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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Thursday, March 30th, 2006

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Temp: 51

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Bruce,
      Definetly throw that tube anywhere around wood and clay or big rock that you find, and definetely throw that white crank on any flats that you find for at least the first hour in the morning. Throw it on the windy points in the afternoon as well. Also you might try throwing a popper or a skitter walk if you see bait being busted. The drop shot bite is always good, as well as the jig. I like to throw purple colored robo worms, and you should definetly be throwing the 6-7" sizes for bigger fish.

      Tips: The pit has been giving me some decent fish, best ones in the lower 1/3 of the arm, definely hit dark canyon if you fish the pit, good luck!

Wednesday, March 29th, 2006

  • Solano County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: After a post on the forum I met Ken and went out of Russo's what a great site Westernbass.com is. It was pretty windy so we found some protected areas and attempted to catch some fish after a few hours I finally got a 3lb on a crank red/blk. Then adfter another hour Ken decided he should (weighted) switch up and started throwing a blk/blu senko and got a 6-lber and then a 3. With not too much convincing I switch to a watermelon green helix and I caught 3 fish all 3 to 4 lbs. Then we went into Taylor and drop shotted 6 fish but all small under 1.5lbs we searched for better ones but had no luck. We went back out to the river and got a couple more on the senko. I went back to the crank and got a 4-lber then an 8-lber and another 4-lber. Ken then lost a good one on a crank but we never saw it. It was tough to catch um but when you got one it was a good one we had a little over 25lbs for 5.
      City: Martinez

      Tips: Rock and weeds with deep water close by look for an alley that leads to deep water

    • By

      Water Temp: 68-70+

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: First boat on and right to the cove. Took Rich, Calvin and I a few to get what they wanted but we found it. Mostly dinks, Cal caught a few 1lb+. Moved on for more and ran across some crappie (on a crank bait) so we caught some crappie then headed to a new place and it was GAME ON! running crank baits. over all 25+ fish for the boat.
      City: Plumas Lake

      Tips: Reaction Baits, Reaction Baits, Reaction Baits...chartrouse somewhere in the bait is a must. See ya on the lake.

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: dropshot!!!!!!!!! caught 13 fish in an hour!6 were average size at about 2-3 lbs. 6 were dinks at about 1-1.5 lbs. 1 was about 5 lbs. later 1 jig fish was caught by my partner. about 4 lbs. GOOD DAY
      City: roseville

      Tips: DROPSHOT DROPSHOT DROPSHOT DROPSHOT DROPSHOT DROPSHOT

  • Lake County
    • By

      Water Temp: 50.5

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: The wife and I went to the lake to enjoy the great weather weds and thurs, you gotta love all the rain and wind. The fish responded well even though it was nasty out. Started in the south with action instantly on plastics and occassionally a minnow fish-I never thought I would admit to using live bait, but Richard Pounds made it look too fun to pass up. I set one rod up with a minnow and freespooled it with the clicker on, and let it lay on the boat while we used dropshot rigs and carolina rigs.The plastics prevailed 3 to 1. We marked alot of fish in 12 to 16 feet of water. I positioned the boat in about 8 feet of water and casted toward the open water, they were killin' the 6" junebug lizards and mm111s'. Unfortunately the window of opportunity was short due to the rough wind we experienced. Once in a while the minnow rod would start singin' and we hit a few that way. We saw one of Richard's cliants nail an 8.13 right in front of us, that stung for a minute. All in all we made the best of it and got the chance to try out some of our new baits- stay tuned there coming soon.
      City: placerville

      Tips: We couldn't manage to find anything big, our best five were about 19 pounds, but we loaded up on consistantly nice fish. Find areas out of the rough seas so you can work your rigs carefully. You don't always mark the fish when they're there.

    • By

      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I sure thought the Clear Lake reports section was supposed to be about catching bass, not sharks or whatever. Sorry to disappoint, but this will be a BASS report! One of my former clients and a fishing partner of his invited me to go with them on Tuesday - enjoying another rainy, windy day in beautiful sunny California. What fun - I got to stand in the back of the boat and just wait on me!! We started at the north end but were shortly blown off - and towing to the south end we went! These guys really know how to rip and they did that from 11:30 to nearly dark. They don't know yet that their arms will fall off in about 5 years!! They used a variety of lures and did some cranking too. We spent most of the time in and around docks. I wasn't having any success rippin' so I decided to split-shot a junebug
      Berkley Pulse worm. First fish was 3 1/2 lbs - next one was over 3. Guess what - they took a break and started throwing small worms - with sucess! They wern't trying to make me feel good - I know - their arms hurt, har!!! One fellow got a 4 pounder on a ripbait, I actually got a 4 1/4 on my 4" Pulse worm (that was fun!). I was king for about 10 minutes until the other fellow rips a 4-11! We didn't throw any spinnerbaits, though they might have worked. I'm not sure what our 5 biggest weighed but they were over 20 lbs. I believe this is the most bass I have ever seen in one trip (7 hours) - we had well over 80 bass in the boat, counting a few undersize ones. My record with a friend is 74 in 6 hours. I was impressed with the two of them - excellent fishermen! They did very well in a recent tournament at Clear Lake a few weeks ago - I can see why!!!
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: I won't offer any tips because this is their strength and they are very good and stick with it. They know what they want to do and they do it!! The water color looked pretty good in the south end. I was surprised at how well the bite held up after the frontal passage and a major switch in the wind direction. It was fun to be in the back and see how well a Ranger 520 fishes 3 people.

    • By

      Water Temp: 54-55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: well kinda of a slow day on the water today got to the lake about 1pm fished untill dark....fished sinko`s and boated only 4 fish a 7.5 and three 4lber`s...thew jigs got hit`s just couldn`t hook`em oh well there is always tomorrow

      Tips: fish the flats and tree`s 2-12 ft of water an hold on cuz the big one`s are staging.....See u on the water

  • Shasta County
    • By

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Hey bruce by april 22nd the bass should be right on the bank. I would go to the pit arm and fish it with brown or smoke 21/2 inch colored tubes. Have a rippin rod ready and look for bait fish burst on the water. I usually go with any white colored crank. Lots of fish on lots of different baits, this is why this is one of the greatest lakes.
      City: redding

      Tips: fish hard and fish everywhere. you'll come up on fish.

Tuesday, March 28th, 2006

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Ok went out for a a couple hours today got 3 fish all on spinners biggest was 4lbs and stuffed with eggs. The other two were about 1.5 each both males. Medium to slow presentation. Very windy on the lake today. Glad I didnt decide to tube. Nothing on plastics. Lost the spinner and went home if you can find the spinner (its visible and above water) you will know what I was tossing ;) Good luck all.

      Tom
      City: pittsburg

    • By

      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: great job... How bout that Mike Long geting beat out"""""""""" a world record.. by 3 pound's.. good shit.. whether it was foul hooked or not.. he got it in the boat.. Hey... what the hell would you do ??? Myself.. I would be shakin" " Like a hound dog trying to shit a peach pit" good job.. It's a record..
      City: morgan hill

      Tips: thank the guy's..hell your all out there trying to do the same thing anyway...Give credit where crdit is due.. and I think.. in my opinion the fish is "KING" and the person who caught it " Is one lucky and hard worker.. remember It wasn't one person who caught the fish.. I think that there were 2 or 3 freind's that have been trying to do this for a while.. Read the book.. and follow...74 year record broken by 3 pound.s not 3 ounces'' 3 pound's.. great job.. fck those florida guy's...there just jeoulous of California.. biggest Bass have been caught here // wow a lot of people have thing to say.. hey fish safe and give the "TEAM" some credit.. after all ... It is a world record, foul hooked or not, recognize it.. and congratulate the lucky team who did it..CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WORLD RECORD BASS.. Doug

    • By

      Water Temp: 53 to 55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Well another week of fishing out of the way and there still a good bite on 2 to 4 pounds bass in the 5mp area on jig in green pumpkin 1/4 & 3/8 oz with yamamoto 208 watermelon red/black flake single tail grubs as the trailer. Also brushogs are still good carolina rigged and senkos in watermelon or watermelon red/black flake work also. The bite slowed through the storm and some swimbait fish are still showing up but most bass are in the 2 to 4 pound range. There been no problem putting 10 to 12 nice bass in the boat in 2 to 3 hours of fishing these bass are shallow from 8 to 15 feet and are pretty much staying in that range now. GET READY FOR ROUND TWO IT COMMING SOON. I fish this lake over 150 time a year and this lakes not hard to figure out you throw the basic tackle here and you will catch nice bass. Cover now is a big part of the bass now as it get closer to spawn and the big bass as in 10 to 12 pound range are setting in 12 to 20 feet of water now and wont move up much more now. The dam area and swim area going to play a major part in some swimbait action here in the next two months.Also as it warms the nite fishing here going to be outstand with the water level up. The east side of the lake or camper side those major coves and humps on the east side are hold bass now.
      City: kerman ca.

      Tips: Fishing here will pick up as the weather warms the bass are shallow and here to stay and pretty much everything you throw from jigs to brushogs,lizards,senko's they all work and it not hard too put 10 to12 fish in the boat in a half day of fishing. Any questions e mail me here.

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: ~55

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: i got out at about 7am and started out with some early spinnerbait for 45min and got nothin.swiched to a jig later and ended up pullin in 2 small largemouth. later i used the never-failing dropshot and caught 7 largemouth and a smally.
      City: sacramento

      Tips: search for fish on fish-finder and then drop the dropshot.or throw the dropshot in tight tree areas and drag back to the boat.

  • San Francisco County
    • By

      Water Temp: COLD

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: FISHED THE SOUTH LAKE TODAY FROM 7 TO 10 JUST PRACTICING ON MY FLIPPIN.....WITH NO LUCK..ALSO THREW MY SPINNER AT EVERY ANGLE ALONG THOSE TULE LINES WITH ALSO NO LUCK...THIS WEATHERS KICKIN MY ASS...HOPEFULLY WE GET SOME DECENT WEATHER THIS WEEK WITH SOME GOOD-O-SUNSHINE =)
      City: SAN FRANCISCO

Monday, March 27th, 2006

  • Napa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 52 thru 54

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Subject : Fishing with Sid

      | | | Inbox


      This month will be the wettest month on record and needless to say the lake is full. The photo attached is of the father and son team, David and Andrew, who fished with me this past week. They did an excellent job considering the conditions that day. We caught trout and bass. The largest bass weighed a little over three pounds. The next day Jerry went out with me and landed an 8.5 pound bass using a watermelon red senco with brass and glass. On Friday I took Tim out. The weather conditions were not the greatest, it was windy and wet most of the day. Our first stop was in one of my favorite coves for small mouth bass. It took Tim approximately five minutes to catch two bass. We continued to use brass and glass. He came equipped with an accuvue and a GPS to find the fish and mark the locations. Unfortunately the water only had about a foot and a half of visibility. On Saturday the wind was howling and it rained heavily off and on most of the day. In the late afternoon it settled down and my wife and I ventured out to my favorite cove and she showed me up by catching fish left and right. Sunday was a beautiful spring day and we started out fairly early and went to the big island. My wife was using a watermelon senco with brass and glass and yelled to me that she was stuck then she yelled no it's a fish I grabbed the net and headed towards the stern where I saw this huge largemouth bass jump out of the water. My wife reeled the fish to the back of the boat and within inches of netting it her line broke. This is the second time that a ten pound plus fish broke off before we could net it. Good news, if you see Dino at Spanish Flats and give him a ten dollar tip he will show you on a map where they dumped 1,000 weighted christmas trees in the lake. If you have any fishing stories you would like to share please email me at bestguide@hotmail.com come visit us and look at pictures at www.fishingconnection.net 'til next week......................................good fishing!!!!!!!!!
      City: Napa

      Tips: When your wife in 3 years gets a ten plus to the boat,make sure she can release the fish instead of breaking off at the last minuete

  • Solano County
    • By

      Water Temp: 54 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished today using blades, rip baits and small swimbaits caught some nice females. 5lbs, 4lbs, 7lbs and some small males.
      Fished outside weedlines and deep water close to tules. Another blessed day on the Delta. Success to all.
      City: Tracy

  • Ventura County
    • By

      Water Temp: 59.7

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Central Coast Bass Club -- 17 Boats
      6AM start time --
      3 tourneys going today and also a Kid's Fish Day but Coyote Ramp was open. Dismall looking morning with 60% chance of rain -- Weather was not that bad in the morning.

      Hit the small island edges and hit at 6:30 then not again till 8:20 - Keepers but only 2 pounders. Used red flake craws and blk/red 6"plastic worms for bite. Seen several fish being taken but size was small. Moved off island and headed towards points where bite and size were much better. Drop shot with red flake/blk was working. Bed fish taken on several colors but nothing stable. Hit miss on line size and color. Good weights on points heading towards dam.

      Rain at about noon but light. Cloud cover heavy at top of mountain hoping fish may react to change. Points holding bed fish and some taking good weights with some deligent time spent on one spot.

      Finishing weights: Winner with 14-8, 5-7 boats with 12 plus - Big fish at about 7.0. Four boats with only one fish - two with zero.

      Overall: Dinner at TG Fridays in Oxnard was good -- Fishing wasn't... Margarita is next stop next month.
      City: Santa Maria

      Tips: Bring black/red flake 6-8" -- A white/green flake small grub on 8 pound took big bass on a bed so it may be something to think about but scary on the line size.

      Small Island is still a good area over weed beds on worms. Big Swim baits did little to nothing today --- Save the $35 for better water temps.

  • Yuba County
    • By

      Water Temp: 53

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished for a few hours today before the 15 mile an hour wind started blowing. I threw a Norman crankbait pretty much the whole time and landed 2 fish and lost 1. I bass was about 2 pounds. A nice chunky little spot. The other was a dink. The wind was blowing pretty good and the water was still pretty muddy from the rains. I have been doing pretty good at Collins with a Shad colored Norman crankbait between storms. I have been pitching it in tight around trees and slowly wobbling it back out banging limbs when I can. I caught a 4.5 spot last week doing this. I havent been getting a lot of bites but 3 or 4 good ones a day. Can't wait for some stable weather when the bite gets good. I guess a guy could catch more fish on jigs or worms worked slow but I seem to be catching more quality fish on the crankbait than I usually do with the plastics. Good luck. Catch and Release!

      Tips: Have also caught a few slow rolling chartreuse spinnerbats in the trees.

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Well it looks like he won't be credited with the world record after all. He said on ESPN "all that matters is I know I have the world record." HMMMM, he may have caught a 25.1, and is well deserving of holding the new world record, BUT...he failed to plan properly. He offered another guy a thousand dollars to fish that spot so he KNEW how important that fish was. WHY...WHY NOT have a huge ice chest with an aeroater to keep her alive....THEN take her to certified scales which he should have known exactly where they were???!!!
      Let's be honest...who cares if it was foul hooked. I don't know one person who is THAT conscientious about doing the "right" thing. He stalked that fish...he got her to turn on his jig....he deserved to get the world record! You know most anyone who knew the importance of that fish would have turned to his buddies in the boat...and while still in the net put that hook in the upper lip and moved it around a bit...NO ONE would have ever had to know!! Is that cheating...dishonest...wrong??? HELL NO!!! I give him all the credit in the world for having the patience and perserverence to get that hawg on the end of his line. That is an old and SMART fish...It's been caught a mere 3 times since 1991. It should be in the record books..and would have been there for a LONG time.
      Do I feel bad for him...nope..not one bit. Simply unbelievable...he could have had blank checks from SO many sponsors had he only played his cards right....as for his overwhelming need to be Mr. Right-thing-to-do....well, there aren't any sponsors for that now are there?
      City: Atascadero

      Tips: Use your head when you fish for trophy bass AND if you catch a world record...for God's sake...follow all the steps BY THE BOOK!!

  • Sacramento County
    • By

      Water Temp: 48to50

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: WIND, RAIN AND WOOD WAS THE RULE WITH POOR CONDITIONS UP THE SOUTH FORK. TWO FISH ON ROBO'S 5-15 FEET OF WATER. HEAVY RAIN WHILE LEAVING THE DOCK.
      City: CARMICHAEL

      Tips: SLOW FISHING WITH FRONT COMING IN!

  • Mariposa County
    • By

      Water Temp: 40

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Back again, What better way to spend my spring break But on the lake. I fished 5 out of the 10 day spring break. Did well. I caught total out of the 5 days at least 40-50 bass and good news the crappie bite is on. If you catch one 10 to 15 are right behind him. I was mainly using my grub made by Gary Yahmamoto it is dark green with black spots.I fished about 40-50ft down. My buddy was using a large white crappie jig and he pulled out alot as well they we not as big as mine his fished average 1 lb but he found the crappie and once one was found that when I started using one.

      My trolling motor foot pedal cable broke that was a downfall but hopefully i will have it fixed by next trip

      if anyone would like to see some of the pictures of my spring break and the lake email me
      City: Turlock

      Tips: Crappie are begining to hit fish deep structures slow with small jigs

      We caught all of our crappie at Horseshoe Bend
      in various coves