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Northern California Lake Fishing Report

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Saturday, February 11th, 2006

  • Mason County
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      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Went out on the lake between 12-3 with my brother and his son. Threw cranks, senkos, blades, hula grubs, and 4" darterhead worms with no hits. Finally started catching bass on a 1/8 oz beetle spin (yellow and white) and a 5" jig head worms (shad colored). We ended up with 5 bass from 10"-13" on rocky points. All fish were fat and healthy with a nice green color, not the winter pale look. Tough day on the lake. There was lots of fisherman out yesterday but saw very few hookups. Prespawn is not here just yet.

      Tips: Fish deep, downsize lures and line weight, fish slow.

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 50

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: This week at Lake Berryessa it rained and rained which is great because we need it. The shorelines are muddy and the lake is filling up. The fishing is heating up as the fish look for food more actively. It is not my personal preference to fish in the rain but I always seem to catch more fish when it is raining. This week a few of my friends went out on the "HulaCat" with Captain Tom Matuch for squid. They fished 1265 feet down and brought up squid up to fifty pounds as you can see in this picture. Walter had his work cut our for him with five keepers. Rangal caught two at one time and Greg (in the picture) brought a couple to the top and lost them to another squid. February 14th - 18th is the fishing show at the Cow Palace. This picture of me holding a trophy was for first place in a halibut derby where I landed a 27 lb 9 oz fish. Our next fishing meeting for the YBAC will be the third Monday in March (the 19th) at Dominic's at Oyster
      Point we will have a guest speaker. Lastly, don't forget Friday, March 16th is our third annual dinner for "Project Pride" hope to see you there. 'til next week.......................good fishing!!!!!! 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: NNAPA

      Tips: BRING YOUR RAIN GEAR see you at the cow palace

    • By

      Water Temp: 55 degrees

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched at safe light with Colin and Kimberlee to do some pre fishing for an upcomming club tournament next week. This week was dads turn to catch the fish. Colin put one in the boat on a drop shot rig at Small Island, Kimberlee put one almost in the boat on a split shot rig near the Vinyards and I had 4, all on something else.......can't give that up just yet! Beautiful day, lot's of boats on the lake and too much fun to fish with my kids! I saw a couple other club members all doing the same thing for next week....................Good Luck Guy's!!!!
      City: Sacramento

      Tips: Keep your line in the water and catch fish! See you this Saturday!

    • By

      Water Temp: 54-56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Took the wife out on the her first ride on the new(used) bassboat that I purchased last year. It was a beautiful day with about 5 knots of wind most of the time. I set her up with a dropshot rig and she fished that most of the day. Started the day at 8am and for the next two hours just checked out spots on the main lake, far too many bassboats out there so we ended up fishing the Narrows and Big Island. We got several fish on the rockslides all smallies biggest 1.5. we fished at 15 to 20 feet dropshotting purple white robo worms. We pulled into the inside of Big Island and fished on several humps and hooked and released 7 smallies and 2 largemouths using the same dropshot set up but caught fish from 8 to 15 feet.
      City: South San Francisco

      Tips: If you want someone to have a chance at catching fish in this lake teach them how to dropshot!

    • By

      Water Temp: 54-56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: I enjoyed my first guided trip since my surgery with two great fellows and we enjoyed a beautiful day and fair fishing. We all caught bass, including a nice 3 1/4 lb largemouth and a smallie at least 2 lbs. We only had one dink and I think 11 tournament keepers - about a 10 lb limit give or take an ounce or two. The guys were learning to fish jigs and did ok, but missed a lot of fish. The bite was mostly a non-bite feeling - though a few slammed the jig. We fished the narrows and some of the main body, catching bass from 5 to about 25 feet. Saw lots of big fish on the meter from 50 to 70 feet, just like last Feb.
      City: Yuba City

      Tips: It looks and feels like spring but the bass don't know it yet. Not too many shallow fish and mostly males I suspect. We caught most of our bass on very steep banks and a few on off-shore structure I showed them.

    • By

      Water Temp: 49 to 56

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Decided to try all new areas instead of bangin the same turf. That meant fishing the main lake and North.Cranked one ,bladed three,senkos four, dropshot three,and seven on jigs. The previous week I was nailing them on texas rigs and today they wanted no part of it.Nothing of notable size , best five 9.5 lbs and evenly mixed L.M. , S.M. , and spots.
      City: Granite Bay Ca.

      Tips: Morning was better than afternoon and two of us fished for a total of eighteen.

    • By

      Water Temp: 54-55

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Launched out of Markley at 06:30am with 4 other boats..By 9:00 am there must have been about 50 bass boats on the lake, no kidding. Fishing was difficult maybe because of all the fishing pressure. I was only able to land one fish on a lizard in about 15 feet of water. Now I remember why I don't fish on Saturday's, but I had no choice it was today or no day. Water is starting to warm slowly but the spawn will not happen until water warms to at least 60+. Good luck!
      City: EDH

      Tips: Fish in about 10 - 25 feet and keep it slow..Try until you get bit.

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 54-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Water Temps are up but There are few fish taking advantage of it. There was a trout and bass tournament going on Saturday. I took a guy named Jeramy sp. out as his father in law had'nt put the new registration decals on the boat so they turned him around at the gate. Not knowing what I was getting into I told him to just bring his rods and the most minamal of tackle boxes and away we went. The local talant was all over my spots buy the time we got away from the dock so I went into the narrows and blanked for a bit. I had Him fish a worm while I beat the backs of the coves. Zip! I had him tie on a white spinnerbait and we went over to arrowhead island and he whacked a really nice smallmouth. We got cut off so I went to my number one morning spot that had been occupied by as it turns out the winners of the tournament....I guess they know what I know about that spot. I had Jeramy fish the worm while I beat the spot for nothing. Got one he says...I look back and he's got a 4 pounder on the worm. Okay! I pulled out and away and we started running the banks with his spinnerbait and me crankin. Wham! he gets the best fish of the day ...Hmmmpf I better get a blade on....we fished for a mile without getting bit. Then I caught two sweet largemouth on the blade. I put him on the dock at 11:30 had lunch and went out to try some new stuff. I got off the water and watched the weigh in...Nobody caught there fish the same way! There was no pattern as fish were caught every way that is possible. What didn't work for others worked for someone else. Cachuma is really in transition now. Things change daily this time of year and they will be hard to pattern for a few more weeks. The spoon bite is gone but the fish are still there! I expect the fish to break wide open by the next full moon...unless we have some weather. None of the other guys are having much fun right now either so I guess the real key is to just go fishing.
      City: Santa Barbara

      Tips: I have been getting fish on worms, jigs, cranks, blades and kreature type baits also. The key is to find the presentation and depth that gets them to eat. there has been no hesitation when I do get bit I am hammered so time should the solution

  • Ventura County
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      Water Temp: 59-60 AM rising

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Weather was warm, clear blue sky, mostly glassy calm. Air temp was 75+. Water was lightly stained, green, and healthy looking with about 3-4' visibility. Tossed swimbait on points for first hr with no follows or bites. Put the big rods in the box and switched to worms and eventually started getting bit along the old brush line in 15-20', I was shakin and my buddy split shotin. Also tried rippin, jigs, and senkos- no bites. Cruised the shallows but did not see any shallow fish or cruisers. Finished the day out on the worm pattern. We landed 8 fish from 1-3lbs and probably had 11-12 bites -nothing big but lots of bites and a fun day. All our fish were on 4" and 6" robo worms and 6 and 8lb line. Color did not seem to matter too much oxblood, aarons and ayu all worked.
      City: Thousand Oaks

      Tips: Focus on the old brush line and you have a good chance to find the school sized fish, but keep an open mind since the fish will likely change quickly with the weather and rising water temp. You probably wont get any big ones doing what we did, but I thought it was worth sharing the info for guys like me that want to go out and get some bites and have a fun day.

    • By

      Water Temp: 56

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: showed up at noon to bass boat central. tried my luck near dam where the water was the clearest. fished jigs, carolina rigs, texas rigs and had no luck. went to southern end and fished a texas rigged 10" power worm along the creek channel and caught 2 keepers 4lb and 2lb(10-15ft). must of been about 8 boats fishing the creek didn't see or hear of any good fish caught.

      Tips: afternoons seem to be your best bet. slow retrieves. hold your ground. dont get run over by the million dollar bass boats

    • By

      Water Temp: ?

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Great day of fishing 30 keepers in 5 hours biggest fish 6-14. fish are moving shallow. jigs, senkos, some topwater color didnt seem to matter
      City: Fresno

    • By

      Water Temp: 54

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Lake is clearing fairly rapidly, only stained in most areas. Lots of boats on the lake today, mainly trouters trying for the recently stocked trout, and several had success. The stocked trout appear to have mostly dispersed away from the launch ramp and are being caught by trollers. John got a couple nice bass (a 3 and a 2) on crankbaits today, but that was it for the two of us. I spent most of the day casting swimbaits, with no takers, and tried a red crankbait, large and medium-sized spinnerbaits, jig with Sweet Beaver trailer, and drop-shotting a 4" Senko and a Yamamoto lizard...no bites!
      City: Monterey

      Tips: Full moon tonight, but it may be too cold for an early spawn...the fish will probably be busy eating through the night and hunkering down tomorrow. We'll try some different stuff, fished slowly and on the bottom tomorrow.

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

      Report: Dropped in at 4:00 p.m. today at Packer's Bay with my 11 yr old. Limited out at 4:45 p.m. All 2-3 lb bass. Saw and heard of lots of fish caught. Good time for some bass fishing. Bridge Bay was a zoo. Packer's parking lot was full as well. I figured most points would be pretty well fished. Boy was I wrong.
      City: Cottonwood

      Tips: Go fishing!

  • Trinity County
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      Water Temp: 45-48

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: Got out for a while with a buddy from Redding. Usually when Terry comes over the hill special things happen. Last year about this time we ended up with a 8-7 LM and a 5-12 smallie along with several other quality fish. A really special day. This time was not quite the same. We ended up with what would have been a great on Shasta, but was a little disappointing for Trinity. Best LM just over 5 and the best smallie over 3 with the 5 best around 15 lbs. We caught about a dozen fish.
      City: Weaverville

      Tips: Duh Team Spoons were working as well as anything but the Gitzits and ball jig worms worked also. I expect as the moon phase darkens the fishing should improve.

Friday, February 10th, 2006

  • Napa County
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      Water Temp: 52-58

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: Just finished a 3 consecative days of Guiding with clients from all over the bay Area.

      10th (Sat), Caught fish in the narrows on Drop-shit rigs from 25ft down the 45ft. It was a light bite, more of a feel or munch bite than a BANG. We also caught them on Hula Grubs. No set Color to speak of. One thing that I notice and elabated on was the shad were strung out horizontally at 40-45ft.

      2nd day (Sunday), Totally different weather from Saturday, couldn't really put anything solid togather like Sat, We did catch some fish at the buttom or in creeks and points, DEEP. Went to Main body of the Lake and run into a totally different pattern than the Narrows. Smallmouth to 10lb+ limits where moving up and down on shelfs. We riped some and drop-shot most of this pattern. Ended up putting a solid pattern for these gentleman.

      3rd Day. Knowing the patterns for bigger fish, had a single gentleman. Days weather again wasn't has the day before. Narrows, Off totally, Wraggs at the very end caught some dinks. Left for the Main lake area and fished a different area than the day before. Slow start, put was putting a pattern together. Fish were either on top of a point or along the side around 20ft. We established a solid pattern in about 2hrs with rotating three point areas for smallmouth.
      The gentleman wanted to learn the Northend of the lake referring to the article I had written. Im game. Spent about an hour showing him depths and meter reading (Detailing)for prespawning Largemouth that are or will be setting up for the spawn. I was asked not to give to much info out about we caught nor on. I guide clients that fish tournaments thus I respect their wishes. But, I can say this, WE FOUND THEM, within 8 cast 3fish immediatly in the boat and nothing less than 2 3/4lbs to he he, I cant say HAR!!! I can say I even got excited on the quality.

      The last two trips were with Tournament Fisherman and I respect all their wishes, names, location of catch etc. I try an estabish patterns that work for my clients, its up to them to establish there patterns and where.

      One diffently situation I did find tho was that each day on the water was different from the prevouis day. No one day was the same within 3.

      With a known cold front coming in again for this upcoming weekend event. These patterns can change but the fish are still there but maybe shallower or deeper than caught but still there.

      Take care and good luck, for information on setting up guide trips, either fun fishing relaxing or Tournament Fisherman contact me at (707)374-1446 or just click on the advertisement above.

      Rich Thiel

      Rich Thiel
      City: Rio Vista

      Tips: With the weather changing again in the near future the bite on some patterns may change, so should you if you have something going on a certain bank or multiable banks, change to a different technique or approach to given area.

  • Santa Barbara County
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      Water Temp: 55 or so

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: End day of a hot spell, clear skies at 8am. Tried fishing steep walls in Cachuma and wall east end. Switch to leadhead with worm and found one very good fish off Johnson entrance cliffs. Tried various other things for 2 little guys.
      City: Santa Barbara

      Tips: Cooler weather returning with a chance of some early morning fog. Wind came up about 12:30. Not bad though.

  • Santa Clara County
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      Water Temp: 55

      Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

      Report: fished mostly main lake points. had best results dragging hula grubs and crawdads in 10-20ft of water. caught 6 keepers from 1-4lbs most fish were caught in the afternoon when the water warmed up.
      City: morgan hill

      Tips: slowwwwwwwwwwww

    • By

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: I fished here for 3 years before I bought my bass boat. I have caught fish bass to 8lbs, but many 3-6lbs on occassion. this lake has one problem and that is the people who keep the bass, I have seen people put 10lb bass on a stringer there, ugh!!@! two colors work real well, green and purple, after that black is my next choice. spinner baits white and chart/white
      along the dam is a good choice this time of the year, use heavy tackle, the chance of a large 15lb+ striper is possible (I've witnessed this)
      For plastics I always liked robo worms, yamamoto spider grubs (fished on a 3/8 oz football jig head) senkos (better in march-june)drop shotting can be good around the "hump" there is an underwater hump about 150 yds out from the ramp going towards the dam. I have one secret lure I never left home without, most people I ever told laughed and thought I was full of it, a chrome/blue kastmaster! when you see shad on the surface or any kind of surface action throw that kastmaster through it, I caught many, many bass on it, and still use it to this day to catch bass on the delta.
      City: antioch

    • By

      Water Temp: 52 to 54

      Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

      Report: The bass are still holding to rock piles and now are moving up on the flats. Small brush piles are stating to hold bass to 4 pounds watermelon brushogs carolina rig is working in 10 to 20 feet of water also jigs are still working well in lite green pumpkin with a 208 yamamoto watermelon red/black flake single tail grub there no problem putting 5 or 6 bass in the boat in a couple of hours. the east ramp is a good area to fish and also swimming area as is the flats in the 5mph area pick a spot and fish a 30 to 40 yard area work it slow.
      City: kerman ca

      Tips: these bass are not going to move now there going to start shallowing up even if the weather cools there pretty much going to stay where there at. try different colors junebug going to stat here soon also lizards are gettin close watermelon junebug brown & purple GOOD LUCK ANY QUESTIONS E MAIL ME HERE

  • San Francisco County
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      Water Temp: Cold

      Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

      Report: Fished in the Fog for 3 hrs this afternoon. North lake for 2 1/2 hrs at the pier on the south side opposite the Boathouse and along the bank. also, fished the bank at the impoundment for 30 minutes. Fished a chartreuse bleeding spinner bait, drop shot rig with different color Robo Worm flukes, whacky rigged Yum Dinger. Got one biteon the drop shot rig and a hit on the spinner bait...missed both fish. No excuses, was paying more attention to my cigar than the fishing. I'll try again tomorrow.
      City: Daly City

      Tips: Stay alert during your retrieve. Keep both hands on the wheel at all times. Smoke the best cigars you can afford.