: 60-64

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: On the water at 7am, fished main lake coves/timber for 1 bite 'til 7:45. Moved to northern end of lake, had most action around tules in very shallow water w/ a drop off nearby. Good bite on weightless senkos pitched right into tules and twiched a little...also some fish on t-rigged curly tail worms around wood. Got one little guy on topwater(popper)around 10am.
      City: San Anselmo

      Tips: Fish were pretty agressive. Try some reaction baits. Had to leave early, didn't crank or spin too much. Plenty of fish on plastics though.

Monday, May 22nd, 2006

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: -

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Hit the lake at 8AM. Caught 4 up to 1.5 lbs on a dropshot rig. It became overcast around 10:30 and I caught a 1lber on top using a Rico. Ended the day at 11AM.
      City: san jose

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      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I'm sure somebody has fished this since december. any reports??????
      City: deadwood shity

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I'm sure somebody has fished this since december. any reports??????
      City: deadwood shity

Sunday, May 21st, 2006

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 65

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished this afternoon for a half day. Cloud cover and some showers produced a good topwater bite. Lots of fish close in to the tules & weed lines. Decent fish approx 1 - 3 lbs. Lots of bites in less than 5 feet of water. Some hits on plastic worms and and blades.
      City: San Bruno

      Tips: The water temp is warming up. Stay close, and bring blades and cranks through the weed pockets. Good luck.

  • Lake County
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      Water Temp: 73

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I had the pleasure of introducing world-famous Clear Lake to a fine angler from the state of New York. Could he ever cast - he loved all the docks!! I wish I could have led him to one of the big girls but we caught 19 up to only 3 1/2 lbs or so. They averaged about 2 1/2 with only two small ones. Good quality by New York standards. We fished in the Oaks arm and south of Buckingham. It was cloudy all day and a bit breezy so sight-fishing was not possible - though we did see a few but only one good one. Did we ever see the bluegills! Never has my boat caught so many bluegills (on 8" worms!) and had so many 'gill bites. Man they fight! He was a spinnerbait master and caught several bass on a white 3/8 oz Rodstrainer model - and missed several! We also used dark colored Berkley Power worms. I even drop-shotted a few. Lots of action all day for bass but not lots of weight.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I don't have much to say positive about the bite since there is a lot of post-spawn happening now. There are always some late spawners so there is still a chance of a nice pre-spawn bass for awhile. Again, this year many bass will be able to spawn far out of the reach of anglers - which is a good problem in the long run!

    • By

      Water Temp: 65 to 69

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: There a very good bite on senko's watermelon red/black flake with bass to 4 pounds. Also brown jigs in 1/4 oz with a junebug single tail yamamoto are working well no problem putting 10 to 15 bass in the boat in 3 hours traffic is heavy on the weekends. Buzzbaits and rico's work well early morning or late evening. Brushogs are also working in the trees and brush piles bass are in 3 to 15 feet of water and the bigger bass are holding around rock piles and on flats. 5 mph area and spillway area are holding good fish bank fisherman should beware of snakes with the lake being full and tall grass areas. 559-689-3255
      City: kerman ca.

      Tips: Its still a very good bite on senko's and the jig fishing is still in good shape. Brushogs with weight paged flipping in trees or brush piles is working good also 5 mph area and spillway areas are hold lots of bass.Any questions e mail at markinman50@aol.com

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: What a day. Cold, windy and rainy. The fish were biteing like crazy. Buzz baits and rip baits in the morning, crank baits, rip baits, jigs and drop shotted plastics in the afternoon. The fish bit everything but the usual senkos and brush hogs. Baby bass speed traps and orange crush robo worms down shotted worked the best. Fish were scattered everywhere. No major consentration of fish. No schools. One fish every 10 feet down the bank. From 5-25 feet deep. They were everywhere. We fished from 6:00 to 1:00 and had a 50 fish day. Good Luck out there.
      City: Fresno

  • San Francisco County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out for a couple of hours and fished the South Lake. Tossed a 4 inch Green Pumpkin YUM Wooly Hawg on a 1/4 oz jighead. Got one small bass in the tules by the boatdocks.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Once again - the weather. It rained off and on during the day...keep at it, the fish are there

  • Butte County
    • By

      Water Temp: 75

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I took a man/wife Friday, trying to show them how to catch larger bass and to show them areas to find them. We stayed in the north fork which seemed to be a good decision. Couldn't believe the weather again - a little rain in the morning but cloudy all day and not much wind. We started about 7 am - splitshotting - and the little lady was hooking bass so fast it made my head swim! Most of the day she was using a 6" morning dawn worm. Also a 4" purple ghost. Hubby and I used dark colors - black grape, green pumpkin, oxblood, etc. The goal of the boat became 60 bass and we stopped at 62 - no largemouth but 3 smallies. We wound up with 12 over the slot and she caught most of them! What a machine - and she did it from the back of the boat!!! She was casting to the shore and just letting the bait gradually swing out to deeper water - a very effective technique - covering several depths in one cast. She also lost the biggest bass when we went to the west side - might have been 3 lbs. Our best five (she had three of them) were a shade over 12 lbs.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I didn't see the larger bass I saw in the previous trip but, as other posters have mentioned, fishing Oroville is fun now! This is the time to introduce a child to bass fishing!! As for the fishing, we were targeting deep water bluffs near spawning flats - trying to get em' comin' or goin'!!! Most of the backs of coves just have small bass in them now. Try throwing a Senko about 20 feet off a wall near a flat and just let it sink. It works but often you hook them deep and have to cut the line. I did hook a rip fish and a crank fish but didn't concentrate on that. I taught him a little about fishing jigs and he actually caught one and missed several others - probably small ones. One of the bass spit up a crawdad! How about that!!

Saturday, May 20th, 2006

  • Santa Barbara County
    • By

      Water Temp: 73

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Haircut day so it was a late launch today - Got off at 9:45.
      Day looks good despite possible rain for Sunday. Water was flat for the most part and both parking lots were full so getting into favorite spots may be hard. --- Hit Arrowhead Island and only charted a few scattered fish, moved off to Bobcat Cyn and tossed blades. Nada - and I was surprised that I didn't get a tag on the favorite color. MOved off to Santa Cruz point and same results. Changed up to fifferent colors but no takers so moved off to the reeds acrossfrom the island where I hit great last week. Started with a Robo Ox blood red/flake and only light taps. Moved around to the Westside and hit two smaller Largeies but at least they were fish. Moved into the reeds thru the hole and started dropping the same bait. Good taps but nothing. Changed to a Senko Watermelon red/flake and finally landed my first 5 pounder! Man o man. That was a great feeling for this sorta newcomer into Basssin. Dropped out another 'plunk; and yanked in yet another good 3 pounder but it broke off in a reed blade. Flurocarbon can be your enemy at times! Shook off the dissappointment and grabbed a reel spooled up Triline 10 and tossed out again with a Robo. Bang.. Another quality 3 poun keeper.
      As Kelly R said -- If your on fish STAY! Thanks Kelly. That urge to leave versus paitence WORKED> I appreciate your insight and I utilized your suggestions.
      City: Santa Maria

      Tips: Robo Oxblood and Senkos were the choice. I think weightless or at least a small split shot just at the hook eye [with a Senko or 3X] helped get it passed the smaller fish faster and helped bring in better weights. Like I mentioned.